This Buccaneers Rookie Can Do a Lot for the Team in 2026

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took former Clemson defensive lineman Demonte Capehart in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Capehart figures to be a solid rotational piece in his rookie season that can offer a lot of value to plenty of positions on the front seven.

One thing that needs to be addressed is how Capehart approaches his mentality of the field. The Buccaneers have found yet another player who thrives in the combative sport of football in Capehart, and that's something he exemplified to the media after being drafted.

"My mentality that I bring on the field is violent," Capehart said. "With a lot of different teams, they [have] different schemes, but for me, when I step on the field, my mentality is to go through somebody, push another grown man against their will."

This is not the first player this offseason the Bucs have brought in with this mentality, with other offseason additions like Alex Anzalone, A'Shawn Robinson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Rueben Bain Jr, Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott all having a similar style of football that they like to play.

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Clemson defensive lineman Demonte Capehart (DL05) runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Capehart is also a great athlete for his size of 6-5 and 313 pounds. He ran a 4.85 40-yard dash and had a vertical jump of 33.5 inches, as well as a broad jump of eight feet and 11 inches. Capehart spoke about his athleticism and what it could provide the Buccaneers.

"If I'm on the defensive line and the quarterback is throwing the ball, I feel like that's a great opportunity for me to showcase that vertical by trying to swat it down," Capehart said. "In my 40[-yard dash], when guys see me, I think running backs take it into account like, 'Oh, he's big, he's not fast,' so I think that's an attribute that I love showcasing to let smaller guys know I'm not slow."

Because of his great athleticism, it is reasonable to assume that Capehart can move around a lot along the defensive line, something the Buccaneers like to see with many players on their roster. Capehart himself feels that he will be a very versatile piece.

"Me personally, I love it all, because it's all the same thing if you think about it. It's just where you're lining [up] at. I feel like if you're a two-[interior], you can play the three, if you're a three-[interior], you can play the four. It's all the same thing, it's just bumping you out farther away from the ball, that's all I see it as," Capehart said. "I think I'm very talented and versatile. I think I can play all of them, and I'm excited. For me personally, when I get in the nose position, that's where I feel like I'm dominant because of my quick first step on the centers and guards and stuff like that."

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