Dan Villari
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The Buccaneers hosted Syracuse tight end Dan Villari on a pre-draft visit
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are turning the page to the 2026 NFL Draft after a mixed bag during the first wave of free agency. While the team brought several new faces to town, guys like Mike Evans, Jamel Dean, and Rachaad White have all departed, which has put an added emphasis on the upcoming draft.
While fans everywhere are intrigued to see what Tampa Bay does with its first-round pick, there are still six other rounds that the team has to plan for in the draft. With that in mind, the Bucs recently decided to take a closer look at Syracuse Orange tight end Dan Villari, who is one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft class.
Buccaneers Host Dan Villari on Pre-Draft Visit
Aaron Wilson
Syracuse @CuseFootball tight end Dan Villari (6-4, 244) visited the #Buccaneers per league source He played in the Senior Bowl @seniorbowl @DfabeSB and Hula Bowl @Hula_Bowl Pro Day time of 7.0 seconds in the three-cone better than all tight ends who were invited to the combine,
Coming out of high school, Villari was a quarterback prospect, and he spent the 2021 campaign with the Michigan Wolverines as a backup quarterback. After that season, though, he transferred to Syracuse, and not only did he do that, but he also changed positions, as he made the move from quarterback to tight end.
After playing sparingly in 2022, Villari became a Swiss Army knife of sorts for the Orange, as he was used as both a rusher and a pass catcher. In 2025, Villari hauled in 39 receptions for 412 yards, while also picking up 55 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Villari’s ability to do a little bit of everything has put him on the radar of several NFL teams.
While the Bucs re-signed Cade Otton in free agency, they could use some more help at the tight end position. That had led to them checking out Villari, who has the sort of upside that Tampa could be looking to tap into. With that in mind, the Buccaneers brought Villari to town for a pre-draft visit over the weekend.
“Syracuse tight end Dan Villari (6-4, 244) visited the Buccaneers per league source,” Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reported in a post on X. “He played in the Senior Bowl and Hula Bowl. Pro Day time of 7.0 seconds in the three-cone, better than all tight ends who were invited to the combine, and his time of 4.19 seconds in the shuttle would have ranked second.”
Should the Buccaneers Draft Dan Villari?
Dan Villari
GettyThe Buccaneers hosted Syracuse tight end Dan Villari on a pre-draft visit
There’s no doubt that Villari has upside, but it’s worth noting that he is still rather new when it comes to playing the tight end position. While he has the physical profile and the traits to become a talented tight end at the professional level, there’s no telling whether or not his skills will transition over to the NFL. For that reason, many folks are expecting him to be a Day 3 pick, with the fifth round being his most likely landing spot.
Using that sort of draft capital on Villari could certainly be worthwhile, especially when considering his potential and the Bucs’ need for a tight end. There’s no guarantee he’d pan out, but that’s true for every guy that’s about to get selected in the upcoming draft. A lot would have to break Tampa’s way when it comes to Villari landing with the team, but with this visit in the books, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the front office target him in the late rounds of the draft.