Alabama edger rusher Chris Braswell went to the Bucs with the 57th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
While a good fit for Tampa Bay’s defense, it felt a little bit like a consolation prize because fellow edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland went a pick before to the Dallas Cowboys.
That inkling would be wrong, though, as Scott Reynolds mentioned on Pewter Report’s Live Draft Show that the Bucs were always in on Braswell and were going to select him regardless if Kneeland was available.
For all the traits and skillsets that everyone either likes or dislikes about Chris Braswell as an outside linebacker, what made him a Bucs fit goes way beyond that. Tampa Bay puts an important emphasis on finding the right guys to add to their locker room.
Braswell has the proper attitude and will be an ideal fit in Todd Bowles defense – and in Tampa Bay’s team culture.
In the world of the transfer portal and NIL (name, image and likeness) in college football, many players have jumped ship from their original team as soon as they don’t get their way – or a starting job – and decide to move on to a new school. Sometimes it’s because they’re told that they won’t be the starter, other times it’s because they seek better finances. Yet in today’s world, some young players make decisions with their egos and are impatient when it comes to their football development.
Braswell was able to play for three years over at Alabama, but he truly just has one year of meaningful production, which came last season and made him worthy of being a second-round draft pick. The 6-foot-3, 259-pound edge rusher had a breakthrough campaign in 2023 with 42 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three forced fumbles and a pick-six.
Braswell had to sit and wait behind a pair of first-round picks in pass rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner, who were each SEC Defensive Players of the Year during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, respectively.
It is Alabama after all, and Nick Saban would traditionally get the best of the best when it came to defensive linemen. There was premiere talent at every position.
But instead of just packing up and leaving right away for the opportunity to start elsewhere, Braswell stuck with it, got better and waited his turn until be eventually became the guy for the Crimson Tide.
That’s the kind of attitude that the Bucs want on their roster.
“For me, I always remain patient, working hard, and keeping my head down,” Chris Braswell said after he was drafted by Tampa Bay. “It’s one of the philosophies that I live by, so, you know, fighting through some adversity doesn’t really affect me. I’m a really hard worker, so I just like to keep my head down, keep working hard, and just take advantage of any opportunity that’s given to me.”
Braswell will join a team at a position in which he’ll have to continue to fight if he wants playing time on defense.
As far as depth goes for the Bucs, outside linebacker might be where they’re deepest – and also the most unproven. Including Braswell, Tampa Bay also has YaYa Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Anthony Nelson, newcomer Randy Gregory, Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez in contention. Diaby is set to start on one side, but it’s really open for anyone else to start on the other. With the exception of Ramirez, who was on the practice squad a year ago, and Gregory, who is joining Tampa Bay this season, everyone else has had their moments with the Bucs.
Even looking past outside linebacker, Chris Braswell enters a team chock full of big-time leaders and interesting personalities. Mike Evans and Lavonte David have been leading the Bucs for over a decade with Chris Godwin and Vita Vea not far behind. Godwin and Antoine Winfield Jr. just became team captains a season ago, and Baker Mayfield, who was also a team captain, has fit in exceptionally well after one season with a personality that has ignited group.
Braswell, who blazed a 4.6 time in the 40-yard dash, including an impressive 1.59 10-yard split, is excited to join Tampa Bay and can’t wait to to be a part of a Bucs team in which everyone plays for each other.
“I bring discipline and accountability,” Braswell said. “I want to hold my teammates accountable, and I want them to hold me accountable, as well. Just overall, [I] want to lead by example and also take knowledge from veteran guys who are there, veteran edge rushers and just everybody to pick their brain, [and] see how they break down tackles, just go about the game as an NFL player.”
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