Per The Athletic’s Connor Hughes, the Bucs have decided to select LB Grant Stuard with the 259th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
With the final pick in 2021 #NFLDraft, the #Bucs select LB Grant Stuard, sources tell @TheAthletic
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) May 1, 2021
Stuard hails from the University of Houston. He was the Cougars’ starting linebacker for two years before declaring for the NFL Draft in 2021.
Stuard joins Joe Tryon, Kyle Trask, Robert Hainsley, Jealon Darden, KJ Britt, and Chris Wilcox on the list of prospects the Bucs have decided to draft this year.
Below is Stuard’s scouting report, per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler:
“A two-year starter at Houston, Stuard played the weakside and middle linebacker positions in defensive coordinator Doug Belk’s 4-2-5 scheme. After leading the team in tackles as a nickel safety in 2019, he moved to linebacker as a senior captain and again led the team in tackles, averaging 8.3 per game over the last two years. Stuard is easy to spot on tape because of his long, flowing hair, but also because he is the most active player on the screen and tackles like a rattlesnake, attacking low and not letting go. Although his unrelenting motor is a strength, he needs to play more controlled with his reads and movements, struggling to come to balance in space. Overall, Stuard might not have a natural fit for a base defense, but he will be a core special teamer because of his play speed, energy and football character.”
How do you feel about the Bucs deciding to select Grant Stuard in the draft? Let us know in the comment section below!