Photo by Humboldt State Athletics – Alex Cappa during his HSU days.

By Ray Hamill — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one of the most talked about teams heading into the new NFL season, with one former Humboldt State star right there in the mix.

With the addition of superstars Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, among others, this year’s team is expected to make a run, and that’s good news for Alex Cappa.

The former Lumberjack in in his third year with the team, which traded up in the 2018 NFL draft to pick him in the third round, and his second season as the starting right guard.

And it will be a pivotal year for the 25-year-old, who needs to continue to show signs of improvement to establish himself as a long-term starter.

Cappa, however, is used to beating the odds, attracting the attention of NFL scouts at the 2018 Senior Bowl despite coming from a Division-II program in the rural North Coast of California.

The Bucs are off to a 1-1 start this year, losing their opening game to the Saints before posting a first win this past Sunday against the Panthers.

Cappa, who switched from tackle to guard when he joined the ranks of the NFL, was described by BucsNation.com writer Chris Schoenherr as “tough but inconsistent” in a breakdown of the player heading into the season.

“I believe that the improvement he showed towards the end of (last) year is something to build hope on,” Schoenherr wrote. “While his ceiling is not pro-bowl in my opinion, his floor is high enough to be a serviceable if not good starter going forward.”

And that’s exactly why this season will be pivotal for the former HSU star, and exactly why Jacks fans will be keeping a close eye on the Bucs once again.

The Bucs play the Denver Broncos this Sunday.