Gerald McCoy: Sorry, but Vita Vea is Maui from Moana

If you've been dipping your toes in the "Gosh, Vita Vea looks a lot like the guy from Disney's Moana" pool, Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has jumped in all the way.

The Bucs' 347-pound rookie is massive, has a family history on the Pacific island of Tonga and has the huge hair like The Rock's animated character, Maui. And McCoy is taking full advantage of that.

"Vita's mandatory rookie duties, you can mark it: I told him he has to tell my children that he is Maui, from Moana," McCoy said. "The only rookie duty I'm going to give him. Ain't no dinner, and none of it. Make sure when you introduce yourself to my kids, you introduce yourself as Maui. No questions asked. He doesn't get an option."

McCoy also had legit praise for Vea, the Bucs' first-round draft pick out of Washington, saying he's a "huge kid", that he's "so powerful, but he doesn't even realize how good he is yet, how good he can be."

In the meantime, he's going to be a Disney character in his spare time.

"You have to accept your role," McCoy joked. "You're a Buccaneer, and you are now Maui. I'm sorry if you don't like it. Whatever. We have too many kids around here. You're going to go work parties, go to birthday parties, all that. Everybody has jobs to do outside the building. Everybody has to do things in the community.

"We have a great team that does great things in the community. Vita's just has to be Maui. … I'm sorry. You don't get an option. Welcome to the Bucs. … The Bucs pay you, but you're going to work our kids' parties. Go get you some tattoos and all that. They don't have to be real, just show up on time. Be there, introduce yourself to the kids and you can go. My kids think Maui plays for the Bucs. They told me this morning."

The Bucs have another huge defensive tackle with Tongan roots in Stevie Tu'ikolovatu, but he's managed to avoid the Maui treatment from McCoy.

"Stevie was walking into the building," McCoy said. "My kids were like, 'Hey, is that Maui?' I was like 'No, that's just Stevie. Maui is somewhere getting ready for practice, I don't know.'"

Cue the Disney endorsement deals, and/or protests about Polynesian stereotypes …