NFL Draft: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mock Draft National Outlets Roundup 3.0

The Super Bowl is over, which means two things. There is no more NFL football until August and the NFL Draft order is officially set. How can this change what national media thinks the Buccaneers may do in April?

The closer we get to free agency, the more likely it seems the Buccaneers will re-sign Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans. Mayfield traveled to Las Vegas for Super Bowl media day and had a lot to say about his potential return in various interviews with the media. 

Mayfield made it pretty clear that if he is back, he wants Evans back as well. Having both Mayfield and Evans back would be huge for the Bucs and their draft plans.

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The Bucs could go many different ways in the draft. It's hard to guess what the Bucs may do. What we do know is, the team's front office will be busy trying to bring their own guys back. This would use most of the team's current projected cap space. 

The team could look to move on from a few veterans on the team. Shaq Barrett and maybe even Carlton Davis to name a few. It's obvious the team wants to get younger. 

Edge rusher seems to be a popular need for the Buccaneers, especially if the team moves on from Barrett. Being at pick 26 could be a tough spot to be in a weak edge after the few big names like Dallas Turner, Laiatu Latu, and Jared Verse. Jason Licht struck gold with YaYa Diaby, a fourth pick from the previous draft, and could look into adding a pass rusher to pair with him. 

Ryan Jensen recently announced his retirement after his knee injury never healed correctly. The Bucs could use one or two picks on offensive linemen. Left guard and center have been a weak spot offensively. Luckily, the draft is heavy in that position. Licht loves to draft small school linemen and this draft is full of them.

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Evans is aging and even if he signs back Chris Godwin is also in a contract year. The team could look to add to that receiver room. Licht's recent trend is to add players who participated in the Senior Bowl. There are a few talented options from the game that could be a good fit in Tampa. 

The secondary has been unreliable lately, especially with injuries. It feels like Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis are rarely playing at the same time. Todd Bowles likes to have a deep room of defensive backs. The top of the draft is full of DBs that Bowles could target. Strong Safety is likely the biggest need and there are some that fit the mold. 

The national media can't make up their mind with the Bucs draft projections. Let's dive into what they think the team may do headed into mid-February. 

The Athletic

26. Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

"Tabling QB here unless something strange happens with Baker Mayfield.

Latu has the most refined pass-rush arsenal of any edge in the class, and that might be enough for some to put him as the draft’s top rusher. The caveats are of a physical nature: Latu has subpar arm length (32 1/2 inches) and a problematic injury history. However, he’s a playmaker."

Pro Football Focus

26. Graham Barton, OL, Duke

"Barton is a Jason Licht type of player with tackle, guard and even center flexibility. He has served as Duke’s starting left tackle over the past two seasons, but his NFL home is likely somewhere on the interior. Luckily, that is exactly what Tampa needs.

Barton is a tough son of a gun with vice grip-like hand strength and enough experience to realistically start in his rookie season."

CBS Sports

26. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

"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. Brian Thomas flew under the radar for LSU, which is what happens when you play alongside Malik Nabers and Jayden Daniels. But he a legit first-round talent who won consistently on vertical routes and dominated at the catch point."

NFL Network

28. Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State (trade back with Buffalo)

57. Kiran Amegadjie, OL, Yale 

89. Beau Brade, S, Maryland

USA Today 

26. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

"Call this a contingency plan for the possibility of Mike Evans departing in free agency. Should the Buccaneers' all-time leader in every major receiving category head elsewhere in March, Thomas could step in and provide an immediate big-play threat for Baker Mayfield – or whichever quarterback is behind center in 2024."

FTN Fantasy 

26. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama 

"Tampa Bay doesn’t reach for a quarterback, taking elite Alabama cornerback McKinstry with their first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft."

Football Guys

26. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't have many needs. The retool was remarkable and short of a disastrous offensive coordinator hire, the arrow is pointing upward. Still, the cornerback room is thin behind Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis, and adding to the position now would give the team flexibility to move off of Davis should they choose. Mitchell is one of the most instinctual corners in the class and could produce elite ball production from day one."

Walter Football

26. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

"If the Buccaneers aren’t in a position to obtain a franchise quarterback, they’ll need to give Baker Mayfield better protection.

Amarius Mims has gotten lots of positive feedback from the scouting community. He has a tremendous skill set and lots of upside."

The Ringer

26. Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

"The Buccaneers may end up re-signing Baker Mayfield in free agency, but if they decide to go another direction (or if they do re-sign him and still want a longer-term succession plan), Nix makes a lot of sense. He’s not super flashy, but the former Ducks star is hyper-efficient, takes care of the ball, and can add some playmaking ability with his legs."

The Draft Network

26. Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

"Todd Bowles can do a lot with Cooper DeJean in his defensive scheme. Whether at CB, SAF, or both, DeJean's physicality, speed, and ball skills will be used well in Tampa."

The 33rd Team

26. Bralen Trice, Edge, Washington

58. Cooper Bebe, OL, Kansas State

89. D.J. James, CB, Auburn

Pro Football Network

26. Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami (Florida)

"The Buccaneers’ offense may face some questions as to whether they can get Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans back. However, pass defense is a bigger and more pressing concern.

Tampa Bay’s secondary could use some more reinforcement with hard-hitting safety Kemren Kinchens."

Sports Illustrated Fan Nation

26. Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

"The Buccaneer's pass rush was unstoppable in the playoffs, but Shaq Barrett has shown signs he’s slowing down. Replacing him with an incredibly technically refined rusher in Laiatu Latu will ease the transition."

Tankathon

26. Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon

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