Devin White became the first LSU linebacker ever chosen among the top five picks in the NFL Draft when he was selected No. 5 overall by the Tampa Bay Bucs tonight.

White joined Eric Hill, who was taken 10th overall by Phoenix in 1989, as the only LSU linebackers ever drafted in the first round.

Also, White is LSU's 42nd all-time NFL first-round choice and the 12th Tigers' player selected in the top five.

“It’s very important for me to be the top inside linebacker in this draft,” White said prior to becoming fourth consecutive defensive player chosen after Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray went No. 1 overall to Arizona. "I put the work in throughout my career, did everything right on and off the field.”

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said whatever team drafted White was “bringing in a leader who loves the game. . .I think he’s the best positional player outside of rusher and quarterback in this draft.’’

Ironically, Tampa Bay had a linebacker need to fill because of uncertainty created by former LSU star linebackers Kwon Alexander and Kendell Beckwith.

Alexander signed a four-year, $54 million free-agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers this off-season. The Bucs chose Alexander in the fourth round of the 2015 draft and he became the heart and soul of Tampa Bay’s defense.

Beckwith, a third-round pick by the Bucs in 2017, started 11 games as a rookie but missed all of last season after breaking an ankle in an auto accident a year ago.

White is the first linebacker Tampa Bay has drafted in the first round since 1995 when it chose eventual Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks at No. 28.

White’s production in his last two LSU seasons – 256 tackles including 26½ for loss along with seven sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception – undeniably made him the highest rated linebacker on the draft board.

The 6-foot, 237-pound junior from Springhill was a consensus first-team All-American this past season and won the Butkus Award as college football’s best linebacker. He was also the team’s two-time MVP and was twice voted a permanent team captain.

At the NFL combine in February, White cemented his first-round draft status by running a 4.42 40-yard dash, the fastest time of any linebacker prospect.

White felt before the draft he possessed all the skills required to command a pro defense.

“My personality being a (middle) linebacker fits pretty well,” White told the Tampa Bay Times. “I’m not shy. You can’t be a guy that shies away from leadership or a guy that doesn’t study and knows what he is doing on the field. You’re the quarterback of the defense. You got to get everybody lined up, and you have to know what you’re doing. You got to play fast, calm, collected. And you have to be a playmaker and an absolute stud.”

Spotrac, which tracks salaries in pro leagues, is projecting White will sign a contract with the Bucs worth $29,114,286 with a signing bonus of $19,194,026.

Off-the-field, White has already picked up two endorsement deals.

Besides signing with Nike, White’s well-publicized love of riding horses (he owns seven) led to an endorsement with Justin Boots. The Fort Worth-based company made White a custom pair of boots which he wore at tonight’s draft.

"All my horses going to Tampa, we're family," White told Deion Sanders of the NFL Network after White was drafted. "You don't leave family behind."