NFL Coordinator Gives Major Compliment to Buccaneers Starting Defensive Player
Quietly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have drafted and developed some real stars on their roster. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tristan Wirfs, Lavonte David, and Antoine Winfield Jr. are all players who were drafted by the Buccaneers and have since risen to stardom while being developed within the organization.
Another player who seems to be on the verge of stardom is defensive tackle, Vita Vea.
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Drafted with the 12th overall selection of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Washington, the 6'4", 347-pound nose tackle has been a key cog in a Bucs defense that has proven to be one of the best run-defending units in the league under Todd Bowles.
Recently, ESPN released a ranking of the top defensive tackles in the NFL. And although Vea wasn't listed in the top ten, he was the first player named in the honorable mention section, accompanied by some strong praise from a rival NFL coordinator.
"'Dominant run defender and his pocket push -- to help whoever is rushing on the outside look good -- is what makes him great. Easy for linebackers to play behind him because he constantly draws doubles. He had a down year last year but was still a major problem.' — NFL coordinator"
The unique thing about Vita Vea is that his floor as a player is, and always will be, very high. Even when he has an off-game (or season) he is still very disruptive due to his sheer size, power, and mobility. Does Vea have the talent to shoot up near the top of this ranking? Absolutely. But in order to establish himself as one of the premier interior defensive linemen in the NFL, Vea will need to impose his will as a pass rusher more consistently.
If he does, look for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense to take a big step forward in 2024.
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COLLIN HAALBOOM
Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.