The charmed life of Vernon Hargreaves III added another chapter Tuesday.
Hargreaves, a graduate of Wharton High School in Tampa and the University of Florida, was named ot the NFL all-rookie team. He was the 11th overall pick of the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Hargreaves had only one interception, but he started most of the year in a secondary that got better as the season went along.
Hargreaves started all 16 games, recording 76 tackles, three for loss, nine passes defensed, one interception and one forced fumble. He is only the fifth Buccaneers rookie defensive back to start all 16 games, joining Johnthan Banks, Mark Barron, Tanard Jackson and Rod Jones. His nine passes defensed are the most by a Buccaneers rookie defensive back since Barron had 10 in 2012 and the most for a Buccaneers rookie cornerback since E.J. Biggers had 11 in 2010. This season, Hargreaves tied for the seventh-most passes defensed among NFL rookies.
Hargreaves is the first Buccaneers defensive back to be selected to the PFWA All-Rookie team since 2012 (Barron) and the first cornerback to earn the distinction since Donnie Abraham in 1996.
Hargreaves was familiar with other members of the secondary on the all-rookie team. Former Florida teammate Keanu Neal (Falcons) and former FSU rival Jalen Ramsey (Jaguars) both made it.
