Nov 4, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmets against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Two young Buccaneers players expected to break out in 2025 season

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Collin Haalboom | Last updated Jul 13, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are well assembled to make a serious push for the Super Bowl in 2025. The roster has been strategically designed by GM Jason Licht to blend star veterans players with emerging young talent, all of whom are expected to push each other to new heights this year.

Although Bucs' players generally fly under the radar, regardless of how much they have accomplished on the field, it seems as though some of their younger players may be bucking that trend.

Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report recently published an article identifying eight young players who have the potential to blossom into superstars this season. Of those eight, two were Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The first should come as no surprise, with the Buccaneers' dynamic second-year RB Bucky Irving being one of the first names mentioned.

"Bucky Irving is already close. Among qualified backs, the 2024 fourth-round pick ranked behind only Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Gibbs with a 5.4 yards-per-attempt average in his rookie season. Irving also put up 479 scrimmage yards in the final four weeks of 2024, and he finished the campaign ranked in the top five among qualifiers with 2.7 yards per attempt after contact," Gagnon wrote.

Working in Irving's favor is the quality of players already in place around him.

"The key for the 22-year-old in 2025? His support system is awesome. The experienced Bucs offense remains intact, and he’ll be running behind one of the best O-lines in the league. Division rivals Carolina and New Orleans also had the worst two run defenses in the league last year. The stars appear to be aligned for Irving to become one." he wrote.

Next on the list from the Buccaneers was third-year OLB YaYa Diaby.

"Yaya Diaby's sack total actually sank from 7.5 as a rookie in 2024 to 4.5 as a sophomore in 2025, but look a little deeper and the trajectory is there. The 2023 third-round pick more than doubled his quarterback hits number from eight to 20 as defenses keyed on him more following a somewhat surprisingly strong rookie campaign. Six of those hits and 2.5 of those sacks came in his final three games of the 2024 regular season, suggesting the 26-year-old could be on the verge of something special this year," wrote Gagnon before suggesting "Diaby could make his first Pro Bowl and gain All-Pro attention very soon."

There are many talented young players in the league, but only so many with the potential to blossom into true superstars. The fact that the Buccaneers have two players identified on this list would suggest that the Bucs are well-positioned to capitalize on their unique blend of established veterans and young talent to turn some heads in 2025.