The 2026 NFL offseason is moving right along, with the Senior Bowl, NFL Scouting Combine and now the first wave of free agency in the books. The Bucs have admittedly been going through it over the last week or so with the loss of future Hall of Fame wide receiver and 12-year veteran Mike Evans, who left for San Francisco in free agency. But Tampa Bay has made some more understated moves in an effort to build out its roster for 2026.
The Bucs have re-signed tight ends Cade Otton and Ko Kieft, as well as guard Dan Feeney. They also tendered restricted free agent running back Sean Tucker. As far as external additions, the team has added running back Kenny Gainwell, backup quarterback Jake Browning, inside linebacker Alex Anzalone, defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad and special teams ace Miles Killebrew.
It’s hard to get past the loss of a legend like Evans, but Bucs general manager Jason Licht and his staff have done well to add some more attitude to the Tampa Bay defense while retaining a reliable target and blocker in Otton and adding a real difference maker to the backfield in Gainwell.
Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: USA Today
While there could be some more moves to come, the Bucs have likely done the bulk of their free agency work already. And with that, their plans in the 2026 NFL Draft may have become a bit clearer. Licht and Co. will be looking to supplement the additions they made in free agency with another strong draft class, one that helps create the next stretch of success in Tampa.
So, with the majority of moves done both with the Bucs and across the rest of the league, why not check back in on the upcoming draft and see where things stand with the mock drafts coming out from all corners of the NFL world?
***Please note: The mocks included in this latest roundup all came AFTER the Ravens backed out of their trade with the Raiders for Maxx Crosby. That means these mocks once again have the Ravens picking at No. 14 in front of the Bucs rather than the Raiders.
Adding to the Krewe 🔜 pic.twitter.com/CPSkcznBRY
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 11, 2026
Bucs Mock Draft Roundup: Post-Free Agency
Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk – Photo by: USA Today
Pro Football Network’s Austin Swaim
Round 1, Pick 15: Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk
“Todd Bowles would love this lump of clay.
Keldric Faulk was a preseason top-10 pick, but a down year for Auburn was also a down year for him, recording just 2.0 sacks. However, we can give him a bit of a pass as a guy who doesn’t turn 21 years old until September.
At 6’6″ and 276 pounds with 34 and 3/8″ arms, Faulk has the best natural size of an EDGE in the class. He plays like a more mature player, setting up his moves well and using his length effectively.
Though he needs to improve his leverage as a run defender, Faulk gives the Buccaneers a legitimate EDGE to complement Yaya Diaby, whose 12 sacks in the last two years are just okay as the current leader of the Bucs’ pass rush.”
Round 2, Pick 46: Texas Tech ILB Jacob Rodriguez
“The Bucs have talent in the secondary and Vita Vea cleaning up on the interior. Personally, their biggest deficit on defense compared to the Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay team is fast, instinctive playmakers like Lavonte David and Devin White. Jacob Rodriguez won the Butkus Award by forcing 11 turnovers, and the fourth-best size-adjusted workout among linebackers at the combine showed that production can certainly continue at the next level.”
Round 3, Pick 77: Penn State DL Zane Durant
“We all have draft crushes, and one I’ve had since January is defensive tackle Zane Durant. Durant terrorized the Indiana Hoosiers in Penn State’s near-upset of the eventual champions. I was curious how his jarring first step would translate to testing numbers, and the second-best size-adjusted athleticism score among interior defensive linemen wasn’t too shabby. Putting him next to Vita Vea? Cinema.”
Buccaneers.com’s Brianna Dix
Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Ben Lonergan
Round 1, Pick 15: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
“With the top outside linebackers and inside linebackers off the board, the Buccaneers take the best player available in Kenyon Sadiq. Mike Evans departed in free agency to the 49ers and although Tampa Bay re-signed Cade Otton, that would not preclude the club from taking one of the greatest tight end prospects of the past decade. Sadiq broke the 40-yard dash record for tight ends with a 4.39-second 40. That is not conventional tight end speed, that is agile-receiver-type acceleration in the body of a 240-pound man.
“He reached a top speed of 23.24 miles per hour during the 40, matching the top speed of Gibbs at the 2023 combine. Sadiq jumped over 40 in the vertical and jumped over 11 feet in the broad jump, showcasing his rare athleticism. He can run an advanced route tree and uncover at all three levels, providing Baker Mayfield with another weapon downfield. Sadiq quickly works in-and-out of breaks with twitchiness to generate separation and is a seam-magnet.
“Sadiq has the body control to make adjustments to the ball and has a feel for soft spots over the middle of the field in zone. Oregon lined Sadiq up in a variety of spots, including slot, in-line, flexed wide and motioned across and he excelled in all.”
The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez
Round 1, Pick 15: USC WR Makai Lemon
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost Mike Evans in free agency to the 49ers, and Chris Godwin is no longer a sure thing. To seek a replacement and add to this room, the Buccaneers draft USC WR Makai Lemon. Lemon, paired with Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan, should give Tampa Bay a good young WR trio for the next few years.”
CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell
Round 1, Pick 15: Tennessee CB Colton Hood
“After losing cornerback Jamel Dean to the Steelers, the Buccaneers draft his replacement in Colton Hood, the SEC’s only player with a pick-six and fumble return touchdown in 2025. He was also the only SEC player with four-plus tackles for loss and eight-plus passes defended last season. His speed allows him to run stride for stride down the field on vertical routes, and he’s quick when planting and driving to the football in zone coverage.”
Athlon Sports’ Luke Easterling
Round 1, Pick 15: Bucs trade pick to 49ers for second- and fourth-round picks
Round 1, Pick 27 (from SF): Georgia ILB CJ Allen
“After trading back and acquiring multiple additional picks, the Bucs are able to get a better match of need and value at this spot. Even if Lavonte David comes back for a 15th season, the Bucs didn’t have another starting-caliber linebacker on the roster in 2025, and they need a more long-term solution than Alex Anzalone. Allen is a high-floor prospect who brings the intelligence, reliability and intangible qualities to be the ideal fit.”
Round 2, Pick 46: UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence
UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Patrick Breen
Round 2, Pick 58 (from SF): Texas Tech ILB Jacob Rodriguez
Round 3, Pick 77: Florida State DL Darrell Jackson Jr.
Round 4, Pick 116: Michigan EDGE Jaishawn Barham
Round 4, Pick 127 (from SF): Duke OL Brian Parker II
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner
Round 1, Pick 15: Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk
“Faulk was originally slotted to the Raiders at No. 14 in our pre-free agency mock. One of the youngest players in the class, Faulk is among the 10 best talents in the country, based on talent alone.”
Georgia ILB CJ Allen – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Cory Perrine
Fantasy Life’s Ian Hartitz
Round 1, Pick 15: Georgia ILB CJ Allen
“Alex Anzalone, good signing and everything in the near term, but he’s still on the wrong side of 30 in his own right. At just two years, $17 million, I don’t think that necessarily stops them from taking a linebacker here at pick 15. So go ahead and give me CJ Allen. Again, behind Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, he’s the consensus No. 3 off-ball linebacker on the board.”
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards
Round 1, Pick 15: Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk
“Keldric Faulk is young but not productive, a description that has fit Travon Walker, Shemar Stewart, etc. Those players tend to be quality edge-setters at the very least, and the hope is they can expand their pass-rush profile. Tampa Bay needs help rushing the passer after getting shut out in free agency, and Faulk has the length the team covets.”
Round 2, Pick 46: Texas Tech ILB Jacob Rodriguez
Texas Tech ILB Jacob Rodriguez – Photo by IMAGN Images – Nathan Giese
Round 3, Pick 77: LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier
FantasyPros’ Richard Janvrin
Round 1, Pick 15: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
“The Buccaneers desperately need help at linebacker and on the edge, but with Mike Evans leaving, they get another weapon to help Baker Mayfield.”
MockDraftDatabase Official Mock
Round 1, Pick 15: Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk
Bailey Adams is in his fourth year with Pewter Report. Born and raised in Tampa, he has closely followed the Bucs all his life and has covered them in some capacity since 2016. In addition to his responsibilities as a beat writer, he also contributes to the site as an editor. He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2019 and currently co-hosts The Pegasus Podcast, a podcast dedicated to covering UCF Football.
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