Devin White Agrees to 4-Year Rookie Contract with Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and first-round pick Devin White agreed to a four-year rookie contract Saturday, the team announced.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times first reported the news.

With the Bucs set to begin training camp Thursday, White ensured he will not miss any practice time.

White was the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft and was considered one of the best defensive players in the class. The Buccaneers will pay him a guaranteed salary for his first four seasons and then have a fifth-year option, which would pay him the average value of the top 10 contracts at his position.

White recorded 123 tackles and three sacks in 2018, earning the Butkus Award and consensus All-American honors. The LSU product was named an All-American in each of his final two seasons in Baton Rouge.

Bucs coach Bruce Arians touted White after the first round, per the team's official website:

"Position flexibility is huge for us. Obviously, he's a three-down player. He can walk out on the edge and do some things. Then the other thing is, he can cover backs. He can cover the great backs. With all the spread that's coming in now, there's no quarterback that's going to out-run him. I don't worry about Kyler Murray as much now, playing him in November, running around. You want [White] to be the spy, because he can run him down and catch him. Those things that are evolving in the league now, you need speed. You get it in that size and physicality, you've got something really special."

White is one of the most versatile players in the class, equipped with enough coverage speed to handle tight ends and some slot receivers. He can also come off the edge and get to the quarterback if necessary and is probably the best fundamental tackler in the class.

In just about every sense of the term, White was a sure thing.

"You don't draft for need, but when need and the player match, then you hit a home run," Arians said. "This is one of those home runs. It was a grand slam. A guy that can play the middle of your defense but also on third down check those guys and be able to run with them. For our division, it was huge."

The Buccaneers will expect White to start immediately, and he could be a Defensive Rookie of the Year contender. He is ready-made to be a building block.