Round 6: TCU ILB Ty Summers
6-1, 241 – Senior

Previous Pick: None
Although the Buccaneers passed over LSU inside linebacker Devin White and Michigan inside linebacker Devin Bush in this version of PewterReport.com’s 2019 Bucs’ Mock Draft, they still address the position with the addition of Summers in the sixth round. Summers is a big, fast, versatile inside linebacker that has been the anchor for TCU’s stingy defense over the last couple of seasons.

Summers is a physical linebacker that has very good toughness and leadership ability. He’s better as a downhill linebacker penetrating gaps and filling holes than he is dropping into coverage because that’s what he was mostly asked to do at TCU, but he has shown the skills necessary to drop in short area coverage, too.

Summers was a very active Horned Frogs defender, racking up 317 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, nine pass breakups, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as a four-year starter.

Summers’ senior season ended prematurely due to injury, which caused his draft stock to dip after he failed to match his sensational sophomore season where he recorded a career-high 121 tackles, five tackles for loss, three pass breakups and 1.5 sacks. While he made more splash plays as a junior with four sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, his tackle total was nearly cut in half.

Summers’ TCU Career Defensive Stats
2015: 86 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 PBU, 1 INT, 1 sack
2016: 121 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 PBUs, 1.5 sacks
2017: 64 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 5 PBUs, 4 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR
2018: 46 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks

Summers made up for a less than stellar senior campaign with a sensational showing at the NFL Scouting Combine where he turned heads with a 4.51 time in the 40-yard dash, which was among the fastest times for a linebacker this year. Summers also wowed scouts with 27 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, a 10-foot, 1-inch broad jump and a 36-inch vertical.

With Kendell Beckwith’s career in jeopardy and the Bucs moving on from Kwon Alexander in free agency, there is a need at linebacker for Todd Bowles’ 3-4 defensive scheme, despite the recent re-signing of Kevin Minter and the addition of moneybacker Deone Bucannon, who is set to play nickel linebacker.

Summers has an “alpha” quality to him and enough athleticism to potentially develop into a starter, but at the very least, he could become a core special teams player in Tampa Bay and a quality reserve linebacker. That would be great value for a sixth-round pick. Check out Summers’ highlight video and you might fall in love with his sleeper linebacker pick, too.

Click below to view Tampa Bay’s seventh-round pick in 2019.