NFL Draft: Buccaneers Mock Draft National Outlets Roundup
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers season is over. This team put up a fight with a lot of youth on their roster. Todd Bowles and Jason Licht have done an amazing job turning the Bucs into one of the youngest teams in the league but still showing that they can compete.
Mike Evans is a free agent and Chris Godwin is going into a contract year. Outside of these two guys, there isn't much-proven depth. Trey Palmer had a decent rookie season, Russell Gage is likely on his way out of Tampa and David Moore could be back as a depth piece. Wide receiver is a sneaky need for the Bucs and lucky for them, there is a great amount of talent headed into this year's draft at that position.
Shaq Barrett is aging and could be a cap casualty this off-season. Joe Tryon Shoyinka hasn't quite lived up to his expectation of being a first-round selection in 2021. The Bucs did find a solid rookie in last year's draft in Yaya Diaby. They could look into upgrading on the edge opposite of Diaby and go with a top pass rusher from this draft early on.
Outside of Antoine Winfield Jr., the secondary seemed a bit off last season. Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis dealt with injuries for what seemed like all year. Ryan Neal came in with a lot of hype but didn't necessarily live up to that hype. Winfield Jr. will most likely be back, but the team may want to find another safety to pair up with him. Another DB of some sort couldn't hurt this group.
The offensive line could be seeing a rebuild on the interior. Jason Licht is very good at finding hidden gems along the offensive line. This could be an area that they attack early on in the draft, although, Licht likes to bring in small school guys on either day two or three of the draft.
It is always hard to tell what a team like the Bucs will do in the draft, but it's fun to look at what the national media believes the team will do. Let's see what they projected in this year's draft for the Bucs.
The Athletic
26. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
"This pick is exclusively a contingency for Mike Evans’ impending free agency. Should Evans leave, Tampa Bay would be replacing one power forward with the next. Thomas thrives on 50-50 balls and routes along the vertical tree (17 yards per catch this season). He has great body control and tracking skills at his size, and his 40 time should help solidify him as a first-round pick."
NFL Network
26. Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
"I love Rakestraw’s toughness and competitiveness. He fits the Bucs’ mold with Todd Bowles."
USA Today
26. Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
"Carlton Davis III’s recent play and $14 million salary in 2024 could make him a financial target if the Bucs can slot in a comparable replacement."
Pro Football Network
26. Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers woke up feeling dangerous on more than one occasion this season, and as such, may roll the dice on Baker Mayfield moving forward. That removes quarterback as the priority need, so attention can turn to long-term protection.
BYU tackle Kingsley Suamataia gives Tampa Bay a high-level run blocker with the athleticism and strength to dominate at the NFL level."
CBS Sports
26. Jared Verse, Edge, FSU
"The Buccaneers and head coach Todd Bowles need more youthful outside pass-rushing talent. Verse pieced together back-to-back awesome seasons at Florida State after transferring there before the 2022 season."
FTN Fantasy
26. Jer'Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
"Besides Vita Vea and Shaq Barrett, the Bucs are very thin along the defensive line. Newton gives them an upgrade along the interior with the ability to get after the quarterback."
Football Guys
26. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't have many needs. The retool was remarkable and short of a disastrous offensive coordinator hire, the arrow is pointing upward. Still, the cornerback room is thin behind Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis, and adding to the position now would give the team flexibility to move off of Davis should they choose. Mitchell is one of the most instinctual corners in the class and could produce elite ball production from day one."
Sports Illustrated-Fan Nation
26. Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State
"The Bucs are likely to move on from veteran Shaq Barrett for salary cap reasons, and they're unlikely to pick up the fifth-year option on 2021 first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. That meanas they'll need another explosive pass rusher to pair with rookie sensation YaYa Diaby, and Robinson might have the best first step in this year's class."
Walter Football
26. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
"If the Buccaneers aren’t in a position to obtain a franchise quarterback, they’ll need to give Baker Mayfield better protection.
Amarius Mims has gotten lots of positive feedback from the scouting community. He has a tremendous skill set and lots of upside."
The Ringer
26. Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
"The Buccaneers may end up re-signing Baker Mayfield in free agency, but if they decide to go another direction (or if they do re-sign him and still want a longer-term succession plan), Nix makes a lot of sense. He’s not super flashy, but the former Ducks star is hyper-efficient, takes care of the ball, and can add some playmaking ability with his legs."
The Draft Network
26. Keon Coleman, WR, FSU
"Mike Evans' future in Tampa legitimately hangs in the balance. If general manager Jason Licht wants to round out his offense with another big-bodied downfield threat, Florida State's Keon Coleman fits the bill. Coleman is a different receiver than Evans, but his exceptional leaping ability and ball skills would mesh well with Baker Mayfield's gunslinger mentality."
33rd Team
J.J McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the offseason.
