The Tampa Bay Buccaneers earned big praise back in April when they landed defensive back Keionte Scott in the fourth round.
Scott was considered one of the biggest steals of the draft -- a consensus top-100 player who fell right into the Buccaneers' laps. With questions looming in the secondary, Tampa Bay was hoping Scott could step in as an immediate starter and provide solid play at the nickel spot.
He's done just that, and his impressive play is starting to turn heads around the NFL. Sports Illustrated writer Justin Melo named Scott one of the top three draft picks to come out of the 4th round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Keionte Scott continues to make the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look brilliant
At this point in his rookie season, the Buccaneers can breathe a deep sigh of relief, knowing they drafted a quality cornerback who has given them every reason to believe he can be a long-term cornerstone in the secondary, living up to the hype he garnered during draft season.
"Keionte Scott was among our biggest predraft steals and he's played like it for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers."Justin Melo
The rookie has 39 tackles in the season, including a sack. He added five pressures to his stat sheet as a blitzer off the edge. He has been a pleasant surprise and has become a reliable impact player quicker than anyone realistically expected.
He's really impressed Todd Bowles, who called the rookie one of his favorite players on the roster.
Scott has been consistent since the first game. He earned his role in the starting lineup thanks to a strong offseason, and that success has translated seamlessly to the regular season. As a result the rookie has played 63% of the defensive snaps this year.
The Buccaneers' rookie draft class continues to show promise nine weeks into the season, and it's sure looking like another home-run offseason for Jason Licht and the front office.
Scott, from his nickel corner position, has done well to help a secondary in transition. Tampa Bay has a top three defense in the NFL this season, and the addition of Scott allowing Parrish to kick outside has been a big factor for the quick defensive turnaround.
With Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish, and Keionte Scott all playing great football, Tampa Bay looks to have finally solved its secondary for the long-term with a trio of talented and versatile defensive backs.
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