Bucs fans know how special Lavonte David has been for the team ever since he was selected by the team in 2012. The second-round pick out of Nebraska came in without much expectation and immediately made an impact on a Bucs defense that is known over the course of time for its defensive play.
NFL Media’s Eric Edholm has been recapping recent NFL Draft values, and when it came to discussing linebackers, the discussion, of course, had to get to the Bucs legend. Edholm discussed how David and draft classmate Bobby Wagner being drafted so close is both fun and adds to the legend that is the former Cornhusker.
He writes, “Incredibly, David’s name was called 11 picks after Wagner’s in the same draft. The fact that two players who would become two of the all-time greats — and still be doing it today at such a high level — were chosen so close to each other in that range of selections remains a draft oddity. And while both clearly landed in systems that were tailored to their skill sets, it seems clear that each could have thrived in almost any type of defensive system.”
David will enter his 14th season in the NFL in 2025 at the age of 35, still playing at a high level, which is uncommon for the linebacker position. He has shown no signs of slowing down, but there are rumblings that it could be his last rodeo as the team looks to finally put together another deep playoff run on the way to a Super Bowl.
David already has the makings of a Hall of Fame career with All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections to his credit. We shall see what he can accomplish in 2025.