Which NFL Draft prospect has been mocked to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the most?

With the Super Bowl having concluded nearly a month ago and the NFL Combine and Senior Bowl both in the rearview, it's no surprise that most NFL media outlets are pumping out mock drafts left, right and center with the NFL draft approaching rapidly.

We are nearing NFL free agency, which will provide valuable content of a different variety, but as of this moment, the draft remains king.

With so many different mock drafts being produced each day, it's challenging to stay on top of who is predicted to go where. However, thanks to the NFL Mock Draft Database, we can gain a more consensus-oriented perspective regarding which players are being mocked to which teams most frequently.

For the Buccaneers, Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell is the player who has been mocked to Tampa Bay more than any other. It makes perfect sense, considering the team's obvious need at the position, combined with the fact that Campbell is generally viewed as the most talented inside linebacker prospect of this year's entire draft class. That said, his physical profile, athleticism, and rugged experience playing in the SEC make him versatile enough to line up as an edge rusher as well, should his NFL team wish to unlock his full potential.

Among the networks that have published mock drafts, Campbell has been mocked to the Buccaneers 11.4 % of the time.

The second most frequent pairing for the Bucs at 19 is Georgia's Jalon Walker, who has been predicted to land in Tampa Bay 8.2% of the time. Although Walker played plenty of inside linebacker for the Bulldogs last season, many analysts view him as more of an edge rusher at the NFL level. Similar to Campbell, there's no question that Jalon Walker's versatility would be extremely helpful for Todd Bowles and his defense, should Walker end up being the actual selection come draft night.

The third NFL prospect who's been most frequently linked to the Buccaneers in first round mock drafts is Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III. Depending on what happens with free agent receiver Chris Godwin, there's certainly a chance that Jason Licht could look to bolster his WR corps with one of his draft picks. That said, there are far more pressing needs on the roster, almost all of which can be found on the defensive side of the ball. Still, Burden has been mocked to the Buccaneers in 8% of the mock drafts registered in the database.

Regardless of which position the Bucs end up targeting with their first-round pick — assuming they decide to keep it — the prospect they select will be expected to step in and contribute from Day 1.

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