Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mock Draft National Outlets Roundup
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are gearing up to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Wild Card matchup on Monday Night Football. However, that hasn't stopped pundits around the league from predicting what teams might do in the NFL Draft.
The Bucs are going to have several needs come April, though most of those may be filled through free agency where the team is set to have the most cap space to work with in recent seasons after going all in during the Brady years. They will surely need another starting quality offensive lineman and a cost-controlled safety with the money. they are set to pay out to Antoine Winfield Jr.
Chris Godwin enters a contract year and while it's likely Mike Evans returns they will need a young wide receiver to start molding for the future to go in tandem with Trey Palmer. Carlton Davis entered a contract year as well and hasn't proved he can stay healthy for a full season. The Bucs could move on from him this offseason.
Then there's the question of inside linebacker. Does Lavonte David return for another season and if he does who will be his running mate? While the team definitely needs another high-end pass rusher to pair with the emerging Yaya Diaby.
Here are some of the latest mock drafts predicting what the Buccaneers might do with the 20th overall selection in the draft.
The Athletic
20. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
"This could be another QB destination. However, whether you have Penix, J.J. McCarthy or another prospect as QB4, I’d still argue this is too high to make that pick. The Bucs got into the playoffs with Baker Mayfield this season. Drafting a terrific young WR here allows Tampa to wait on the QB position until later in the draft."
NBC Sports
20. Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
"It was a down year for Carlton Davis after signing an extension last offseason, leaving cornerback a very real possibility for the Bucs with this pick (especially with the top three edge rushers off the board in this scenario)."
"Wiggins has excellent length, awareness, and leaping ability in coverage. He also played 94 of his 277 coverage snaps in press, an added bonus."
ESPN
20. Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
"Coming into the 2023 season, many thought Verse might be the first defender off the board. A slow start cooled that talk, but he is back on the rise after a dominant second half: 6.5 of his nine sacks came during the final six games. He's a power rusher who relies heavily on speed-to-power moves and his heavy hands, and his 16.5% pressure rate was 10th in the country. The Tampa Bay interior is set with Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, but the Bucs' most consistent rusher off the edge has been rookie YaYa Diaby. Let's boost that unit with Verse."
FOX Sports
20. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
"The Michigan State transfer had a terrific year (50 catches, 11 TDs) and at 6-foot-4, slides in nicely to the spot Mike Evans has occupied for nearly a decade."
CBS Sports
20. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
"Baker Mayfield had to go to Tampa to rediscover his game, and he's playing some of the best football of his career. If the Bucs bring him back, they can focus on other parts of the offense, specifically wide receiver, where Keon Coleman's size, speed and playmaking ability could see him go off the board earlier in the round."
ProFootball Focus
20. Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
"The most productive pass rusher in the country over the past two seasons, Latu earned a 94.5 pass-rush grade and recorded a 22.3% pass-rush win rate from 2022 to 2023. So, why would he not be picked until No. 22? Well, he likely won’t test like an elite or even great athlete, and he has just an adequate build when it comes to length for NFL edge rushers. But he remains adept at getting into the backfield, which is why he is a first-round pick."
Football Guys
20. Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
"Carlton Davis has a $14.5M cap saving if designated to be post-June 1st. He didn't exactly play well when on the field in 2023, either. Outside of Jamel Dean, the Buccaneers struggled to get great play from their cornerbacks. Nate Wiggins can fix that. An elite athlete with great recovery speed, Wiggins is a physical corner with great length and the ability to shut down one side of the field. Even if the team retains Carlton Davis, Wiggins injects youth into the room."
ProFootball Network
20. Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
Chop Robinson’s an interesting prospect. He’s still learning his position and how to use his frame in certain situations, but the upside he shows will make him an elite player at the next level.
He might be the most explosive player at his position, and his long arms make him a nightmare to block in pass protection. Just ask Michigan what he can do to disrupt a game plan. Robinson was a huge reason Michigan stopped throwing the ball against Penn State this year, and that’s the kind of impact he could have at the next level.
The 33rd Team
20. Kool-Aid Mckinstry, CB, Alabama
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could go in many different directions with their first-round pick, but cornerback is a significant position of need. Kool-Aid McKinstry is one of two Alabama cornerbacks expected to go in the first round. His fit and value make a ton of sense for the NFC South champions."
Sports Illustrated FanNation
20. Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn St
"Third-round rookie YaYa Diaby already looks like a massive steal, but the Bucs need another young edge rusher to replace Shaq Barrett, who could be released to save some salary cap space. Robinson has an explosive first step off the ball, and the polished pass-rushing moves to get after the quarterback right away."
51. Tyler Nubin | S | Minnesota
84. Zach Frazier | OL | West Virginia
Yahoo Sports
20. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
51. Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
84. Payton Wilson, LB, North Carolina State
SB Nation
20. Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
USA Today
20. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
You can follow JC Allen on Twitter @JCAllenNFL.
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