The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will start their 2025 slate on the road against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, September 7. At 1 p.m. ET, the two division rivals will go head to head at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Since the start of the 2021 season, Tampa Bay has held at least a share of the NFC South lead in 58 of the last 72 weeks, winning four-straight division titles in that span. This will mark the 64th all-time meeting between the two clubs and after the Falcons swept the Bucs during the 2024 season, the Bucs will try to start with a 1-0 record, getting past a divisional foe in the season opener. For Tampa Bay, here are five Buccaneers to keep an eye on.

Emeka Egbuka

Buccaneers' first-round pick Emeka Egbuka has turned heads throughout the offseason workout program with his savvy route-running, and Sunday he will make his highly-anticipated debut in Atlanta. Egbuka will face a talented secondary featuring A.J. Terrell Jr., Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts – the latter of which Egbuka faced several times in college. At Ohio State, Egbuka was known for his ability to counter the leverage of coverage and for his efficiency at the catch point. He concluded his collegiate tenure with the most receptions in Ohio State history (205), becoming the next star in the elite Buckeyes receiver fraternity. Throughout the preseason, Egbuka showcased his ball-tracking skills, along with his ability to exploit zones and generate separation at the stem. With an unknown injury timeline on Chris Godwin's return and Jalen McMillan (injured reserve) likely to miss half the 2025 season, Egbuka will see significant snaps in Week One as a rookie.

Lavonte David

Lavonte David will enter his 14th season in 2025 after once again leading the team in tackles last season with 122. Touted as one of the best off-ball linebackers in NFL annals, David plays with outstanding instincts and range to get from Point A to Point B. With his play recognition and diagnosis proficiency, David quickly triggers to get to where he needs to be to disrupt. He will play a key role in trying to limit Falcons' Bijan Robinson on Sunday. Robinson ranked third in the league last season with 1,456 rushing yards and pairs quick feet with a low center of gravity. He can stack moves with sudden jump cuts to redirect and has tremendous contact balance. Robinson easily maneuvers through leg tackles and the Bucs' second-level defenders will have to be aware of Robinson's location on the field.

"You always watch the running backs that do [well] in this league," said Bucky Irving. "Bijan is a great running back in this league. Being able to stop on a dime, make cuts -- great back out of the backfield. You always give praises to [a] running back that is doing [well] in this league."

Zyon McCollum

Last season, Zyon McCollum tied for third in the NFL with 17 passes defensed and had the fifth-lowest completion percentage allowed (58.4%) and ninth-lowest passer rating allowed (85.7) among cornerbacks with 80-plus targets in 2024. Overall, he nabbed two interceptions, a fumble recovery, 82 tackles and one tackle for loss in 2024. McCollum has the speed to stay with vertical threats and plays with physicality. He is adept at matching releases and will go up against Drake London on Sunday. London finished fourth in the NFL last season with 1,271 receiving yards and will likely be the go-to target for Michael Penix Jr. He creates mismatch potential with his high-point capability and thrives off in-breaking routes. London takes effective angles out of cuts and the WR-CB pair will once again battle at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Baker Mayfield

Last season, Baker Mayfield had a historic output on the grass. He completed 407 of 540 passes (71.4%) for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2024, earning a passer rating of 106.8. For the second consecutive season, he established career highs in completions, completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns, while also setting new career bests in passer rating (106.8) and net yards per pass attempt (7.9). Mayfield set new Bucs' single-season franchise records in completion percentage and passer rating, while finishing second in touchdown passes during the 2024 campaign. He also became the fourth passer in NFL history to throw for 4,000-plus yards, 40-plus touchdowns, and record a 70% or higher completion rate, joining Drew Brees (2011), Joe Burrow (2024) and Aaron Rodgers (2020). The Bucs' signal-caller will look to continue the trend in 2025 under the direction of Josh Grizzard. He spearheaded Tampa Bay last season with pinpoint precision, a competitive disposition and improvisation skills. After no action during the preseason, Mayfield will hit the gas pedal against the Falcons.

Jacob Parrish

Third-round pick Jacob Parrish was constantly around the football throughout training camp and the preseason slate. He has predominately worked at nickel and showed quick absorption of Todd Bowles' complex system. Parrish has superb footwork to redirect with receivers at the top of routes and he blanketed opposing receivers during one-on-one drills. He is always searching for the ball and snagged multiple pass breakups during the preseason exhibition games. Parrish has exciting potential and with the injury to do-it-all chess piece Christian Izien (oblique), Parrish could see increased snaps against the Falcons. Bowles stated that Parrish does not make "the same mistake twice" and the young corner has flashed when given opportunities. On Sunday, Parrish will have the chance to make his mark donning NFL threads for the first time.