ROUND 6: Miami ILB Shaquille Quarterman
6-0, 234 – Senior – 4.74

PREVIOUS PICK: Tennessee WR Juaun Jennings

To finish the draft, the Bucs select Quarterman, a playmaking linebacker who was four-year starter for the Hurricanes. Quarterman racked up 356 tackles at Miami, including 46.5 tackles for loss.

He played for Tampa Bay’s inside linebackers coach, Mike Caldwell, who was the head coach of the East squad at the East-West Shrine Bowl, and the two formed a really strong rapport that continued with an informal interview at the NFL Scouting Combine. That familiarity and comfort level between Caldwell and Quarterman could lead to the two joining forces in Tampa Bay on Day 3 of the draft.

Quarterman is a good scheme fit in Todd Bowles scheme because he’s a downhill linebacker that attacks his gap whether it’s in the run game or on blitzes. He’s recorded 12 sacks in his four years as the Hurricanes’ middle linebacker.

While Quarterman doesn’t have the sideline-to-sideline speed that Devin White and Lavonte David possess, his 40-time is actually better than what Kevin Minter (4.81) ran as a second-round pick of Arizona in 2013 out of LSU. He’s fast enough to play in Bowles’ defense and contribute on special teams in coverage units.

Quarterman’s Miami Career Defensive Stats
2016 84 tackles, 10 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 1 PBU, 1 FR, 1 TD
2017 83 tackles, 7 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 5 PBUs, 1 FR
2018 82 tackles, 14 TFLs, 5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR
2019 107 tackles, 15.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 5 PBUs, 2 FRs, 1 FF

Quarterman has some coverage ability too with 13 pass breakups and one interception in his Miami career. The Bucs could use some depth at inside linebacker with Minter, 29, being an unrestricted free agent this March, and if he returns it will be on a one-year deal. Jack Cichy and Noah Dawkins are unproven backups. Cichy has been beleaguered with injuries in his two years in Tampa Bay and Dawkins was an in-season addition and a bit of an unknown.