Looking back: Grading the Bucs 2021 NFL Draft class years later

USA Today

3 days ago

Looking back: Grading the Bucs 2021 NFL Draft class years later
Coming off their Super Bowl LV win, the Buccaneers' entered the 2021 NFL Draft with few immediate needs, but also few resources as last pick in almost every round. General manager Jason Licht and the Bucs front office opted to augment the roster with their championship roster and make risky bets at positions of need.
After four years, only one player from the 2021 class remains on Tampa Bay's roster. The Bucs derived little value from the premium picks and only got temporary contributions from the players who did see the field. Suffice it to say, the Bucs' 2021 draft class is not likely to be remembered fondly.
Here are the final grades from the Bucs' 2021 draft:
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
The Bucs went for high upside at a position of need with their first pick, but outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka simply did not work out. In four seasons with Tampa Bay, he never developed into much of a pass rusher, recording just 15 total sacks, 21 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles. The best thing Tryon-Shoyinka had going for him was his durability, missing just two games since entering the NFL. While there were not any better options at the position, this was an instance of the Bucs reaching for a need in a weak class at edge rusher and paying the price.
Grade: C-
Kyle Trask
Taking swings on quarterbacks can be an underappreciated undertaking in the draft, but the Bucs appear to have swung too early on the wrong quarterback. Sure, Kyle Trask is the first quarterback the Bucs have ever drafted to receive a second contract, but he also could not beat out Baker Mayfield for the starting job in 2023 and has just 11 NFL dropbacks on his resume after four seasons. At a point when the Bucs could have bolstered their defensive line with the likes of Alim McNeil, Milton Williams or Osa Odighizuwa, they instead used their second-round pick on a career backup quarterback.
Grade: D+
Robert Hainsey
The Bucs' third-round pick was arguably the best of the class. After Ryan Jensen suffered an ultimately career-ending knee injury during training camp in 2022, Hainsey stepped in and started at center in every regular season game through the 2023 season. While the Bucs eventually upgraded the position in 2024 by drafting Graham Barton, Hainsey proved to be a valuable player likely to have a long NFL career.
Grade: B-
Jaelon Darden
In the fourth round, Tampa Bay took a chance drafting undersized North Texas WR Jaelon Darden. Darden has yet to emerge as a receiver in the NFL, but he has shown value as a returner, taking 50 punts for a 9.4-yard average in two seasons with Tampa Bay. However, the Bucs cut Darden in December 2022, and he has been a returner for Cleveland and Seattle since.
Grade: C-
K.J. Britt
When the Bucs took Auburn's K.J. Britt in the fifth round, they figured they were drafting a special teamer and linebacker depth. Devin White's regression over the next three years culminated in Britt filling in for White down the stretch in 2023 and entering 2024 as the presumed starter next to Lavonte David. However, Britt could not overcome his lack of athleticism and proved that he is best utilized in a reserve role.
Grade: C+
Chris Wilcox
The Bucs drafted cornerback Chris Wilcox with their first seventh-round pick. He was waived after the preseason and has bounced around practice squads across the NFL. Wilcox has yet to play a snap in a regular-season game and was out of the NFL in 2024.
Grade: D+
Grant Stuard
With their second seventh-round pick, the Bucs took 2021's Mr. Irrelevant, Houston LB Grant Stuard. While he only lasted one year with Tampa Bay, mostly playing special teams, Stuard is making a career out of his special-teams ability. He led the Indianapolis Colts in special teams snaps since the Bucs traded him for a 2023 sixth-round pick. The return value for the trade alone made Stuard one of the Bucs' better picks in 2021.
Grade: B
Overall
As the reigning Super Bowl XL champions, the Bucs had fewer resources than most teams in the 2021 draft and failed to capitalize on what little value they had. Taking the swing on Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was understandable, but the Trask pick in the second round remains a major blemish. Targeting special teams contributors over more conventional depth proved to be a wasted opportunity to carry the roster past the Tom Brady era. The 2021 class will be remembered as one of Jason Licht's worst as Bucs general manager, second only to the disastrous 2016 draft class.
Grade: D