1. QB Jameis Winston
Ask anybody in the Bucs' locker room and they'll tell you about the drastic improvements that Winston's made since arriving in Tampa as the team's No. 1 overall pick. Training camp wasn't his first step, he went through rookie mini-camp, OTAs and mini-camp first, but as camp went on Winston improved daily. His first NFL training camp concluded with an impressive performance against the Cincinnati Bengals just days after the team broke camp.
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2. DT Gerald McCoy
McCoy is so quick that he often times beats offensive linemen before they have a chance to get their hands on him. Couple that with the strength to push linemen back onto their heels and he's nearly unblockable. Throughout training camp practices, especially one-on-one drills, it was apparent just how dominant McCoy is.
3. LB Kwon Alexander
Alexander was impressive, to say the least, in his first NFL camp. The fourth-round draft pick out of LSU began the spring as an outside linebacker, but was moved inside for training camp. Alexander played so well at the MIKE position in the Bucs' opening preseason game that he was promoted from the second team to a starter the very next day. So far, Alexander leads the Bucs in tackles during the preseason.
4. DE George Johnson
Johnson has been a key addition to the Bucs' defensive line, stepping in as a starter since arriving in Tampa via trade this spring. His forte when he arrived was rushing the passer, and he did just that during camp; players won't hit their own quarterbacks during practice, but Johnson was in the vicinity often. He caught fire in the Bucs' second preseason game, recording a team-high one-and-a-half sacks.
5. G Ali Marpet
Skill players can be evaluated, albeit in a limited capacity, during OTAs and mini-camp. But for an offensive lineman, the time to measure their success begins when the pads come on for training camp. Marpet played his college football at a Division 3 school, but his transition to the NFL has been smooth. He has seen time with the first-team offense, starting this past weekend's game against the Bengals, and has been a strong, earth-mover on the inside.
