Buccaneers’ Todd Bowles evaluates rookies halfway through season

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have always brought in strong talent through the draft with general manager Jason Licht, but halfway through the season, it looks like this rookie class is on pace to be special in 2025.

The Buccaneers drafted a dominating wide receiver, two defenders already getting starting reps and another defender rotating in during the first five rounds of the draft, and their contributions have helped the Bucs to a 6-2 record before the bye week. Head coach Todd Bowles has gotten great usage out of his class, and he gave his thoughts on their performance so far on Monday.

Todd Bowles praises Buccaneers rookies

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) runs for a gain during the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Todd Bowles began by saying that it's a little too early to say anything definitive about the team's rookies, but that so far, they've been playing great football.

"[We are] still evaluating them. They [have] to go through a full season. It is a long season for those guys coming out of college when you throw in the three preseason games and the 17 regular-season games – that is almost two college seasons," Bowles said. "Those guys are very mature from a mental standpoint. They are executing very well [and] they are playing like they have been in the league for a while. It is halfway through the season, so they should be a little bit more seasoned right now, and the production has been great for us."

They are most certainly executing very well. First-round pick Emeka Egbuka has already caught five touchdowns this year and remains an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, and he'll look to be a bigger part of the team's receiving corps going forward. Rookie third-round pick Jacob Parrish is the team's starting nickel and has been a versatile weapon, and even fifth-round pick Elijah Roberts has entered the starting lineup at defensive tackle.

With all of those names immediately contributing — and second-round pick Benjamin Morrison rotating in at cornerback with Jamel Dean and seventh-round pick Tez Johnson catching two touchdowns of his own this year — Tampa Bay's rookie class looks like a home run. As Bowles said, though, there's still a long way to go, and the Bucs have a brutal three-game stretch on the horizon.

The Bucs will begin that stretch when they face off against the New England Patriots at home in Week 10.

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