View photos of Tampa Bay's 2018 NFL Draft Party from Raymond James Stadium.
It was a night for something big – and not just in Arlington, Texas, where the 2018 NFL Draft was taking place. Back in Tampa, thousands of Buccaneers fans excitedly filed into Raymond James Stadium for the 2018 Buccaneers Official Draft Party presented by Miller Lite. The electric atmosphere and anticipation was palpable as fans eagerly awaited the Bucs' seventh overall pick.
Festivities started at 6 p.m. with Buccaneers Season Pass Members gaining early entry. There was specialty food and drink in the West Stadium Club for Members, along with Buccaneers players and Legends mixing and mingling with fans and signing autographs in the climate-controlled Club. Members also enjoyed a Member-only area in the north end zone that included exclusive food, beverage and tours of the infamous Raymond James Stadium Pirate Ship.
Down on the field, Buccaneers players participated in giant tailgate games with fans, tossing bags back and forth in cornhole and testing their accuracy in a game of giant cup ping pong toss. Among those players in attendance were wide receiver Mike Evans, quarterback Ryan Griffin, newly-acquired center Ryan Jensen, offensive tackle Donovan Smith and defensive end Noah Spence. Twenty-three current players and Bucs legends were on-hand, signing autographs and taking pictures throughout the night.
Fans were able to take tours of the Buccaneers' locker room and walk out onto the field through the fog just as the players do on gameday. There was a kid zone with family-friendly activities and even a video game station to keep fans of all ages entertained. Additionally, the 2018 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders made their debut performance as a team on Thursday night, following final auditions the previous Sunday.
Bucs fans had to wait a little bit longer to find out who Tampa Bay took with their first pick after the Buccaneers traded their original seventh-pick, moving back to No. 12 overall. With that pick, they chose 2017 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Vita Vea, a defensive tackle from the University of Washington. The news was met with fervent cheers from fans on the field watching the live broadcast on the stadium's giant video boards.
The Buccaneers Official Draft Party, presented by Miller Lite, is just one of many offseason events the Buccaneers hold for fans and Members. Interested in a Season Pass Membership for 2018? Visit buccaneers.com/tickets to find out more.
