The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a few names who could pop in 2026, but Jalen McMillan stands out as the one with the clearest path to a real breakout.
That might sound a little surprising at first, especially after a 2025 season that barely got off the ground. But McMillan already flashed as a rookie in 2024, when he stepped into Tampa’s WR2 role after Chris Godwin Jr. was injured and finished the year on a strong run.
The expectation was that he would build on that momentum the following season. Instead, a preseason neck injury wiped out almost all of his sophomore year.
Now he’s healthy again, and the Buccaneers have a major opening at receiver with Mike Evans gone. That combination gives McMillan a chance to move from promising depth piece to real difference-maker.
There are other players in the mix, too. Rookies Rueben Bain Jr., Josiah Trotter, and Keionte Scott should all get chances to make an early impression, and each is expected to play a sizable role on defense.
YaYa Diaby is also a name to watch after leading the team with seven sacks last season. He has already shown he can rush the passer and hold up against the run, and a double-digit sack season would be a breakout in every sense, especially with free agency approaching.
Still, McMillan is the pick that makes the most sense on offense. Solak pointed to his upside and the fit with what Tampa needs now.
As he wrote, "I have not been shy about my lofty expectations for second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who I think can lead the league in receptions with coordinator Zac Robinson now calling the plays. But Egbuka was splitting No. 3 receiver snaps last season with McMillan, who is an impressive receiver in his own right.
"McMillan, like Egbuka, saw most of his rookie season limited by hamstring issues. And McMillan's 2025 sophomore season was also almost nonexistent because of a preseason neck injury.
"If McMillan can stay on the field, he is the best candidate for outside receiver snaps. And he has the large radius and spectacular catch ability that the Bucs need following the departure of Mike Evans. Chris Godwin Jr. won't fall out of the lineup entirely -- he's too reliable -- but McMillan brings enough juice as a run blocker to eat into those snaps, too."
That’s the heart of the case here. McMillan has already shown he can produce, and he has a built-in connection with Baker Mayfield.
Even if Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. sit ahead of him on the depth chart, McMillan should still have plenty of chances to carve out a bigger role. He looks like the favorite for the WR3 job, and if Godwin runs into injury trouble again, that role could grow fast.
For Tampa Bay, getting McMillan back at full strength is a big development. He has the tools to matter in 2026, and the opportunity is right there in front of him.
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