The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had six draft picks during the 2025 draft. Four of those selections went to the defensive side of the ball.
One of those defensive players was Kansas State cornerback Jacob Parrish out of Kansas State. Parrish is more of a slot cornerback with a 5-10 frame and under 200 pounds.
Tampa Bay needed all the help they could get in the secondary that was one of the worst in the league during the 2024 season. Injuries certainly played a part in that, but the Buccaneers clearly needed reinforcements at the position.
The good news is that Parrish can make an immediate impact. ESPN insider Ben Solak called Parrish one of his favorite picks in the draft with the chance to being an immediate starter right away.
“Parrish is a classic Todd Bowles cornerback — feisty, instinctive in zone, able to press and an excellent tackler in space,” Solak wrote. “He reminds me of Tykee Smith, a 2024 third-rounder who emerged as a key nickel defender for Tampa Bay. The Bucs needed to add depth to their secondary, and they got a perfect scheme and culture fit in Parrish.”
Like any draft pick, Parrish is not guaranteed to start right away for the organization. The team will need to get him acclimated to Tampa’s zone defense. … and all of the other adjustments that any rookie has to make.
But if he can make the kind of impact that Solak expects of him, the Buccaneers defense – surprise! – may be going through a major transformation in a playoff-winning way.
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