There’s some good competition for the fourth inside linebacker position on the Bucs between rookies K.J. Britt and Grant Stuard, along with five-year veteran Joe Jones. Each player has had their moments in the preseason. Britt boasted the best overall outing in the first game, while Jones had a pick-six. Stuard impressed the most in the third game, recording a sack and three tackles-for-loss.

Whoever gets the last roster spot will make it for their performance on special teams. With one last game to go, Stuard has put his focus on standing out to his coaches by being the best player on the field in that area.

Bucs ILBs Joe Jones and Grant Stuard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I just have to show that I can be a dominant special teams player,” Stuard said. “That I can take coaching and do the technique that the coaches ask me to do instead of going out there and doing my own thing. Just show that I can dominate out there in that area of the game. I don’t think I’ve really shown that yet. I have a lot more reps for special teams this game, so just capitalizing there. Showing him like, ‘Hey, I’m a dude on special teams. I’m not just a guy, I’m a dude.’ I feel like if I show that then I have a good chance.”

The Bucs’ seventh round pick may have extra pep in his step in Saturday’s game. He’ll be playing in his hometown of Houston, where he played college ball for the Cougars. Stuard has been praised for the energy and enthusiasm he’s brought to the field, which has translated to his love for special teams.

It’s an affinity that started right in the Houston area when Stuard began playing football.

“I think that if you watch me play special teams, it’s going to look a lot like the way I play defense,” Stuard said. “That’s just kind of how I do everything on the field. Then one day probably my freshman, sophomore year I just kind of realized that I was going really, really hard and a lot of guys aren’t going as hard. They might not sprint the whole play. Punt return is a long play, kickoff is a long play. So realizing that I was fast, I was strong, I was conditioned and I had the will to make plays even if it wasn’t set up for me to make it.

“And that’s all special teams is about is effort. Once I realized that what I’m naturally good at, which is effort, kind of went into special teams, I guess that’s when I kind of knew that ‘alright, I have to make something happen here.’ That started in high school, middle school.”

There’s always going to be growing pains when you make the jump from college to the pros. The important thing is how you grow your game from week to week. That’s how Stuard is approaching his first ever NFL training camp.

Bucs ILB Grant Stuard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“In college, effort was enough,” Stuard said. “Effort was enough to make plenty of special teams plays. I made so many special teams plays just because I was running harder. I was running my full speed, I was probably the same speed if not faster than the return man in college. The return men in the NFL are the best athletes here. They’re the fastest, quickest guys, so you also have to have technique.

“You need to be thinking, it’s not just run down there and knock somebody’s head off. You might have to squeeze to the ball and stuff like that. I think that’s the biggest difference, as well as a lot of techniques and stuff. In college I played in the slot, but on punt I could just run. I didn’t have to block anybody, you had a rugby punter. Everything’s different here, so I’m getting used to it.”