Buccaneers Final 2026 Draft Class: Tampa Bay lives up to its word and gets nasty during draft weekend
The Buccaneers offseason theme was to get “nastier” on the defensive side of the ball and their final 2026 draft class should help make that happen on the field.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into the 2026 NFL Draft with plenty of needs and little guarantee the final draft class would fill the voids. They also wanted to add more “nastiness” on defense by selecting players with a bit of a mean streak.
Well, it’s safe to say the Buccaneers came out on top. It all started when Rueben Bain Jr. unexpectedly fell to the Bucs at No. 15 overall. From then on, it just seemed like every other pick was not only a good pick, but one that involved one of the best players available on the board.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the Buccaneers’ final 2026 draft class.
Buccaneers’ final 2026 draft class
Round 1, No. 15: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (FL)
This was one of the most unexpected moments in the draft. It was widely projected that Bain wouldn’t fall out of the top-10, even after the news regarding his fatal crash a few years ago. Some even figured he’d only last as far as No. 5.
Well, consider the Buccaneers major winners, here. Bain Jr. is everything they want at the EDGE position and he adds the nastiness the Buccaneers have been desperately searching for on defense. The quick, twitchy, relentless Bain Jr. should start Day 1 and help the Buccaneers’ pass rush get bakc on track.
Round 2, No. 46: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri
With Jacob Rodriguez off the board, Josiah Trotter made a lot of sense for the Buccaneers. Sure enough, they took him at 46 overall and he will be an integral part of the 2026 draft class.
Trotter is a heat-seeking missile who’s best when playing downhill. He’s a thumper and an old-school MIKE linebacker who will complement Alex Anzalone very well. Trotter’s a sound tackler who also plays with a fierce demeanor and he excels when blitzing.
Yes, his coverage skills need refinement, but there’s plenty of room to develop those. Right now, he’s a very good candidate to be an early-down defender next to Anzalone while he works on the coverage aspect of his game.
Round 3, No. 84: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
The Buccaneers are never going to replace Mike Evans, but Ted Hurst definitely helps ease the loss of Evans’ big-play ability.
Hurst is a big, fast receiver at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. He ran a 4.4 forty over the offseason and has tremendous ball-tracking skills that allow him to be a legit downfield threat.
He’ll come in and play the X position when needed and rounds out the Buccaneers’ receiving room by giving it a skillset it doesn’t currently have.
Round 4, No. 116: Keionte Scott, CB, Miami (FL)
The Buccaneers had a huge question surrounding the cornerback room and Scott’s addition can help ease tensions associated with the position.
Scott is a physical, intelligent, and fast player that should immediately step in and become the Bucs’ nickelback. He’s an extremely disruptive player that also has enough coverage skills to warrant a spot on passing downs, as well.
The Bucs also received great value with Scott, who was projected by many to be a second- or third-round pick.
Round 5, No. 155: DeMonte Capehart, DL, Clemson
Capehart has a low ceiling, but that’s fine because it’s very clear that he’s a player that takes up space and blocks thanks to his massive 6-foot-4, 315-pound frame.
He’ll compete to be Vita Vea’s backup after Greg Gaine’s departure in free agency. It’ll be interesting to see if he can fight off Elijah Simmons, who showed some flashes last year.
Either way, Capehart can help free up the guys around him, while providing quality snaps for the Bucs’ run defense.
Round 5, No. 160: Billy Schrauth, G, Notre Dame
Schrauth’s deal is simple: The Buccaneers have a potential starter on their hands if he can stay healthy.
That’s a big if, however, as Schrauth has a lengthy injury of lower body injuries that caused enough concern to where he fell this far.
Regardless, Schrauth has all the traits needed to play guard at the next level. He spent time and both left and right guard, showcasing versatility at the position. It remains to be seen if he can play center. Either way, he’s a solid pass protector and he’s mean as hell in the run game. If he can stay healthy and develop in Year 1, then anything is possible for him in Year 2 and beyond.
Round 6, No. 185: Bauer Sharp, TE, LSU
The Buccaneers traded the 195th overall pick and their final pick of the draft (No. 223) in order to move up 10 spots and take Sharp.
Sharp is more of a receiver than a blocker and it’ll be interesting to see how he fits into the Buccaneers’ tight end room. He doesn’t really do anything special, but he’s a competent receiver who can run routes and find the soft spot in zone coverage.
He is a good special teams player and he is versatile, as well. Those traits are what will keep him on the roster, especially in the short-term.
- Round 1, No. 15: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (FL)
- Round 2, No. 46: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri
- Round 3, No. 84: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
- Round 4, No. 116: Keionte Scott, CB, Miami (FL)
- Round 5, No. 155: DeMonte Capehart, DL, Clemson
- Round 5, No. 160: Billy Schrauth, G, Notre Dame
- Round 6, No. 185: Bauer Sharp, TE, LSU
Final Word
The Buccaneers wanted to add players with a nasty, mean streak this offseason (without going overboard, of course) and they did just that with several of their draft picks.
Bain Jr., Trotter, Scott, Capehart, and Schrauth want to line up and destroy the guys across from them and that attitude will hopefully trickle throughout the Buccaneers locker room. The idea is it’ll give the team the edge it needs to pick itself back up in case it goes through a a fifth-straight in-season slump under Bowles.
Overall, the Buccaneers have to be very pleased with how the final 2026 draft class turned out. If the guys taken in Rounds 5 and 6 turn out to even be solid depth players, this can easily turn into one of Licht’s best drafts as Buccaneers GM.
