Buccaneers Late-Round Draft Picks Who Have Best Shot to Make the Roster

This is what we'll be watching closely during Buccaneers training camp.

Clemson Tigers defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart (19) reacts after tackling Georgia Bulldogs running back Branson Robinson | Ken Ruinard - Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did well in their draft, and they especially did well in the early rounds — from Rounds 1-4, they got three defensive starters in Missouri's Jeremiah Trotter and Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. and Keionte Scott, and they also got a project wide receiver in Georgia State's Ted Hurst who has the measurables to become something special.

Championships are often won in the later rounds, though, from Rounds 5-7. The Bucs made three selections in that time, and two of them could end up making the roster due to the circumstances of the position room they entered and their impressive physical traits.

Here are two late-round players who have the best shot to make the roster:

DT DeMonte Capehart

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney with defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart (19) before kickoff with Furman University | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's a lot of potential with Capehart. He's an athletic specimen, weighing 313 pounds and running a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash, and his Relative Athletic Score of 9.97 is the eighth-highest of 2046 defensive tackles from 1987 to now.

DeMonte Capehart is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.97 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 8 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/tPNrkQLvFs pic.twitter.com/cUMUn6Nrvh

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

On top of that, there are some positives to his game, despite him starting just 12 games in six seasons. His raw strength overpowered blockers, especially one-on-one, and his speed and get-off make him a formidable threat as both a run stuffer and a pass rusher. He can stand to work on his technique and his counters, but outside of that, there's a lot to like.

The biggest thing going for Capehart at the moment is that you can never have too many interior defensive linemen, and they rotate often at the NFL level. He may not be a starter, but he could end up being a very valuable rotational piece for the Bucs in 2026 and beyond.

OL Billy Schrauth

Notre Dame offensive lineman Billy Schrauth participates in a drill during a Notre Dame football practice | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

Injuries during his last year at Notre Dame may have prevented him from finishing his season. but Schrauth is ready for a new start in Tampa Bay — and he could be quite useful to a Buccaneers offensive line that definitely needs some depth at the moment.

Schrauth has good core strength to anchor himself and an aggressive first pop to set the tone as a guard. While his high pad level and stiffness is a cause for concern, he doesn't have to start right away, and he can develop behind an already-stout Buccaneers o-line. Most importantly, though, is that he's there for depth, as the Bucs have Dan Feeney alongside him on the interior and not much else when it comes to the depth at his position.

With guard Elijah Klein likely on the way out and other competitors like Ben Scott unlikely to make the 53-man roster, Schrauth should find himself safe this year barring any major complications.

Will Bauer Sharp make the 53-man roster?

LSU Tigers tight end Bauer Sharp (10) reacts to making a first down against Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Buccaneers also drafted tight end Bauer Sharp in Round 6 out of LSU. He's extremely athletic and has shown some route-running prowess, but he needs a lot of development as a receiving tight end and as a blocker at the next level. The Bucs will provide that, but that doesn't mean he'll make the roster, and because he's probably the least likely late-round pick to do so, he wasn't included on this list.

That being said, he does still have a decent chance. The Buccaneers spent a seventh rounder on tight end Devin Culp a few years ago, but he hasn't materialized into the go tight end that the Bucs were hoping he would. Sharp may be inactive on game days if he does make the roster, like Culp typically was, but he may end up replacing him and being the fourth tight end on Tampa Bay's roster.

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