Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht recently revealed he regrets having drafted Devin White and Vernon Hargreaves
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by general manager Jason Licht, have had their fair share of success in the draft in recent seasons. While the arrival of legendary quarterback Tom Brady in 2020 helped, the team’s success in the draft is a big reason why they won Super Bowl LV, and why they have managed to remain a playoff contender with Baker Mayfield un
Not every draft pick can be a success, though, and there have been a handful of players that Licht has missed on over the past few years. When discussing any potential regrets he has during previous drafts with the Buccaneers, Licht singled out two players in particular that he wishes he had not drafted.
Jason Licht Regrets Drafting Devin White, Vernon Hargreaves
It’s tough to get upset with Licht for missing out on some of his draft picks, given the overall success he has had at finding talent during his time in charge of the team. Two guys that stood out to him, though, as failed picks in his eyes were linebacker Devin White and cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, both of whom flamed out fairly quickly.
After a standout college career with the Florida Gators, Hargreaves was selected by the Buccaneers with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He started all 16 games he played in as a rookie, but he struggled to stay on the field the next two seasons. He ended up getting released surprisingly midway through the 2019 season, with Licht revealing that “he just didn’t want to be part of a team.”
White is a more unique case, as he actually enjoyed quite a bit of success early in his career after getting selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He helped the Bucs win Super Bowl LV in 2020, earning a spot on the All-Pro Second Team that year. However, he endured a falling out with the team, leading Licht to say, “Knowing what I know now, he would have been off my board. It was too much about him.”
Jason Licht Reveals Why Certain Draft Picks Don’t Pan Out
Both White and Hargreaves were stars in college, but they weren’t able to extend that success in the NFL. There are several reasons why draft picks don’t pan out, but when it comes to high draft picks not finding their way in the league, Licht revealed exactly why they aren’t able to stick around for very long.
“The high draft picks who don’t make it are the ones who don’t work hard,” Licht said, per Dan Pompei of The Athletic. “They don’t listen to coaching. And they don’t do the little things they are supposed to do.”
White is trying to reestablish himself as a star linebacker with the Las Vegas Raiders now, while Hargreaves has been out of the NFL since the 2021 campaign. Licht has certainly hit on his fair share of draft picks, but given how both of these guys’ tenures played out with Tampa Bay, it sounds like if he could go back in time, he would avoid drafting both of them.
