The Greatest First-Round Picks in Buccaneers History

NFL Scouts work tirelessly year-round to evaluate college football prospects ahead of the NFL Draft. Scouts and general managers can have an eye for talent evaluation and put together a great coaching staff to allow newly-drafted players to succeed, but at the end of the day, the NFL Draft will always be a gamble. Far more highly-touted prospects have busted than boomed, and NFL GMs have been fired over misses in the draft plenty of times.

Sometimes, though, those picks work out, and that player you drafted in the first turns out to be the man you thought he was (and sometimes more). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't been a great football team for most of their franchise tenure, but with two Super Bowl rings, there have been moments of greatness — and those great moments have been propelled by some excellent first-round picks in the franchise's history.

Bucs GM Jason Licht is looking to add to this list when the Buccaneers pick No. 15 overall in a few weeks, but until then, we've compiled who we feel are the five best first-round picks in Buccaneers history, from No. 5 down to No. 1.

Check out our list below:

5. WR Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) warms up before a NFC wild card playoff against the Washington Commanders. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Don't cry because it's over — smile because it happened. It's unfortunate that wideout Mike Evans has decided to leave for what he deems greener pastures with the San Francisco 49ers, but Evans is a certifiable franchise legend who is absolutely one of Tampa Bay's finest draft picks.

Licht's first-ever pick as a general manager in 2014, Evans has become legendary in Tampa Bay for his 11-straight 1,000-yard seasons, his work in the community and his love for the Bucs and their fans. Evans has just one Second Team All-Pro, so he doesn't have the accolades like others on this list, but he became a Tampa Bay icon in the 12 years he played there and will always be remembered as one of the NFL's most underrated wideouts.

4. DE Lee Roy Selmon

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Lee Roy Selmon (63) on the field against the Atlanta Falcons | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay's very first draft pick in 1976 turned out to be a Hall of Fame player. Defensive end Lee Roy Selmon hailed from Oklahoma and played college football there, but after being drafted No. 1 overall, he'd turn into a Tampa Bay legend and one of the best defensive linemen to ever do it.

A three-time First Team All-Pro and a Defensive Player of the Year in 1979, Selmon didn't see much success to start his career in Tampa Bay — he won just seven games in three seasons. He was integral to the team's later playoff appearances in the late 70s and the early 80s, however, and his speed and technique at the time allowed him to absolutely dominate opposing offensive linemen. Selmon is rightfully a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest Buccaneers ever.

3. OT Tristan Wirfs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (78) looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Wirfs is the only person under 30 years old on this list, and that's because he's just getting started.

Drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Wirfs was a key cog in the offensive machine that won a Super Bowl that year with Tom Brady. Wirfs is already a two-time First Team All-Pro, both at left tackle and right tackle, and he's the only player to ever hold such an honor. Left tackle is perhaps the second-most important position in the NFL behind quarterback, and Wirfs is arguably the best pass protector in football.

Wirfs has a long way to go in his career, and he still has to accomplish a lot more if he wants to stand alongside these other franchise legends. But he's already one of the best players in Buccaneers history, and there's no reason right now that he won't rack up plenty more accolades as his career continues.

2. DT Warren Sapp

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Warren Sapp (99) on the bench against the Minnesota Vikings | Peter Brouillet-Imagn Images

Our last two selections both came in the first round of the same draft, and it set the Bucs up for Super Bowl success. A generational draft prospect out of Miami, Sapp fell in the draft due to character concerns, and the Bucs swooped him up at No. 12. He'd go on to be one of the most dominant defensive linemen to ever play football, racking up four All-Pros and a DPOY nod in 1999.

Sapp was just exiting his prime when the Bucs won their Super Bowl in 2002, but over the course of his career, he netted 96.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles and, since statisticians started tracking them in 1999, 91 tackles for loss. The Buccaneers don't become the success they were in the 90s and early 2000s without Sapp, and he proved to every team that passed on him on draft night that they made a big, big mistake.

1. LB Derrick Brooks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks (55) prepares for a game against the Houston Texans | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Later in that same 1995 Draft at pick at No. 28 overall, the Buccaneers picked linebacker Derrick Brooks, and it would end up being the best draft pick the franchise ever made.

Brooks redefined what it meant to be a coverage linebacker, and he's arguably still the greatest coverage linebacker to ever play football. Brooks was the engine on which Tampa Bay's vaunted 2002 Super Bowl defense ran, and his greatness was well acknowledged during his time — he is a staggering five-time First Team All-Pro, was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and was a DPOY in 2002.

A monster on the field and a beloved figure in the Tampa Bay community, few players in NFL history have had the impact and legacy that Brooks has with the Buccaneers.

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