The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are heading into training camp with a clear theme: youth. That’s where the attention is, and that’s where the biggest questions sit as Todd Bowles tries to reshape a roster that’s been thinned out.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine pointed to three players worth watching, and the list starts with two rookies who could matter right away: linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. and wide receiver Ted Hurst III.
Bain arrived with plenty of buzz after being projected as a top-10 pick, only to slide to No. 15.
His fall was tied to his historically short arms, measured at 30 7/8 inches, along with reports of his involvement in a 2024 fatal car accident. Even with those concerns, Tampa Bay saw enough to make him a straightforward pick.
That decision fits the way Bowles likes to play defense. Bain is built for an aggressive scheme that leans on pressure and blitzing to force mistakes, and his college production backed that up. The former Miami Hurricane led the FBS with 83 pressures and finished with 9.5 sacks, including two in the College Football Playoffs during Miami’s run to the national championship game.
The Buccaneers needed help up front, and Bain has already earned steady praise from Bowles since arriving in Tampa Bay. Bowles has pointed to Bain’s efficiency rushing the passer, saying he wastes no steps, and he has also been impressed by how quickly the rookie picked up the playbook.
There’s even a path for Bain to make a bit of team history. He could become the first Buccaneers rookie to hit 10 sacks since Marcus Jones did it in 2000.
Hurst brings a different kind of intrigue. With Mike Evans gone to the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay lost a major target and a major body in the receiver room. Evans stood 6-foot-5, while Hurst is two inches shorter, so he is not stepping in as a like-for-like replacement.
Still, the former Georgia State Panther gives new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson another option and more flexibility. Over his final two seasons, Hurst piled up 1,965 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Laine’s third name is Benjamin Morrison, and his issue is less about talent than availability. The second-year cornerback had bilateral hip surgery before the 2025 draft, missed seven games last season, and Bowles said he was also working through a leg injury during OTAs.
Morrison, a 2025 second-round pick, has a chance to compete for a starting job in camp, but the injuries have limited what he can do. Cornerback was already one of Tampa Bay’s weakest spots, with Morrison and Zyon McCollum both struggling to stay on the field.
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