There’s rarely time to wait in the modern NFL. If you’re a draft pick in the first few rounds, you’re expected to start playing football right away.

That will certainly be the case for a few Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookies from the team’s 2025 NFL Draft class. The Bucs got a ton of mileage out of their draft picks last year, with four rookies — C Graham Barton, S Tykee Smith, WR Jalen McMillan and RB Bucky Irving, all showing out by starting at their respective positions. Now, it’s time for the next group to come in, and this class could have a similar impact in 2025 as the Bucs look to win the NFC South once again and potentially compete for another Super Bowl.

Here are three rookie players who could end up starting for the Buccaneers in Week 1:

WR Emeka Egbuka

Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka runs for a touchdown against Marshall. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Many people were shocked by this pick, as the Buccaneers already had a crowded wide receiver room and re-signed star wideout Chris Godwin to a three-year deal. The biggest point of contention among some fans is what his role will be in conjunction with Jalen McMillan, who came along at the end of the year and put up eight touchdowns for the Bucs in 2024.

The Bucs invested the No. 19-overall pick in Egbuka, though, and after breaking the Ohio State school record for receptions and putting up two seasons of 10 touchdowns, he’s the much better prospect entering his rookie year. We anticipate Egbuka to fill in the WR3 spot behind Evans and Godwin, unfortunately overtaking McMillan in the lineup.

CB Benjamin Morrison

Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison walks with his team during warm ups before a NCAA college football game. / Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK

This one is a little more dependent on the people around Morrison. Morrison comes to Tampa Bay as an outside cornerback after Jamel Dean missed five games due to injury last year and four the year before that. Dean’s defensive production hasn’t been stellar in those two years, either, netting just a single interception the last two seasons.

Morrison has injury concerns of his own, but Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht believes that Morrison will be ready for training camp — and if that’s the case, Dean could be in trouble. Morrison put up nine picks in 31 games at Notre Dame, and if he’s feeling good this year, he could light a fire under Dean that could eventually result in him starting on the outside by the time the year is up.

CB Jacob Parrish

Kansas State cornerback Jacob Parrish celebrates an interception against NC State. / Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Surprisingly, Tampa Bay’s third-round pick might just have the best chance to definitively start out of anyone. Parrish, a short defensive back with 4.3 speed, will almost certainly translate over to the nickel corner position at the NFL level. Last year’s nickel, Tykee Smith, is likely moving back to safety this year to start alongside Antoine Winfield Jr., so Parrish is the favorite to start there for the upcoming season.

Parrish’s main competition will be defensive back Christian Izien, who filled in at multiple spots last year after injuries plagued the defense. Parrish, a hard-hitting defensive back who plays much bigger than his size, is simply more athletic than Izien and has all the traits to start for Tampa Bay in his first year, so expect him to do so once the regular season rolls around.