LSU LB Devin White drafted #5 overall by Buccaneers

Jan 1, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; LSU Tigers linebacker Devin White (40) reacts in the fourth quarter against the UCF Knights in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
Photo credit USA TODAY Sports

Former LSU linebacker Devin White was selected with the fifth overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL Draft.

White is widely regarded as the best linebacker prospect not only in this draft, but perhaps since Luke Keuchly was selected by the Carolina Panthers in 2012.  Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians recently hinted that he thought White was a "generational player" and it's no surprise the Bucs took White when the had the opportunity early in the first round.

Devin White was sixth in the class in QB pressures & and had one of the top coverage grades among all LB prospects. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/GU82XbDsCC

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) April 26, 2019

WWL draft analyst Mike Detillier thinks White can be one of the great linebackers in the NFL

"God Bless him.  I'm as big a Devin White fan as can be," praised Detillier. "He was, in my mind, the best linebacker I"ve ever seen put on the purple and gold.  Congratulations.  He not becomes only the 10th middle linebacker since 1965 to be picked in the top five (of the draft)."

Former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert noted that White is the next player in a long line of great SEC linebackers.

"You look at Devin White. . .it marks the eight consecutive year an SEC linebacker was selected in the first round," Hebert explained.  "Devin White is going to be a stud in the NFL, but he's still got to prove it."

White played three seasons at LSU, finishing with 286 tackles and 8.5 sacks.  He is expected to immediately become the starter at inside linebacker for the Bucs.

Listen to Hebert and Detillier discuss White's selection in the audio below.