A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough Bucs question. This week’s prompt: Which Bucs rookie makes the biggest impact in 2025?

Scott Reynolds: There’s Just Something Special About Bucs WR Tez Johnson

Bucs WR Tez Johnson Photo by: USA Today

This is a tough PR Roundtable because there aren’t many starting jobs up for grabs in Tampa Bay due to its play0ff-ready roster. The player who might see the field the earliest as a starter could be Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish if he wins the starting nickelback job. As a K-State alum, I’ll avoid acting like a homer and let someone else write about him. Actually, the player I want to write about is Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson, who calls himself an “Energizer bunny” due to the energy he brings to the football field. He also calls himself a “squirrel” because of his shifty he is and his ability to generate yards after catch because he’s so hard to tackle.

With Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, the Bucs have the most talented wide receiver depth chart from WR1 to WR4. Johnson, who led college football in yards after catch from 2023-24, has a prime opportunity to be WR5 in Tampa Bay because of his ability to return punts, as well as contribute on offense. He averaged 10.5 yards per return at Oregon, including an 85-yard touchdown last season.

Although he’s about 20 pounds lighter at just 5-foot-10, 154 pounds, Johnson reminds me of former Bucs receiver Karl “The Truth” Williams, who is the best punt returner in Tampa Bay history (1996-2003) with five career touchdowns and a 10.7-yard average. Williams also had “make-you-miss” elusiveness. After being selected by Tampa Bay on Saturday, I asked Johnson about competing for the punt return duties as a rookie and he said “that punt return [job] is mine.” Have to admire the kid’s confidence in himself.

It feels like Trey Palmer is on his way out as he hit a real sophomore slump last year as a receiver and a returner. Palmer averaged just eight yards per return with a long of 17 yards despite having 4.33 speed. I could see Johnson winning the punt return job and excelling there. That would make him active on game day where he can be a gadget player and part-time contributor on offense for Josh Grizzard.

Matt Matera: David Walker Could Be The Next Shaq Barrett

Central Arkansas OLB David Walker – Photo by: USA Today

Not many players are going to be walking into Bucs’ facility with a bigger chip on their shoulder than outside linebacker David Walker. Coming from a smaller school in Central Arkansas, he’s already had to prove that he can play with the higher-caliber competition like the SEC and Big Ten at the Senior Bowl.

Walker doesn’t have a starting role at edge rusher, so he’ll have to make every opportunity to rush the passer when he’s in the game count. He’s on the shorter side at 6-foot, but weighs 263 pounds and has the quickness and relentless effort to play at this level. Other have compared him to Shaq Barrett, and maybe that’s what he’ll be in Tampa Bay – or close to it.

There’s no argument that Walker knows how to get to the quarterback. In four years at Central Arkansas the lowest amount of sacks he had in any season was eight. He had two seasons with at least 10 sacks, with a career-high of 10.5. Last season he recorded four forced fumbles. That was a staple of Barrett’s game with the Bucsthat Walker needs to continue to deliver – strip-sacks. He’ll push Chris Braswell for the OLB3 role on the depth chart and has the propensity to make splash plays that the defense certainly needs.

Bailey Adams: Jacob Parrish Has The Clearest Path To A Starting Role

New Bucs CB Jacob Parrish Photo by: USA Today

For the record, I think this Bucs rookie class as a whole has a great chance of making an impact from day one. But I think third-round pick Jacob Parrish, a cornerback out of Kansas State, has the most direct path to making an impact from the jump. The 5-foot-10, 191-pounder from Olathe, Kansas, largely played outside corner for the Wildcats, but his given his size, it’s clear he’ll project as a nickel at the next level. He played 91 snaps in the slot last year and had a total of 202 snaps there over the course of his career.

With the selection of Parrish and the lack of another addition at safety in free agency or through the draft, it’s clear the Bucs have a plan in place for Tykee Smith, who started at nickel during his 2024 rookie season, to move to safety, where he’ll play alongside Antoine Winfield Jr. That’s been a topic of conversation this offseason, and it seems as if it’ll come to fruition. So, with Smith at safety, the main two options to take over the starting nickel job are Christian Izien and Parrish.

Izien may be better in a do-it-all type of depth role, as he can play in the slot, at safety and even outside in a pinch. Still, he started inside during his rookie year in 2023, so he may get a shot to challenge Parrish. But I like the rookie’s chances, given his 4.35 speed, twitchiness and change-of-direction ability. He’s also the type of ballhawk Todd Bowles’ defense needs more of, as evidenced by his five interceptions and 23 passes defensed over three seasons at K-State.

Not only does Parrish look the part in coverage, but he also plays the run well. He drives downhill and is a good open-field tackler. He is coming off a season in which he earned a 71.4 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, and he earned a 78.4 tackling grade to boot. He might not get the most shine week in and week out, but don’t be surprised if you look up at the end of the season and Parrish is in the conversation for being a third-round steal.

Josh Queipo: Emeka Egbuka Will Be An Immediate Contributor

Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Photo by: USA Today

While many are excited about year two for Jalen McMillan, and the Bucs thought he was a second-rounder whom they stole in the third round last year, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka is a player they took in the first round despite having McMillan in tow. That should tell you how high the organization is on him. It should also tell you that they have a clear path for him to get on the field early and often.

Now consider, Egbuka not only has a high ceiling, but an extremely high floor. He is the most advanced route runner in this draft class and blocks his you know what off. Plus, he can play multiple roles within the receiver room. Add in his strong hands and ability to make catch-on-collision grabs and that should endear him to quarterback Baker Mayfield. He had a 76.4% catch rate in 2024 in helping Ohio State win a national championship.

This all adds up to a guy who should be able to hit the ground running. If new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard runs a similar system to former play-caller Liam Coen, there will be a lot of 11 personnel that keeps Egbuka on the field. His presence will likely mean some form of load management for Chris Godwin, meaning snaps won’t be an issue for him.

And if he is filling for Godwin as the high-volume F receiver in the slot, he is going to have plenty of opportunities to add lots of yards and catches in his rookie year. This has all the ingredients of a quick riser who will become an integral part of the Bucs’ success in 2025.

Adam Slivon: Benjamin Morrison Will Be An Impact Cornerback

Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison – Photo by: USA Today

As Pewter Report has recently outlined, cornerback Benjamin Morrison is looking to put injury concerns behind him as he enters the NFL. A hip condition limited the impact he had last season for Notre Dame, but if Morrison is healthy he should quickly prove to be a steal.

Two of Morrison’s best abilities are as a strong coverage corner who can takeaway the football. That will help him see the field immediately, and he will push Jamel Dean for playing time opposite Zyon McCollum throughout the offseason. With Morrison’s dad once playing alongside head coach Todd Bowles, that familiarity could allow him to quickly earn the trust of the defensive playcaller this season.

Compared to other incoming Bucs rookies, Morrison has one of clearest paths to playing time. If he flashes the skill that made him a first-round talent, he will have every chance to make his presence felt in Tampa Bay in short order. To me, he was the best value selection they made. There is no question he will be looking to make the team proud.