James Hearns | West | 3-4 LB | Louisville

Hearns is a different type of pass rusher that the Buccaneers may be interested in, if they chose to move their formation more towards a 3-4 base instead of a 4-3 – though, as you’ll hear many times this offseason, most teams are multiple in what they do now. But, being multiple doesn’t mean you don’t want players that can specialize in what you think you’ll run the most.

Hearns didn’t see starting time until his junior season, 2016. In it, he recorded eight sacks and 11 tackles for loss. The following season, 2017, his sack total decreased by one to seven, but his tackle for loss number went up from 11 to 13.5.

Hearns is listed at 6-foot-3, 248 pounds. He’s not going to have as big or as bulky of a frame due to the fact that he is still technically listed as a linebacker, and that means he’s asked to do some coverage assignments, at times. Louisville did ask Hearns to play different positions, however, as his tape shows him being a 3-4 pass rush linebacker, a 4-3 defensive end and a 4-3, 5-tech defensive end. All that to basically say he can rush the passer from a stand-up position and with his hand in the ground. Hearns has a nice first step, and his all-around pass rush game could stand out during Shrine Week.