TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected LSU linebacker Kwon Alexander in the fourth round of the NFL draft on Saturday.
The pick Saturday deviated from the course the Bucs followed on the first two days of the draft, when quarterback Jameis Winston, tackle Donovan Smith and guard Ali Marpet were brought in bolster a sputtering offense.
In fact, Alexander became the first defensive player selected by coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jason Licht, who are in their second year of the leading Bucs.
Tampa Bay used its entire 2014 draft on offensive players, yet still wound up ranking 25th in passing, 29th in scoring and 30th in total yardage while going 2-14 last season.
Alexander appeared in 32 games at LSU. He was the Tigers’ leading tackler in 2014. He opted to skip his senior season in college and was drafted No. 124 overall.
”I thought I had a pretty good year. I was just ready to go, just ready to go puirsue me dream,” Alexander said during a telephone conference call. ”I feel like I can be better up here in the NFL, learn more, and now the time is here.”
To get Alexander, the Bucs made a trade with Oakland to move up four spots in the fourth round. The Raiders received the 128th pick, as well as one of the two selections Tampa Bay was scheduled to have in the seventh round.
There’s also a need to bolster the pass rush, although there’s been less emphasis placed on finding defensive help after trading for George Johnson and adding linebacker Bruce Carter, tackle Henry Melton, safety Chris Conte and cornerback Sterling Moore through free agency this offseason.
”People keep talking about the draft,” Smith said. ”But in free agency we’ve brought in quite a few defensive players, so it’s leveling out a little bit.”
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