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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have found one of the more underrated defensive backs in the 2026 NFL Draft when they selected Keionte Scott in the fourth round. While he may not enter the league with the same expectations as the Buccaneers early round selections, Scott has a legitimate opportunity to carve out an immediate role in Todd Bowles’ defense thanks to his versatility and aggressive play style.
Scott weighs in at 6'0" and 192 pounds and brings positional flexibility that should help him see the field early. The Buccaneers value defensive backs who can play both outside and in the slot while also contributing on special teams, and Scott checks all three boxes. His willingness to tackle and compete downhill also fits perfectly within Bowles’ defensive philosophy. A realistic rookie stat line for Scott could look something like 32 to 45 total tackles, five to eight pass breakups, two interceptions, and, with a bold prediction, two forced fumbles.
Those numbers would represent a very solid rookie season for a fourth-round corner trying to establish himself in a unique secondary setup. Scott will likely rotate into nickel and dime packages while contributing heavily to kick coverage and return units.
However, his versatility could allow his defense to be plugged into the starting lineup immediately, depending on what Tampa decides to do with Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish, who are now expected to battle for the outside corner position opposite Zyon McCollum. In this scenario, Scott would slide into nickel.
One area where Scott could excel is as a blitzer and run defender near the line of scrimmage. Bowles frequently asks his defensive backs to play aggressively in pressure packages, and Scott’s physical mentality could make him a useful chess piece in certain situations. During his time with the Miami Hurricanes, Scott frequently came flying off the edge behind once again teammate Rueben Bain Jr, racking up 5 sacks in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs CB Keionte Scott rookie season projections
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Scott weighs in at 6'0" and 192 pounds and brings positional flexibility that should help him see the field early. The Buccaneers value defensive backs who can play both outside and in the slot while also contributing on special teams, and Scott checks all three boxes. His willingness to tackle and compete downhill also fits perfectly within Bowles’ defensive philosophy. A realistic rookie stat line for Scott could look something like 32 to 45 total tackles, five to eight pass breakups, two interceptions, and, with a bold prediction, two forced fumbles.
Those numbers would represent a very solid rookie season for a fourth-round corner trying to establish himself in a unique secondary setup. Scott will likely rotate into nickel and dime packages while contributing heavily to kick coverage and return units.
However, his versatility could allow his defense to be plugged into the starting lineup immediately, depending on what Tampa decides to do with Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish, who are now expected to battle for the outside corner position opposite Zyon McCollum. In this scenario, Scott would slide into nickel.
One area where Scott could excel is as a blitzer and run defender near the line of scrimmage. Bowles frequently asks his defensive backs to play aggressively in pressure packages, and Scott’s physical mentality could make him a useful chess piece in certain situations. During his time with the Miami Hurricanes, Scott frequently came flying off the edge behind once again teammate Rueben Bain Jr, racking up 5 sacks in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs CB Keionte Scott rookie season projections
Continue reading...
