TAMPA, Fla. -- A few thoughts on Oklahoma linebacker Devante Bond, taken at No. 183 overall as the first of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' two sixth-round selections ...
My take: This has the look of a depth pick at strongside linebacker. Bond figures to be a contributor on special teams early, and he showed flashes of potential at Oklahoma. He had 43 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks in nine games (five starts) with the Sooners last season when he wasn’t out with an ankle injury. In 2014, he had 29 tackles in 12 games.
Winding road: Bond’s football career didn’t begin until his senior year of high school. He played at Sierra College in Rocklin, California, before he eyed a career with Miami (Fla.). He committed to the Hurricanes before the 2013 season, but he didn't qualify academically. He started classes at Oklahoma in January 2014.