Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick Two Players on Day Two of 2026 NFL Draft
Introduction
On the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers chose two players. They picked linebacker Josiah Trotter from Missouri at pick 48. They also picked wide receiver Ted Hurst from Georgia State at pick 84. These picks came after their first-round choice of edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. The team wanted to fill needs on offense and defense.
Main Body
The Buccaneers picked Josiah Trotter in the second round. He is a linebacker. He is 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds. He plays with a strong, physical style. He is smart about football. He can find the ball and stop runs. He will help the team's defense. But his pass coverage is not good. Some people thought he would be picked later. One analyst gave the pick a B- grade. But the team needed a player like him. The Buccaneers used their third-round pick on Ted Hurst. He is a wide receiver from Georgia State. He moved from a smaller school. He set a record for his school: he was the earliest draft pick in Georgia State history. He was the only player from his conference chosen in the draft. In college, he had two seasons with over 1,000 yards. He ran fast at the NFL Combine: 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He jumped far: 11 feet 3 inches. His athletic score was very high. Hurst is tall (6-foot-3.5) and fast. He can catch deep passes and run after the catch. But he played against weak teams. He did not run many different routes. He dropped more than 10% of passes. He needs to get better at beating defenders. One expert gave him a second-round grade, so the team got good value. But he needs time to develop. The team has other good receivers, so Hurst can learn slowly. The team's best receiver, Mike Evans, left to play for another team. The team kept Chris Godwin. The other receivers are young. Hurst will try to take Evans' old position. But he will need time.
Conclusion
The Buccaneers' picks show a plan. They chose Trotter to help the defense now. They chose Hurst to help the offense later. Trotter will play soon as a run stopper. Hurst needs more time to improve. Both picks fit the team's goals.