Buccaneers potential draft targets and best fits: Series recap

The Bucs are on the clock in a matter of hours on Thursday. It's Day 1 of the NFL Draft, and the roster is set in way they can truly go best player available at a any position. Tampa Bay has the opportunity to turn itself into a real Super Bowl contender this weekend if it makes the right selections, and recently, its track record has been pretty dang good.

Over the last two weeks, I've broken down each position group in the draft with my potential best fits for the team in rounds 1-7 and capped it off with my final mock draft. To make things easier during the weekend, we've compiled all of those links here for easy access. Just click the red header for each position to pull up my scouting reports, stats, and how they fit with the Bucs. It's finally draft weekend! Enjoy!

Quarterback

The Bucs are unlikely to address the position in the draft, but could bring in a camp arm as an undrafted free agent, although even that is unlikely. The team loves what they've seen out of Michael Pratt and re-signed Kyle Trask this offseason. From what I've heard, if Pratt were in this year's draft, he'd be ahead of most of the quarterbacks not named Ward. Pratt was a seventh-round pick, so that shows the lack of talent available this year.

Best Fits At Quarterback

Round 1: None
Round 2: None
Round 3: None
Round 4: Dillon Gabriel
Round 5: Kurtis Rourke
Round 6: Brady Cook
Round 7: Jordan McCloud

Running Back

The Bucs' backfield is loaded with talent. Bucky Irving broke out on the scene last season with over 1,000 yards rushing and is poised for a bigger role this year. Sean Tucker came out of nowhere against the Saints but was seldom used again — that should change this season. And then there is Rachaad White. He's one of the best receiving and pass protectors in the league, and he's just one year removed from a 990-yard rushing season. He's in the last year of his deal, and there could be a market for his services via trade. That would create a hole on the roster, however, and I'm not sure any late-round back would fill it — which leaves me to think he'll be on the roster after draft weekend, as I don't see the Bucs using a high pick at the position.

Best Fits At Running Back

Round 1: None
Round 2: None
Round 3: Cam Skattebo
Round 4: Bhayshul Tuten
Round 5: LeQuint Allen
Round 6: Jo'Quavious Marks
Round 7: Phil Mafah

Perimeter Wide Receiver

Things look good on paper, but they are one injury away from seeing Ryan Miller take significant snaps again. Receiver is an underrated position of need for the Bucs. Even after drafting Jalen McMillan in the third round last year, preparing for life after Evans and any setbacks with Chris Godwin is good business. Tampa Bay has seen its window dampened by injuries at wideout before (and a weird Antonio Brown walkout) and I think they are entering that window now. A first-round wideout can't be ruled out, and as you'll see, I like Matthew Golden there if he's available.

Best Fits At Perimeter Receiver

Round 1: Matthew Golden
Round 2: Jayden Higgins
Round 3: Elic Ayomanor
Round 4: Tai Felton
Round 5: Pat Bryant
Round 6: Dont'e Thornton Jr.
Round 7: Sam Brown Jr.

Slot Receiver

Best Fit At Slot Receiver

Round 1: Emeka Egbuka
Round 2: Jaylin Noel
Round 3: Jack Bech
Round 4: Tez Johnson
Round 5: Jaylin Lane
Round 6: Jordan Matthews
Round 7: Konata Mumpfield

Tight End

The Bucs look set at the position through a narrow lens. However, it's likely one of the most easily upgradeable spots on the roster and Cade Otton is entering the last year of his deal, as is Ko Keift. Payne Durham stepped up in his development and Devin Culp showed flashes as a rookie, but the Bucs could upgrade this room easily through the first four rounds of the draft with a few different players. Tampa Bay has talked about wanting to add another receiver all offseason, but what if it comes in the form of a pass-catching tight end? I have a few I think they'll like that could be there throughout the draft, possibly including Colston Loveland in the first round.

Best Fits At Tight End

Round 1: Colston Loveland
Round 2: Mason Taylor
Round 3: Harold Fannin Jr.
Round 4: Gunnar Helm
Round 5: Jake Briningstool
Round 6: Maliki Motavao
Round 7: Gavin Bartholomew

Offensive Line

The Bucs shouldn't really be in the market for offensive line early. Tristan Wirfs is locked up long term, Luke Goedeke is about to join him and Cody Mauch and Graham Barton are still on rookie deals. The team re-signed Ben Bredeson to what turned out to be a modest three-year deal, but if they wanted to upgrade if their board falls apart, Grey Zabel could make some sense in the first round for them. In the later rounds, a developmental swing tackle, center or guard makes more sense, and there are a few I think they could target on Day 3.

Best Fits At Offensive Line

Round 1: Grey Zabel
Round 2: Tate Ratledge
Round 3: Emery Jones
Round 4: Logan Brown
Round 5: Jackson Slater
Round 6: Hollin Pierce
Round 7: Jonah Monheim

Defensive Tackle

This spot is a wild card to me, as I could see the Bucs take one as early as Round 1 as well. Jason Licht loves building the trenches and usually attacks them early in the draft. All offseason, he has been talking about teams rotating their defensive line in waves and the success it's having across the league. The Bucs have Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey as their starters in the middle, but if they wanted to provide more of a pass rush from the interior and keep guys fresh, it's a position to watch. Logan Hall is in the final year of his deal, and while the team re-signed Greg Gaines and C.J. Brewer, neither provides a significant boost to the rotation and the Bucs could improve their floor here with an early pick.

Best Fits At Defensive Line

Round 1: Darius Alexander
Round 2: Shemar Turner
Round 3: Omarr Norman-Lott
Round 4: Vernon Broughton
Round 5: Ty Robinson
Round 6: Tonka Hemingway
Round 7: Junior Tafuna

Edge Rushers

One of the most intriguing positions on the Bucs roster, especially in the draft. You have one side that sees the addition of Haason Reddick and the re-signing of Anthony Nelson and doesn't want to hamper 2024 second-round pick Chris Braswell's development by adding a high draft pick. Then there's the other side who doesn't think they have enough juice there and using a high pick on one should be the priority. I would say I fall somewhere in the middle. I wouldn't be mad or shocked if they took one Round 1, but I can also see a scenario where they wait or don't address it at all. Donovan Ezeirauku has gotten a lot of hype as my first-round best fit, but don't rule out Mykel Williams out of Georgia either. And while I didn't do a write-up on him, I'm a big fan of Femi Oladejo and had him in one of my early mock drafts.

Best Fits At Edge Rusher

Round 1: Donovan Ezeiruaku
Round 2: Nic Scourton
Round 3: Princely Umanmielen
Round 4: David Walker
Round 5: Jared Ivey
Round 6: Jah Joyner
Round 7: Tyler Baron

Linebackers

Linebacker is another intriguing position for the Bucs. They brought back Lavonte David and signed Anthony Walker in free agency and are very high on SirVocea Dennis' prospects as a starting backer in the league. It's a down year for the class with only one first-round prospect, but that one has serious medical concerns and it's hard to see where they can immediately upgrade the roster. After Jihaad Campbell — the medicals aren't good — the next-best linebacker is a former special teamer with just one year as a starter. Don't get me wrong, I like some of the players in this class, but they have their own limitations. I don't think the Bucs go linebacker in Round 1 and probably wait until the third round or Day 3.

Best Fits At LB

Round 1: Jihaad Campbell
Round 2: Carson Schwesinger
Round 3: Demetrius Knight Jr
Round 4: Jeffrey Bassa
Round 5: Barrett Carter
Round 6: Teddye Buchanan
Round 7: Carson Bruener

Perimeter Cornerbacks

There is a real need here to raise the depth and floor of the room. Even with the Bucs holding onto Jamel Dean this offseason, he's not the perfect picture of health. Zyon McCollum is in a contract year and all indications are that he will re-sign with the team. The depth here is lacking if someone goes down. Tampa Bay re-signed Bryce Hall and added Kindle Vildor, but they don't move the needle much and Hall is coming off a season-ending injury. Christian Izien is set to man the slot with Tykee Smith moving to safety, but he doesn't have any competition for the spot right now and that is something the Bucs will likely look to add in some form. He's also coming off a season-ending pectoral injury. The Bucs should be actively pursuing players in the draft to both add competition and depth, and could do so as early as the first round with Jahdae Barron or Maxwell Hairston.

Best Fits At Perimeter Cornerback

Round 1: Maxwell Hairston
Round 2: Shavon Revel
Round 3: Benjamin Morrison
Round 4: Nohl Williams
Round 5: Bilhal Kone
Round 6: Zah Frazier
Round 7: B.J. Adams

Nickel Cornerbacks

Best Fits At Slot Cornerback

Round 1: Jahdae Barron
Round 2: Jacob Parrish
Round 3: Quincy Riley
Round 4: Cobee Bryant
Round 5: Mac McWilliams
Round 6: Justin Walley
Round 7: Jaylin Smith

Safeties

With Tykee Smith moving to safety and a healthy Antoinie Winfield Jr. back in the mix, the Bucs appear to be set with their starters. However, the depth behind them is a bit concerning. Kaevon Merriweather finished the season strong after re-signing with the team, but the Bucs could improve. Izien can also play some safety as well. The question is, how do the Bucs plan on using Smith? If they move him into the slot on certain looks, the team will need someone to step in at safety if they want someone other than Izien or Merriweather out there. Drafting for depth and to raise the floor of the room is something the Bucs should really consider, especially after both projected starters missed multiple games due to injury. The other route they could take is to draft someone high at the position on Day 1 or 2 who's versatile enough to play multiple positions or rotate in if or when Smith moves back to nickel. There will be a lot of intrigue on how the Bucs attack their secondary in the draft, and could go safety as high as Round 1 with Malaki Starks.

Best Fits At Safety

Round 1: Malaki Starks
Round 2: Xavier Watts
Round 3: Kevin Winston Jr.
Round 4: Jonas Sanker
Round 5: Jaylin Reed
Round 6: Marques Sigle
Round 7: J.J. Roberts

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