Two years ago, former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians bragged that his roster was so loaded, he had to be selective in what positions they drafted, because most rookies would not be able to make the team. Well, to quote Micheal Scott from The Office, “My how have the turntables…”
The Bucs are looking at multiple late-round picks not only making the team but playing potentially significant roles. But one undrafted free agent has an inside track to a starting spot, and that’s nickelback Christian Izien.
The Bucs current depth chart lists sixth-round wide receiver Trey Palmer as the No. 3 wide receiver. Fifth-round linebacker SirVocea Dennis is vying for the primary backup spot behind Lavonte David and Devin White. And undrafted safety Kaevon Merriweather has a good shot to earn the final safety spot. But only Izien is on track to start on Tampa Bay’s defense.
Christian Izien Is The Current Leader At Slot DB
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles recently divulged that the former Rutgers stand out is currently in the lead for the team’s starting slot corner position. How did Izien rise from relative obscurity to now being tasked with playing upwards of 70% of the defensive snaps come the regular season?
It starts with his athleticism.
With such impressive athleticism Izien went undrafted due to his small stature. Per MockDraftable.com only three safeties since 1999 have measured shorter than Izien’s 5-foot-8 and 3/4 inches. That, combined with the fact he only “broke out” in his senior year (Pro Football Focus grade of 71.6), left him on the outside looking in on draft weekend.
Christian Izien’s Experience in The Slot
Coming into his rookie season, Christian Izien did not have much experience in the slot. Prior to 2022 he recorded a combined 439 slot snaps at Rutgers. He was able to bolster that number during his final year in New Brunswick with an additional 365 reps. But it is safe to say Izien is still fairly raw at the position. Yet it’s not a coincidence that his best season was the one where he played predominantly as a nickel.
In Izien’s final year he lowered his missed tackle rate to 11.6% while forcing 22 defensive stops while only allowing 23 catches on 42 targets for 289 yards and just a single touchdown.
Christian Izien’s First NFL Game
While most Bucs starters sat the initial preseason game, Christian Izien was one of a few younger starters who played. He got a total of 27 snaps. The results were a bit of a mixed bag. Izien had a few reps in man coverage where you could see he was most comfortable and was able to utilize his impressive speed to stay in phase. Perhaps, no play better embodied this than his coverage on this fade from bunch.
Izien is No. 29 lined up at the bottom of the screen right at the line of scrimmage facing the bunch. Despite the point receiver gaining immediate outside leverage, Izien is able to stay in phase on his hip straight through the end of the route down the sidelines.
Zone Ability
Christian Izien had a couple of solid reps in zone coverage during the Bucs’ first preseason game as well. One especially showed off his ability to read and react to what was happening around him.
This time Izien is lined up in the nickel at the top of the screen. He drops into a shallow hook zone while keeping his head in the backfield to read the quarterback’s eyes. By the time Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is into his throwing motion, Izien has already read and started to close on tight end Pat Freiermuth to hold him to a minimal game.
One of the tenants of Bowles’ defense is to limit yards after catch opportunities for the opposing offense and Izien fulfills this expectation well with a physical tackle.
Areas To Monitor
Christian Izien did not have a perfect game, as evidenced by his 47.5 Pro Football Focus grade. The two biggest areas of concern for me were 1) his proclivity to get his hips overturned, leaving him susceptible to head fakes and double moves by receivers. Here are a couple of examples.
Secondly, Izien was given a couple of opportunities as a blitzer for the Bucs defense and failed to generate much pressure.
A Todd Bowles defense is nearly defined by its exotic blitz schemes and requires pass rush ability from all 11 players on the field. Izien didn’t show off a great feel for getting home in his two opportunities.
Can The Rookie Be The Answer For The Bucs?
One game does not an NFL career make or break. And the jury largely remains out on Izien.
The Bucs don’t need him to be “the guy” or a big-time playmaker, and that shouldn’t be the expectation for him as a rookie. Between cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean, and safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Ryan Neal, the biggest requirement of the nickel defender in this defense is to not be a complete liability. And for one half against Pittsburgh Izien wasn’t a liability and flashed some positives.
Izien showed the game was not too much for him. And the fact that he got the start over veteran Dee Delaney and fellow rookie Josh Hayes, a sixth-round pick, speaks volumes about the quality training camp he’s had so far. For a Bucs team that is trying to locate a young core to move forward with in a post Tom-Brady world, that’s a good first step for Izien.
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