Tampa Bay Buccaneers fourth-round rookie Keionte Scott is closing in on winning a starting job. Justin Melo of NFL Draft OnSI noted that Scott has been given plenty of chances to win the nickel job in Tampa Bay, and all indications are that he should get the shot in Week 1.
“Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie defensive back Keionte Scott possesses an excellent opportunity to open the regular season as the defense’s starting nickelback,” wrote Melo. “Jacob Parrish was seemingly his biggest competitor, but had been listed as the starting outside corner on the unofficial depth chart.”
With Parrish on the outside, the question has become more about Benjamin Morrison against Scott for the starting spot.
Keionte Scott Closing in On Starting Spot for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Morrison is a former second-round pick entering his second NFL season. His potential when healthy might be higher than Scott’s. However, he has hardly been able to stay healthy. He fell out of round 1 due to injury concerns, and nothing in his rookie season showed that he could stay on the field.
He missed the majority of the preseason in his second year, which opened the door for Scott. More than the health concerns, if Morrison comes in, he would play outside, and Parrish would shift inside. That is not a huge problem for Parrish, who started in the slot last year.
However, it is asking for more from him, and it involves more moving parts.
Meanwhile, if Scott starts, he would simply jump into the nickel role. Parrish would stay on the outside, and the defense would not change much. The combination of factors gives Scott the edge.
Scott is One of the Best Rookie Values in the 2026 NFL Draft
Scott is a fourth-round pick, going 116th overall. He spent his first three seasons at Auburn, but had nagging injuries and could not land in the starting lineup for a legitimate role. He transferred to Miami for his last year and excelled on the Hurricanes’ run to the National Championship.
He recorded the famous pick-six against Ohio State.
In total, he had 1,293 slot snaps, along with 800 snaps as safety. So, with just one legitimate year of starting, questions about his role in the NFL, and a few injury issues, he fell to round four. Still, he has hit the ground running for Tampa Bay.
Scott played 78 snaps in the preseason. He recorded four tackles and had three run stops. Overall, he had a 69.9 grade, per PFF, which is above average. He also had a 69.3 grade in coverage, which showed that he can stick to defenders and man the slot.
Now, Bucs have a week to decide if he did enough to be out there in the starting nickel defense.
Buccaneers Mid-Round Rookie Closing In On Surprise Starting Job