Todd Bowles: There Are “At Least 10” Quality Inside Linebackers In The Draft
April 12th, 2026
The bad news is the Bucs lost a legend at inside linebacker and spent last season discovering their other starting inside linebacker is really a quality No. 4 at the position, rather than a No. 2.
The good news is the Bucs have a many quality inside linebackers to choose from in next week’s draft to install alongside new top-dog inside linebacker Alex Anzalone, their big-money free agent from the Lions.
Joe sat next to Bucs head coach Todd Bowles at the NFC Coaches Breakfast in Arizona 13 days ago (no, Joe and Bowles didn’t watch the sunrise over the mountain tops). It was there that Bowles very calmly and confidently praised the 2026 inside linebacker prospects and explained what the Bucs seek when they’re scouting.
“I feel like there are some [inside linebackers] in this draft that can really play. There’s are quite a few of them – at least 10 or 12 of them, for sure,” Bowles said.
“The trait we look for the most is probably instinctiveness. You look for instincts right there, how they read, how they scrape and how they go. And I think there’s a bunch of those in this draft.”
Joe knows the Bucs will find an inside linebacker next week that they would like to start as a rookie. That rookie is coming to Tampa, whether that’s in Round 1, 2 or 3. Take that to the bank, and he’ll start competing immediately with free agent inside linebacker Christian Rozeboom.
However, Joe is a little nervous about the Bucs’ scouting of inside linebacker talent.
After years of studying the guy, Bowles and the front office deemed K.J. Britt a worthy starter alongside Lavonte David in 2024, and the same goes for the 2025 edition of SirVocea Dennis. Neither panned out.
April 12th, 2026 at 4:35 pm
We need a lb that is fast enough and takes proper angles(!!!) to stop Jahmyr Gibbs from running around him on the sidelines and a sure tackler that plays great pass defense. That list is a lot shorter than 10-12.
It’s actually much shorter than that.
April 12th, 2026 at 4:41 pm
One thing for sure SVD can’t cover, has poor angles and gets torched on the outside. Hopefully, the Bucs can get a faster ILB that can cover. So frustrating watching him and the CBs to be honest. Is it poor communication, lack of skills, or a bad defensive scheme? 3rd and 28 and 4th and 14 can’t be allowed to happen this year.
April 12th, 2026 at 4:43 pm
There’s some really good ILBs in this draft
Some are a good fit with the Bucs, some are not
The Bucs are looking for a MIKE ILB
There’s not many good ones in this draft
KJ Britt wasn’t a good MIKE at Auburn, that’s why he was a 5th round draft pick
And Voc Dennis was drafted to be a Strong Side LB, Lavonte backup
The Bucs were counting on getting 10 MIKE years from Devin White
But it didn’t work out like that, so they were forced to start KJ Britt
Then they were forced to start Dennis at Mike, replacing Britt
They should just draft a true young MIKE
Instead of trying to convert a Strong side LB into a MIKE
This my opinion
April 12th, 2026 at 4:46 pm
Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez set a record for the fastest top speed in the backpedal & react drill at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, according to Next Gen Stats.
**EXACTLY** why we need this guy. He was over a mph (18.43 mph) faster than any linebacker in the draft in the last 4 years. He moves almost as quickly backwards and sideways as he does forward.
April 12th, 2026 at 4:47 pm
After moving on from Britt, the Bucs chose SVD to be the man in 2025 – after passing on Jihaad Campbell in the draft.
Campbell was named to the PFWA All Rookie Team. His overall PFF grade was 76.2.
With PFF’s fifth highest coverage grade of 78.6, do you think that Campbell could have made a game winning difference in certain situations – like maybe in 3rd and 28 and 4th and 14?
Set the arrogance aside and forget looking for that 10th or 12th ILB. Take a solid shot at finally fixing this ongoing disaster and select Rodriguez or Hill in the second.
April 12th, 2026 at 5:07 pm
I like Rodriguez a lot, but Hill is also very good. And a much better pass rusher. Obviously not the number one need from an inside linebacker, but a bonus. And he’s got plenty of tfls as well. If we don’t get Rodriguez I’d be comfortable with hell. But there are others obviously. All depends on who we take in the first round.
April 12th, 2026 at 5:07 pm
Bucs should draft at minimum 2 ILBs. SVD should be pushed down the depth chart.
April 12th, 2026 at 5:10 pm
Voc Dennis had no business starting as a MIKE LB
He was beaten out by an UDFA (Nick Jackson) during training camp
He was named the starter because he’s a Jason Licht draft pick.
He definitely didn’t earn it
April 12th, 2026 at 5:12 pm
Well, if Todd says so…
April 12th, 2026 at 5:15 pm
I’d rather have Egbuka than Campbell. But J-Rod had a 93.3 PFF grade with a 92.7 in coverage. That sounds like a cure for our ills in the middle of our zone defense if I’ve seen one. Would be a huge step forward.
April 12th, 2026 at 5:16 pm
Calling bull$#it if he’s using the actual definition of the word “quality”.
April 12th, 2026 at 5:30 pm
My only problem with Rodriguez is that the film shows a guy that makes play because he is never blocked over to see him shed a blocker. Last thing we need is another Barrett Rudd aka king of the downfield tackle
April 12th, 2026 at 5:36 pm
Normal fans have called out the Britt/Dennis BS for 3 years. If these guys had a normal professional job like doctor/accountant/lawyer they would be in jail for malpractice.
April 12th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
SVD was given the starting LB job.
He didn’t earn it. Licht forced his draft pick into the starting lineup.
Benenoch was gifted the starting OG position because of his draft status.
JTS was gifted a starters job.
Vernon Hargreaves was given his job.
I’m tired of players starting because of their draft position.
It sets a really bad example for the team.
April 12th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
That means that there are 10 linebackers in the draft that Bowles can ruin just like Devin White and others.
April 12th, 2026 at 6:30 pm
How do you know how or why starting jobs were won or lost? Were you at every practice and preseason game?
April 12th, 2026 at 6:45 pm
Bull no 5th rounder is guaranteed a roster spot let alone starter. VOS has shown the skills in camp and games. He face some of the top receiving backs in the league. I think some of you are going to be disappointed if VOS is replaced
April 12th, 2026 at 6:57 pm
Hopefully Bowles is talking like this to reduce other teams’ senses of urgency to take Inside Linebackers trying to get someone to drop to us. I still think we should take J-Rod in the first and Lee Hunter in the second. Fills 2 big needs and we can take a CB in the 3rd and a guard in the 4th.. most likely pattern to work out successfully. Or an edge in the 3rd, corner 4th and guard 5th.
April 12th, 2026 at 6:58 pm
Lakeland – Britt WAS a good MLB at Auburn. A downhill thumper and a RD5 draft pick. Not a starting NFL ILB that can cover. That’s where he failed. But that’s all we could afford. Same with Dennis.
April 12th, 2026 at 6:59 pm
I like CJ Allen because his skill level is high.
With a high football IQ, high motor, and leadership skills
And he’s been the MIKE for Georgia for 3 years, starting as a true freshman
And 11 Georgia defenders was drafted in 2024-2025
Probably another 4-5 defenders get drafted this year
So he’s coming from a big time college program, with a pro style defense
April 12th, 2026 at 7:06 pm
Britt was a good thumper at Auburn, he was a solid tackler
But he was poor in coverage, he couldn’t stay with RBs
He was a big slow MIKE LB, he lacked quickness, he had short range
He was a good backup MLB, and solid ST player
April 12th, 2026 at 7:10 pm
If he thinks there are at least 10 quality ILBers that just shows another aspect of the Bucs primary problem. There aren’t 10 ILBers in this draft who will go on to play more than 3-4 seasons and have any significant impact in the NFL.
April 12th, 2026 at 7:13 pm
Todd Bowles … “I feel like there are some [inside linebackers] in this draft that can really play. There’s quite a few of them – at least 10 or 12 of them, for sure.”
Todd’s probably right that there are a number of ILBs in this draft who can really play. However, I think he’s exaggerated the number (10-12) by probably as much as a 50% factor. Once you get past Reese, Styles, Allen, Rodriquez, Hill, Golday, and maybe Elliott, you move into a different ‘tier’. And I’m not even sure how well each of those fits Todd Bowles’ 3-4 scheme.
Strange thing is that you never really know what you’ll be getting from the draft. Example: whent back & relooked at the 2012 draft where Bucs picked Safety Mark Barron with our Rnd 1 #7 pick, and then LB Lavonte David with our Rnd 2 #58 pick.
The first ILB picked was Luke Kuechly (Rnd 1 #9). The second ILB picked was Dont’a Hightower (Rnd 1 #25). The third ILB picked was Michel Kendricks (Rnd 2, #46). The fourth ILB picked was Bobby Wagner (Rnd 2, #47). The fifth ILB picked was Zack Brown (Rnd 2, #52). THEN Lavonte David in Rnd 2, #58 … the 6th ILB taken.
Of those first 6 ILBs. Luke Kuechly is the only one to make the HOF … thus far. All but Bobby Wagner have now retired. Fully expect that Wagner & David will both make the HOF, meaning that 3 out of those first 6 ILBs taken in Rnds 1 & 2 of the 2012 draft could very well end up in the HOF. That’s a key reason I believe ‘you never really know what you’ll be getting from the draft’.
April 12th, 2026 at 7:28 pm
I hope SVD turns it around and at least becomes a quality backup. But yeah. Get one in RD2 at least.
April 12th, 2026 at 7:30 pm
I think KJ Britt and JJ Russell was two of our best ST players
When we lost them our ST suffered
April 12th, 2026 at 7:33 pm
Where is Mark Dominic when you need him. He drafted LVD who turned out pretty good.
April 12th, 2026 at 7:47 pm
But l really don’t think Voc Dennis played that bad last season
I seen Dennis make some really good tackles behind the LOS
His only weakness was covering RBs, and he wasn’t getting much help from the SS
It’s hard to cover a RB, and it’s even harder to tackle one in space
I believe the Bucs should keep Dennis, and play him at WILL LB