TAMPA — As soon as the NFL draft wrapped up Saturday, the Bucs kept busy, signing at least 20 undrafted rookie free agents to contracts.
Tampa Bay had waived eight players Friday to make room for a big class of undrafted rookies, and it will have those 20 — plus seven draft picks and tryout players — at its three-day rookie minicamp, which starts Friday at One Buc Place.
Among the most promising prospects: Auburn linebacker Cassanova McKinzy had 263 career tackles and will compete for the backup strongside job, and Roman Namdar was a prolific receiver for Division III Mount Union, with a combined 38 touchdowns and 2,390 receiving yards in the past two seasons. Some of the prospects have close ties to Bucs coaches — West Georgia tackle Dominique Robertson is the nephew of Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop, and South Carolina safety Isaiah Johnson played last year for current Bucs secondary coach Jon Hoke while with the Gamecocks.
Other players who will attend camp on a tryout basis include former Plant High/Alabama/Toledo quarterback Philip Ely, as well as former USF quarterback Steven Bench and former Maine defensive end Mike Kozlakowski.
Undrafted rookies signed
Peyton Barber, RB, Auburn
Tim Brown, TE, West Chester
Kivon Cartwright, TE, Colorado State
Tyson Coleman, OLB, Oregon
Alan Cross, FB/TE, Memphis
Taylor Fallin, OT, Memphis
Russell Hansbrough, RB, Missouri
Traveon Henry, S, Northwestern
Isaiah Johnson, S, South Carolina
Anthony Kelly, WR, Kutztown
DaVonte Lambert, DE, Auburn
Cassanova McKinzy, LB, Auburn
Jontavius Morris, DL, UAB/WKU
Roman Namdar, WR, Mount Union
Luke Rhodes, LB, William & Mary
Dominique Robertson, OL, West Georgia
Elijah Shumate, S, Notre Dame
Dez Stewart, WR, Ohio Dominican
Channing Ward, DL, Ole Miss
Leonard Wester, OL, Missouri Western
Up next: Three-day rookie minicamp, beginning Friday at One Buc Place