Devin White Warming Up

December 4th, 2019

Corner turned?

Could there be parallels to what Vita Vea did last year as a rookie and what Devin White is doing this season in his rookie year?

Seems that way.

Last year Vea got hurt early in training camp and missed virtually all of camp and preseason and didn’t play until the Windy City Wipeout. But in the last six games, Vea showed signs of what he could be.

Now in his second year, Vea is a friggin’ force and it would not surprise Joe if he made a Pro Bowl one day.

White’s path as a rookie hasn’t been much different. He dinged his knee early in Week 2 and when he returned weeks later, he was a virtual no-show. But once fully healthy, White has been on the rise and last Sunday he had a fanstastic game against the Jags with a scoop-and-score and a pick.

So Joe went around the locker room asking Bucs what they thought of White’s progress.

“At the end of the day, he is still a rookie,” sackmeister Jason Pierre-Paul said. “He’s still learning. But he comes in and gets better each and every day.”

Even NFL sack leader Shaq Barrett believes White is still raw.

“He is still learning and he is making plays now,” Barrett said. “He’s developing into the guy we all know he can be and the guy he knows he can be. It is amazing to see that development.”

Bucs left guard Ali Marpet faced White in practice since the start of underwear football season. So Marpet has had a front row seat to watch White’s development.

“Devin White is getting a lot better,” Marpet said. “Even for him, there is a very high standard that he holds himself to. I think he wants to get better and he will continue to get better because he has the tools to do so.”

And perhaps, too many people expected too much from White too soon. Remember how Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians built him up?

White may be that guy, but Bucs corner Carlton Davis noted that while not impossible, it’s too much to expect any rookie to blow up in his first week in the NFL, in part because there is too much to learn from teammates to coaches to opponents.

“There’s no way he could come in right away” and dominate,” Davis said. “These last couple of games he has really been finding himself. He has been patient with his development and it is starting to show.”

So is White this year’s Vea? Seems that way, maybe a little bit better.

In the game over the Jags, White was “Mic’ed Up” by NFL Films. Dude was wound up long before the game started.

17 Responses to “Devin White Warming Up”

  1. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Have we learned our lesson by now?……..Cappa, Rojo, Vea, Davis, White…..and perhaps Dean, SMB and even Joe’s favorite…..Scotty Miller may one day be a star……
    We need to give rookies a chance to develop.

    I never had a worry about Devin White either as a player or a #5 pick….he will shore up the middle of our defense for a decade.

  2. Defense Rules Says:

    Wow Joe, it almost sounds like you’re starting to warm up to White as a #5 pick. I know, I know … too soon. By Year 5 … MAYBE? Just about the time Bucs won’t be able to afford him.

  3. ancientasbuc Says:

    It will be very exciting to see White, David, and most importantly Vea take on Quentin Nelson this weekend. Can Vea do it against the best? Will they move him to take advantage of the tackle and let Suh or one of the smaller guys make it tough for him?

  4. Chris@Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa Says:

    It was fun to watch White go against his friend Leonard Fornette in Jacksonville.

  5. tmaxcon Says:

    Joe you are so desperate for one of these backups to become stars its pathetic…. neither vea or white will be stars… Hell neither one will ever play 16 games a year soon to be 17… stop reachind joe…. both nice pieces but neither pare stars or will consistently impacting games….you people are so desperate its understandable yet so very sad….

  6. 813bucboi Says:

    he definitely is coming along….

    GO BUCS!!!!!

  7. TOM Says:

    I believe both White & Vea will be all pros.

  8. SB Says:

    GREAT Video!!!

  9. Buccernutter Says:

    Tmax used to diss mccoy everyday. Most people disagreed because he was definitely a good player. He did certainly lack the leadership to be great so tmax did have some merit in that regard.

    Now I know he was just throwing **** at the wall hoping it sticks. White and Vea won’t be great?

    I just realized tmax is one of the dumbest bucs fans to ever exist. You seriously spend everyday on here bashing great players. What a life lmao

  10. Bucaroni&Cheese Says:

    Love what Devin White has been doing on this recent stretch of games. He is definitely showing the athleticism and raw talent that make him a force to be reckoned with. Assuming he closes out the rest of the season strongly, I think I feel comfortable saying he may have borderline Pro Bowl level talent.

    But I really hope to see the year 2 leap for him. If he can come out next season and truly be the quarterback of the defense, there’s no doubt he could be a perennial pro bowl player with his athleticism. Each time we play the pouty panthers, Luke Kuechly drives me bananas several times in the game because he knows the play before the snap, audibles, and just takes over the play. I really hope he can show that kind “on-field coach” mental ability to take over plays too and put the defense at an advantage.

    Still, right now I LOVE his energy. No fear and challenging the monster Fournette? Bucs defense has needed that kind of Ray Lewis passion for the game for a long time. I think we lost that ever since Brooks & Sapp were no longer in the red and pewter.

  11. Kobe Faker Says:

    “Devin “I’m No Nunes” White

    Will be America’s Linebacker for the next 12 years for TB

    The Elite has the instinct and the vision to make plays before the other players

    Frugal Gump saved $10 mill per year by dumping Matador IR Kwonie with DW playing in his rookie contract”

    Kobe Faker

  12. Buccfan37 Says:

    Best player video I’ve ever seen here at JBF.

  13. Rayjay1122 Says:

    Good for him. I was doubtful early on with his slow development compared to Devin Bush but I am very happy for him that he is coming into his own.

  14. MadMax Says:

    “Rookie Savior” Devin White! Come on Joes, why you stop using it now that its coming true?……lol.

    Thats was fun to watch, thanks for posting Joe’s.

    I was right about Marpet, right about Big V, right about White….now watch me be right again if we can hopefully draft Big Derrick Brown! And if he’s not there but Simmons is, I’ll be right about that too.

  15. Buczilla Says:

    Fun video.

  16. Brandon Says:

    Sounds like Tampax has dangerously high estrogen just in time for the holidays. BTW, numb nuts. Vea hasn’t missed a game this season. Also, you couldn’t eyeball talent if it pulled down its pants and smacked you across the face with it.

  17. #1bucfan Says:

    Kobe I’ve bin wanting to say that to these Jason haters yea I get just as mad wen we take a kicker in round 2 but he has brought in talent. Coaches have failed to develop the talent that’s not on Jason people were saying how dumb he was for letting KWON go we got younger cheaper an better with Devin white. Evans putting up HOF numbers finding marpet an Cappa at WHAT schools lol Brate hump jpp vea yea he had to over pay for a center an our LT gets Winston killed quite a few times a game but he’s reliable not much better out there anyways Whitehead is a stud Davis is getting better now just needs to quit with the PI gay seems to be average. There’s a bunch I missed. That’s a lot of talent form our GM. Yea he’s not perfect but if our young guys keep improving like they have bin we are going to get out of the basement