Bucs Coach Compares Rookie DeMonte Capehart To Will Gholston
May 1st, 2026
Former Bucs defensive tackle Will Gholston’s name is invoked.
What exactly did the Bucs get in Round 5 of last week’s NFL Draft when they selected defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart out of Clemson?
Todd Bowles himself weighed in on this subject during a visit to SiriusXM NFL Radio this week.
Capehart is an athletic freak. At 6-5, 313 pounds, he ran a 40-yard dash in 4.85 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine, with a 33 1/2-inch vertical leap. That’s almost Tristan Wirfs territory. (Wirfs was only 320 pounds at his 2020 Combine.)
Bowles compared Capehart to former Bucs defensive lineman Will Gholston (2013 – 2024). Like Gholston, Capehart has a big wingspan but is more athletic.
“Well, [Capehart] actually can run,” Bowles said. “So he is a big body but he really can move. He’s more in the type of a Will Gholston right now. He is a very physical guy. It’s just a matter of how he fits into the scheme and whether he plays the four-technique, the five or the three, you know, he can move all across the line. So he has versatility that way and there’s gonna be a lot of competition down there. So we’ll see whether he is a backup or a starter.”
There sure is a lot of competition in the Bucs defensive trenches. The Bucs still have second-year man Elijah Roberts, last year’s fifth-round pick who flashed pass rush ability, in addition to new veterans A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches. Also, rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain can play inside (more on that later) and Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey are returning starters.
It’s going to be a lot of fun if Capehart is legit and Roberts takes a big step in his game like good second-year players do.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:35 pm
I use to poke fun at Will Gholston on this site, when he was a rookie
I use to call him Will (2 sack) Gholston
But he turned out to be a pretty good player
I think Demonte Capeheart will be a good player also
May 1st, 2026 at 6:35 pm
Dude was a 12 year pro ?
Can he make the team first?
May 1st, 2026 at 6:43 pm
Space Eater that needs to get stronger. If he could provide any kind of an inside Pass Rush eventually-he could prove to be a great pick. No complaints on this draft overall and filling needs this offseason. Todd is still here but…. Let’s get ‘Born Again Baker’ signed before the Season starts and we are ready for 2026 and beyond IMO.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:44 pm
Gholston was misused by the Toddster. Shocker.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:45 pm
I’ll take that. Will Gholston was a mainsray for around a decade and helped be come great at run stopping.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:46 pm
Doesn’t need to start, just come in and hold the line while our starters take a breather. Another bully.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:46 pm
“There sure is a lot of competition in the Bucs defensive trenches.” – Joe
Feels so good to know that is the case…at last.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:48 pm
3.28.Evans Says:
“Gholston was misused by the Toddster.”
Actually, no he wasn’t. The Bucs were near the top at stopping the run, and that was Gholston’s jam.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:49 pm
Wait – 3.28 and HC Grover don’t like Bowles or our drafts picks, or anything? Wow – I didn’t know that. 🤦♂️
May 1st, 2026 at 6:53 pm
Line changes, send them in waves. No drop-off. Iron sharpens iron. You never have too many studs up front.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:55 pm
That’s not good why do Jason Licht love meadicory so much and Joe and the rest of the meadi celebrate Jason Licht for drafting guys like this.
May 1st, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Will Gholston was one of the best run stuffing DE
He wasn’t getting many sacks, but he was great against the run
May 1st, 2026 at 7:08 pm
Plus Bain can move inside, no! Let him lock down the edge. Sometimes less, is more.
May 1st, 2026 at 7:10 pm
Point – he could have been a better pass rusher. The Genius wanted him to do other things, hence no coaching up on the pass rushing skills.
May 1st, 2026 at 7:17 pm
“Oneilbuc Says:
May 1st, 2026 at 6:55 pm
That’s not good why do Jason Licht love meadicory so much and Joe and the rest of the meadi celebrate Jason Licht for drafting guys like this” (sic)
If you could manage to correctly write a sentence it might help you with your argument, but when you write like a truant middle-schooler, it lets us know that you are not to be taken seriously. Your love of Jaboo is also a good indicator that your takes are as fresh as the pond that’s likely in your backyard.
May 1st, 2026 at 7:19 pm
We have greatly improved the talent and toughness on our defense this off season. Totally different team on D. Would like to see some FA CBs brought in to challenge and hopefully continue to toughness push. Would also like a thumper RB added for short yardage smash mouth.