As is the annual tradition, Pewter Report will be attending the Reese’s Senior Bowl this week. And for good reason. Bucs general manager Jason Licht has a long history of drafting Senior Bowl alumni. As of last year, the Senior Bowl has ascended to a whole new level as they now invite underclassmen. They really should rename the event, but I digress.
Given Tampa Bay’s biggest need this year this linebacker, here are some players who I will be paying special attention to this week in Mobile, Alabama at the premier college all-star game.
Bucs’ Inside Linebacker Targets
Carson Schwesinger – UCLA
UCLA ILB Carson Schwesinger – Photo by: USA Today
Carson Schwesinger’s weigh-in weight will be critical, and he didn’t attend the weigh-in on Monday. Was that because he was delayed in coming to Mobile or is he skipping the Senior Bowl altogether? We’ll find out on Tuesday when the practices start.
UCLA’s website has Schwesinger listed at 225 pounds. On tape he looks and plays lighter. Even in a day and age where inside linebackers are routinely 15-30 pounds lighter than they were at the turn of the century, 225 is light. I have to believe he has been working on bulking up to 230-235.
But if he does weigh in at that range, how does it affect the way he moves? Can he maintain his ability in space with an extra few burritos on his frame? If he can, he should solidify himself as an early Day 2 pick and a possible second-round option at linebacker for Tampa Bay. Schwesinger finished 2024 with 136 combined tackles, nine for a loss, four sacks, two interceptions and three passes defensed.
Demetrius Knight Jr. – South Carolina
South Carolina ILB Demetrius Knight Jr. – Photo by: USA Today
Demetrius Knight Jr. has received less fanfare than some of the other top linebackers in this draft. Part of that is because he wasn’t a full-time player. But in my early viewings I really like Knight’s athleticism and decisiveness playing downhill. He’s a solid tackler and a plus as a run defender, displaying good feel for run concepts and finding the gaps running backs want to exploit. That’s a solid base level to be successful as a linebacker in the NFL.
He can get sideline to sideline in both the run game as well as sniffing out shallows, flats and screens. The real question with Knight will be if he can learn how to feel out route concepts that develop behind him. Right now, based on the tape I’ve watched it looks like he’s trying to process in real time and that can lead to paralysis by analysis. But Knight was late to linebacker, switching to it in college, so there may still be room to grow for him.
If he can eliminate some intermediate routes behind him during team drills in Mobile, he may get on the Bucs’ radar as an option in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft. Knight ended his collegiate career with 82 tackles, eight for a loss, two sacks one interception and one pass defensed in 2024.
Jeffrey Bassa – Oregon
Oregon ILB Jeffrey Bassa – Photo by: USA Today
Y’all, I think I found my draft crush. Of all the linebackers I have watched so far, Jeffrey Bassa shows the best skills in space and coverage. He can run the seam and gets his head around to make plays on the ball. He has three career interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, plus another five passes defensed. The Bucs struggled to cover the middle of the field last year due to a lack of athleticism to be able to run seams in Cover 3 or the pole in Cover 2. Bassa would be able to bring that ability to the position.
He’s not as physical or proficient as a run defender as some of the other linebackers in this class, but the Bucs consistently play the run well no matter who they have lining up at the position. They should prioritize movement and coverage skills, and this is where I think Bassa shines.
I’m hoping he continues to stand out in that area in Mobile while surprising me working downhill working into gaps on zone runs. Bassa recorded 54 combined tackles, three for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and two passes defensed in 2024.
