These players with Washington ties are on rosters for Super Bowl 55
Three players with Washington college ties are listed on active rosters for Super Bowl 55, which will be played Sunday afternoon in Tampa Bay.
All three — Deone Bucannon, Jaydon Mickens and Vita Vea — play for the Buccaneers, and could make their first appearance in the NFL’s annual championship game.
Bucannon is a former All-American safety at Washington State, while Vea was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year his final season at Washington, and Mickens was a standout receiver for the Huskies.
Another former college standout from the state, Benning Potoa’e, who also played at UW, is currently listed on Tampa Bay’s practice squad.
The former Lakes High School star, who debuted in Week 17 and also played in the Bucs’ wild-card win the following week, is the only Washington native rostered by a Super Bowl team this year.
Here’s a look at the careers of each of the state’s former college stars who could appear Sunday:
Deone Bucannon
Tampa Bay
Linebacker/safety, seventh season
Considered a three-star recruit out of Vanden High School in Fairfield, Calif. in 2010, it didn’t take long for Bucannon to make an impact in Pullman. He appeared in every game his first season at WSU, started most of them and led the Cougars with 84 tackles at safety. He also led all Pac-12 freshmen in tackles that season. Bucannon appeared in every game his sophomore and junior seasons, too, starting all but two games, and posted his first 100-tackle season as a junior with a team-high 106. He led the conference with 109 tackles as a senior, and was an All-Pac-12 first-teamer and an All-American pick by the Associated Press. One of the top safeties in the 2014 NFL Draft, Bucannon was selected in the first round at No. 27 overall by the Cardinals. He started at strong safety in Arizona’s season opener, appeared in every game and logged 83 tackles on his way to earning a nod on the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-Rookie team. He made a switch to inside linebacker his final four seasons with the Cardinals. Bucannon signed with the Bucs in early 2019, but was released in October, and spent the rest of that season with the Giants. He joined Tampa Bay again in January, signing with the practice squad, and was elevated to the active roster ahead of playoff wins over the Saints and Packers. He has collected 434 tackles, seven sacks, seven forced fumbles, five recoveries and two interceptions in his seven-year career.
Jaydon Mickens
Tampa Bay
Wide receiver, third season
Mickens, a four-star recruit from Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, was considered among the top 200 players in the country in the 2012 class, and picked the Huskies over several other Pac-12 programs, including the hometown Trojans. During his four seasons in Seattle, Mickens appeared in every game for the Huskies, collecting 2,187 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns, and eclipsed 600 receiving yards each of his final three seasons. He finished his career ranking second on UW’s all-time receptions list with 203. Mickens led the Huskies in receptions each of his final three seasons, and receiving yards each of his final two. He went undrafted in 2016, but signed with the Raiders as a free agent. He spent the season on the practice squad, and was eventually waived. He signed with Jacksonville in 2017, and made his NFL debut that October. He carved out a role as Jacksonville’s punt returner and scored in his second game, earning the first of two AFC Special Teams Player of the Week nods that season. Mickens was placed on injured reserve by Jacksonville the following October with an ankle fracture, was signed briefly by the Panthers in 2019, but later waived, and joined Tampa Bay’s practice squad that December. He’s been waived and resigned by the team twice since and has appeared in 13 games for the Bucs this season, primarily on special teams.
Vita Vea
Tampa Bay
Defensive lineman, third season
Vita was a three-star recruit out of Milpitas High School in the Bay Area in 2013, but delayed his enrollment at UW, and redshirted his first season in Seattle the following year. He appeared in every game for the Huskies during his three seasons with the program, including starting every game as a redshirt junior in 2017. He logged 39 tackles and career highs in both tackles for losses (6 1/2) and sacks (five) as a redshirt sophomore, and followed up with a career-high 43 tackles, including 5 1/2 for losses and 3 1/2 sacks in his final year with the Huskies. In his breakout junior season, Vea was an All-Pac-12 first-teamer, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and the Morris Trophy winner. He was also named a second-team All-American by several outlets. The Bucs scooped up the defensive tackle in the first round at No. 12 overall in 2018, and though a calf strain delayed the start of his rookie season, he still appeared in 13 games, finishing with 28 tackles, including four for losses and three sacks. He started all 16 games for Tampa Bay in 2019, finishing with 35 tackles, four for losses, 2 1/2 sacks and 12 quarterback hits. He also caught a touchdown pass. Vea had 10 tackles and two sacks in Tampa Bay’s first five games this season, but missed the rest of the regular season with a broken leg. He was activated in late January and played in the NFC Championship win over Green Bay.
