There wasn’t much the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did on defense in 2025 worth repeating in 2026, and that starts with a sieve-like pass defense that had little to no aura/rizz/personality/cache.
One rookie could change all that — Miami cornerback Keionte Scott.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox put Scott at the top of his list of the NFL’s most overlooked rookies who are creating training camp buzz just a few weeks from when rookies report.
Scott was 1 of 2 Hurricanes who landed with the Buccaneers in the draft, along with edge rusher and 1st-round pick (No. 15 overall) Rueben Bain Jr.
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hoping to revitalize a pass defense that ranked 27th overall and 26th in net yards per pass attempt allowed last season,” Knox wrote on July 8. “Naturally, first-round pick and pass-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. is expected to play a huge role in their efforts. However, fourth-round cornerback Keionte Scott can play a part this season, too, and he’s likely to make his presence felt in training camp. The Miami product is a fast (4.33-second 40-yard dash), physical defender with inside-outside versatility and a truly relentless motor. Scott racked up 110 tackles, two interceptions, 13 tackles for loss, and five sacks this past season alone … his versatility and play style will get him noticed in training camp and could make him a premier subpackage player in Year 1.”
The Buccaneers saw a similar situation unfold in 2025 with rookie 3rd-round pick Jacob Parrish, who became not only an impact starter at slot cornerback but was 1 of the best players on the defense at times on the way to earning NFL All-Rookie honors.
Keionte Scott Coming Back From Offseason Surgery
It may have seemed like just old-fashioned luck that both Bain and Scott dropped to the Buccaneers as they did — that just wasn’t the case.
The Buccaneers and Scott disclosed on the 1st day of Bucs rookie minicamp on May 8 that he’d undergone a surprise, offseason surgery.
“Bucs rookie DB Keionte Scott from Miami arrived in a cast on his left arm after having a plate removed from his wrist,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account. “He had surgery before the NFL scouting combine. The cast comes off in 10 days.”
There was nothing about Scott having surgery that showed up on media scouting reports before the draft.
Pre-Draft Reports Dinged Scott for Age & Size
Scott already had a couple of things working against him before the draft that likely impacted his stock.
He didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine (we know why now), although he reportedly ran in the 4.30s at Miami’s Pro Day, where the timing can always be a little shaky.
There’s also his size — he’s perfectly built for a slot cornerback at 5-foot-11 and 194 pounds, but tends to play more like a Will linebacker.
Finally, there’s his age. Scott will be a 25-year-old rookie after playing 6 seasons of college football at Snow College, Auburn, and Miami in 2025, where he was an All-ACC pick and helped lead the Hurricanes to an appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game following the 2025 season.
“Scott’s play style and tackle production resemble that of a Will linebacker,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “He’s edgy and urgent near the line with an ability to slip or play off of blocks. He can snuff out run plays before they get started. Scott lacks ball production due to inconsistent break anticipation and route squeeze, but he can twitch-and-trigger to close windows, wrap and finish. He keeps yards after contact to a minimum. Scott’s blitz talent off the edge makes him a value-added rusher. He’s an older prospect and needs to play in a scheme that allows him to keep his eyes forward, but Scott’s football character should make him a team favorite as a starting nickelback.”
Overlooked Bucs Rookie Predicted to ‘Revitalize’ Pass Defense