The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone, which means that the Bucs will be welcoming in a full class of rookies and bringing in a wave of undrafted free agents to fight for roster spots starting at rookie mini camp in early May.

Just to recap, here is who Tampa Bay selected round-by-round:

No. 26: Duke OL Graham Barton

No. 57: Alabama EDGE Chris Braswell

No. 89: Georgia DB Tykee Smith

No. 92: Washington WR Jalen McMillan

No. 125: Oregon RB Bucky Irving 

No. 220: UTEP OL Elijah Klein

No. 246: Washington TE Devin Culp

It comes as little surprise that after the draft concluded there were plenty of instant reactions and grades given out by various national media outlets about how each team did. Below is what they had to see about the Bucs’ 2024 draft class, which includes pick-by-pick analysis as well as which selections were the best and worst. Overall sentiment regarding Tampa Bay’s haul is mostly positive.

Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema | Grade: A

Bucs HC Todd Bowles, OL Graham Barton and GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Barton — Tampa Bay is set at tackle with Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke, so Barton is sure to play inside. He has experience at center and enough athleticism to play anywhere up front. Barton earned an 88.7 overall PFF grade across the last two seasons, which stands as the fifth-best among all FBS tackles in that span.

Braswell — The Buccaneers pick up a consistent power-based outside linebacker in Chris Braswell. He isn’t as explosive as his Alabama teammate Dallas Turner, but he led the SEC in pressures in 2023 and provides a solid anchor on the edge in the run game. He is likely to be an immediate starter for the Buccaneers.

Smith — The second Georgia safety to come off the board, Smith is the perfect player to stack the box and add aggressiveness to a defense. Smith will have no problem setting the edge in the run game and graded well in the SEC, earning the third-best run-defense grade among safeties (84.0). He lacks the long speed to be a deep coverage player but has a role in the Buccaneers’ secondary.

McMillan — McMillan is the 15th receiver off the board and finds himself in a great situation in Tampa Bay. A weapon out of the slot, he recorded 14 touchdowns since 2022, most among Power Five receivers. In an offense with big-time playmakers, McMillan was prioritized in Washington. A nuanced route runner, he’ll need to lean into that strength, as he doesn’t have the top-end speed to take the top off defenses.

Irving — The Buccaneers add one of the toughest running backs to tackle in this draft, as Irving forced 136 missed tackles over the past two seasons to rank second among Power Five running backs. His 96.1 PFF rushing grade in that span also ranks second.

Klein — Klein wasn’t on the PFF big board or consensus board, but he did post some impressive numbers as a pass blocker in his final season at UTEP. He earned a 93.5 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2023, allowing just three total pressures from 372 pass-blocking snaps.

Culp — Culp was limited as a receiver, catching 16 passes for 208 yards on 23 targets. He was solid as a run blocker, though, earning a 73.2 PFF run-blocking grade in 2023.

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco | Grade: B+

Bucs WR Jalen McMillan – Photo by: USA Today

Best Pick: Third-round receiver Jalen McMillan will prove to be a major steal. He was Washington’s leading receiver in 2022, with more catches than Rome Odunze, who went ninth in this draft. McMillan will become a good slot receiver. 

Worst Pick: I didn’t love the pick of Chris Braswell in the second. I know they need pass-rush help, but this was a little high for Braswell in my book. 

The Skinny: They did a nice job landing good players and also filling needs. It started with first-round guard-center Graham Barton, who will likely be the starting center. Braswell was picked for need and will be a rotation player early. I do like McMillan and fifth-round running back Bucky Irving. 

Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald | Grade: B+

Really solid draft for the Buccaneers. Offensive lineman Graham Barton is one of the cleanest prospects in the draft and can play all five positions up front. This is a terrific player to pair with Tristan Wirfs. The Bucs also grabbed a solid wide receiver prospect in Jalen McMillan and a quality running back in Bucky Irving. How linebacker Chris Braswell and defensive back Tykee Smith develop will be important for the overall impact of this draft class. This is a nice haul for the Buccaneers.

Favorite pick: Graham Barton, OL, Duke (26th overall)

Barton is a stud. He checks off every box a team could want in a versatile offensive line prospect and comes ready to start Day 1. It’s a home run prospect at a position of need. It’s never a bad idea to bolster your offensive line!

Least favorite pick: Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama (57th overall)

Braswell is solid, but this felt early for him to be picked in the draft. He is a jack-of-all-trades edge defender who projects more as a rotational player than a core piece of a pass rush group. Even then, it can’t hurt to add a well-rounded player like this to your edge group. He offers solid run support and has some experience in coverage.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter | Grade: B+

Day 1 grade: A

Day 2 grade: B

Day 3 grade: C+

Barton’s versatility, intelligence and toughness will make him one of the top linemen in this draft despite falling into the back part of the first round. Braswell met the team’s need for an edge rusher but will need to prove he was worth his draft standing. Smith should contribute immediately, and McMillan could be a playmaker as his game matures.

The Buccaneers could have picked Will Shipley over Irving, but the former Oregon Duck will compete for playing time with Chase Edmonds as a complementary back in 2024. Another interior lineman was picked in Klein, but no cornerbacks were brought on board.

ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr. | Grade: B

Bucs OLB Chris Braswell – Photo by: USA Today

Top needs entering the draft: Offensive line, wide receiver, linebacker

The Bucs had a balanced first two days of the draft. Graham Barton (26) is my top-ranked center, and he’ll immediately help a run game that ranked 32nd in yards per attempt (3.4) last season. While he played left tackle at Duke, he has All-Pro upside at the pivot. Chris Braswell (57) has been underrated for the past few months. The edge rusher isn’t the flashiest player, but he is an all-around defender with an interesting skill set as a pass-rusher. Tampa Bay has to get better on the edge in 2024.

Wideout Jalen McMillan (92) was a steal at the end of Round 3. He could be an outstanding No. 3 receiver as a rookie before taking on a bigger role in 2025. Tykee Smith (89) went about a round earlier than I thought he would. At 5-10, he’s undersized, but he does have some versatility. It sounds like the Bucs will play him in the slot. Running back Bucky Irving (125) won’t blow away defenders with his speed, but he can make quick cuts between the tackles.

Fox Sports’ Greg Auman | Grade: B

The Bucs made no trades but still pulled in a strong class that hit on key needs. Center Graham Barton leads the way, with edge Chris Braswell, nickel Tykee Smith and receiver Jalen McMillan all in the top 100 picks. There were no trades, no small-school gems to be found, but they brought in potential impact players all over the field. Tampa Bay had the same record as New Orleans, but picked 12 spots later in each round as a result of being division champ.