Buccaneers Saints Football

Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Lavonte David (54) reacts between plays in the first half of a game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans Oct. 6.

Bill Feig, Associated Press file photo

Maybe a bigger surprise than former Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David being named to the NFL's top 100 players list on Sunday is that he had gone three straight years without appearing. 

That was rectified over the weekend when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker kicked off the NFL Network's countdown of the best players in the league at No. 100. 

David appeared last in 2016 at No. 53 and has been on the list four times in his career. 

Steven M. Sipple: As difficult college football decisions near, confusion is understandable
Already a national recruit, 2022 in-state OL Deshawn Woods is building a relationship with Austin, Huskers

The former Cornhusker linebacker finished the 2019 NFL season with 122 tackles and three forced fumbles. David surpassed 1,000 career tackles in his career and has 1,006, the second-most in the NFL since he debuted in 2012. In that same eight-year span, David is third in the NFL with 116 tackles for loss, trailing only star defensive linemen J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. 

David, of course, was a force in his two seasons at Nebraska, logging 285 total tackles (28 for loss) and 11.5 sacks between 2010 and 2011. He then was a second-round draft pick of the Buccaneers and has been a staple of the defense there ever since. 

Contact the writer at pgabriel@journalstar.com or 402-473-7439. On Twitter @HuskerExtraPG.

View Comments