Top Ten Buccaneers Players In 2026: 10-6

This could have really been any of the Bucs three top wide receivers. However, Jalen McMillan missed most of last year and is still unproven. Chris Godwin also had an injury plagued year and there is question if he’ll be able to return to his pro bowl form.

Egbuka is the most sure thing right now at the receiver position. He has a great ability to find holes in the defense and work himself open in zone coverage. He’s as clean of a young pass catcher as you will find and I expect him to clear the 1,000 yard mark in his second NFL season.

9) Yaya Diaby

Diaby is the one established edge rusher on the Buccaneers roster. He’s notched 19.0 sacks and 38 tackles for loss over his first three years. The production has been rock solid, although not spectacular. 

In terms of power, Diaby is a force off the edge. He holds the point of attack well and is an impactful factor against the run. Ideally he’d be a high end number two edge rusher, but basically every team in the NFL would love to have Diaby starting for them. 

8) Baker Mayfield

It’s been tales of peaks and valleys over Mayfield’s career. However, there is no denying that the peaks are spectacular. Following a 2024 season with 4,500 passing yards and 41 passing touchdowns, Mayfield was the early MVP favorite for the first half of last season.

Consistancy is something that Mayfield is still trying to master. With that said, he has been a lot more good than bad in Tampa. There’s a strong case to be made that he’s a top 10 quarterback in the NFL today.

7) Cody Mauch

Mauch is a good player who flies under the radar. Not only does he play guard, which most people don’t pay that close of attention to, but he also missed most of last season. However, going back to 2024 Mauch was trending towards being one of the better guards in the league.

His mobility and nastiness speak for themselves. He’s a well rounded run blocker who can also mirror opponents in pass pro. If the Buccaneers running game breaks out like it did two years ago then don’t be surprised to see Mauch in the Pro Bowl.

6) Tykee Smith

There is a case to be made that for most of last season Smith was the Bucs best defensive player. He’s an impact run defender who recorded 100 tackles last season. He’s also a threat as a blitzer and as a nickel defender.

There is no denying that Smith has limitations in coverage. With that said, the things he’s good at he’s very good at. As long as he isn’t asked to be that back end defender, Smith is an impact player who can lead this defense to where they want to go.