Home NFL Five Players The Buccaneers Will Be Watching At The Shrine Bowl

LSU Linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. is moving up several NFL Draft big boards including the Buccaneers / via Instagram

Five Players The Buccaneers Will Be Watching At The Shrine Bowl

January 21, 2026

The NFL draft will soon be upon us. This is a time where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers really shine. They have one of the best general managers in the NFL in Jason Licht and that is in large part to what an excellent drafter he is.

Part of the key to his success is maximizing the pre-draft process and getting an up close look at prospects who play in these showcase bowl games. One of these is the Shrine Bowl which always features some of the best sleeper prospects in the draft.

The Bucs have drafted a Shrine Bowl player in three straight years. They were Elijah Roberts, Elijah Klein and Jose Ramirez. Other notable names from this event in recent years include Kenneth Grant, Shavon Revel and Brock Purdy.

So, what players will Licht and company have their eyes on this time? Only time will tell, but here’s who I think are the five players the Buccaneers will be watching at the Shrine Bowl.

Harold Perkins – Linebacker – LSU

Over the last two years the Bucs have been cursed with slow sluggish linebacker play. KJ Britt consistently looked like he was running through mud. And while SirVocea Dennis was better, he just wasn’t able to move well enough in space to be a viable option in pass coverage. This has been a devastating issue with this defense.

With Perkins, that problem is immediately gone. At 6’1 and 222 lbs, we are talking about a freak athlete. The kind of guy who played both pass rusher and nickel linebacker in college because he had the athletic gifts to do both.

However, because he was used in so many different ways he’s actually not polished in any area. He needs time to develop his instincts in coverage and as an off ball linebacker. But if you can get this guy on day three as a depth player with special teams ability (because he can run and tackle really well) then he can be developed into a rotational player or even a starter down the line.

Jake Golday – Linebacker – Cincinnati

Some people like Golday as one of the better linebackers in the entire draft. And while I’m not as high on him as some other people are, there are things here that I like. Enough so that I think he could step in and make an immediate impact as a rookie next year.

Golday is a good athlete and someone I like in coverage (a nice change from what Bucs fans have seen in recent years). He’s also someone who is a very solid tackler. He brings physicality and good form when taking on ball carriers.

I’m not sure that I love his game in the thick of things. He can get hung up on blocks too often and I’d rather him not have to work his way through the mess of bodies that we call the trenches. However, as a weakside linebacker who is at his best in coverage he certainly has a place on this team.

Joe Fagnano – Quarterback – UConn

The Buccaneers backup quarterback situation is a bit up in the air. Kyle Trask moved on this year after holding that backup job for several years. Teddy Bridgewater won the job last year, but he came out of retirement to do so.

The Bucs need a developmental talent learning behind Baker Mayfeild. Someone who can manage things in a pinch and potentially take over down the line if the team moves on from Mayfield after this season. That player could be one of this year’s biggest sleepers in Fagnano.

Fagnano completed 69% of his passes last season and threw for 3,448 yards and 28 touchdowns with just 1 interception. He has adequate arm strength and sneaky mobility to escape the pocket. Everything you would want in a young backup quarterback.

Brandon Cleveland – Defensive Line – NC State

Some players are born to be stars and they can just do it all. Others have to find their niche and grind out success with grit and tenacity. Cleveland is that second type of player and likely someone who gets drafted on day three.

Despite being a lean 6’4 and 315 lbs, Cleveland played a lot of nose tackle in college. He’s a good run stuffer who plays with power and tenacity. However, he also has the mobility and athleticism to play all over the defensive line.

I’m not sure that Cleveland will ever be much of a pass rusher. He just doesn’t have the skills with his hands to put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. But this Tampa native can absolutely step in and replace Logan Hall as a starter due to his run defense and this would allow the team to rotate Elijah Roberts in more situationally.

Malachi Lawrence – Edge – Central Florida

The Bucs are in the market for a pass rusher. If that can’t get that guy in the first round then they will be looking for more of an upside value pick. That player might just be Lawrence.

The big man out of Central Florida has had 27.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks over the last three seasons. He brings a good combination of size and mobility to the position at 6 ‘4 and 270 lbs. He might not be the star that Bucs fans are clamoring for, but he’d be a good piece to have in the pass rush rotation.

For more from J.T. click here, then make sure to follow him on Twitter.