Tampa Bay

Buccaneers

Hurst (6’4/206) was a zero-star recruit coming out of high school. He cut his teeth at Valdosta State for two years before joining Georgia State via the transfer portal. Hurst was purely a burner in his first season, averaging 17.2 yards per catch with an identical average target depth. He parlayed this role into a team-high 961 yards and nine scores. After realizing what they had in Hurst, his coaches made the passing attack revolve around him in 2025. Hurst’s aDOT dropped to a more normal 12.6 and he pushed his receiving total to 1,004 yards on 71 grabs. Hurst is a physical receiver at the catch point and his 4.42 40-yard dash shows up on tape, but the jump from Sun Belt competition to the NFL will be a true test of his abilities. He will likely begin his career as a backup Z receiver, though a starting role down the road should be the expectation.

Trotter (6’2/237) produced like a classic downhill MIKE, logging 89 tackles with 10.5 TFLs, 13 run stops and 11 havoc plays while anchoring the front with a 65.9 percent run-tackle share. His 89.0 percent tackle rate reflects a controlled, square finisher who consistently arrives with leverage and balance in tight quarters. Trotter adds real blitz value, generating nine pressures on just 53 rushes (17.0 percent pressure rate) with two sacks and three sacks created, showing urgency and timing attacking interior gaps. He plays with a diagnostic trigger versus the run, quickly keying blocking schemes and leveraging his frame to slip or shock blockers despite not being an overwhelming athlete. However, Trotter’s profile flips in coverage, where inconsistent route recognition and delayed processing leave him vulnerable to backs and tight ends on dynamic patterns. He projects as an early-down run-stopping linebacker with subpackage blitz utility, whose path to a three-down role will hinge on improving spatial awareness and anticipation in coverage.

Tampa could use a versatile pass rusher after ranking dead last in QB pressure rate last season. Bain Jr. (6’2/263) put together a complete, high-impact season as the centerpiece of Miami’s front, finishing with 46 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks while posting an elite 90.9% tackle rate. His 21 havoc plays made him one of the most disruptive defenders in the nation, as evidenced by his 79.3% run-tackle rate and eight credited run stops. As a pass rusher, Bain generated a staggering 80 total pressures, good for a sterling 13.1% pressure rate, while creating 10 sacks overall and forcing a fumble in the process. He consistently won early in downs, recording a first pressure on 45 snaps with an average time-to-pressure of 2.71 seconds, underscoring his explosiveness off the ball. While he didn’t test at the Combine, much debate was had about his 30 ⅞” arms that are the third-shortest ever recorded for an EDGE player. Taken together, Bain’s profile reflects a tenacious, every-down defensive end who combined power, effort, and finishing ability to anchor one of the nation’s most stingy defensive fronts.

It was the right-of-first-refusal tender. Apparently the free agent market was not kind to Tucker. He’ll enter the year third on Tampa’s depth chart at running back behind Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell, but could remain a thorn in Irving’s fantasy upside if he retains a sizeable red zone role under new OC Zac Robinson.

Per NBC Sports Houston’s Aaron Wilson, Klare has met “extensively” with the Texans, Buccaneers, Rams, Broncos and Panthers. Klare could be the second tight drafted next week, profiling as a potential every-down player. Although he performed better as a receiver at Purdue in 2024, he earned a respectable 71.6 PFF run-blocking grade at Ohio State last year. Klare could be a year one contributor, but he is not guaranteed to reach the TE1 ranks in fantasy.

Delp last week made pre-draft visits with the Vikings, Patriots, and Ravens. Delp at Georgia was a little-used tight end who totaled 65 receptions for 793 yards and seven touchdowns over his final three collegiate seasons. He was targeted on a meager 13 percent of his pass routes over those three years. Delp, 23, profiles as a rotational tight end to start his NFL career, though he has some upside if he lands in the right spot. In LA he would compete with Oronde Gadsden II for tight end snaps and routes, and in Tampa he would compete with Cade Otton, who recently re-signed with the Bucs.

NBC Sports Houston’s Aaron Wilson reports that today’s visit did not result in an “immediate” signing, but a deal “could be revisited later.” Dang. Green, 25, has not played since the 2024 season. He will likely sign with a new team at some point this offseason.

The Buccaneers have reportedly “keyed in” on tight end and defensive end as positional options in the first round. The Buccaneers re-signed TE Cade Otton to a three-year, $30 million contract this offseason. He is not a high-end receiving tight end, but he could eat into Sadiq’s snap share as a blocker. The receiving corps is currently in flux, though. There are worse landing spots for Sadiq.

Stribling, a five-year college player, ran a 4.36-second 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. He caught a career-high 55 passes while producing 811 yards and six touchdowns in his final college season. He spent two seasons apiece at Washington State and Oklahoma State before heading to Ole Miss. His speed and size (6'2/207) will intrigue some front offices.

Sills, who turns 30 in May, had a career-high 18/191/2 receiving line that mostly came down the stretch as Drake London was sidelined. He’s likely just a depth piece here to help former Falcons OC Zac Robinson teach The System to Tampa’s main wideouts.