Buccaneers select Auburn LB K.J. Britt in fifth round

At pick 176 overall, their lone pick in the fifth round, the Buccaneers have selected Auburn Tigers linebacker K.J. Britt. Britt provides depth behind Lavonte David, Devin White, and Kevin Minter for the upcoming season and beyond.

Britt, a 6’0”, 235-lb inside linebacker, was a four-star recruit out of high school. He’s not overly fast and tends to engage more in physical contact with blockers rather than eluding them, but he’s insanely strong and a big-time hitter. Britt was a captain of the Tigers, finishing his four year career at Auburn with 118 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 2 passes defensed, and 2 forced fumbles.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com says K.J. Britt is, “ultra-aggressive inside linebacker with densely muscled frame and a throwback demeanor. His alpha personality is on display whether on defense or on special teams. He plays a downhill, attacking style that can clog run lanes, but also causes him to lose sight of the ball and get trapped behind blocks, limiting his ability to flow with the runner. He has tight hips and lacks the desired sideline-to-sideline range, but when he hits, opponents definitely feel it. He doesn’t have functional coverage ability and could be pegged as an early-down backup with core special-teams value.”

Any players the Bucs took in day three were going to find their way on the team through special teams, which appears to be exactly how Britt will transition to the team. You can check out our draft profile of Britt here. The Bucs, as of now, have two picks remaining in the NFL Draft - both in the seventh round.