Grading Buccaneers' Fourth Round Pick of Miami's Keionte Scott

The first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft have already come and gone, but the majority of the work is still to be done. Saturday represents an important opportunity for teams to finalize their draft classes, improve their rosters, and in some cases, set themselves apart from their greatest competitors.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and his front office have done a really solid job of adding quality players to positions of need, at least so far.

In the first round, Tampa Bay selected Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. in a pick that is already earning praise as one of the steals of the draft. In the second round, the Bucs took Missouri LB Josiah Trotter, adding to their offseason agenda of adding physicality and toughness on the defensive side of the ball. After moving back in the third round in order to acquire some additional draft capital, the Bucs selected Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst, who is a jaw-dropping athlete with tantalizing upside and the size to eventually develop into a true X receiver.

Buccaneers select Cornerback Keionte Scott in Round 4

To kick off the third and final day of the NFL Draft, the Buccaneers decided to add a talented and versatile cornerback to their secondary with the selection of Keionte Scott.

A teammate of Bain, Scott was a big part of Miami's success in 2026. Scott was a six-year college player who spent his first couple of seasons dominating the competition at Snow College before really making a name for himself at Auburn from 2022-2024 and then eventually finishing off his collegiate career in Miami.

Scott is a tremendous athlete with great speed, energy and aggressiveness. The 5-11, 193-pound defensive back was an extremely productive player for the Hurricanes in 2025, producing 64 tackles, five sacks, 13 TFL and two interceptions while also earning himself second-team All-ACC honors in 2025.

Bucs' selection of Keionte Scott earns an A+

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Scott is an exceptional selection by Licht and the Buccaneers. Not only did the team want to address their secondary in this draft, but they got unbelievable value by getting Scott in the fourth round. For reference, he was Daniel Jeremiah's 53rd overall player in the draft, and the Buccaneers selected him with the 116th overall pick.

Despite being listed as a cornerback, Scott spent the majority of his time occupying the nickel role for Miami. Depending on what Todd Bowles envisions, there's a realistic chance that Scott could be utilized as a safety or nickel corner within the Bucs' defensive scheme. It's also safe to assume that Scott will have an important role on special teams, especially early in his career, as he was a dynamic punt returner for the Auburn Tigers prior to transferring to Miami.

Scott has some similarities to current Bucs DB Tykee Smith due to his versatility and highly aggressive style of play. As such, Scott profiles as a DB who would be at his best playing near the line of scrimmage as much as possible. Should the Bucs choose to utilize him as a nickel corner, it could allow the team to transition Jacob Parrish back to the outside, where he could provide valuable depth alongside Benjamin Morrison and Zyon McCollum.

Regardless of how the Buccaneers choose to utilize Scott's skillset, there's no denying the fact that he will give Bowles plenty of options to work with. His positional versatility and aggressive play demeanour make him a nearly perfect fit for Bowles' defense, and the style of player that Licht and his staff have been targeting all offseason.

The selection of Scott earns the Buccaneers an A+.

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