TAMPA BAY, Fla. — The 2026 NFL draft has begun in Pittsburgh. The three-day event continued with Rounds 2-3 on Friday and will conclude Saturday (noon ET) with Rounds 4-7.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Rueben Bain Jr. with the No. 15 overall pick in the first round Thursday.
A full list of Buccaneers’ selections is below and will be updated with pick-by-pick analysis through the weekend.
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.
What’s next: The Bucs addressed their top need at edge rusher, with their second-biggest need being inside linebacker after David’s retirement. They signed free agent Alex Anzalone, who is 31, to a two-year deal, while former Carolina Panthers starter Christian Rozeboom and SirVocea Dennis are expected to compete for the other spot. Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez and Georgia’s CJ Allen are two names to keep an eye on here.
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).
What’s next: With the Bucs’ five remaining picks on Day 3, cornerback, tight end and interior offensive line depth remain areas of need.
Remaining Picks
Round 4: No. 116
Round 5: No. 155
Round 5: No. 160
Round 6: No. 195
Round 7: No. 229
