Jacob Parrish is already changing the Bucs secondary during rookie minicamp and it should only get better
Look, it's rookie minicamp, we get it. What happens over the weekend involves basically zero projection when it comes to how the 2025 season plays out in its entirety.But damn, it's hard to not get excited over what rookie third-round pick Jacob Parrish did on the first day of camp: He was able to snag […]
Look, it's rookie minicamp, we get it. What happens over the weekend involves basically zero projection when it comes to how the 2025 season plays out in its entirety.
But damn, it's hard to not get excited over what rookie third-round pick Jacob Parrish did on the first day of camp: He was able to snag an interception off a pass intended for first-round pick Emeka Egbuka and take it all the way to the house for what would've been six points in a regular season contest.
“He got a good pick," Todd Bowles told reporters after practice. "[It was] good to see him do some things. Again, it’s t-shirt and shorts but it’s good to see him make a first impression.”
"It meant a lot to me really, just to be able to interception and get a pick-six," said Parrish. "I haven't had a pick-six in a minute. So, you know, that kind of made my day, to be honest."
Again, it's rookie camp. However, Bowles and the Bucs adamantly stressed the desire (and need) for more guys who can create turnovers in 2025. It was mentioned numerous times and the Bucs head coach literally said it was the No. 1 thing he was looking for throughout free agency and the draft.
Well, Parrish delivered the goods right off the bat. Bowles also labeled him the fastest player on the field Friday, but the best part is Parrish still feels like he's not playing up to full speed. That'll change as he gets more acclimated to the Bucs defense, though, and he knows it.
"I feel I could have been faster, to be honest," said Parrish. "… I feel like once I understand the scheme I'll be a lot faster, though… It's really cool. [The defense] is different, too, compared to where I was at before. You know, he does a bunch of different things. I'm excited I'm in this system."
Bowles clears the air about Parrish's role with the Bucs
Parrish isn't the biggest guy in the world at 5-foot-9, but he plays a lot bigger than his size and his length really helps him "compensate", for lack of a better word. Therefore, the vast majority of people believe Parrish is best suited to play nickel.
And while they're not wrong, that's not how Bowles sees him. The Bucs head coach believes Parrish is an outside guy first before he's a nickel. At the same time, Bowles and Co. are getting him ready to start on the inside before anywhere else.
"He can play outside corner. We’ve got him learning nickel; I’m very comfortable with him outside," said Bowles. "He can start at corner in this league probably for anybody and he can play inside, as well. That’s the beauty of him. He’s not just a nickel, I think he’s an outside corner first and then a nickel second. The fact that he plays inside is just a bonus for us when we have a few guys that play inside.
"It helps us from a matchup standpoint, from a game plan standpoint, which one could play nickel at which time. It keeps a lot of people guessing.”
The Bucs desperately need a guy in the secondary who can up in the ante in terms of both play style and takeaways. So far, Parrish is off to a blazing start (pun absolutely intended) and based off his words and abilities, it should snowball in a positive way as the offseason continues to roll on.
"I'm really just trying to prove, you know, if anybody's in front of me, I feel like I'm the better player," said Parrish. "That's how I take any matchup: I feel likeI'm the best player on the field. So that's how I'm going to approach you at the end of the day."
