TAMPA BAY, Fla. -- The 2026 NFL draft wrapped up on Satuday after three days in Pittsburgh.
With their first pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 15 overall.
Here's a look at the Buccaneers' selections and what you need to know about them:
Analysis of every pick | Updated depth chart
Round 1, No. 15: Rueben Bain Jr
My take: The Bucs were shocked Bain was still available, with general manager Jason Licht saying, "I've probably never seen a more excited draft room." He fits their mold of power and athleticism. He can bend, and as Licht put it, he plays "very edgy." They've been very intentional this offseason about bringing players in who play with an edge.
Will he start as a rookie? Bain can be part of a rotation with free-agent signing Al-Quadin Muhammad, who had 11 sacks last season with the Detroit Lions, and one of last season's starters in Yaya Diaby -- who returns after a career-high 7.5 sacks. They also have veteran backup Anthony Nelson and last year's fourth-round draft pick David Walker. Bain can give them some immediate contributions without having too full of a plate.
Ties to the team: Bain, who is from Miami, is a cousin of New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III, who was a second-round draft pick by the Bucs in 2018 and started in Super Bowl LV. Bain also has relationships with recently retired 12-time captain Lavonte David and Bucs former first-round draft pick Calijah Kancey.
Round 2, No. 46: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri
My take: The Bucs have now addressed two of their most pressing needs, first at edge rusher and now at inside linebacker. At 6-foot-2 and 237 pounds, Trotter is a downhill, instinctive player who rarely misses tackles and is a very physical run defender. Expect coach Todd Bowles to blitz him a lot. There are question marks about his coverage ability though, but Anzalone is considered one of the best coverage inside backers. Trotter has only two years of experience playing college football (he just turned 21 two weeks ago), and he suffered a knee injury that required surgery at the end of 2025. He also missed his freshman season at West Virginia in 2023 with a torn ACL.
Ties to the team: The son of Eagles Hall of Famer Jeremiah Trotter, who overlapped for three seasons with Bucs general manager Jason Licht when Licht was with the Eagles' front office. He's also the brother of Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Round 3, No. 84: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
My take: After trading out of the 77th spot, and receiving the 84th and 160th pick, the Bucs used this pick on the 6-3, 206-pound Hurst. He clocked a 4.4-second 40-yard dash time at the combine, along with a 11-3 broad jump. There's no replacing Mike Evans, but Hurst can make contested catches and is a good deep-ball tracker. Hurst joins a deep receiver room -- Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson -- so he can pick and choose his spots.
Key stats: Hurst's 24 receptions of 20 or more yards at Georgia State were second-most in the FBS since 2024 behind TCU's Eric McAlister (35). His 42 catches at the school were also second most in FBS since 2024 behind Houston tight end Tanner Koziol (43).
Round 4, No. 116 overall: Keionte Scott, CB, Miami
My take: With last year's starting nickelback Jacob Parrish competing for a starting job on the outside, and with this defense really trying to get more stout against the run, this pick makes a lot of sense. At 5-11 and 193 pounds, Scott ran a very impressive 4.33 40-yard dash and posted a 44-inch vertical at his Miami pro day. He wraps up and finishes plays with minimal yards after contact, and Todd Bowles can blitz him off the edge, but he may be limited in coverage. He also turns 25 in August, so he may be closer to his natural ceiling than other prospects.
Round 5, No. 155 overall: DeMonte Capehart, DB, Clemson
My take: Once again, the Bucs are prioritizing players who can help them stop the run. This is a rotational prospect who can help them do that, in addition to what they already have up front in Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey and A'Shawn Robinson. He's 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds with powerful 33 7/8-inch arms and violent hands. It should be noted that he was arrested in February 2024 for unlawful possession of a firearm and was charged with failure to exercise due care while operating a motor vehicle, but the charges were expunged through a pretrial intervention program.
Round 5, No. 160: Billy Schrauth, OG, Notre Dame
My take: The Bucs' lack of guard depth really hurt them in pass protection and run blocking this past season when they lost starters Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson to season-ending injuries. Schrauth, a team captain, is a solid pass protector, an aggressive run blocker and a blue-collar weight room warrior who will mesh perfectly with the likes of Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke.
Durability will be a concern as he missed his final five games last season with an MCL sprain and missed four more in 2024 with an ankle injury that required surgery. He also underwent surgery on his left foot after his senior season in high school, forcing him to redshirt.
Round 6, No. 185 overall: Bauer Sharp, TE, LSU
My take: After trading picks 195 and 229 to the Raiders, the Bucs used pick No. 185 on a 6-foot-5, 249-pound target who actually operated as a Wildcat quarterback and inline tight end at Southeastern Louisiana before transferring to Oklahoma and then LSU.
He has 4.63 speed, which doesn't wow you, but he's high energy and operates well underneath. He's an aggressive blocker but he has struggled with penalties -- his 10 penalties were tied for the most among FBS tight ends since 2024. He also had some issues with drops -- 7.6% in his two seasons as an FBS player -- but cleaned that up significantly in 2025.