Bucs inside linebacker Lavonte David has been called a future Hall of Famer, a future Ring Of Honor Member, a team captain, a leader and a mentor. We can all add one more title to the list with this one being a recruiter.

When we spoke to Lavonte David last week at his own press conference, he mentioned that new free agent signing and fellow inside linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. was a friend.

“Anthony Walker [is] a great friend of mine and it’s great to see that he’s signing with us,” David said. “I know what he brings to the table, I know what type of work ethic, personally, he puts in, and his cerebral part of the game and how smart he is. I know he’ll be able to make plays for us. It’s going to be a very competitive inside linebacker room and I’m ready for it and I’m excited for our position group.”

Lavonte David Was A Huge Reason Anthony Walker Jr. Came To Bucs

What we didn’t exactly know was how much of an influence and impact David had in getting Walker to Tampa. The roots run very deep between these two. It started in Miami and continued during every offseason.

Bucs ILB Lavonte David and Eagles TE Dallas Goedert – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I’ve known Lavonte pretty much most of my life,” Walker said on Wednesday. “Being from Miami, actually one of his close friends, I played football with his little brother so I was just always around. Once I made the NFL they kind of let me get into the group to hang with the cool kids, I guess. We train together every offseason since like my third year in the NFL. Obviously a mentor of mine, a guy that I’ve learned from, tried to model my game after. Just a very good friend of mine.

Not only are they friends, but Walker credits David as a big reason why he came to the Bucs. He also looks to him as a mentor.

“Yeah, a huge reason, Walker said. “Obviously, the respect that he has in Tampa, on this team, in the city, everywhere he’s been, he’s touched a lot of lives and for him to help me get here is amazing as well. Obviously, a chance to be teammates with him would be pretty dope and I kept telling him that. He said one day he was going to make it happen. We’ve been trying to get this done since I was getting drafted but [we were] finally able to get it done.”

Walker Is Familiar With More Bucs As Well

Because of the Miami connection, Walker is also friends with Bucs defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, who will be helping in getting him stops this year.

Bucs ILB Anthony Walker Jr. – Photo by: USA Today

“Calijah (Kancey), same thing – a Miami guy as well – just a little younger, but you know, (he) plays with a lot of passion, a lot of energy,” Walker said.” [He’s] another good friend of mine, as well, so just excited to be a part of (the defense). Obviously this defense has been pretty good the last few years.

The next person Walker has known for a while does not go as far back as David or Kancey. He didn’t meet him until the middle of his career. After the beginning of his career started with the Colts, he then his spent his next three seasons on the Browns before going to Dolphins last year. When he was on the Browns he was teammates with none other than quarterback Baker Mayfield for Mayfield’s last year in Cleveland and Walker’s first. The team up once again this year.

Walker was speaking about how much he knew of the Bucs before signing and then talked about being teammates with the team’s quarterback.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

“Always watching from afar obviously with Lavonte being here. The last few years with Baker being here, a teammate of mine in Cleveland,” Walker said.  Seeing how close they’ve been, the last few years. I texted Bake, I told him he’s my teammate again and he just started laughing. How close this team is where all 31 other teams want to be, I feel like this team is right there.

“I always thought Baker was a great quarterback, even at Oklahoma in college. Even when I was in Cleveland, I thought he was a great quarterback there. He just battled injuries the year I was there that we played together. He even started off that season hot. We just got to a point where he was playing through an injury.

“Again, now he’s fully healthy. You can see the trust in his teammates, trust in the offensive line, in the coaches and everything like that. You see a quarterback playing at that elite level now, you understand it’s a lot of moving parts that go with that. I’m excited to continue to see it and be a part of it now as his teammate. I always believed in Baker and I know he can get the job done.”

What David Has Told Walker About Bucs’ Defense

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and LB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

What should Walker expect coming into this Bucs’ defense? David gave him the lowdown of it.

“They stop the run really well,” Walker said. “They do come after the quarterback a lot, as well, so one of the first things he told me is to just be ready to go, doing everything – blitzing, coverage, stopping the run, all that stuff. The last thing he texted me just now was, ‘All right. It’s time to get to work.’ I’m like, ‘Dude, it’s still the offseason [laughs]. What’s wrong with you?’ But that’s just kind of how we always competed, me and Lavonte, in the offseason and everything like that.

“I even have this video that I’m going to post soon of me beating him in a race. I told him I was going to save it for when we become teammates. Again, that’s just the competitive nature that we have, we’ve always had. I’m just excited to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Obviously, [it’s] a legendary organization and a team that’s right there, ready to win a Super Bowl.”