The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a penchant for recruiting players from the Washington Huskies, and that tradition continued this April.
With his last pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers general manager tapped into the Huskies’ trusted talent pool, drafting tight end Devin Culp from the Pacific Northwest and bringing him to Tampa.
He was one of two Huskies drafted by Tampa Bay this offseason, and while his college teammate and receiver Jalen McMillan is expected to play a bigger role on their new pro team, Culp says he’s also enjoying his own NFL experience so far.
READ MORE: Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver signs with Baltimore Ravens
“I love this whole NFL thing,” Culp says. “(The coaches) try to highlight every single one of our strengths in our game. And, you know, my speed and athleticism are obviously some of those things. So to have those opportunities to be spread out and have some one-on-one matchups is really cool because that’s something I didn’t get to experience a lot in college.”
In his final season in Washington, Culp caught 16 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers were low in terms of catches and yards, but a career high in terms of touchdowns.
As a sophomore and junior, Culp caught 20 or more passes and gained more yards each season. He was part of a Huskies team that made it to the final game of the year, and while Culp may not have gotten great NFL grades, his motivation is top-notch.
“I feel like it’s the biggest blessing and accomplishment,” Culp said of his ascension to the NFL as he prepares for his first preseason game. “It took a lot of hard work, and even though it’s just a preseason game, it’s still preparation for an NFL game. So, you know, I’m super excited and super blessed.”
In many ways, Culp has already won just by being in the league – something many aspire to achieve but will never experience.
Still, more victory is possible and this newcomer will not let this opportunity pass without a fight.
And we’re sure that winning in the NFL – or even in the preseason – will be another item on Culp’s list of things he loves about being a professional football player.
READ MORE: Buccaneers release first depth chart for 2024
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