Pros, cons of Tampa Bay Buccaneers picking Clemson's DeMonte Capehart in 2026 NFL Draft

[ASFN Admin]

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Clemson football defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 25.

Capehart, who is from Hartsville, South Carolina, was selected No. 155 overall in the fifth round.

Here's what Capehart brings to the Buccaneers, based on our own observations from his tenure at Clemson:

What DeMonte Capehart brings to Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2026 NFL Draft​

Capehart, who is 6-foot-5, 313 pounds, lacks starting experience as he had to wait until his fifth season at Clemson to nab the position. Still, he is explosively athletic, running his 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 4.85 seconds and posting a 33.5-inch vertical jump.


Capehart will be 24 years old when the 2026 NFL season starts, which limits his long-term ceiling, but he carries immense run-stuffing ability that can be useful as he rotates at defensive tackle.

DeMonte Capehart highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Clemson​

Capehart returned for his sixth season in 2025 to record 21 tackles, including a sack, and two pass deflections. He is powerful with good lateral movement to stress guards out and handle double-teams.

He is more of a run stuffer than a pass rusher at defensive tackle. Capehart also relies on power and motor over technique to win matchups but must improve his hand usage to be viable in the NFL.

DeMonte Capehart stats at Clemson​

Here are Capehart's across 57 games (12 starts):

• 72 tackles (13.5 for loss)
• 3 sacks
• 1 forced fumble
• 5 pass deflections

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Tampa Bay Buccaneers pick Clemson's DeMonte Capehart in 2026 NFL Draft

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