The Buccaneers continued their Day Three picks by selecting linebacker K.J. Britt from Auburn with the 176th pick in the fifth round. The two-year starter was voted team captain for the 2020 season, though it was cut short to only two games due to injury. He returned to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl and participated in Auburn's pro day.
Britt amassed 119 tackles, 13.0 of which for loss in his Tiger career and marked a career single-game high of 12 against Georgia before his injury in 2020.
The Alabama native will be providing depth to a Bucs linebacker room that includes Lavonte David, Devin White and Kevin Minter. He is Tampa Bay's fifth pick of the 2021 draft, joining fellow rookies Jaelon Darden, Robert Hainsey, Kyle Trask and Joe Tryon.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein had this to say of Britt:
"Ultra-aggressive inside linebacker with densely muscled frame and a throwback demeanor. His alpha personality is on display whether on defense or on special teams. He plays a downhill, attacking style that can clog run lanes, but also causes him to lose sight of the ball and get trapped behind blocks, limiting his ability to flow with the runner. He has tight hips and lacks the desired sideline-to-sideline range, but when he hits, opponents definitely feel it. He doesn't have functional coverage ability and could be pegged as an early-down backup with core special-teams value."
