With their first of two third-round selections, the Buccaneers have added significant talent and variety to their defensive backfield.

Tykee Smith, a versatile safety from the University of Georgia, was chosen by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with their first of two third-round selections options in the 2024 NFL draft, 89th overall.

The Bucs moved their focus to their defensive backfield with their selection of Tykee Smith, following their two previous decisions of edge rusher Chris Braswell in the second and center Graham Barton in the first.

Todd Bowles loves the kind of player that Smith is—a versatile player. Tykee Smith was previously considered by BucsGameday as a possible fit for the Buccaneers.

Smith was Georgia’s standout player, a huge nickel/linebacker who excelled close to the line of scrimmage.The Bucs moved their focus to their defensive backfield with their selection of Tykee Smith, following their two previous decisions of edge rusher Chris Braswell in the second and center Graham Barton in the first.

Todd Bowles loves the kind of player that Smith is—a versatile player. Tykee Smith was previously considered by BucsGameday as a possible fit for the Buccaneers.

Smith was the star player for Georgia; he was a massive nickel/linebacker who was especially good near the line of scrimmage.

He has excellent football intelligence, is a fantastic tackler, and can stay with tight ends and large slot receivers.

With the patience to scan routes and the quarterback’s eyes to make plays with the ball, eshowcases excellent intuition.

Though he performed well in testing, his long speed and recovery speed are poor, and he can be overly aggressive in pursuit angles. Due to his height and frame, he has coverage limitations and can have trouble taking routes deep.

With 70 tackles, eight for loss, two sacks, six pass breakups, and four interceptions at the end of his senior year, Smith was quite the player.

At the Combine, he had an official meeting with the Bucs. and was brought in for an official 30 visit.”

It’s important to note that although Smith is listed as a safety, his versatility will allow him to see the field early and often in his career. He is capable of playing either safety or the nickel cornerback position.

With Todd Bowles at the helm, there’s no doubt that he’ll get creative in the ways he plans to utilize Smith’s skillset.

Jason Licht and his team have been busy on Day 2 of the draft.

After selecting Alabama edge rusher Chris Braswell with the 57th pick in the second round, they immediately had to shift their focus to this pick in the third.

However, the Bucs front office still has a lot of work ahead of them as they will select three positions later, at

selection number 92, in another swift turnaround. As things stand, the Buccaneers will have three more picks in rounds four (125), six (220), and seven (246) after that.

It will be intriguing to watch how Jason Licht and the organization choose to use that draft money to add players to the squad that need them.

The general manager of the Bucs has been unusually silent thus far in the trade market. Still, we’re not even halfway through the draft. There is still a ton more action to come.

To read more about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL Draft, visit BucsGameday.com.