Buccaneers Pick Devin White No. 5 in 2019 NFL Draft to Replace Kwon Alexander

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected LSU Tigers inside linebacker Devin White with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Reaction to the selection was largely positive on social media.

White played on both sides of the ball in high school as an explosive running back and hard-hitting linebacker. He was rated as a 4-star prospect and the No. 5 rusher in the 2016 recruiting class based on 247Sports' composite rankings at the time.

The North Webster High School (Louisiana) standout ultimately opted for linebacker at the collegiate level, and it allowed him to become a coveted commodity in the NFL.

After playing a limited role as a freshman, White was a star for the Tigers over the last two seasons and put up some monster numbers in the process.

Devin White NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Buccaneers Rookie

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The 21-year-old tallied 133 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and an interception across 13 games in 2017. He added 123 tackles, six passed defended, three forced fumbles and three sacks last season. He won the 2018 Butkus Award as the top linebacker in college football.

Kyle Crabbs of the Draft Network came away from his film review of the playmaking linebacker bullish about his ability to make a high-end impact at the next level:

"Devin White has the ceiling of a star in the NFL. White's explosive range, hitting power and explosiveness complement a sturdy frame and some awesome reps of reads at the LOS. The contact balance issues with White may scare some teams, but provided he's able to square up his challenges with more consistency it's difficult to project anything less than Pro Bowls in his future. White plays through contact and trash well, he's a viable starter in any system."

White should quickly enter the Tampa Bay starting lineup alongside Shaquil Barrett and Lavonte David at the linebacker level. He's an obvious fit for the Bucs after Kwon Alexander signed with the San Francisco 49ers earlier in the offseason.

He has all the tools to become a three-down asset early in his career with the Buccaneers. While the team may try to take some responsibility off his shoulders as a rookie, it would be a surprise if he isn't a defensive leader by the start of his second year.