BuccaneersFan.com • Player Spotlight • Tampa Bay No. 22
Current official roster portrait: Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Defensive back • NFL rookie
A long road to the Buccaneers
Keionte Scott
- Born
- August 11, 2001 • Age 25
- Hometown
- San Diego, California
- Listed size
- 6 feet • 195 pounds
- High school
- Helix High School • La Mesa, California
- College
- Snow College • Auburn • Miami
- NFL entry
- 2026 • Round 4 • Pick 116 • Tampa Bay
- Buccaneers career
- 2026–present
- Jersey
- No. 22
- Current status
- Active • As of November 3, 2026
Birthdate: 2026 Buccaneers media guide. Background: Miami biography. Current listing: official Buccaneers profile and current roster.
Milestone sources: official draft announcement, Cotton Bowl record, the final gamebooks below and first-sack breakdown.
Keionte Scott brought a well-traveled college football education to Tampa Bay. His playing career took him through Snow College, Auburn and Miami before the Buccaneers selected him in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. For the Krewe, his arrival added a defensive back with experience covering receivers, attacking the backfield and returning kicks. Tampa Bay’s draft introduction.
California • Utah • Alabama • Florida
From Snow College to Tampa Bay
The junior-college foundation Snow College, 2020–2021.
Scott began his college playing career at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. That stage preceded three seasons in the SEC and a final college season in the ACC. His route required more than one campus and more than one opportunity before an NFL team called his name. The official career background.
An opportunity on the Plains Auburn, 2022–2024.
At Auburn, Scott played three seasons and built an appreciation for the support around him. In a 2024 university interview, he credited junior college with strengthening his gratitude for football and described the excitement of his first experience inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. His Auburn reflections.
The final college chapter Miami, 2025.
Miami became the last playing stop in his college career. The Hurricanes’ official podcast also records an intermediate Houston stop in his journey from Auburn to Miami, where he chose to finish his college football path. His Storm Sessions episode summary.
The call from Tampa Bay Drafted April 25; signed May 7, 2026.
The Buccaneers selected Scott 116th overall in Round 4 on April 25, 2026. The draft announcement. He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 7, joining the group of Tampa Bay draft picks who completed their deals that day. The signing announcement.
Recognition along the way
Recognition at Snow Two first-team All-America selections.
Snow’s announcement of his signing with Auburn identified Scott as a two-time first-team NJCAA All-American. That recognition accompanied his move from the Badgers to the Tigers. Snow’s signing announcement.
Recognition at Miami All-conference honors and a national award semifinal.
In 2025, Scott earned second-team All-ACC honors and became a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist. The award recognizes the nation’s leading defensive back. Miami’s honors record.
Miami • 2025 College Football Playoff
A Cotton Bowl return to remember
Miami • 2025 College Football Playoff
72
YARDS TO THE END ZONE
A 72-yard interception-return touchdown
Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP.
On December 31, 2025, Scott intercepted an Ohio State pass and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown, putting Miami ahead 14–0 in the Cotton Bowl. The Hurricanes won the College Football Playoff quarterfinal 24–14. The original Miami game report.
Scott added four tackles and received Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP honors. For a player whose college route began at Snow, the award placed a clear marker on a long journey: a decisive defensive play in a game with a semifinal berth at stake. The game’s award and performance record.
Tampa Bay • 2026–present
Tampa Bay in 2026
Scott’s first NFL sack came against Pittsburgh on October 18, 2026. He reached Aaron Rodgers from the edge for an eight-yard loss in the second quarter. Tampa Bay’s analysis highlighted the way he disguised his intent and timed the pressure; the game also brought eight defensive tackles. The team’s first-sack breakdown.
His Tampa Bay role draws on the versatility the club discussed before the season. Scott described the slot as his most comfortable assignment while continuing to learn safety and outside corner responsibilities. The rookie development feature. As of November 3, 2026, he is listed on the Active roster, No. 22. The current roster.
The person behind No. 22
San Diego roots and purpose
Scott attended Helix High School in La Mesa, California, where he played on both sides of the ball and lettered in track and field. His athletic background reached beyond his eventual role in the secondary. His high-school background.
He studied sociology at Auburn. The university’s interview. Auburn later listed him among the football players participating in its December 2024 commencement. The commencement announcement.
Preparation and perspective Lessons carried from Auburn.
In his Auburn interview, Scott emphasized preparation and the details within his control. He also spoke about the lasting importance of his relationships with teammates. Those reflections give the football journey a personal thread beyond the next roster or next game. His account of the Auburn experience.
An ambition to give back A goal he has discussed publicly.
Miami’s podcast summary describes Scott’s desire to help others, inspired by his mother’s nonprofit work. The episode connects that ambition with his upbringing between Las Vegas and San Diego and the experiences that shaped his path through college football. The official episode summary.
NFL regular season • Career through 2026
The NFL career record
Scott entered the NFL in 2026. These regular-season records cover his rookie year through November 1, Week 8. The asterisk marks an incomplete season; preseason is excluded.
| Season | Club | G | GS | DEF Solo | DEF Ast | DEF TKL | ST TKL | Sacks | Sack YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | TB | 8 | 3 | 26 | 5 | 31 | 8 | 1.0 | 8.0 |
| NFL career | Tampa Bay | 8 | 3 | 26 | 5 | 31 | 8 | 1.0 | 8.0 |
G = games played; GS = starts; DEF = defense; ST = special teams. DEF Solo + DEF Ast = DEF TKL. Sack YDS = credited yards lost. His 31 DEF tackles and eight ST tackles add to the official profile’s 39 combined tackles. The gamebooks preserve the separate phases.
The eight ST tackles comprise four solo tackles and four assists. The annual row and career footer describe the same incomplete rookie season and are not added together. TB = Tampa Bay. Original gamebooks are linked beneath the weekly table.
| Season | Club | TFL | QB hits | PD | INT | FF | Opp FR | Own FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | TB | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NFL career | Tampa Bay | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
TFL = tackles for loss, including sacks; QB hits = hits on the quarterback; PD = passes defended, including interceptions; INT = interceptions; FF = forced fumbles. Opp FR = opponent fumbles recovered; Own FR = own-team fumbles recovered. Through Week 8, he has no interception, forced fumble, recovery, safety or blocked kick credited.
NFL postseason
Scott has no NFL postseason appearance through November 1, 2026. His first NFL season is still in progress; no playoff statistics are folded into the regular-season record.
September 13–November 1, 2026
Eight games into his rookie season
| Week | Date | Opponent | TB result | Role | G | GS | DEF Solo | DEF Ast | DEF TKL | ST TKL | Sacks | TFL | PD | DEF snaps | ST snaps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 13, 2026 | @CIN | L 27–33 | Starter | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 1 |
| 2 | Sep 20, 2026 | CLE | L 19–23 | Starter | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 10 |
| 3 | Sep 27, 2026 | MIN | L 16–23 | Reserve | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 5 |
| 4 | Oct 4, 2026 | GB | L 14–17 | Reserve | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 6 |
| 5 | Oct 8, 2026 | @DAL | W 24–16 | Reserve | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 8 |
| 6 | Oct 18, 2026 | PIT | L 19–26 OT | Reserve | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 12 |
| 7 | Oct 25, 2026 | @CAR | W 43–13 | Reserve | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 10 |
| 8 | Nov 1, 2026 | ATL | W 16–0 | Starter | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 8 |
| 2026 total | Through Nov 1 | Tampa Bay | — | 8 appearances | 8 | 3 | 26 | 5 | 31 | 8 | 1.0 | 2 | 4 | 310 | 60 |
Scott played in all eight team games and was credited with starts in Weeks 1, 2 and 8. “Reserve” identifies the original opening lineup, not how much he played. Actual zeroes are retained. The highlighted Pittsburgh game includes his first NFL sack: Aaron Rodgers for an eight-yard loss.
The gamebooks’ unofficial playtime reports total 310 defensive snaps and 60 special-teams snaps, with no offensive snaps. Results are from Tampa Bay’s perspective; @ = away; OT = overtime. CIN = Cincinnati; CLE = Cleveland; MIN = Minnesota; GB = Green Bay; DAL = Dallas; PIT = Pittsburgh; CAR = Carolina; ATL = Atlanta.
Original final gamebooks: Week 1 · Week 2 · Week 3 · Week 4 · Week 5 · Week 6 · Week 7 · Week 8.
Snow College • Auburn • Miami
The college record
Scott played at Snow College, Auburn and Miami. Auburn and Miami are grouped as the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) record; Snow’s junior-college (JUCO) record is shown separately below. Bowl, College Football Playoff and junior-college postseason games belong within their annual totals and are not added a second time.
G = games played; GS = starts; Solo + Ast = TKL. TFL includes sacks; YDS = credited yards lost. College records do not supply the NFL-style DEF/ST tackle split. College QB hurries differ from NFL QB hits. PBU excludes interceptions; PD = PBU + INT. FF = forced fumbles; FR = fumble recoveries; BLK = blocked kicks; SFTY = safeties. An em dash means a value was not established or an average is inapplicable, never an assumed zero.
| Season | School | G | GS | Solo | Ast | TKL | TFL | TFL YDS | Sacks | Sack YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Auburn | 12 | 9 | 35 | 19 | 54 | 4.0 | 9 | 1.0 | 4 |
| 2023 | Auburn | 10 | 10 | 37 | 7 | 44 | 2.0 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Auburn | 11 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 18 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Miami (FL) | 14 | 12 | 42 | 22 | 64 | 13.0 | 43 | 5.0 | 24 |
| FBS total | All schools | 47 | 35 | 130 | 50 | 180 | 19.0 | 55 | 6.0 | 28 |
| Season | School | QB hurries | PBU | INT | PD | FF | FR | BLK | SFTY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Auburn | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Auburn | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Auburn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Miami (FL) | 8 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| FBS total | All schools | 12 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
The original final reports produce 47 FBS appearances, 35 starts and 180 tackles. Miami’s final participation chart gives 14 games and 12 starts in 2025. The original NC State gamebook and Texas A&M playoff gamebook list him as a substitute. Those records govern over the later biography’s 13-game, 13-start summary.
Auburn’s 2022 final credits 35 solo tackles and 19 assists, totaling 54. Its original punt-return totals are 13 for 134 yards in 2022 and 14 for 89 in 2024. His 74-yard punt-return touchdown against Arkansas belongs to 2023. The annual original reports linked below govern these details when later summaries differ.
FBS fumbles/lost, separate from defensive forced fumbles: Auburn 2022, 4/2; 2023, 1/1; 2024, 2/1; Miami 2025, 0/0. The combined record is seven fumbles, four lost. These credits include ball-security events such as a muff, which is not automatically a return attempt.
FBS interception returns: Auburn 2022: 1 INT, 0 return yards, 0.0 average, 0 long and 0 TD; Miami (FL) 2025: 2 INT, 110 return yards, 55.0 average, 72 long and 2 TD. Average is yards per interception; long is the longest return, not a sum. Fumble-recovery returns: Miami (FL) 2025: 2 FR, 0 return yards and 0 TD.
| Season | School | PR | PR YDS | PR AVG | PR Long | PR TD | KR | KR YDS | KR AVG | KR Long | KR TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Auburn | 13 | 134 | 10.3 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 18 | 0 |
| 2023 | Auburn | 15 | 222 | 14.8 | 74 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2024 | Auburn | 14 | 89 | 6.4 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2025 | Miami (FL) | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 29 | 0 |
| FBS total | All schools | 42 | 445 | 10.6 | 74 | 1 | 4 | 64 | 16.0 | 29 | 0 |
PR = punt returns; KR = kickoff returns; AVG = yards per return; Long = longest return; TD = return touchdowns. Averages are calculated from yards and return attempts, with career averages weighted across the full record. Longest returns are maxima, not sums.
Original annual records: Auburn 2022 defense / returns / participation · Auburn 2023 defense / returns / participation · Auburn 2024 defense / returns / participation · Miami (FL) 2025 defense / returns / participation.
Bowl and College Football Playoff appearances
| Season | Date | School | Game | Opponent | School result | G | GS | TKL | TFL | Sacks | PBU | INT | FF | FR | PR YDS | KR YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 | Auburn | Music City Bowl | Maryland | L 13–31 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| 2025 | Dec 20, 2025 | Miami (FL) | CFP first round | Texas A&M | W 10–3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Dec 31, 2025 | Miami (FL) | CFP quarterfinal · Cotton Bowl | Ohio State | W 24–14 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Jan 8, 2026 | Miami (FL) | CFP semifinal · Fiesta Bowl | Ole Miss | W 31–27 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Jan 19, 2026 | Miami (FL) | CFP national championship | Indiana | L 21–27 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FBS postseason | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 23 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
These five actual FBS postseason appearances comprise Auburn’s 2023 Music City Bowl and Miami’s four 2025-season College Football Playoff games. Scott started four; he was a substitute in the Texas A&M opener. The January 2026 games belong to the 2025 season. Results are from his school’s perspective.
His postseason interception was the 72-yard Cotton Bowl touchdown. In the Music City Bowl, he returned three punts for 34 yards, with an 11.3-yard average and an 18-yard long; he was charged with one lost muff. He had no kickoff return, fumble recovery, blocked kick or safety in these five games.
The Music City Bowl start is confirmed by Maryland’s original starting-lineup report. Postseason statistics are already included in the annual FBS totals.
Original postseason records: 2023 Music City Bowl vs. Maryland · 2025 CFP first round vs. Texas A&M · 2025 CFP quarterfinal · Cotton Bowl vs. Ohio State · 2025 CFP semifinal · Fiesta Bowl vs. Ole Miss · 2025 CFP national championship vs. Indiana. These are subsets of the annual FBS record.
Snow College — the junior-college years
The 2020 Snow season was played in spring 2021; the separate 2021 season took place that fall. These two seasons are not duplicate calendar-year entries.
These are Snow’s published archive figures, not a reconstructed complete career. The 2020 archive lists six appearances; the fall 2021 archive lists eight. The asterisk marks the incomplete fall record: Snow’s defensive and return statistics are missing from the October 2 Georgia Military game record. Consequently, a complete JUCO career total is not asserted in the footers.
The archived 27-tackle entries for each season are shown as posted. Annual and playoff starts were not established; GS dashes do not mean zero starts. The spring archive also does not supply complete interception-return yardage or the longest return. Fall return figures describe the posted archive, not proof that an omitted game contained no return.
| Season | School | G | GS | Solo | Ast | TKL | TFL | TFL YDS | Sacks | Sack YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (spring 2021) | Snow College | 6 | — | 23 | 4 | 27 | 5.5 | 16 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2021 (fall)* | Snow College | 8 | — | 22 | 5 | 27 | 2.5 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Complete total unavailable | Snow | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Season | School | QB hurries | PBU | INT | PD | FF | FR | BLK | SFTY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (spring 2021) | Snow College | 0 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 (fall)* | Snow College | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Complete total unavailable | Snow | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
JUCO interception returns: Snow College 2020 (spring 2021): 3 INT, — return yards, — average, — long and 0 TD; Snow College 2021 (fall)*: 1 INT, 5 return yards, 5.0 average, 5 long and 0 TD. Average is yards per interception; long is the longest return, not a sum.
| Season | School | PR | PR YDS | PR AVG | PR Long | PR TD | KR | KR YDS | KR AVG | KR Long | KR TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (spring 2021) | Snow College | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2021 (fall)* | Snow College | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 4 | 145 | 36.3 | 87 | 1 |
| Complete total unavailable | Snow | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
PR = punt returns; KR = kickoff returns; AVG = yards per return; Long = longest return; TD = return touchdowns. Averages are calculated from yards and return attempts, with career averages weighted across the full record. Longest returns are maxima, not sums.
Original Snow records: Snow College 2020 (spring 2021) defense · Snow College 2021 (fall)* defense.
| Season | Date | School | Game | Opponent | School result | G | GS | TKL | TFL | Sacks | PBU | INT | FF | FR | PR YDS | KR YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Jun 5, 2021 | Snow College | NJCAA National Championship | Hutchinson | L 27–29 | 1 | — | 8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | Dec 4, 2021 | Snow College | NJCAA Division I National Semifinal | Iowa Western | L 29–30 (OT) | 1 | — | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 145 |
| JUCO postseason | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 145 |
Both games are verified actual appearances, with starting status unavailable. In the June 5, 2021 championship game, Scott recorded eight tackles and returned an interception 20 yards. In the December 4 semifinal, he returned four kickoffs for 145 yards, a 36.3-yard average and an 87-yard touchdown; Snow lost 29–30 in overtime.
These two postseason records are complete for the displayed counting statistics even though the annual archive has gaps. Their combined record includes 12 tackles, one TFL and one pass breakup; no sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery, blocked kick or safety is credited. They remain subsets of the corresponding seasons, not additional career games.
Original junior-college postseason records: 2020 NJCAA National Championship vs. Hutchinson · 2021 NJCAA Division I National Semifinal vs. Iowa Western. These appearances are already part of the Snow annual record.
Sources & statistical notes
The records behind the spotlight
- Identity and background: Buccaneers biography, 2026 media guide, Auburn profile and Miami profile.
- College journey and education: Snow signing story, Auburn interview, commencement announcement, Miami podcast summary and Cotton Bowl report.
- Tampa Bay chapter: draft selection, rookie signing, versatility feature, first-sack analysis and current roster.
- NFL statistics: Eight original final gamebooks establish participation, defensive and special-teams production, and unofficial playtime through Week 8.
- College statistics: Original school season reports and actual postseason game records govern the FBS and junior-college tables. Scope and source discrepancies are explained beside the records.
- Portrait: the current official Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster image.
Updated November 3, 2026. NFL regular-season statistics stop after November 1, Week 8; preseason is excluded. No NFL postseason appearance falls within this rookie-season cutoff. College postseason appearances are subsets already included in the annual totals. FBS and junior-college records are presented separately. Defensive and special-teams tackles are separated in the NFL records. College QB hurries and NFL QB hits are distinct statistical categories.