The Buccaneers are looking toward the future as they took quarterback Kyle Trask with the 64th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. The Florida product took over for Feleipe Franks in 2019 and never let up, throwing for 2,941 yards and 25 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He had a completion percentage of 66.9% on the season and won eight of his 10 starts for the Gators.
He followed it up with a 2020 campaign where he led the FBS with 43 passing touchdowns and ranked second with 356.9 passing yards per game in 12 starts. He threw for a total of 4,283 yards, completing 301 of his 437 pass attempts and threw just eight interceptions. It earned him a host of postseason accolades, including being a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Overall, in his Gator career, Trask completed 552-of-813 passes for 7,386 yards and 69 touchdowns in 28 game appearances with Florida.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein had this to say of Trask during the draft season:
"Trask clearly has the arm strength, touch and placement to wear out one-on-one coverage if he has good protection and above-average players around him, but he's not going to elevate an offense with his talent alone. He's very good at finding his throwing platform and can deliver deep throws with outstanding touch. He needs to improve his eye work to create more opportunities by moving safeties around. Trask is clearly a skilled passer, but it's hard to find evidence of him being able to play chess at this point against what NFL defenses are likely to show him."
Trask will join a quarterback room that includes Tom Brady and Ryan Griffin, the latter of which the team re-signed just a week ago. Brady signed an extension this offseason that keeps him in Tampa until 2022 but he will be able to serve as a mentor now to the young local prospect.
View pictures of Florida QB Kyle Trask, who Tampa Bay selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask looks for a receiver during an NCAA spring college football intrasquad game, Saturday, April 14, 2018, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) scrambles in front of Charleston Southern linebacker Kyle Syvarth (38) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Gainesville, Fla. Florida won 53-6. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) is congratulated by wide receiver Daquon Green (18) and teammates after rushing for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Charleston Southern Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Gainesville, Fla. Florida won 53-6. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) throws a pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Gainesville, Fla. Missouri won 38-17. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask, right, throws a pass over Tennessee defensive lineman Matthew Butler (94) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) throws a pass against Towson during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Towson, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) passes in the first half of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
Florida's Kyle Trask throws the ball against the defense of South Carolina in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Columbia, SC. Florida defeated South Carolina 38-27. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) runs past Vanderbilt linebacker Andre Mintze for a 9-yard touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask looks for a receiver against Vanderbilt during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask throws during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Kyle Trask - 2020 Florida Gators Football - Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL / UAA Communications photo by
during the Gators' game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. / UAA Communications photo by Alex de la Osa
during the Gators' game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. / UAA Communications photo by Alex de la Osa
during the Gators' game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. / UAA Communications photo by Tim Casey
during the Gators' game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas / UAA Communications photo by Kelly Chase
(Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun via AP, Pool)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (11) runs past Missouri's Martez Manuel (3) and linebacker Nick Bolton, back left, during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask looks for a receiver as Missouri defensive lineman Isaiah McGuire (99) tries to stop him during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
