1 bold prediction for every Buccaneers rookie entering the 2026 season

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2026 rookie class looks to be a special group on paper. 

Several rookies are already standing out at training camp and shaping up to be future cornerstones for the Bucs roster. 

They'll have varying impacts during their rookie seasons, as some are pencilled in as starters, including Rueben Bain and Josiah Trotter, while others are expected to contribute as backups or rotational players, such as DeMonte Capehart and Billy Schrauth. 

With that in mind, here is one bold prediction for every Bucs rookie entering the 2026 season. 

Bold predictions for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie class 

Rueben Bain Jr. wins Defensive Rookie of the Year

Bain is coming off a season in which he recorded 83 pressures, tied for the most ever in the PFF College era. 

He’s been impressive all offseason and has the makings of a player ready to make an immediate impact in Tampa Bay. The fact that he’ll be lining up on a dominant defensive front that features Vita Vea (hopefully), Calijah Kancey and Yaya Diaby will make his life easier as he adapts to the NFL level.

Jared Verse (4.5), Will Anderson (7.0) and Chase Young (7.5) all won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors with fewer than eight sacks, so Bain doesn’t necessarily need to set the world on fire to command national attention. 

If he can consistently generate pressure and be the disruptor he was in college, Bain will put himself firmly in consideration for Rookie of the Year. 

Josiah Trotter leads the Buccaneers with 15 tackles for loss 

Yaya Diaby led the Buccaneers with 13 tackles for loss last season. Sirvocea Dennis wasn’t far behind with 10, while Lavonte David rounded out the top three with eight tackles for loss. 

Trotter is known for his downhill, physical style of play. As he continues to develop his coverage skills, he’ll be able to contribute immediately as a blitzer and run-stuffer, which is exactly the type of player Todd Bowles knows how to utilize. 

Trotter has been living in the backfield all training camp, and that will continue into the regular season as he leads Tampa Bay with at least 15 tackles for loss as a rookie. 

Ted Hurst catches double-digit touchdowns 

Mike Evans is the Buccaneers’ all-time leader in rookie touchdown receptions with 12. The late Mike Williams follows closely behind with 11. 

No other Bucs rookie has ever caught 10 or more touchdowns, with Jalen McMillan ranking third with eight touchdown receptions in his debut season. 

Hurst’s size and skill set make him a red-zone threat waiting to happen. He’s been showing off his Evans-esque contested-catch ability and wide catch radius all camp, which could make him a reliable target for Baker Mayfield near the goal line.

Hurst has what it takes to catch 10 touchdowns, joining Evans and Williams as the only Buccaneers rookies to record double-digit touchdown receptions in their rookie seasons.

Keionte Scott records at least 3 sacks 

Part of what made Scott such a perfect fit in Tampa Bay is his blitzing ability, which Todd Bowles will be excited to deploy against opposing offenses. 

Scott led all college defensive backs in sacks (5) and pressures (17) last season. 

Tampa Bay will look to utilize him in a similar way, and he’ll start his NFL career off strong in a blitz-heavy scheme that will allow him to record three sacks. 

DeMonte Capehart records at least 3 TFL

Three tackles for loss might not feel very bold, but veteran Greg Gaines, along with other interior defenders Logan Hall and Elijah Roberts, all recorded just two tackles for loss last year. 

For a Day 3 draft pick, if Capehart can come in as a rotational player and record three tackles for loss during his rookie season, it’ll be a great sign of things to come for the rest of his career.  

Billy Schrauth wins the No. 2 left guard spot

This admittedly isn’t much of a bold prediction, but Schrauth won’t see the field unless a nightmare injury situation takes place for the second year in a row. 

Schrauth will likely have a chance to compete with 2024 sixth-round pick Elijah Klein for the backup left guard spot behind Ben Bredeson.

With a strong preseason, Schrauth can make a case to take over the No. 2 spot on the depth chart as he continues developing toward a potential starting role down the line. 

Bauer Sharp catches two touchdown passes 

Sharp was the final draft pick of the Buccaneers’ rookie class. 

He’s been impressive all offseason across OTAs, minicamp and training camp. He’s already challenging veterans Ko Kieft, Payne Durham and Devin Culp for playing time. 

There’s a chance Sharp is the No. 2 tight end behind Cade Otton by the end of the season. Last year, Tampa Bay’s tight ends combined for only two touchdowns, with Otton and Culp scoring one apiece. 

Sharp will match that total individually during his rookie season with a pair of touchdown catches as he emerges as a valuable red-zone target.

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