Some draft analysts thought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could draft Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the first round, but with Rueben Bain Jr. available off the edge at No. 15, Tampa ended up filling the biggest need on the roster with the best overall player available in the draft anyway.
It wasn't until their very last pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, in the sixth round, that the Buccaneers addressed the tight end position, which was still an area of need for them even after re-signing Cade Otton this offseason, which was a move many didn't even expect to happen.
The chosen player for the Buccaneers to compete with Otton is Bauer Sharp, and even though he played for a big college football program in LSU, there isn't much out there about Sharp, who was not touted as one of the best prospects in the class.
Bauer Sharp can be a big asset in the passing game for Buccaneers
However, he is a Jason Licht special. The Buccaneers General Manager loves to go after great athletes from big schools who aren't discussed much because they are either underrated in the spotlight or didn't get the snaps and opportunities to stand out as a superstars at the collegiate level.
Nobody will confuse Sharp for being an elite prospect without flaws, but a lot of the criticisms about his blocking or route running, for example, are the kinds of things that Licht and the Buccaneers won't be terribly interested in.
What the Tampa Bay Buccaneers probably really like about Sharp is the fact that he is such a great athlete for his size. He is super quick for a guy who is 6'4" and 249 pounds, and he even has great long speed, too, with a 4.63 forty.
Whenever you watch Bauer Sharp on film, you can see this is a guy who has no problems getting open or making tough catches. He is sharp and quickin those short and intermediate areas with the fluidity to make acrobatic grabs. There are tougher tight ends who are stronger at the point of attack both as blockes and pass catchers, but the Bucs offense is built on speed and getting in space.
The Bucs want a high flying passing attack with Baker Mayfield under center, and with the offensive line they have, the Bucs don't need Sharp to be a nasty blocker. What they need from him to even push Cade Otton as the No. 1 is production in the passing game, and Sharp has the traits to do just that.
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