A year ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprised many draft pundits by selecting Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick, despite some pretty clear voids on the team's defensive depth chart. As it turned out, Egbuka was a big hit and the Buccaneers still got very defensive in the draft, using their next four picks on a pair of cornerbacks, and edge rusher and an interior lineman. It was a good reminder that there is a lot more to the draft than just the marquee first round, and in particular Day Two picks often make up the core of a team's roster.

The first round of the 2026 draft is now in the books, and this time the Buccaneers did start off with defense, selecting Miami outside linebacker with the 15th overall pick. That leaves the team with six more picks to execute this weekend, including number 46 in the second round and number 77 in the third round on Friday night (barring trades).

How important is this night for the Buccaneers? There are currently 10 players on the 2026 roster who the Bucs drafted in the second or third round, most of whom will fill key roles in the upcoming season. That list includes Antoine Winfield Jr., Chris Godwin, Yaya Diaby and Luke Goedeke. Just as the Bucs believe Bain will make an immediate impact on their 2026 results, they hope to find two more players on Friday night who will do the same.

A disclaimer: What follows are the thoughts of the author and not meant to be interpreted as the opinions or strategies of General Manager Jason Licht or anyone involved in the team's draft decision-makers. Below are seven players at seven different positions of varying need on the Bucs' roster that the team could target on the second night of the draft.

1. Ohio State tight end Max Klare

The Buccaneers seem to be interested in adding to their tight end room, even after re-signing starter Cade Otton to a new three-year deal in March. The prevailing wisdom is that the Bucs want more options to run in 12 personnel (two-TE packages) because that's a preference of new Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson, and there are some numbers that lend credence to that theory. Robinson was the Falcons OC last season and Atlanta ran 12 personnel on 38.2% of their offensive snaps, the second-highest percentage in the league. The Bucs used that grouping about half as often, on 19.9% of snaps.

All four of the Bucs' returning tight ends were drafted with Day Three picks, but the Bucs would probably need to address this need on Day Two if they want to get Klare or one of the comparable tight ends on the board. Klare produced 51 catches for 685 yards and four touchdowns for Prudue in 2024, then transferred to Ohio State, where his target share understandably dropped given all the receiving talent the Buckeyes always have. He still caught 43 passes for 448 yards and two scores and was a first-team All-Big Ten selections. Klare is an athletic tight end who runs crisp routes and has the versatility to line up all over the formation. He works hard as a blocker and is willing to fight for extra yards after making a catch.

2. Oklahoma defensive lineman Gracen Halton

Under Licht, the Bucs have frequently used first and second-day draft picks on big men in the trenches. It would not be at all surprising to see them do so again, and since this year's class of interior defensive linemen is not top-heavy at all, the middle of the draft might be the best place to scratch this itch. The Bucs did sign A'Shawn Robinson but Logan Hall left in free agency and Greg Gaines has not been re-signed. There are some snaps available at a position where the team likes to rotate liberally.

At 6-3 and 293 pounds, Halton isn't the biggest lineman on the board this year but he's muscular and explosive and he fights to the whistle on every play. He would fit right in with the tougher and meaner demeanor the Bucs are trying to establish on defense. Halton has some pass-rush potential, with 8.5 sacks over the past two seasons combined, and he also had three forced fumbles in that span and scored on a fumble return. He was a team captain for the Sooners, a trait that Tampa Bay's draft-runners always appreciate. He has great closing speed and he might be perfectly suited for a rotation role in the Bucs' front where he can maintain his explosiveness throughout the game.

3. Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling

Even after the departure of Buccaneer legend Mike Evans in free agency, the Bucs still have a strong receiving corps built around Godwin, Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson. That said, the Bucs like to think ahead at this position and rarely finish up a draft without taking at least one wideout. In fact, in the 12 drafts run by Licht before this year, the team has taken at least one receiver in all but two of them (2016, 2022) and overall has taken 13 of them in those 12 years.

Stribling's draft stock seems to be on the rise, at least among media pundits, and this may now cost any interested teams a pick in the second round. This is mostly due to his impressive size-speed combination: He measures in at 6-2 and 207 pounds and ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. Stribling has been productive, too, with 52 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns for Oklahoma State in 2024 followed by a near idential line of 55-811-6 for Ole Miss last year. He is competitive and a hard-worker and he's a very eager blocker, which the Bucs value.

4. Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis

Another Buccaneer legend and future Hall of Famer, Lavonte David, has left the building, although in his case it was to retirement after a 14-year career in Tampa. The Buccaneers signed former Lion Alex Anzalone to fill one of the starting linebacker spots but want to give SirVocea Dennis plenty of competition for the other one. Another addition, Christian Rozeboom, will provide some of that competition, but the Buccaneers are likely not done reconstructing the linebacker room.

Whether the Bucs are interested in Louis or not likely pivots on if they see a specific role he can fill in the defense. Louis does not have ideal size for the linebacker position in the NFL, at 6-0 and 220, and some scouts think he would be better at safety. But he does possess very good cover skills, which is something the Bucs are after in the middle of their defense after struggling in that area as a team in 2025. Louis had six interceptions over the past two seasons combined for Pittand ran a 4.53 40 at the Combine. He is also a strong blitzer, with 50 QB pressures over those same two seasons. Perhaps he could be utilized in sub packages when the Buccaneers are expecting pass, a bit like the way Dennis was utilized early in the 2024 season before getting injured.

5. Kansas State guard Sam Hecht

The national draft analysts who pair the Buccaneers with Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane at the 15th pick are probably noting that the Bucs struggled with their guard play in 2025. However, the offensive line will be restored to full strength heading into 2026 after starters Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson return from season-ending injuries. However, the Ioane predictions – or the idea that the Bucs would address interior offensive line in the early part of the draft – are not necessarily off base. Mauch is going into the final year of his contract and Bredeson has two years left on his current deal, so it doesn't hurt to look to the future. In addition, quality depth at the position would help the Bucs deal with any other injuries that could arise in 2026.

The 6-4, 303-pound Hecht primarily played center at Kansas State but does have experience at guard and could likely find a role at any of the three interior positions. He is instinctive and intelligent and strong on the details – he was not flagged for a single penalty during the 2025 season. He is a load for interior pass-rushers to handle and he stays in their path with good balance and footwork. Hecht brings a competitiveness and drive that the Bucs would value in their offensive front, having fought his way up the Wildcats depth chart from undersized walk-on tackle to starting center and first-team All-Big 12 selection.

6. Arizona cornerback Treydan Stukes

Even after spending two Day Two picks on cornerbacks in last year's draft – Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish – the Bucs could still use another infusion of talent at the position. Starter Jamel Dean signed with the Steelers in free agency and depth piece Kindle Vildor also left for the Patriots. The coaching staff has confidence in a starting trio of Morrison, Parrish and Zyon McCollum, but any injuries or downturn in performance would leave the Bucs thin in proven corner options.

The Bucs interest in Stukes could hinge on what position (or positions) they think he can play at the next level. Some scouts think his eventual position will be at safety but the Bucs could see him as a big nickel with some inside-outside versatility. And if he can play the single-high role, that would just add to his versatility and the flexibility of the Bucs' secondary overall. That has served that group well in recent years with players like Winfield, Tykee Smith, Christian Izien and Parrish. The 6-1, 190-pound Arizona product has great size and length, which Todd Bowles traditionally prizes in his cornerbacks and he ran a blistering 4.33-second 40 at the Combine. He also has the ball skills and production the Bucs would want in their DBs, with seven interceptions and 31 passes defensed over the past four seasons.

7. Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas

Would this still be considered a position of need after the addition of Bain on Thursday night? Possibly. The Bucs' edge rotation as it stands after that pick includes Bain, Yaya Diaby, Al-Quaddin Muhammad, David Walker, Chris Braswell and Anthony Nelson, and that could get the job done in 2026. That said, the second-day depth at the edge position is good in this year's draft and the Bucs might find another one sticking out on their board as their picks arrive in Day Two.

The 6-2, 241-pound Thomas could fit in right away as a rotational pass rusher used primarily on passing downs. He is extremely quick off the ball, able to bend around the corner and possesses outstanding closing speed when has a lane to the quarterback. As a team, the Buccaneers' pressure rate in 2025 was a lot better than its sack rate – in other words, there was a need for plays to be finished. That's something that Thomas, who totaled 15.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss over the past two seasons for the Sooners, excels in. He's more developed as a pass rusher than a rush defender, but the Bucs already have several edge rushers who are sound in that second category, particularly Diaby.