The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed up all over The Athletic’s midseason All-Rookie team, with five players earning recognition and the defense doing most of the heavy lifting.
Dane Brugler’s list included quarterback Jalon Daniels and nickelback Keionte Scott on the first team, linebacker Josiah Trotter on the second team, and honorable mentions for edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and wide receiver Ted Hurst III. That gives Tampa Bay representation at four different positions, with three of the five players coming from the defensive side.
Daniels kept the first-team quarterback spot he held in Brugler’s quarter-mark selections, though the situation at the position is unusual. No quarterback taken in the 2026 NFL Draft had started a game by the midpoint of the season, which left the undrafted Buccaneers quarterback as the pick.
Brugler pointed to the turnover issues that pushed Daniels out of the draft, noting that he threw more interceptions than touchdowns in two of his three starts. Those mistakes have carried into the NFL, but his Week 5 outing against the Dallas Cowboys gave a better glimpse of what he can do. Daniels protected the ball in that win and used his mobility to avoid negative plays, two traits Brugler highlighted in his evaluation.
Scott’s first-team nod at nickelback came with praise for how naturally his game has fit Tampa Bay’s defense. Questions about his size and whether he could handle certain coverage responsibilities helped cause his draft slide, but Brugler focused on what Scott does best: attacking what’s in front of him instead of dropping deep and waiting. That approach has matched his role with the Buccaneers.
The production backs it up. Scott has 14 defensive stops, which ties Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs for the most among rookie defensive backs. Brugler also noted that Scott’s solo tackle total is closing in on Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles, a sign of how active he has been near the line of scrimmage.
Trotter landed on the second team at linebacker, alongside Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles. Brugler said all three had a case for first-team honors, but Trotter’s spot still reflects a strong start.
His run defense has been the obvious calling card, but Brugler singled out his growth in coverage as the encouraging part. That matters for a linebacker whose physicality against the run was already clear. If he keeps developing in space, it adds another layer to his game when offenses try to isolate linebackers.
Brugler also described linebacker as one of the strongest positions in the 2026 class, which makes Trotter’s placement even more notable.
Tampa Bay’s list didn’t stop there. Bain was included among the honorable mentions at edge rusher, while Hurst was listed as an honorable mention at wide receiver.
Bain was grouped with R Mason Thomas, Cashius Howell, Romello Height, Derrick Moore and Caden Curry. Hurst appeared with Caleb Douglas, Antonio Williams, Kevin Coleman Jr., Malachi Fields, Chris Bell, Josh Cameron and Barion Brown.
Brugler did not give individual writeups for Bain or Hurst, but their inclusion still added to a strong showing for the Buccaneers. With two first-team selections, one second-team selection and two honorable mentions, Tampa Bay left the midseason list with five rookies recognized.
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