The Senior Bowl has now come and gone. This is the premiere all star event that gives NFL coaches an up close look at some of the best prospects who will be in the NFL draft. This includes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Under General Manager Jason Licht, the Buccaneers have always drafted at least one player each year from the Senior Bowl. Don’t expect that trend to change this year. With needs all along the defense, they will likely draft some of these players in a very defensive heavy draft.
Here are my ten Senior Bowl prospects on the rise for the Buccaneers.
Zion Young, DE/EDGE, Missouri
Young is a big time personality and his play on the field last year matched that. He had a breakout year as a senior with 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. This is a pass rusher that seems to be ascending right before our eyes.
We saw more of that in the Senior Bowl. After a good week of practice, he was named the American team player of the game after recovering a fumble that set his team up for a touchdown. He’s a big, powerful defensive end who is a full on wrecking ball.
Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
Banks is a player who had a lot to prove coming into this week. After missing most of the 2025 season, this was his chance to show that he’s the dominant player that some expected him to be coming into the season. Overall, he did not disappoint.
The physical tools stand out right away with Banks. We saw him use his 6 ‘6 and 330 lbs to his full advantage. His ability to use his long arms and combine them with raw power and technique make him a potential first round pick.
Gabe Jacas, LB/ EDGE, Illinois
This was one of my favorite fits for the Buccaneers coming into the week and that feeling is only stronger now. Jacas consistently showed off the power, burst and effort and showed well against the best that the week had to offer. It’s safe to say that he was one of the best players in attendance last week.
Jacas had 13+ tackles for loss each of the last two seasons. He also had 8.0 sacks in 2024 and followed that up with 11.0 in 2025. This Florida native looks ready to step into the NFL and get after the quarterback.
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
This has to be the big winner of the week. Every time you blinked, Rodrigeuz was making a play. Even more than that, he looks fast and like a better athlete than he’d been given credit for coming into the week.
Despite incredible production which led to being a Heisman Trophy finalist, Rodrigues was projected as a day three pick. Many questioned if he was big enough or fast enough to really be a playmaker in the NFL. After proving that wrong against the best competition that the Senior Bowl had to offer, don’t be surprised if the Bucs take him in day two.
Bud Clark, S, TCU
An under the radar need for the Buccaneers is a single high safety. Someone who can run coverage on the back end of the defense and allow Antione Winfield Jr to play closer to the line of scrimmage. Clark might be that guy.
Despite 15 interceptions over the last four seasons at TCU, Clark came into the week with mixed reviews. However, after a good week of practice you can expect him to be moving up draft boards. Don’t be shocked if he is in play for the Bucs around the 4th round.
Derrick Moore, DE/EDGE, Michigan
Moore has flown under the radar for his entire career. He was part of the Michigan team who won the national championship, but wasn’t the headline name on that defense. Now he has had a chance on his own two feet and he has looked good.
Coming off a 10.0 sack season, Moore is expected to be a mid round pick. That might change after a strong Senior Bowl week. Many scouts will walk away thinking about how Moore had perhaps the best rep of the week when he ran over a 340 lbs offensive tackle for a would be sack.
Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
Consistently impressive, Hunter might have been the best overall prospect at the Senior Bowl. He is very powerful and can anchor against double teams as a nose tackle. He is also someone who flashes disruptiveness as a pass rusher for his size.
Coming into this event, I considered Hunter a potential second round target for the Bucs. However, at this point I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t go in the first round. Just a guy who seems to do everything right.
Nadame Tucker, DE, Western Michigan
Tucker came into the week with a lot of questions. He’s an older prospect who couldn’t get on the field at Houston, but then he dominated the Mid American conference after transferring to Western Michigan last year. So it was hard to tell if he was just a big fish in a small pond or a legitimate impact level prospect.
However, Tucker continued his dominance at the Senior Bowl. He had 2.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss in the Senior Bowl game. He also had a great week of practice where he seemed unblockable for most of the time he was on the field.
Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
The Buccaneers biggest weakness over the last two years was their pass coverage over the middle. Their linebackers just haven’t been athletic enough to keep up with running backs or tight ends and they have gashed the Bucs repeatedly. This made Louis a natural target for the team coming into the week.
Louis did not disappoint. At 5 ‘11 and 224 lbs, he is a coverage specialist and looked ever bit of the part at the Senior Bowl. If he can be had on day three of the draft then he’d be a perfect depth piece for this Bucs roster.
Rayshaun Benny, DL, Michigan
The best front offices can find starters later in the draft. Benny could be that guy for the Buccaneers. At 6 ‘3 and 296 lbs, he’s an ideal build to play defensive end in this defense and rotate in and out with Elijah Roberts.
Benny consistently impressed when it comes to getting off blocks. He’s fairly powerful and a good run defender. He’s also athletic enough to stretch plays out and keep things contained. Looks for him to be on the Bucs radar on day three of the draft.
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