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NFL 2025 Mock Draft: Buccaneers Get LB Help

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to find a way to get some linebacker help this offseason.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 7, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Silas Bolden (11) makes a catch agaistn Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker (11) during the first half in the 2024 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Dec 7, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Silas Bolden (11) makes a catch agaistn Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker (11) during the first half in the 2024 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in need of some youth at the linebacker position, and they should be able to find it in the 2025 NFL Draft.

With the No. 20 overall pick in Bleacher Report's end-of-season mock draft, the Buccaneers ended up selecting Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker.

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"Walker is the nation's reigning Butkus Award winner, but he's not a traditional off-ball linebacker. The 20-year-old defender is a downhill demon when defending the run, blitzing the quarterback or rushing off the edge," Bleacher Report writes.

"[Todd] Bowles can deploy the defensive weapon in a variety of manners to exploit mismatches and any potential offensive weaknesses."

In his junior season with the Bulldogs, Walker had 60 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 14 games with the team.

Bleacher Report scout Matt Holder believes this could be a match made in heaven.

"This pick feels like a slam-dunk pairing," Holder said. "Lavonte David and K.J. Britt are impending free agents, as is outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, and the Bucs need pass-rush help regardless. So, the opportunity to invest a first-round pick on a defender who has experience as an off-ball linebacker and on the edge like Walker does makes a lot of sense."

If the Bucs let any of their linebackers walk in free agency, Walker could be a plug-and-play guy that could let the defense pick up where they left off in 2025.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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