Lavonte David Evaluated As Fifth-Best Inside Linebacker In NFC, Ahead Of Bobby Wagner
July 15th, 2025
The tide may be turning when it comes to Lavonte David’s image.
The iconic Bucs linebacker hasn’t gotten enough respect through the years. Some people used to blame a lack of exposure playing for the sad Bucs, but that all changed in 2020. The Bucs have been regulars in primetime and in the postseason for five years. So that take is now flat wrong or, at best, outdated.
Nowadays, David is routinely lauded as a future Hall of Famer, whether that be various Barstool Sports shows, or Pete Prisco of CBS, or Kay Adams on FanDuel TV, or Adam Schein on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio, and more.
Today, David was lauded by a combination of an anonymous 70 NFL executives, coaches and scouts as the seventh-best NFL inside linebacker. This came via the annual survey conducted by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com to find the best 10 players at every position.
7. Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 35 | Last year’s ranking: Honorable mentionDavid outdistanced his accomplished mid-30s peers with a banner season in Tampa, finishing with 5.5 sacks (his highest total since 2013) and three forced fumbles.
“Been durable, has great instincts and his physical tools haven’t eroded much with age. Freak of nature,” a high-ranking AFC personnel man said.
A few years ago, some voters thought David was approaching the end. But he has remained productive and just re-signed on a one-year, $9-million contract with the Buccaneers. He still has the fluidity to handle himself in pass coverage.
“I think he was finally healthy [last year] — played through some issues the last few years but was freed up to make plays,” an NFL offensive coach said. “He can still go at a high level. So tough.”
David’s vote total ranked him as fifth-best in the NFC, in between Tremaine Edmunds (Bears) and DeMarvion Overshown (Cowboys).
Joe was very impressed that David was unranked in the top-10 of the survey last year but busted all the way up to No. 7 this year. Also, it’s worth noting that always-hyped Bobby Wagner was an honorable mention vote-getter, garnering comments about his declining skills.
July 15th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
And he did this along side a corpse and a paraplegic, with little support from the off-coverage DBs, and pass rushers dropping blind into empty zones, for a DC who left him hanging out to dry way too many times.
Should be an easy first ballot HOF lock.
July 15th, 2025 at 12:46 pm
Bout time.
July 15th, 2025 at 12:52 pm
Commanders having Luvu ranked at 5th and Wagner as an Honorable mention means they are sitting pretty good at ILB.
Bucs don’t have a linebacker that has been even close to challenging David for the crown and tells me they are behind on the timeline to keep have someone ready should David have a drop off or injury requiring a few games off.
Commander ILB squad is Ranked in the Top 10 of the league and routinely as high as 5th.
Bucs ILB Squad comes in at 25th just ahead of the Rams at 26.
Even the Browns at 12 and the Raiders at 21 take into consideration having Shoyinka and White as reserves.
Bubble Wrap David during Training Camp and get plenty of Defensive Reps without him in the line up.
July 15th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Congratulations to LVD
It was well deserved
July 15th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
i wouldn’t bat an eye if they had him in the top 3…
dude is nice!
and he certainly had to make up and cover extra turf, for all the inept play around him last year
July 15th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Be nice if there was a link or the names of 1-6 ahead of LVD.
July 15th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
Aqualung: “And he did this along side a corpse and a paraplegic”
Now that is some hilarious sh*t! I just spit out my Jameson and hurt my larynx.
July 15th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
Congratulations LaVonte!!
July 15th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
Dewey Salmon… you can bank on Fred Warner, Roquan Smith, Tremaine Edwards, Zack Baun being 4 of those names. Can’t think of other 2 off top of my head.
July 15th, 2025 at 1:57 pm
After 2025, LVD is a HOF lock. His stats will be undeniable. A Super Bowl ring seals it.
If LVD comes close to his 2024 stats, he’ll rank all time:
4th – Solo Tackles
4th – Tackles for Loss
7th – Combined Tackles
LVD’s TFL ranking is CRAZY.
>He’ll have more than Aaron Donald!
>There is not another MLB until Ulacher at 14.
>Ray Lewis is ranked 49th. LVD will be close to doubling Lewis’ output!!!
July 15th, 2025 at 2:33 pm
I’ve been single-handedly waging a STOP DISRESPECTING LAVONTE CAMPAIGN for the last 10+ years… pointing how you can compare him to ANY other ILB in recent times, and his stats are just as good if not better
Maybe it’s finally paying off LOL
July 15th, 2025 at 4:28 pm
Ok Ira, more ammo for you!
July 15th, 2025 at 5:45 pm
Hopefully Dennis can pick up some of the burden this year and David will make even more splash plays.
July 15th, 2025 at 6:11 pm
I’d never heard of DeMarvion Overshown. Now I know why … he was a rookie last year. Played in 13 games for the Cowboys. He did get 5 sacks, but surrendered a completion percentage of 86.5%. And he ranked #8 just behind LVD?
To be honest though, I’d never heard of the Commanders’ Frankie Luvu either. Looks like he didn’t do much in his first 4 years, but has been on fire the last 3 years … 20.5 sacks the last 3 years is nothing to sneeze at. And his average Completion Percentage Allowed of only 70.4%.
Now the Bears’ Tremaine Edmunds is a totally different story; him I’ve heard of. I’d love to have someone like him playing MLB for us … 6’5″ & 250 lbs. And apparently great in coverage; 10 INTs in 7 years and an average Completion Percentage Allowed of only 71.4% is really good IMO for a LB.
July 15th, 2025 at 8:50 pm
I still think it’s going to be hard for LVD to get into the HOF.
Why? Because he’s a Buc plain and simple.
July 15th, 2025 at 9:30 pm
He is “THAT MAN”!
July 16th, 2025 at 12:02 am
ModHairKen – glad someone else besides me likes to laugh and has a sense of humor. I’ll buy the next Jameisons, sorry about that!
July 16th, 2025 at 5:01 am
Aqualung, I laughed and spit up my Jameisons also.
July 16th, 2025 at 10:04 am
I’m running up quite a tab!
Kenton, I meant say I loved your story about the Tahoe celebrity golf when Baker stole the show with his antics and lousy golf!