Related Links
Articles
Photos
Videos
[
](http://www.buccaneers.com/news/index.html)
On Monday, NFL.com's Bucky Brooks released a list of his top five tacklers in the league. Among those selected was Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David, who earned the No. 5 spot.
"The relatively diminutive (6-foot-1, 233 pounds) Buccaneers linebacker lacks ideal size for the position, but there is no disputing his explosive power and pop as a tackler," Brooks wrote. "Few defenders in the NFL can stop runners in their tracks like David, making him one of the scariest defenders to face between the hashes. His nonstop motor and exceptional pursuit quickness allow him to track down runners on outside runs, which drastically shrinks the field for the defense. Considering how quickly he attacks the line of scrimmage after post-snap diagnosis, David's presence in the middle of the field poses a huge problem for teams attempting to probe the heart of the Buccaneers' defense."
Coming in at No. 4 was Lions linebacker, DeAndre Levy, followed by Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor at No. 3. Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner finished second while Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly finished at the top spot.
The best photos of Lavonte David during the 2014 season shot by the Buccaneers' team photographers.
Should David have been ranked higher? Consider the following:
David had 42 more tackles than second-ranked Wagner in 2014, and recorded nearly twice the amount of stops as Chancellor. Levy recorded five more tackles than David while Kuechly had seven more, but David missed two games due to injury. Factoring that in, he led the league in tackles per game with 10.4. Also, Chancellor (41) and Kuechly (14) were the only players ranked ahead of David (56) in NFL Network's annual Top 100 countdown.
Where should the Bucs' leading tackler be ranked? Make a case in the comment section below.
