Texas Tech's award-winning linebacker, Jacob Rodriguez, powered his team to unprecedented heights. Will he bring that dominance to Tampa Bay's defense?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could use a linebacker, and Jacob Rodriguez was among the best in the county in 2025.
Rodriguez won four of the country's most prominent individual awards last season, and earned those plaudits by helping Texas Tech football reach new heights.
Following Lavonte David's retirement after 14 seasons, the future of the position in Tampa is uncertain.
In the meantime, Bucs Roundtable will take a closer look at a range of prospects headed for the 2026 draft that might jell with Tampa Bay's current roster, coaching staff, and the team's X's and O's strategies.
Bucs Roundtable has been studying the tape on top defensive talent that might interest the Buccaneers, including defensive ends Cashius Howell from Texas A&M and Miami Hurricane Akheem Mesidor as well as elite linebackers the likes of Indiana's Aiden Fisher and Georgia's CJ Allen. As the Bucs add depth in their secondary, available star prospects include cornerbacks Davison Igbinosun out of Ohio State, Arizona's Treydan Stukes, and South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore.
Offensive role players also will be a focal point for Tampa Bay, and our draft profiles feature offensive linemen like Penn State's Vega Ioane as well as center Trey Zuhn III out of Texas A&M; tight end Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon and Georgia State receiver Ted Hurst.
Tampa Bay will make its first selection on opening night at the 2026 draft, with the No. 15 pick, on Thursday, April 23, in Pittsburgh. The team owns a total of seven picks this year, including three in the top 100.
As the draft draws near, we shine a light on Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
Causing Havoc
Texas Tech led the country with 32 turnovers in 2025, and Rodriguez played a starring role in that Red Raiders defense. He forced seven fumbles, recovered two, and picked off four passes, which tied for the most in the country among non-defensive backs. Those four interceptions showcased a new area of Rodriguez’s game, as the 2022 transfer from Virginia had picked off just two passes total in his first three seasons in Lubbock.
A Decorated Career
Rodriguez left Tech as one of the most decorated players in program history. He was well-known to Big 12 fans by the end of the 2024 season, when he picked up first-team all-conference honors. By the end of 2025, he was known across the country.
Rodriguez was awarded the Bronco Nagurski Trophy for best defensive player, the Butkus Award (best linebacker), the Lombardi Award (best linebacker/defensive lineman), the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) and the Pony Express Award, for the top duo in college football, which he shared with Tech teammate and defensive end David Bailey.
Rodriguez and Bailey helped lead Texas Tech to the Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff, both firsts in program history.
On-Field Strengths
The first thing that sticks out on Rodriguez’s statline is his tackling. He ended this past season with 128 tackles, which were 10th in the country, and he had almost the same amount of solo tackles (63) as assisted tackles (65). He was just as good in 2024, ending with 127 tackles (78 solo) to lead the Big 12 and finish tied for seventh in the country.
Rodriguez is also known for his instincts, as evidenced by his tackles for loss (10.5 in 2024, 11 in 2025), which prove that he can sniff out a play before it happens.
Rodriguez’s college coach, Joey McGuire, described him as an "absolute machine," which speaks well for his energy.
Areas of Concern
Rodriguez is 6-foot-1 and 231 pounds, which makes him slightly undersized for an NFL linebacker. His stature leads to concern about his ability to shed blocks at the pro level.
For as many tackles as Rodriguez made at the college level, he also had a missed-tackle rate above 14 percent, per Pro Football Focus, which toes the line between average and above average.
Prospect Draft Position
The Mock Draft Database has Rodriguez going in the second round, ranking him as the No. 45 overall player.
The biggest question regarding Rodriguez and the Bucs specifically is how he would fit in head coach/defensive coordinator Todd Bowles' scheme.
Bowles likes to have his linebackers play close to the line of scrimmage, and pass rushing isn't Rodriguez's strong suit, as evidenced by him having only one sack in 2025.
But Bowles' scheme also requires a high IQ LB, which Rodriguez certainly is.
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