Led by breakout receiver Emeka Egbuka and a revamped secondary, Tampa Bay’s rising stars land at No. 14 as the franchise pivots toward a new era.
Entering the 2026 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are seeking a path back to the NFC South crown after losing the division for the first time in five seasons.
Despite losing Tampa legends like Lavonte David and Mike Evans, the front office did well supplementing the roster with veteran players to help guide the Bucs' young talent.
On Wednesday, ESPN's Aaron Schatz released an updated ranking of every roster's "under-25 talent," with the Bucs coming in right in the middle of the pack at No. 14.
"[Emeka] Egbuka had 938 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a 22-year-old rookie last season," Schatz wrote. "Playing next to him at wideout are 24-year-old Jalen McMillan, 24-year-old Tez Johnson and 22-year-old third-round rookie Ted Hurst III. Running back Bucky Irving is 24, as is starting center Graham Barton."
The young receiving core is the big focus for Tampa Bay, as Egbuka was one of the most dynamic rookies in the league last season.
In mid-April, Fox Sports ranked the best players from the 2025 draft class, with Egbuka sitting atop that list.
During McMillan's rookie campaign, his five straight games with a receiving touchdown was the second-longest streak by a first-year receiver in NFL history, trailing only Randy Moss (7).
Johnson, on the other hand, was one of the Bucs' best deep threats last season, stepping into an enlarged role during Evans' and McMillan's missed time.
Defensively, Tampa added a lot of talent early in this year's draft, looking to get back to the defensive prowess that a Todd Bowles-led unit has displayed in the past.
"On defense, the young talent comes from the latest draft," Schatz added. "The marquee player is 22-year-old rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., followed by second-round cornerback Josiah Trotter (21). Two of the Bucs' 2025 draft picks at cornerback (Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison) are 22. However, do note that fourth-round rookie nickelback Keionte Scott is already 25."
Bain, of course is the biggest addition, as Tampa lucked into the standout Miami edge rusher in the middle of the first round.
Throughout the offseason, Bain has been hailed as one of the steals of the draft.
Morrison and Parrish are also in line for bigger roles after the departure of longtime CB1 Jamel Dean.
Parrish, like the rookie Scott, is a mobile piece for Bowles to experiment with, as he can blitz, play in the slot, and cover on the outside.
Morrison will be expected to cover mostly on the perimeter, using his ball hawking and coverage skills to thwart opposing wide receivers.
Trotter, who was mistakenly listed as a cornerback by Schatz, will have veteran presences like Alex Anzalone in the linebacking room to guide him throughout his rookie campaign.
BucsRoundtable's Jason Klingensmith recently noted that Trotter was named a "rookie to watch" by ESPN's Ben Solak and has been touted as a player wise beyond his years.
While replacing David's impact and production is not plausible, Trotter should be positioned for a solid first impression.
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