The NFL Draft is finally upon us, and we will finally get the chance to say goodbye to all the rumors, speculation, and projecting of what teams will do when they are on the clock.
Most everyone’s attention will be on what their team will do in the first round, and that couldn’t be more evident than for Jason Licht and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But there can also be great players found throughout the rest of the rounds of the draft that can make an impact.
The Bucs have done a great job of finding talent after the first round over the years, and in particular have done wonders in the second round.
S Antoine Winfield Jr. – Pick 45, 2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The most recent player on this list, Winfield Jr. proved immediately that he was a first-round talent that just so happened to land with the Bucs in the second round.
A First-Team All-Pro who eventually became the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history in 2024, “Tweeze” always finds himself around the ball in the biggest of moments. He’s a turnover machine who is known for his hustle and helping carry the torch of the defenses of Tampa Bay’s past, and a Super Bowl ring in his rookie season doesn’t hurt either.
G Ali Marpet – Pick 61, 2015
Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Ali Marpet (74) Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images | Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Drafted out of Division III Hobart College, Marpet was a massive gamble for general manager Jason Licht that paid off and then some.
Marpet made the jump from DIII to the NFL seem seamless, becoming an anchor along the Bucs’ interior offensive line. Marpet would go on to win a Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2020 before ultimately retiring from the game in 2021. His unexpected retirement left a gaping hole in the Bucs’ offensive line, proving just how valuable he was to the team’s offensive success.
CB Carlton Davis III – Pick 63, 2018
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III (24) Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Davis III is another one of those second-round picks who won a Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2020. He was the definitive lockdown CB1 for the Bucs, leading the league in pass breakups from 2019-2020.
A late second-rounder, Davis III was the physical shutdown corner that Todd Bowles needed to execute his aggressive style of defense, and he rewarded him. Davis III would help anchor the Bucs’ secondary for six seasons before being traded to the Detroit Lions in 2024.
HB/FB Mike Alstott – Pick 35, 1996
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back (40) Mike Alstott Mandatory Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK | Tony Tomsic-Imagn Images
A human bowling ball who became not only an icon in Tampa Bay, but across the country, Alstott was a unicorn from his fullback position.
A six-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro, Alstott finished his illustrious career with the Bucs with 71 touchdowns and a Super Bowl Ring (2001-2002). He is second all-time in total touchdowns behind Mike Evans and was inducted into the Ring of Honor back in 2015.
LB Lavonte David – Pick 58, 2012
Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Undeniably, the Bucs’ best gem of the second round is legendary linebacker David. Despite being undersized and underappreciated, David became one of the most prolific linebackers in NFL history, often being pointed to as the definition of today’s modern off-ball linebacker.
David was able to finally get his Super Bowl ring with the Bucs in 2020 and has been the heart of the defense since stepping onto the field in 2012. He doesn’t have the accolades most players of his production or caliber do, but he remains one of the select players in NFL history to have amassed over 1,500 career tackles, 30+ sacks and 15+ interceptions, and should one day find himself embalmed as a bust as an NFL Hall of Famer.
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