Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers Bolster Linebacking Corps with Temple's Chapelle Russell in Seventh Round

With the first of their seventh-round picks, the Bucs selected inside linebacker Chapelle Russell out of Temple.

Apr 25, 2020 at 06:46 PM

Memphis running back Kylan Watkins (17) runs the ball on his way to a touchdown as Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell (3) and cornerback Christian Braswell (14) try to stop him during the second half of an NCAA college football, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Philadelphia. Temple won 30-28. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Well, he certainly comes from a familiar program. With the 241st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers selected inside linebacker Chapelle Russell out of Temple University to bolster the team's linebacker room.

Russell is a Lakewood, New Jersey native who went just down the road to Philadelphia for college, spending four years with the Owls and amassing 237 total tackles, 19.5 of which were for loss in that span. He tacked on three sacks and was also a factor in the takeaway game, forcing three fumbles and recovering six in his career.

The 6-1, 230-pound linebacker battled through injury during his time at Temple, suffering back-to-back ACL injuries in 2016 and 2017, and was rewarded with the school's Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2018. He was also awarded the team's single-digit jersey, which is given to the nine toughest players on the team.

In 2019, Russell totaled 72 tackles, nine of which were for loss, three pass breakups and two quarterback hits. He will get to learn from linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White, who look to be one of the top linebacker duos in the league this coming season.

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AJ Mast via AP Images)

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Notre Dame running back Josh Adams (33) stiff arms Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in South Bend, Ind.Notre Dame won 49-16. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Charles Rex Arbogast

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell does the bench press at the NFL football scouting combine Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, in Indianapolis. (AJ Mast/AP Images for NFL)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell catches a ball during the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, in Indianapolis. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell waits to run the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AJ Mast via AP Images)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AJ Mast via AP Images)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)