Elijah Roberts Can Do What Coaches Want
April 26th, 2025
Bucs fifth-round draft pick DL Elijah Roberts.
So is Elijah Roberts, the Bucs’ fifth-round pick, an edge rusher? Is he a tackle?
His size (6-4, 285) suggests he’s a tackle. And that’s what Joe was told he will be in Tampa. His sack and pressure production suggest he’s an edge rusher.
“I was moved all over the line,” Roberts said in a Zoom call with the local pen and mic club of how he was used at SMU. “That’s why I had so many pressures.”
Roberts transferred from Miami, where he is from, to SMU for the 2023 season. In the following two seasons, Roberts led Division-I football with 131 total pressures over that timespan.
Interestingly, new Bucs defensive line coach Charlie Strong was on the defensive staff of Miami in Roberts’ last year there (2022). Strong was not Roberts’ position coach at Miami, though. Strong was co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach.
So how will he be used with the Bucs?
“I didn’t talk to them that much,” Roberts said. So he too is curious.
Whatever the Bucs want, Roberts said he is willing, eager and able.
So far, Roberts has had the best backdrop Joe can remember of a Bucs draft pick in his Zoom call. He was hanging at a pool. How Florida of him.
And yes, Roberts possesses a trait Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht covets. Roberts has a big personality.
April 26th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
and bowles loves versatility
April 26th, 2025 at 3:44 pm
Yep, this was a smart pic by Licht! Shocked he’s still here in the 5th round though???
Is he a tweener or something??
I think he’s gonna be a nice defensive piece for the Bucs in their rotation.
April 26th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
If we get Will Gholston production from him….this is a home run.
April 26th, 2025 at 3:52 pm
How about toia in the 7th? BIG BOY, be a rotational nt for vita.
April 26th, 2025 at 3:53 pm
TBBF, totally agree….
Roberts seems like more of a pass rusher than Gholston as well…
April 26th, 2025 at 3:54 pm
In a 3-4, it’s;
DE | DT | DE
In a 4-4 it’s;
DE | DT | DT | DE
In a 5-2 it’s;
DE | DT | DT | DT | DE
It is not, in a 3-4;
DT | DT | DT
I’m going to start a gofundme to fund my jihad against the renaming of positions on the defensive line, it’s needlessly confusing.
April 26th, 2025 at 3:56 pm
This guy could eventually replace Hall. He is coming in a lot heavier than Hall did in his rookie year so hopefully he will be in the rotation this season.
April 26th, 2025 at 3:57 pm
We needed another 3/4 end for sure. He has a clear path to starting sooner than later
April 26th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
Rod, I think this guy could play 3-4 end, kinda like hall and kancey. On a 4-3 he is for sure a 3 tech dt
April 26th, 2025 at 4:04 pm
Looks like another great draft Licht and co.
I know people were projecting WR for a bit … funny that people hang their hat on that while also saying it’s smokescreen season. Bit contradictory wouldn’t ya say?
Anyway, now that the shock has worn off from round 1, I am very excited about this class.
April 26th, 2025 at 4:08 pm
Godlovesbucs Says:
April 26th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
Rod, I think this guy could play 3-4 end, kinda like hall and kancey. On a 4-3 he is for sure a 3 tech dt
——–
I think they’re saying he is a 3-4 DE, not a DT, thus the needless confusion. But maybe I’m wrong. I don’t think he profiles as a DT in either a 3-4 or 4-3, but maybe he’s bigger than the numbers I’m seeing. In any case, he’s a project player, and I’m not a huge fan of these types of players at this point in the draft since they almost never work out. Meanwhile you can still could get LB’s and safeties who might be a good backups and eventual starters.
But we shall see, I’m certainly not rooting against the kid, and you still need guys for depth on the defensive line.
April 26th, 2025 at 4:10 pm
GodlovesBucs, that’s what I’m looking for as well.
We got Gaines as Vea’s backup but I don’t think he’s big enough…..
We need a monster back up in the middle to be able to spell Vea for snaps that can contain the run and push the pocket some..
April 26th, 2025 at 4:10 pm
We have one of the best GMS in the NFL. I think we need to trust him a lot more than most of these people commenting. The receiver was a great pic think about it. They went for last year when they were down to receivers the receivers are older they’re gonna get injured. Great pic.
April 26th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
Def a project and a tweener. The upside is that he produced at the college level. May be able to succeed if he is put in good situations. Just 1 more possibility to succeed imo.
April 26th, 2025 at 4:13 pm
Munch, yeah Roberts isn’t big enough now to play DT in a 4/3…..
Maybe 30 years ago he could…
You think Roberts is a “project” player??
Hmmmmm, I disagree on a project, but if he has a couple of issues, isn’t that why we drafting him in the 5th ??? Dude definitely has good production for past 2 years..
Dude has great speed for a big guy too….
April 26th, 2025 at 4:16 pm
Munch, I’m trying to figure out why he fell to the 5th round with his production??
What are you seeing/reading?
Is it just cuz he’s a “tweener” ?
April 26th, 2025 at 4:25 pm
He’s DE/DT. Not a NT for sure but he’s strong and fast….knows how to penetrate. And of course versatile, a smart motor….another reason I was pushing for us to get him.
April 26th, 2025 at 4:29 pm
Bucsfan1988 – I think Roberts is a bit of a tweener, and pretty average physically. He’s too slow to be an edge rusher, and might not be physical enough to be a DE. My issue isn’t with him as a prospect, this is where he was expected to go, my only issue is the incredibly low hit rate on guys like this at this point in the draft. When special teams were a bigger deal, before the NFL ruined it to appeal to women, I think it would be an easier accept a pick like this as he would probably star on special teams while learning to be an NFL DE, but special teams are so devalued now, it’s not much of selling point to me.
Anywho, not my favorite pick – but again, it’s not about him personally, just hating taking guys at DE/EDGE this late in the draft as they almost never work out – while LB’s and safeties are still out there who can play and perhaps even start. Heck even getting some backup offensive lineman I’d gladly take. But I’m also convinced the Chiefs thought the Bucs were taking Bassa which is why they traded up in front of Tampa, but we’ll obviously never know if that was the plan or not.
April 26th, 2025 at 4:30 pm
Seems like all these cats say they never talked to me ?
Seems odd?
April 26th, 2025 at 4:32 pm
Time to start training, long way to September
April 26th, 2025 at 4:58 pm
Another high character player…..helps Mom with domestic violence charity….from Miami…..perhaps a 10?year solid Buc.
April 26th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
Rod, Todd doesn’t use the standard nomenclature when describing spots on his defense. He often refers to his “defensive ends” as tackles. Half the time I have no Earthly idea what you’d call the alignments we have up front. The only consistent thing is the corners give 20 yards of cushion and the OLBs are trying to play catch with the receivers. If we can fix that we are gonna Bake.
April 26th, 2025 at 5:38 pm
Leading in pressures in college football where the QB is getting the ball of in a couple of nanoseconds is a big deal.
April 26th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
Fred McNeil – Yeah, but the public doesn’t have to play along with the mispositioning labels. We as the public can reject that, and focus on historical norms.
With that said, I do understand someone like Kancey, he’s a college and a 4-3 DT, who in a 3-4 can play either DT or DE. But Roberts is an edge guy who might line up at DE, in either case he’s never a DT.
For lining up 20 yards off the LOS for corners, I just don’t get it. Bowles, you won the SB playing aggressive, man-to-man defense. I completely understood in 2021 when the Bucs lost all their corners to injury and you’re signing Richard Sherman off the coach to come in and start 4 days later, I got switching to zone to try to make it easier – but since 2021, even as guys got more healthy, Bowles just went harder and harder to zone until last year the Bucs lead the NFL in zone, at the same time they’ve become one of the worst defenses in the NFL. It just makes no sense, and I really really really hope this is a sign that Bowles is changing things up – like he kinda sorta hinted might happen earlier this offseason, but then seemed to back track on.
April 26th, 2025 at 6:33 pm
Tackles =inside, ends=outside on the d-line, opposite on the o-line. Someone said since the shock of the 1st round pick wore off we’re starting to settle into a good looking draft. I agree, we just don’t have the crystal ball as to injuries and so forth. What does stand out is the motors and drive of these picks, you have to have the WANT first, if you do the rest will follow. I like both Walker and Roberts. Sr. bowl Walker was lights out, someone compared him to Dwight Freeney and that’s exactly what he looks like. Roberts had 2 -1st rd. guys ahead of him in Miami, transferred and shinned at SMU. Anyone see that video of Morrison and the emotion of being given a chance? Guy went through a lot and it had to kill him about his injury and he could be the best of this draft.
Strong knows Roberts from Miami, Bowles knows Morrisons father and thus the intel on his injuries. Bucs staff is solid and not too much gets past them anymore. They seem to pick up on small things or just things in general that other teams miss which leads to us getting really solid players across the rounds, no including UDFA. Big school, small school, no school, if you can play you can play and some guys shine brighter in the NFL than college. Go Bucs
April 26th, 2025 at 7:37 pm
Come in on passing downs to replace Hall.
April 26th, 2025 at 8:24 pm
Edge just became A position with depth and a lot of potential for the future. So did CB and WR
April 26th, 2025 at 10:01 pm
He’s not an edge “rusher”
He’s an edge HAMMER like Gholston.
He’s here to push Hall.
He’s a DE/DT. Not an edge rusher. He’s not an OLB.
He’s a DE like Hall or Gholston. But can also play DT.
April 26th, 2025 at 10:08 pm
Real question about about Elijah Robert’s is how quickly can he drop back into coverage? Maybe Bowles selected him to play SAFETY?