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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

5 Things to Know About Noah Spence

A few interesting facts about the Buccaneers' new defensive end.

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  1. He is friendly with Jameis Winston.**
    The Buccaneers' second-year quarterback and Spence have known each other since high school, Winston told reporters during a press conference. He added that the two get along well. "I'm very good friends with Noah Spence," Winston said. "We played in the Under Armour All-American Game coming out of high school, so it was good. When he came to town (to visit with the Buccaneers) he was telling me that he was talking to the coaches and stuff, so I was very happy for him."

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  1. He was the best defensive end in the country coming out of high school.**
    As a senior, Spence was rated by Rivals.com as the best defensive end in the country, also earning a five-star designation. He was the No. 9 overall prospect in the nation, drawing offers from countless FBS schools before ultimately committing to Ohio State. Spence is the second Buccaneer draft pick who was the best at their respective position in high school; Vernon Hargreaves was rated as the nation's top cornerback before enrolling at the University of Florida.

3. He has been on a different level for years.
After a dominating high school career, Spence got on the field as a true freshman for an Ohio State team that finished ranked third in the country. The following year, as a sophomore, he had eight sacks for the Buckeyes. After transferring to Eastern Kentucky, Spence continued to perform at a high level, recording 11.5 sacks in his lone season with the team.

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Take a peek at photos of the newest Buccaneer.

  1. He has drawn comparisons to some of the NFL's best pass-rushers.**
    Following the Bucs' pick, the NFL tweeted that Spence has "Von Miller-type size." It's not the first time that the two have been compared, either. NFL Media's Bucky Brooks has said that Spence reminds him of Miller and Brooks' colleague Mike Mayock echoed his sentiment.

5. Many analysts had him graded as a first-round prospect.
Spence was rated by many draft analysts as a first-round talent, with many believing he would be selected in the top half of the first round. Spence's former coach, Urban Meyer, said he was "shocked" Spence didn't get selected in the first 31 picks.

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