Buccaneer Blitz

BUCCANEERBLITZ | 15 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#15 — Tez Johnson | Wide Receiver

15 days, Bucs Nation — and today’s spotlight is on a player whose life story is one of the most remarkable you’ll ever hear in professional sports. Meet Tez Johnson, #15!

Born Keyonteze Johnson on May 18, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama, Tez grew up in Pinson, Alabama under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. His father passed away when he was an infant, and he grew up in subsidized housing. At age 15, something life-changing happened — he was taken in by the family of his high school football coach, Pat Nix. That made him the adoptive brother of quarterback Bo Nix, now the starter for the Denver Broncos. From hardship came family. From family came football. And from football came the NFL. That is the story of Tez Johnson.

At Pinson Valley High School, Tez and Bo helped lead the team to a Class 6A state championship. After college stints at Troy and then Oregon — where he was reunited with Bo Nix and became part of the Ducks’ Big Ten Championship run — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him 235th overall in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. A seventh-round pick. A number so low most players never make a roster.

Tez Johnson didn’t just make the roster — from Weeks 5 through 10 of his rookie season, he produced 247 receiving yards and four touchdowns, showcasing the speed and playmaking ability that made him an intriguing developmental prospect.  He finished the year with 28 catches for 322 yards and five touchdowns across all 16 games, and PFF named him to their All-Seventh Round Team for 2026 — one of the NFL’s best late-round steals. 

Now heading into Year 2, new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is already excited about what Johnson brings. Robinson called out Johnson by name at his opening press conference, saying “watching Tez Johnson, he’s got elite speed down the field and he can track it. All of those things are exciting.”  With Mike Evans gone in free agency, the Buccaneers could enter 2026 with one of the deepest receiving corps in the league — and Tez Johnson is a big reason why.

From government housing in Pinson, Alabama to Raymond James Stadium under the Friday Night lights of Training Camp 2026 — 15 days away. The story of Tez Johnson is far from over. In fact, it’s just getting started.

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BUCCANEERBLITZ | 16 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#16 — Connor Bazelak | Quarterback

16 days, Buccaneer Blitz fans— and today’s spotlight is on the young quarterback who nobody drafted but nobody can seem to get rid of either — and that’s a compliment! Meet Connor Bazelak, #16!

Born in Dayton, Ohio on September 22, 2000, Bazelak is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound signal caller who took a winding road to the NFL. He started his college career at Missouri, transferred to Indiana, and then found his groove at Bowling Green — where he started 53 games over two seasons, throwing for 4,979 yards and 30 touchdowns. His 2024 season was particularly sharp, completing 66.9% of his passes for 3,044 yards.

Undrafted going into 2025, he signed with the Buccaneers as a free agent and just never left.

Originally brought in as an extra training camp arm, Bazelak impressed the coaching staff enough that when the Bucs signed veteran Teddy Bridgewater mid-camp, they kept Bazelak on the practice squad as a developmental project rather than cut him. That kind of quiet impression-making is the hallmark of a player with real character and football intelligence.

Now heading into his second season, the Buccaneers officially re-signed Bazelak on March 4, 2026, showing the organization’s philosophy of valuing continuity and player development.  He’ll head into training camp competing with new UDFA Jalon Daniels for a roster spot in 2026  — and under new quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer, this could be the year Bazelak takes a genuine leap.

Behind Baker Mayfield, the Bucs need someone they can trust if things go sideways. Bazelak has spent a full year learning the system, studying the playbook, and developing under one of the league’s most respected coaching staffs. Training camp in 16 days is where he gets to show exactly how far he’s come. Never count out the kid who keeps earning his way back!

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BUCCANEERBLITZ | 17 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#17 — Ted Hurst III | Wide Receiver

17 days, Bucs Nation — and today’s spotlight is on the most exciting offensive rookie to join the Krewe in 2026! Meet the man they’re already calling the next big thing at wide receiver — Ted Hurst III, #17!

Born in Augusta, Georgia and raised in Savannah, Hurst is a 6-foot-4, 206-pound wide receiver who ran a blazing 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He played college football for both the Valdosta State Blazers and Georgia State Panthers  and made the most of every stop. Over his final two seasons at Georgia State, he racked up 127 catches for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns  — numbers that made every NFL scout in the country sit up and take notice.

The Buccaneers selected Hurst 84th overall in the third round after a small trade down with the Green Bay Packers that netted an extra fifth-round pick  — a savvy move by GM Jason Licht. Hurst drew Nico Collins comparisons during the pre-draft process, and it’s easy to see why — the Bucs were in no way trying to find a direct replacement for future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, who departed in free agency, but they did covet that sort of size-speed profile for what is already a strong receiver room.  As VP of Player Personnel Mike Biehl put it, “With Mike, of course, you’re losing a Hall of Fame player, but you’re also losing a lot of size and speed, and this guy has those things.”

The Athletic singled Hurst out as one of its favorite picks in the entire 2026 draft, and Baker Mayfield himself is already excited about what Hurst brings to the offense. Emeka Egbuka has already praised Hurst’s “elite catch radius”  after watching him work in minicamp. When your teammates are raving about you before training camp even starts, that’s a very good sign.

Hurst is preparing to play the X receiver role  — the same outside spot Mike Evans owned for over a decade. Those are big shoes to fill, but this kid from Savannah has the size, the speed, the hands, and the mindset to make Bucs fans forget what number Evans wore. 17 days, and we can’t WAIT to see #17 in action!

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BUCCANEERBLITZ | 19 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#19 — Kameron Johnson | Wide Receiver & Return Specialist

19 days, Bucs Nation — and today’s spotlight is on a player whose story is one of the most inspiring on the entire roster! Meet Kameron Johnson, #19!

Let’s set the scene: Kameron Johnson went undrafted in 2024. He came out of Barton College — a small Division II school in Wilson, North Carolina — making him the first-ever Barton College football player to sign with an NFL team. Nobody handed him anything. He clawed, competed, and earned every single snap.

And in Week 1 of the 2025 season, he announced himself to the entire NFL in style. Johnson had a 54-yard punt return that set up the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter in a 23-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Just like that, the kid nobody drafted was the talk of Tampa Bay.

He didn’t stop there. A 46-yard punt return against the Philadelphia Eagles, a career-best 4-64-1 receiving line against the San Francisco 49ers including his first career touchdown — a 34-yard grab from Baker Mayfield — and a 100-yard punt return day against the Eagles  all showed that this young man belongs in the NFL. Pure and simple.

Now heading into his third season, training camp is where Johnson must once again prove he’s earned his roster spot. But if his track record tells us anything, he’ll be out there on July 27th doing exactly what he’s always done — outworking everyone around him and making the most of every single opportunity. In a league full of highly drafted stars, there is nothing Bucs fans love more than a grinder who refuses to be counted out. That’s Kameron Johnson, #19.

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BUCCANEERBLITZ | 20 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#20 — RETIRED | Ronde Barber | Hall of Fame Cornerback

20 days to camp, Bucs Nation — and today’s number isn’t worn by anyone on the 2026 roster. Because it CAN’T be. #20 belongs to Ronde Barber. Forever.

The Buccaneers have officially retired only five numbers in franchise history — and #20 is one of them, retired in honor of Ronde Barber’s election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  That’s the company this number keeps: Lee Roy Selmon, Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, and John Lynch. Legends. All of them.

Ronde Barber spent his entire 16-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was selected to five Pro Bowls, earned three first-team All-Pro selections, and was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team.  His career totals of 28.0 sacks and 47 interceptions make him the only player in NFL history to record at least 25 sacks and at least 40 interceptions — a combination that has never been matched.

But if you want one moment that defines what Ronde Barber meant to this franchise, look no further than January 19, 2003. With the Buccaneers trailing in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Barber intercepted a Donovan McNabb pass and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown to seal a 27-10 victory — sending Tampa Bay to its first ever Super Bowl. The Bucs went on to crush the Oakland Raiders 48-21 to claim Super Bowl # # .  One play. One man. One moment that changed franchise history forever.

His name and #20 are now permanently displayed on the façade of Raymond James Stadium, alongside the other all-time Buccaneers greats in the Ring of Honor.  Every time this team takes the field, they play in the shadow of what Ronde built. And as Training Camp 2026 approaches, that legacy is the standard every single player on this roster is chasing. 20 days, BuccaneerBlitz fans. Let’s go get another one.

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BUCCANEERBLITZ | 21 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#21 — Benjamin Morrison | Cornerback

21 days, Bucs Nation — and today’s spotlight lands on one of the most highly anticipated second-year players in the entire NFC. Say hello to Benjamin Morrison, #21!

A second-round pick (53rd overall) out of Notre Dame in the 2025 NFL Draft, Morrison arrived in Tampa Bay with first-round talent and a body that needed time to heal. A hip injury during his junior year of college — one that likely would have pushed him into Round 1 had it not happened — required surgery and was still part of his recovery when the Bucs drafted him. Then hamstring issues further limited his rookie season, causing him to miss seven games. But when he did play? The flashes were undeniable.

Fast forward to this offseason, and Morrison is fully healthy, in the building every day, and turning heads. During OTAs, he undercut a route thrown toward Chris Godwin Jr. and picked it off for one of the standout plays of the entire session — a play so good that Godwin himself told him afterward, “That was a phenomenal play. You broke with confidence and caught the ball in stride. That’s a pick-six because of the play that you made.” Cornerbacks Coach Rashad Johnson put it simply: “Ben is elite with his skill set — he’s a long body, he’s twitchy, can play man-to-man.”

Bleacher Report has already named Morrison their breakout pick for the Bucs in 2026 — and with a full, healthy training camp ahead of him starting in just 21 days, the stage is perfectly set. Don’t be surprised if #21 becomes one of the biggest names in Tampa Bay’s secondary by the time the regular season kicks off. The redemption arc starts NOW!

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BUCCANEERBLITZ | 22 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#22 — Keionte Scott | Cornerback/Defensive Back

22 days, Bucs Nation, and today’s spotlight is on one of the most electrifying rookies to join the Krewe in years — the one and only Keionte Scott, #22!

A fourth-round pick (116th overall) out of the University of Miami in the 2026 NFL Draft, Scott immediately turned heads with his jaw-dropping pre-draft measurables — running a blistering 4.33-second 40-yard dash at Miami’s Pro Day.  In his final college season, he racked up 64 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions both returned for touchdowns, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. That’s not just a defensive back — that’s a wrecking ball.

Buccaneers legend Ronde Barber — who himself revolutionized the nickel position in Tampa Bay — had this to say: “He’s a total Todd Bowles-type nickel back… This dude was Agent Zero at Miami. The guy did everything — blitz, tackle for loss, he was a cover guy of sorts. I don’t know that we could have found a better player to kind of do everything for us in the draft.” High praise doesn’t get much higher than that.

Scott summed up his own style perfectly after being drafted: “I try to pride myself on being an old school cat, play the game like an old school player — flying around, not being afraid to stick my nose in anything and kind of just playing fast.” That’s exactly the mentality Todd Bowles loves, and Bucs fans are going to LOVE watching it live at training camp in 22 days.

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BUCCANEERBLITZ | 23 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#23 — Tykee Smith | Safety

23 days, Bucs Nation — and today’s spotlight is on a player who isn’t just good, he’s becoming one of the most dominant safeties in the entire NFL. Meet Tykee Smith, #23!

After filling a nickel role as a rookie, Smith stepped into a full-time, every-down starting safety role opposite Antoine Winfield Jr. in 2025 — and he absolutely delivered.  He finished the 2025 regular season with 100 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 13 passes defensed, one interception, and two fumble recoveries across 16 games. He was the only player in the entire NFL in 2025 with 100-plus tackles, 10-plus passes defensed, AND three-plus takeaways.  Numbers like that don’t lie.

Todd Bowles himself has called Smith “very strong, very underrated, a tough competitor, and one of our most instinctive players.”  High praise from one of the most respected defensive minds in football. Bowles even dubbed him the team’s “tone-setter” heading into 2026. Now entering 2026 with his starting role entrenched, Smith is zeroing in on refining his angles and leverage in the open field  — scary thought for opposing offenses considering how good he already is.

Alongside Antoine Winfield Jr., Tykee Smith gives the Buccaneers arguably the most feared safety tandem in the NFC. Training camp in 23 days is where the next chapter begins — and #23 is ready to write it.

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BUCCANEERBLITZ | 24 DAYS TO TRAINING CAMP

#24 — Ayden Garnes | Safety

24 days, Bucs Nation! Today’s countdown spotlight lands on one of the freshest faces in the entire organization — Ayden Garnes, #24!

A product of the 2026 NFL Draft class, Garnes is one of seventeen rookies the Buccaneers brought in this offseason to inject new energy and talent into the roster. As a safety, he enters a competitive room alongside veterans who will push him every single day — and that’s exactly the environment a young player needs to accelerate his development. The Bucs have a strong track record of developing defensive backs under Todd Bowles, and Garnes is stepping into a program built for exactly that.

Training camp will be his very first taste of what it means to prepare for an NFL season, and July 27th can’t come soon enough. Every rookie has a moment where the game clicks — and for Garnes, that moment could come right here in Tampa. Bucs Nation, keep an eye on #24 — the journey starts in just 24 days!

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