Flashback to late September and if you had predicted to your co-workers that rookie middle linebacker Devin White or cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting would earn any type of rookie honors, you would have been laughed out of the office.

But had you made that prediction, you would actually be the one laughing today. After slow starts to both of their rookie campaigns, White and Murphy-Bunting were named to the PFWA(Pro Football Writers of America) All-Rookie team.

Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

White was the fifth overall selection in last April’s NFL Draft but his start to his NFL career got off to a rough beginning – first with severe tonsillitis before the season opener, then a knee injury in Week 2 at Carolina that caused him to miss nearly four games. White still finished 2019 with 91 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, five quarterback hits, one interception, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns.

Murphy-Bunting had a promising training camp but his struggles began in Week 1 of the preseason and it wasn’t until Week 5 of the regular season that the former Chippewa and second round draft pick started seeing significant playing time opposite Carlton Davis at cornerback while also playing at the nickel corner position at times. On the year Murphy-Bunting collected 43 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, three interceptions, eight pass breakups and a forced fumble. Murphy-Bunting also added a touchdown at Detroit with a 70-yard interception return for a score.