Given the cap landscape the Bucs were facing last offseason and the needs the team had to fill, general manager Jason Licht needed a home run of a 2023 Draft. The class he put together can’t be fully evaluated yet given that it’s only been one year. But it is fair to say that after one season, Licht’s 2023 class looks promising.

First-round pick Calijah Kancey overcame a calf injury that cost him most of training camp, the preseason and the early part of the regular season to put together a strong debut season. Pro Football Focus credited him with six sacks and 31 hurries. By the playoffs, the No. 19 overall pick was dominating and serving as quite the X-factor for Tampa Bay’s defensive front.

Bucs RG Cody Mauch – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Second-round pick Cody Mauch had his ups and downs as the Bucs’ starting right guard, but looks to be someone who can take a huge leap forward in 2024. Going forward, the team’s offensive line has him, Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke to build around.

Third-round pick YaYa Diaby wasn’t a regular starter until November, but he still finished his rookie season with a team-high 7.5 sacks (though PFF credited him with nine). He’ll enter 2024 as one of the Bucs’ starting outside linebackers.

Fifth-round picks SirVocea Dennis and Payne Durham spent the year as reserves at linebacker and tight end, respectively, while sixth-rounders Josh Hayes and Trey Palmer were bigger contributors. Hayes was a special teams ace as a gunner in punt coverage, while Palmer became Tampa Bay’s No. 3 receiver and totaled 39 catches for 385 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season. He also added another touchdown reception in the playoffs and has plenty to build on going into year two.

Undrafted free agent rookies Christian Izien, Kaevon Merriweather and Rakim Jarrett all had chances to shine as well. Izien was the Bucs’ starting nickel cornerback, tallying 65 tackles (47 solo) with three tackles for loss, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Meanwhile, Merriweather played meaningful snaps at safety and Jarrett saw the field and flashed potential with a 41-yard catch at San Francisco.

So, How Does The Bucs’ 2023 Class Stack Up To The Rest Of The NFL?

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey and Lions QB Jared Goff – Photo by: USA Today

Tampa Bay should feel good about what it saw from its rookies in 2023. But where did the Bucs’ rookie class rank among the rest of the NFL’s rookie classes? NFL.com’s Eric Edholm and Chad Reuter recently graded and ranked each of the 32 rookie classes based on the 2023 season, and somewhat surprisingly, Tampa Bay’s group was smack in the middle of the pack.

With a B- grade, the Bucs’ 2023 rookies were ranked 16th in the NFL by Edholm and Reuter.

Here’s what Edholm had to say:

“The Buccaneers had 15 rookies appear in at least one game throughout the season, receiving respectable contributions from several of them, especially on defense. 

“The undersized Kancey dealt with a calf injury early, missing three games, but ended up second on the team in DT snaps, behind only Vita Vea. Kancey had four sacks and 33 pressures, per Next Gen Stats, showing the ability to knife into backfields with his quickness, although his run-stopping was very inconsistent, especially when teams ran right at him. 

“After a slow start, Diaby developed into a pleasant surprise. He began to come on in October, using his impressive physical toolset to ring up 7.5 sacks (including a strip-sack against the Jags) in the final 11 games. The Bucs have not asked him to do much in coverage, and that might never be a strength, but Diaby is an ascending pass-rush talent.

Bucs CB Christian Izien Photo by: USA Today

“Izien was an even more surprising contributor. The undrafted Rutgers product intercepted passes in Weeks 1 and 2, and though Izien didn’t make any plays on the ball thereafter, he established himself in the slot as a tough run defender and quality blitzer, despite his lack of size (5-foot-8). Another undrafted player who made his impact felt was Merriweather, a special teams regular and a contributor on defense from Week 10 on (logging two starts). Dennis, Hayes and Durham were mostly special teams performers. 

“Mauch and Palmer were big contributors on the offensive side. Each had their ups and downs, but they established themselves as starters for a playoff team down the stretch. Mauch had some tough games when he was beaten by a pass rusher, but he kicked his midseason holding habit and made the tough adjustment from FCS to NFL starter. Even with some late-season fumble concerns, Palmer’s big-play ability added juice to the Bucs’ offense. He and Jarrett appear to be worth developing.”

Rankings Aside, Bucs’ 2022 and 2023 Classes Produced Some Core Building Blocks

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today

It’s worth repeating that one year is not nearly enough to grade out an entirely rookie class. You don’t have to look more than one year back for evidence to back that up, either.

Last year, Eric Edholm and Nick Shook graded and ranked the 2022 rookie classes for NFL.com. Back then, they had Tampa Bay’s class at No. 21 with a C+ grade. In 2023, that class was a huge reason for the Bucs’ three-peat as NFC South champions and run to the NFC Divisional Round.

Rachaad White nearly rushed for 1,000 yards and surpassed 1,500 yards from scrimmage, while Luke Goedeke transitioned back to his natural right tackle position and was impressive. Cade Otton started slow, but went on to have a huge impact in the playoffs.

Jake Camarda continued his ascent as one of the game’s better punters, while Zyon McCollum proved to be more-than-solid when asked to step in for Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean due to injuries at various points in the season.

So that 21st-ranked 2022 class became a pretty big deal in 2023. The 2023 class, which was already good in its debut season, has plenty of potential to step it up even further in 2024 and beyond.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

And more importantly than rankings, the Bucs’ last two draft classes have yielded some core pieces for the team to build around in the future.

Look at the projected starting lineup for next season and you’ll find that the Jason Licht’s last two rookie classes are well represented. They have produced quality starters at right guard, right tackle, running back, wide receiver, tight end, defensive line, outside linebacker, nickel cornerback, potentially outside corner and punter.

And this isn’t a case where the team drafted a player so it has to play them. Licht has cut ties with draft picks when necessary in the past. He and the Bucs have gotten contributions from these young players and while the classes he’s compiled in recent years haven’t necessarily been star-studded, they’ve been full of quality. When you add the stars around those pieces — whether through free agency or future drafts — that’s when you maintain a winning habit.

As Licht and his staff prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, they’ll look to add to that young core. The Bucs have certainly gotten younger since their Super Bowl LV win, even if it’s been gradual. In 2024, the second year of the post-Tom Brady era, they’ll be even younger. But with the way the roster has been built over the course of Licht’s tenure, it’s a safe bet that some strong building blocks will continue to be stacked as the organization chases its third Lombardi Trophy.