Bucs Add To The Trenches In Round 5 With Demonte Capehart
April 25th, 2026
For the second draft year in a row, the Bucs pounce in Round 5 on a defensive tackle.
Last year, it was Elijah Roberts. Today, it was Demonte Capehart out of Clemson. The rookie will turn 24 before training camp and he measures 6-4, 313 pounds. And what an athlete this guy is. At that size, Capehart ran a 4.85-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he’s got a 33 1/2-inch vertical leap.
That’s a man!
Capehart doesn’t have much special production to rave about, but it seems the Bucs got strong value for a guy a lot of draft gurus think can play right away.
NFL.com film guru Lance Zierlein summarized Capehart as follows:
Capehart started just 12 games over six seasons (and 57 games played) but that’s not an indicator of the impact he can make against the run. He’s big, broad and long with heavy hands and impressive power in his upper half. He can play through lesser guards and adequately occupy his gap against double-teams.
He’s light on his feet with good lateral movement but is unrefined as a pass rusher, relying on down-the-middle power. Capehart is not a young prospect, but his traits and run-plugging talent will appeal to teams looking for a solid rotational option on Day 3.
Capehart lands on lots of under-the-radar prospects lists. Joe loves it. You can never have enough athletes in the trenches, and it seems Capehart can play nose tackle and 3-technique.
April 25th, 2026 at 2:50 pm
And a Guard from Notre Dame
April 25th, 2026 at 2:51 pm
Looks like another Logan hall.
April 25th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
Capeheart figures to fill the Logan hall role.
April 25th, 2026 at 2:53 pm
Great pick. exactly what the Bucs need. They also drafted a big OG from ND. This team is getting bigger and stronger.
April 25th, 2026 at 2:53 pm
Solid pick likely what we were able to do bcuz of xtra 5th for G
April 25th, 2026 at 2:53 pm
Love this draft… great picks… all can step in and contribute!
April 25th, 2026 at 2:54 pm
Don’t love this one as much as that Howard DT out of Ole Miss that was still available. But We’ll see
April 25th, 2026 at 2:55 pm
Everyone would be loving this draft if not for the perceived reach in round 2.
Hopefully Trotter pans out.
Bucs appear to have gotten some players though and they are hitting on the positions we all hoped they were targeting.
Easy with this many holes, but who says us fans don’t have the pulse of this team and what it needs!?
April 25th, 2026 at 2:55 pm
Logan Hall was ok as a rotational piece. Just not as the top pick in the 2nd round. As a 5th end pick, if he ends up being a good rotational piece, then the value is worth it. Anything more is icing.
April 25th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Really question this one. There were others still there & they never have luck with Clemson either. Gaines Adams, Daquan Bowers, etc.
April 25th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Capehart was predicted as a day 2 pick in many mocks.
April 25th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Bucsfantim … Harris?
I think he has multiple arrests in the last couple years.
Safe to say he’s not on the Bucs board.
April 25th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
40 year Bucs fan – “Looks like another Logan hall.”
Incredible value pick if he is anywhere as good as Logan Hall (33rd pick in the draft). Hall was a lot better than people give him credit for and if they get anywhere near that talent level in Capehart, it’s an absolute steal!
The best defense in the NFL thought Hall was good enough to pay $6.8 million per season when the Texans snatched Hall up this offseason.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
What ScottyMack said
April 25th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
Wow what a steal!!
This is the captain of a d line that produced two great running backs
April 25th, 2026 at 3:02 pm
O line*
April 25th, 2026 at 3:02 pm
More run stoppers and zero coverage specialists.
Fits Bowles scheme to a T.
Make the opponent one dimensional.
Then watch them torch your defense with sixth rounder QBs.
Cousins looked like Marino in his prime.
Bowles loved his defenses effort!
April 25th, 2026 at 3:03 pm
I would’ve considered Brandon Cleveland or Brian Parker.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:03 pm
The theme of the off season was to get bigger, nastier, tougher and stronger.
They did that with Robinson, Muhammad, Anzalone, Bain, Trotter, Hurst, and guard from ND.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:03 pm
Demonte Capeheart played at IMG Academy in Bradenton
This is a solid pick
I like the pick
April 25th, 2026 at 3:03 pm
@Saskbucs: The more I read and watch tape of Trotter the less and less I think that pick was a reach. He’s quicker than I thought and is a huge hitter. He’ll learn from Anzalone and Rozeboom.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:07 pm
Another solid pick. JL and crew are getting it done.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:09 pm
It feels like the Bucs are addressing needs on Day 3 with less reaching than they did on Day 2. I don’t necessarily hate the Trotter pick…LB was a need, but passing on Allen when he was there? I guess I thought they might have been able to double up at LB and taken Allen in Rnd2 as a potential starter, and then grab Trotter in Rnd3 or if he was gone or they wanted the WR they took, Louis in Rnd4. Day 3 picks seem more encouraging in terms of value for developmental guys. Hopefully it all works out for the Bucs, but if it doesn’t then I guess we’ll be picking high next year and possibly with a new HC/GM doing tfe picking?
April 25th, 2026 at 3:12 pm
Would not have had to WASTE the Pick here, had JL just done the OBVIOUS last draft, and taken BIGGGG BADDDDD ASS Deone Walker. Period. End of Story. Would’ve already been SET at the position. Forrrr YEARS.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:12 pm
9.96 RAS, so he’s got some great raw tools.
I am surprised with that size/speed combo that he’s not much of a pass rusher, and considered just a two down run stuffer. Maybe the Bucs think they can get more out of him, certainly worth the risk in the middle of the 5th.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:14 pm
Let’s hope Vea takes this guy under his wing and helps turn him into a good player that could be part of our, as Lee calls it, hockey line change. Can’t be mad about depth for trenches on both sides of the ball since the injuries there have really hurt us in the past
April 25th, 2026 at 3:20 pm
@TheBigSombrero – Ummmm… YOU would’ve “LOVED IT” regardless, of however it had turned it! It never mattered WHO we would’ve picked, and you STILL would’ve “loved it.” You literally, could’ve written this EMPTY post 4-days ago, and it wouldn’t had made a lick of difference. Completely meaningless, coming from such an outright HOMER as yourself.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
IMG is a stud program so is Lakeland Dreadnoughts.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:26 pm
Inwoodjeremy
Yep sure is
April 25th, 2026 at 3:27 pm
Bucs D got bigger and more physical- so overall that is a plus
April 25th, 2026 at 3:28 pm
In that Clemson uniform, he looks like his name should be Grapehart.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:36 pm
Glad he can plan 3tech. He will be needed by game 7 when Kancey cannot go
April 25th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
I like Capehart, who didn’t start a bunch of games at Clemson which can be seen as a knock. On the flipside we’ve got a IDLmen who’s got low mileage, knows what it’s like to be apart of a rotation, and has some uncanny physical traits for a guy with 6’6 313lb frame.
Love this pick, all those 1 year deals make a little more sense now huh?
Or the fact we went out and got older players at the same positions we wanted to draft.
There’s too much thought, time, and resources put into this process for any of it to be coincidental. Front office had a plan, and I think a lot of pieces fell into place figuratively and literally these last few days.
And we’ll be active on the UDFA wire, that’s for damn sure
April 25th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
Capehart really athletic for that size. Was a very highly rated recruit out of hs. Never mad about a Notre Dame olineman. Read he never gave up a sack in his 22 starts. Draft has really fallen our way
April 25th, 2026 at 3:47 pm
To be honest I never looked into Trotter because I hate the Eagles. Most pundits had him right up there with the guys from Georgia and Texas.
A great draft! Same evaluation I have given for the past 50 years or so.
April 25th, 2026 at 3:48 pm
This Capehart pick is looking sweeter every minute. Very impressive.
I’m not so sure I like the guard we took, but this one sounds impressive.
April 25th, 2026 at 4:29 pm
Bowles is taking risks in his old age.
Every guy has something the newspaper doesn’t like.
This guy’s flaw..only 12 starts..is probably the highest risk.
Hopefully reuben Trotter and Scott will force him to perform at a higher level. That’s part of why you take attitude guys over measurable in high picks
April 25th, 2026 at 5:46 pm
Here’s what one article about Capehart (very impressive and spot on IMO):
‘Capehart is a player who tests how you evaluate defensive linemen. If you are only looking for production, you will miss the value. If you understand how defensive fronts function, you will see where he fits.
He brings size, power, and the ability to control the line of scrimmage. That translates right away. He can anchor, occupy space, and allow the rest of the defense to operate clean.
Across the league, any team that needs an interior presence can find value in his skill set.
o Early-down defender who can anchor & absorb double teams
o Rotational nose or 1-tech in multiple fronts.
o Player who helps linebackers stay clean and flow.
o Developmental upside if pass rush technique improves.
Not every defensive lineman needs to be the one making the play. Some need to make the play possible.’