It’s no secret that longtime Bucs general manager Jason Licht has an extensive track record of drafting players from the Senior Bowl. So, with Senior Bowl week upon us and practices set to take place at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama in Mobile this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday ahead of the game itself on Saturday, it only makes sense to ask the following question…

Which future Bucs will Jason Licht find at the 2026 Senior Bowl?

If history tells us anything, it’s that at least two future Buccaneers will take the field in Mobile this week. Of the 12 drafts that Licht has presided over as Tampa Bay’s general manager, he has drafted multiple Senior Bowl participants in 11 of them. The 2020 Draft was the only one in which Licht didn’t have multiple picks out of the Senior Bowl, with running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn being the only one.

Bucs WR Tez Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

At this time last year, we outlined the fact that Licht had drafted 29 Senior Bowl players since becoming the Bucs’ general manager in 2014. Well, with the 2025 Draft, that number grew to 31. Tampa Bay selected cornerback Jacob Parrish in the third round and wide receiver Tez Johnson in the seventh.

Jason Licht’s Senior Bowl Picks By Year:

2014: 2
2015: 2
2016: 2
2017: 2
2018: 3
2019: 2
2020: 1
2021: 3
2022: 5
2023: 5
2024: 2
2025: 2

Jason Licht’s 31 Senior Bowl Draft Picks Since 2014:

2014

West Virginia RB Charles Sims (Third round)
Wyoming WR Robert Herron (Sixth round)

2015

Penn State OL Donovan Smith (Second round)
Hobart OL Ali Marpet (Second round)

Bucs LG Ali Marpet and LT Donovan Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

2016

Eastern Kentucky OLB Noah Spence (Second round)
Northwestern FB Dan Vitale (Sixth round)

2017

Alabama TE O.J. Howard (First round)
Texas A&M S Justin Evans (Second round)

2018

North Carolina CB MJ Stewart (Second round)
Humboldt State OL Alex Cappa (Third round)
Penn WR Justin Watson (Fifth round)

2019

Kentucky S Mike Edwards (Third round)
Iowa OLB Anthony Nelson (Fourth round)

2020

Vanderbilt RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn (Third round)

2021

Notre Dame OL Robert Hainsey (Third round)
Auburn ILB K.J. Britt (Fifth round)
Houston ILB Grant Stuard (Seventh round)

2022

Houston DT Logan Hall (Second round)
Central Michigan OL Luke Goedeke (Second round)
Arizona State RB Rachaad White (Third round)
Georgia P Jake Camarda (Fourth round)
Sam Houston CB Zyon McCollum (Fifth round)

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Vasha Hunt

2023

North Dakota State OL Cody Mauch (Second round)
Louisville OLB Yaya Diaby (Third round)
Pitt ILB SirVocea Dennis (Fifth round)
Purdue TE Payne Durham (Fifth round)
Nebraska WR Trey Palmer (Sixth round)
*Iowa S Kaevon Merriweather (UDFA)

2024

Alabama OLB Chris Braswell (Second round)
Georgia DB Tykee Smith (Third round)
*Tampa Bay eventually signed Senior Bowl QB Michael Pratt to their practice squad, though he was originally drafted by the Packers

2025

Kansas State CB Jacob Parrish (Third round)
Oregon WR Tez Johnson (Seventh round)

Bucs’ 2026 Roster Full Of Senior Bowl Alums

Of the 31 players Jason Licht has drafted out of the Senior Bowl over the years, 13 were still on the roster in 2025 (names bolded above). A 14th, Kaevon Merriweather, isn’t officially counted toward the list as an undrafted free agent, but he’s another Senior Bowl product who was brought in and has stuck around in recent years.

Heading into the 2026 season, some of those 14 are bound to be playing their football elsewhere. Logan Hall and Rachaad White (both 2022 draft picks) are free agents and are unlikely to be back with the Bucs for next season, while Chris Braswell (a 2024 draft pick) feels like far from a lock to make the 53-man roster in 2026.

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

So, assuming Licht brings in his usual two or three players from the 2026 Senior Bowl, the number of alums from the game is bound to be right around the same this season as it was last season. However, some of those who will still be around can truly be classified as key players, speaking to the value Licht and his staff have been able to find in Mobile.

Still around after being a fourth-round pick in 2019 and having signed three contracts with the Bucs, outside linebacker Anthony Nelson is the longest-tenured Licht draft pick these days, and he was a Senior Bowl participant after finishing his college career at Iowa. He’s a reserve, but he’s been a key one for Tampa Bay.

Meanwhile, two of Licht’s Senior Bowl picks from 2022 signed multi-year contract extensions back in September. Second-round pick Luke Goedeke initially struggled at guard as a rookie but since returning to his natural position of right tackle, he has been one of the integral pieces in Tampa Bay’s offensive line, which is one of the league’s best. Fifth-round pick Zyon McCollum got a big payday as well, and while he had a poor 2025, he figures to be a critical part of the defense in 2026.

From the 2023 class, there’s starting right guard Cody Mauch, starting outside linebacker and the team’s leading sacker in 2023 and 2025 Yaya Diaby and starting inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis. Also from that class, there’s TE2 Payne Durham and Merriweather, an undrafted free agent find who has served as solid depth.

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Most recently, Licht’s successes with the Senior Bowl have been safety Tykee Smith (2024), nickel cornerback Jacob Parrish (2025) and wide receiver Tez Johnson (2025). Smith had a solid debut season in 2024 and played at a Pro Bowl level for much of the 2025 season after making the switch from nickel to safety. Parrish was one of the Bucs’ best defenders as a rookie out of the nickel position in 2025, while Johnson’s five touchdowns over a six-game stretch during the middle of the season helped the offense weather an injury storm.

All three figure to be key contributors in 2026 and beyond, and the hope is that whichever 2026 Senior Bowl alums Licht adds to the roster become core players as the team looks to return to the playoffs and make a run toward the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy.

Bucs’ Positions Of Need To Be Well Represented At 2026 Senior Bowl

Given that the Bucs just watched a 6-2 start spiral into an 8-9 finish that ended their four-year reign atop the NFC South and snapped their five-year playoff streak, there is no shortage of needs on the roster heading into the 2026 offseason. That’s why it’s good news for Jason Licht and his staff that the 2026 Senior Bowl will have no shortage of talent at those positions.

While a couple of late dropouts robbed the edge rusher position of some of the star power it looked like it might have earlier this month, the likes of Clemson’s T.J. Parker, Illinois’ Gabe Jacas, Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton and Texas Tech’s Romello Height all stand out as potential Bucs to pair with Yaya Diaby.

At inside linebacker, there are some highly productive players who will be worth watching in Mobile as well. TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Pitt’s Kyle Louis and Oklahoma’s Owen Heinecke are all players Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo has scouted and written about ahead of the Senior Bowl, while Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez is another fantastic player who is sure to steal the show in Mobile.

TCU ILB Kaleb Elarms-Orr – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Raymond Carlin III

Up front on defense, Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter is worth a watch, especially considering that he was the Bucs’ second-round pick in Pewter Report’s 2026 7-Round Mock Draft 1.0. The former UCF standout transferred to Texas Tech in 2025 for his final year and now looks like an early Day 2 pick in the 2026 Draft.

Speaking of that mock draft, the Bucs’ projected fourth-round pick will be in Mobile as well. That would be Illinois offensive lineman J.C. Davis, a left tackle with the potential to kick inside and serve as some much-needed depth at guard in Tampa Bay.

Western Michigan outside linebacker Nadame Tucker, Pewter Report’s projected fifth-round pick, will also be in Mobile.

At tight end, Houston’s Tanner Koziol has incredible size at 6-foot-7, 250 pounds. He’s an intriguing watch and could steal the show during Senior Bowl practices the way Payne Durham did at times back in 2023.

Pewter Report’s 2026 Senior Bowl Coverage Begins Monday

As usual, the entire Pewter Report staff will be on hand in Mobile, Alabama, for Senior Bowl practices. Our coverage begins on Monday with an evening Pewter Report Podcast live from Mobile, then we will be there for practices and player interviews Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with plenty of content on PewterReport.com and PewterReportTV to follow.

Plus, we’ll have live podcasts both Tuesday and Wednesday. Be sure to check out our Senior Bowl Preview episode, which is tentatively scheduled for Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET live from Mobile.