One Surprising Position the Buccaneers Might Pass on in Round 1

Another stunner in the first round for the Bucs?

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty of needs to address in the NFL Draft, but don't expect them to reach in order to fill them.

General Jason Licht has made it clear that defense is a need, and edge rusher and inside linebacker are two positions that could still use starters on Tampa Bay's roster. The Bucs will certainly address both those positions in the draft at some point, but when it comes to Round 1 and the No. 15 pick, Licht made it clear in his pre-draft press conference that he is very willing to draft a player at a position outside of the team's needs if he and his scouting team believe that player can make an immediate impact.

"I have no problem – no problem – if we view the player as a high-end, very high-end talent that's going to make an impact at some point," Licht said.

Licht proved this last year by drafting wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round with needs on defense. There's no reason to think he couldn't do it this year by drafting a position outside of Tampa Bay's biggest need — edge rusher.

Buccaneers could pass on edge rusher in Round 1

Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3) against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Bucs need an edge rusher badly. The team hasn't had a player record double-digit sacks since 2019, and it continues to struggle with pressure — last year, Tampa Bay was 25th in the NFL in pressure rating with 19.8%. That being said, the Bucs could skip out on an edge rusher entirely in the first round, given that No. 15 is a tricky place to pick one.

Without many true blue-chip edge rushers in the class, any edge rusher pick at No. 15 could be perceived as a reach. Miami's Akheem Mesidor is the player most often mocked to the Buccaneers, but he's already 25 years old heading into his rookie season and he's dealt with foot injuries on and off throughout his career. Alabama's Keldric Faulk is another option, but he's a physical project who displayed very poor production at Auburn and might project inside in a 3-4 defense due to his size.

The Bucs will very likely be looking to trade down on draft night, where those prospects might make more sense. But if they do not, Licht would likely have no problem taking another position at No. 15 and then selecting an edge rusher in the second round. Players like UCF's Malachi Lawrence and Oklahoma's R Mason Thomas would all be strong options in the second round, and Tampa Bay could wait until then to address this need.

There's no question that the Buccaneers need an edge rusher if they want to compete at a high level in 2026. But with how this year's class is stacking up, it may not have to be their first order of busi

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