Every member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2024 draft class made the final 53-man roster, and each found success during the offseason and training camp in some fashion. Graham Barton, the Bucs' first-round selection, earned the team's starting center job. He impressed in his work with the first-team offense and made a smooth transition to the interior after serving as a three-year starter at left tackle for Duke. During Week One of the preseason against the Bengals, Barton became the highest graded offensive linemen from the 2024 draft class per PFF. In his NFL debut at Cincinnati, Barton played 18 snaps and allowed zero pressures for an 80.1 pass-blocking grade and an 87.3 run-blocking grade. He is an explosive drive blocker, and his athleticism has helped bolster the Bucs' ground attack. With outstanding body control and finish skills, Barton earned a full-time role in the trenches for Tampa Bay.
The Bucs selected outside linebacker Chris Braswell in the second round with the 57th overall pick to boost the team's pass rush. Against the Dolphins in Preseason Week Three, Braswell got home. He quickly worked past the offensive tackle with effortless explosion and swarmed the quarterback. With good burst off the line and a variety of moves at his disposal, Braswell has continued to elevate his game at the pro level. The Alabama product received additional reps with Yaya Diaby (high ankle sprain) and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (neck) both sustaining injuries and he made the most of his opportunities.
"Braswell has been excellent since he's come on with Joe and Yaya having been down," described Head Coach Todd Bowles. "The experience and the leaps and bounds in which he gets better by the day, he's been one of the more pleasant surprises here since we've been up here in Jacksonville. He keeps getting better and better. I love the things he's doing and love where he's at."
In the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bucs snagged do-it-all safety Tykee Smith. Smith generated a fair amount of buzz during the offseason for his cerebral approach to the game, which translated to instinctual play on the field for Tampa Bay. Smith lined up in the post at West Virginia, and had four picks in two seasons, before he transferred to Alabama and moved into a slot role. With the Bucs, Smith practiced at various spots in the secondary but primarily worked at nickel. He made a number of splash plays throughout training camp/the preseason, whether Smith disrupted pass-catchers underneath or made a hit in the open field with short-area agility.
"He's been doing a phenomenal job, especially picking up our defense," said teammate Antoine Winfield Jr. on Smith. "You know, it's loaded. He's doing a great job. He's running with the ones, and getting things like that, so, he's picking up fast."
Jalen McMillan may end up being the steal of the draft class. The Bucs took McMillan in the third round with the 92nd overall pick and he not only made the final roster but rose up the depth chart with his production between the hashes. Behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, McMillan carved out a role as the club's third receiver with a plethora of stellar contested catches and highlight-reel grabs in the preseason and joint practices. He posted an 82.5 PFF grade during the preseason (second among rookies) with four catches for 57 yards. McMillan possesses a lethal release package in his toolkit, along with outstanding body control and fluid routes. He is adept at beating press and can keep defensive backs guessing.
"I mean, he's a very gifted athlete," noted Assistant General Manager John Spytek. "He's a very gifted football player. Now, the next step is consistently doing it day after day…With any wide receiver-quarterback combo, there's got to be a big trust factor there. He's got to earn that with Baker [Mayfield] too, but we're excited about how he has started, for sure."
Next up on the rundown, the Bucs selected running back Bucky Irving in the fourth round (pick 125) and he helped bolster Tampa Bay's retooled run game during the offseason. He solidified the screen game and created off lateral jump cuts and spin maneuvers off combo blocks in duo. Irving was the workhorse in Oregon's zone-read rushing attack, and he showcased his vision, acceleration and change-of-direction skills. With an uptick in movement by the offensive line in both mid- and outside-zone, Irving is effective at following his blockers.
"He's the exact same guy we saw on tape," described Bowles. "He usually always makes the first guy miss, he's very tough in between the tackles, and he's got a burst."
The Bucs selected UTEP guard Elijah Klein in the sixth round (220 overall) and he provided valuable depth. Klein, who had never practiced at tackle with the Bucs, was thrust into the role against the Jaguars and shined. With starters Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke on the sideline and both Brandon Walton and Luke Haggard battling ailments of their own, Klein stepped in. He worked in unison with the line to create open creases for rushers and helped set the tone. Klein also got in some work at his natural position – right guard – in the second half. His flexibility in Jacksonville and disposition at the line of scrimmage impressed the coaching staff, drawing praise from Todd Bowles.
"It's tough," said Bowles. "We put him in some tough spots he hadn't played in a while, late in the game especially. He's gritty, he's tough, he'll play anywhere and that says a lot about his character."
In the seventh-round back in April, the Bucs took Washington tight end Devin Culp. Due to an increase in two-tight end sets in Liam Coen's reimagined offense, Tamp Bay kept four tight ends on the roster with Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and Culp. Culp, a three-year starter for the Huskies, lined up all across the formation in Ryan Grubb's spread system. He earned Honorable Mention All-Pac 12 honors in 2023, and at the Combine he ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash among all 230-plus-pound players (4.47). He is able to quickly accelerate, and officials said Culp reached a top speed of 23.25, nearly a full mile per hour more than any other player at the position in the 2024 class at the Combine. The Bucs added an infusion of speed at the position and another player to move the chains as a vertical threat.
