TAMPA, Fla. -- Up until last week's game against the San Francisco 49ers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hadn't seen the return on investment they were expecting from their 2018 draft class.
Defensive tackle Vita Vea, the Bucs' 12th overall selection, notched his second sack and three tackles for a loss against the 49ers, and strong safety Jordan Whitehead turned in a team-leading 11 tackles (10 solo) and two pass breakups, suggesting there is some hope with this rookie group after all.
Prior to his breakout performance, Vea had recorded just three tackles and one sack in eight games, a tough pill to swallow for Bucs fans who instead were clamoring for former Florida State safety Derwin James, who fell to the Los Angeles Chargers at No.