INTRO: Don’t fret over the Bucs having the 15th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The way most mock drafts are shaping up, there figures to be at least a couple of dynamite defenders who will be available when Tampa Bay is on the clock.

Yes, Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and Texas Texas edge rusher David Bailey will likely be off the board, but the Bucs will have a prime opportunity to stick and pick a stud defender at No. 15.

Here is a look at five highly regarded defensive players who the Bucs could be targeting with their first-round pick this year.

FAB 1. Texas A&M OLB Cashius Howell Could Bring Pass Rush Juice To Bucs

Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey should be long gone as Top 10 picks when general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles are on the clock, but if the team is looking for an edge rusher with the No. 15 overall pick, Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell shouldn’t be thought of as a consolation prize.

Howell led the SEC with 11.5 sacks last year in his first season as a starter at Texas A&M after spending the 2024 season rotating with starters Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton, who were drafted in the first and second rounds, respectively, last year. The first-team All-American had 31 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. In 2024, Howell recorded four sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in his first season in College Station.

Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Maria Lysaker

Howell played 570 snaps last year, up 121 from his previous year with the Aggies and that led to his eruption in sacks. The Kansas City native transferred from Bowling Green, where he notched 11.5 sacks, including 9.5 and a forced fumble as a sophomore. Over his last three seasons, Howell has not missed any time due to injury and posted a consistent number of pressures with 27, 24 and 27.

An absolutely chiseled 6-foot-2, 248-pound athlete, Howell is a classic 3-4 outside linebacker. With 127 tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss, 27 sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, there is plenty of production there for Licht and Bowles to be enticed by. Howell had a 90.3 pass rush grade per Pro Football Focus with a 19.9% pass rush win rate.

Licht loves defensive linemen who have the wherewithal to get their hands up and deflect passes at the line of scrimmage to affect the QB if they can’t get sacks. Howell has an absurd 15 pass breakups in his career, including 13 over the last two seasons. One of those pass breakups turned into his lone interception, which came against USC in 2024.

And much to the chagrin of Bucs fans – but to the delight of Bowles – Howell is fast and athletic enough to cover in the flat and even carry tight ends down the field.

Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Maria Lysaker

More importantly, he brings speed and juice off the edge, which the Bucs have missed since Shaq Barrett in his prime during his 10-sack Pro Bowl season in 2021. With instant acceleration and a tremendous ability to bend the edge and dip and rip around offensive tackles, Howell is a gifted pass rusher. Unlike Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Howell is a physical force despite playing around 250 pounds, and brings the fight to tackles.

He uses speed-to-power and has an impressive arsenal of pass rush moves, including a nasty inside move, a ghost step and his classic dip-and-rip. Howell will get knocked for having 30-inch arms, which are a few inches shorter than ideal. But his quick feet, quick hands, his energy and relentless motor make up for it.

Howell, who turns 23 on April 16, isn’t as gifted as Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas was, but some of his dip-and-rip moves are reminiscent of the late Chiefs star. Perhaps Dom C from DC_NFLDraft said it best…

The Bucs could use a fiery presence up front. While Howell isn’t necessarily a mean dude with a surly presence like Hall of Famer Warren Sapp was in his days in red and pewter, the swagger and energy he plays with is more akin to Jason Pierre-Paul. Just take a look at this notorious clip of him trash-talking LSU’s left tackle after beating him for a sack on the previous play.

And as we saw last year with the team re-signing a 37-year old JPP out of desperation, having another intense, athletic rusher off the edge like Howell would be a welcomed addition in Tampa Bay. Check out his highlight reel below.

FAB 2. Ohio State ILB Sonny Styles Would Be A Steal At 15 – If He’s There

It would be fascinating to see which direction the Bucs would go in if both Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell and Ohio State inside linebacker Sonny Styles were both on the board at No. 15. There is a chance that Dallas could take Styles at No. 12, but if the Cowboys don’t, there is a scenario where he falls to Tampa Bay a few picks later.

As much as the Bucs need a stud edge rusher who can produce high volume sacks and pressures to play opposite Yaya Diaby, the team actually has more of a need at inside linebacker right now. With 36-year old Lavonte David contemplating retirement and not under contract in 2026, in addition to Deion Jones and Anthony Walker Jr. being free agents, Tampa Bay only has two linebackers under contract.

SirVocea Dennis, who is entering a contract year, was an upgrade over K.J. Britt as a first-time starter at middle linebacker last year, but may not have the speed, athleticism and coverage ability to be a high-level starter in the NFL. Dennis might be better suited for a top reserve role like the team had in Kevin Minter in 2018-2021. The other linebacker on the roster is Nick Jackson, an undrafted free agent who spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad.

Ohio State ILB Sonny Styles – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Adam Cairns

Styles is an athletic freak who actually began his Buckeyes career as a safety before growing into a linebacker. At 6-foot-5, 243 pounds, he is an elite run defender who posted 100 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2024 while helping lead the Buckeyes to a national championship.

While his senior season wasn’t as splashy with big plays, Styles still posted 82 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss along with one sack, one interception and a forced fumble. What was amazing about his final season was that he didn’t miss a single tackle all year until Ohio State’s loss to Miami in the college playoffs.

Styles posted an 87.4 run defense grade last year per Pro Football Focus, but it is his 86.9 coverage grade that the Bucs should find appealing. The last two years have been a nightmare for Bucs linebackers in coverage as David, Britt and Dennis have each struggled to cover the middle of field and the flats.

Styles’ long wingspan helped him breakup nine passes and record a pick playing for Ohio State’s defense. He has a tremendous football I.Q. to man the middle of Bowles’ defense and superb instincts, which gives him a nose for the football.

Ohio State LB Sonny Styles – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Adam Cairns

With Styles’ size, he can effectively stack and shed offensive linemen to make tackles at the line of scrimmage and deconstruct opponents’ run games. And with his speed, which is expected to be in the 4.4-4.5 range, Styles could be the sideline-to-sideline rover that Bowles hasn’t had since Devin White was in red and pewter.

Styles is expected to absolutely blow up the athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine, and that could make him a Top 10 pick as a result. Some NFL draftniks even believe that he could be a better pro prospect than fellow Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, who is expected to be selected in the Top 10, as he too is an athletic freak.

So out of the five defensive prospects I’m profiling in this week’s SR’s FAB 5, Styles is the one who could be a long shot to be there when the Bucs are on the clock. But if he is, the Buckeyes stud would be awfully hard to pass up. Check out his highlight reel below.

FAB 3. Another First-Round DT? Bucs Could Draft Kayden McDonald

There is no doubt that the Bucs have a more pressing need at inside and outside linebacker to retool and rebuild their defense in 2026. But defensive tackle would be a close third, and that’s why drafting Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald could be tempting in the first round.

Yes, the team already has two high quality starters in Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey. But Vea turned 31 on February 5 and is entering the final year of his contract. Kancey is coming off a season in which he missed 14 of the team’s 17 games. In his three seasons in Tampa Bay, Kancey has played in 28 games and missed 22 due to injury.

Throw in the fact that Logan Hall underwhelmed in his contract year – and his Bucs career in general – and will be a free agent next month. It should be noted that Vea and Kancey were first-round picks in 2018 and 2023, respectively, and Hall was selected with the first pick of the second round in 2022. So general manager Jason Licht certainly places a tremendous value on the defensive tackle position.

Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Maria Lysaker

The Bucs need to start preparing for life after Vea, whose stats declined last year likely due to seeing more double teams without Kancey playing next to him for most of the season. This is not a great draft for defensive tackles, as the first round might only see three get drafting, including McDonald. So drafting a talented one early makes a lot of sense for 2026 and beyond.

At 6-foot-3, 326 pounds, McDonald is an incredibly athletic nose tackle who possesses a great deal of quickness and power. While he is mostly a run-stuffer, McDonald flashed some emerging pass rush ability last year with three sacks and 12 hurries as a unanimous All-American defensive tackle.

McDonald lined up in front of Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese over the last couple of years and helped the Buckeyes win a national championship in 2024. Known for painting his entire face in warpaint, McDonald is a fiery player who brings some energy to the defensive line. He had an 86.5 defensive grade per Pro Football Focus, including an elite 91.2 run defense grade.

Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Trevor Ruszkowski

Drafting McDonald this year would allow him the opportunity to learn from a two-time Pro Bowler as a rookie, just in case the team doesn’t re-sign Vea after the 2026 season. And while he waits to take over for Vea, McDonald could replace Hall as the starting run-stuffing 4i defensive lineman in Bowles’ 3-4 base defense.

With McDonald turning 21 on March 12, the Bucs would be getting an incredibly young defensive tackle who has NFL-ready tools, but plenty of upside to develop. Regarded as a top 20 prospect, if McDonald had returned for his senior season at Ohio State he could’ve been a top 5 pick in the 2027 draft with further development and production.

If Styles and Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell are both off the board at No. 15, don’t be surprised if Tampa Bay pulls the trigger on this sensational defensive tackle, who is rated higher than Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter and Florida’s Caleb Banks. Check out his highlight reel below.

FAB 4. Miami’s Akheem Mesidor Is A Plug-And-Play Pass Rusher

While Rueben Bain Jr. got most of the headlines at Miami along the defensive line, he wasn’t the Hurricanes’ leading sacker last year. That distinction belongs to Akheem Mesidor, who is actually a better pass rusher than Bain and finished with 12.5 sacks in helping to lead Miami to the national championship game.

The 6-foot-3, 280-pound Mesidor is built more like Saints legendary defensive end Cam Jordan than former Bucs Pro Bowler Shaq Barrett, who was just 6-foot-1, 250 pounds. But he’s a good enough athlete to get to the passer with bend and not just power, in addition to effectively drop in coverage on occasion. Mesidor had a ridiculous 50 QB pressures in 2025 and earned a 92.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which is the third-highest PFF grade for edge rushers in this draft behind Texas Tech’s David Bailey (93.3) and Bain (92.8).

Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor – Photo by IMAGN Images – Jerome Miron

So what is keeping Mesidor, who is regarded as a mid-to-late first-round pick, from being a top 10 selection? His age, as he turns 25 on April 5. Mesidor will be 30 by the time his fifth-year option is up. If he was two to three years younger, the Hurricanes star would be challenging Bain and Bailey to be the top edge rusher selected this year.

There is plenty to love about Mesidor’s game, and both he and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell are two of my absolute favorite edge rushing options for the Bucs. He has been incredibly productive both at West Virginia and Miami where he has totaled 208 tackles, 52.5 tackles for loss, 35.5 sacks, four pass breakups and five forced fumbles in his five-year career.

Mesidor might have the best pass rushing toolbox of any edge rusher in this year’s draft. He has incredible nuance as a pass rusher and always seems to have a pass rush plan he operates with due to his high football I.Q. Mesidor can win with speed or power and plays with a great deal of physicality and violence.

He’s also a very good run defender who can set the edge and hold up at the point of attack. Mesidor is also a backfield penetrator with 17.5 tackles for loss to go along with his 12.5 sacks last year. With four forced fumbles last year, Mesidor took his play-making ability to a new level.

Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor – Photo by IMAGN Images – Sam Navarro

If the team thinks taking Mesidor at No. 15 might be a little rich, Tampa Bay could trade down a few spots and try to select him in the 20s while picking up more draft capital. But the point in including him in this edition of SR’s FAB 5 is that he will likely be there at No. 15 as an edge rushing option.

Mesidor has had two foot surgeries that need to be medically checked and scrutinized at the NFL Scouting Combine, yet he has only missed one game over the past two seasons due to injury. And the Bucs shouldn’t even be concerned with Mesidor’s age. If anything he’s more pro-ready at age 25 than most defensive players in this year’s draft.

Jason Licht turns 55 on February 13 and has been the team’s general manager since 2014. Todd Bowles will turn 63 on November 18 and has said he won’t coach as long as his predecessor, Bruce Arians, did. Arians retired at the age of 69 after the 2021 season. With both Licht and Bowles in win-now mode, I don’t think either man is fretting about Mesidor’s age as they both could be retired from their Bucs career in five years. Check out Mesidor’s highlight reel below.

FAB 5. Georgia ILB CJ Allen Has Some Lavonte David Traits

Like Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor, Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen is probably more of a mid-to late first-rounder, and taking him at No. 15 might be over-drafting a bit. But he’s the next best inside linebacker prospect behind Ohio State’s Sonny Styles, and I’ve already explained how that is a big position of need in Tampa Bay in 2026.

Allen was a two-year starter who played three years for the Bulldogs defense where he racked up 205 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 10 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception. At 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, Allen is ideally built to play in the NFL.

Georgia ILB CJ Allen – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Brett Davis

He was incredibly consistent in his two years as a starter at Georgia where he posted a 76 Pro Football Focus grade in 2025 and a 73.6 grade in 2024. His 7.8% missed tackle rate last year was superb, as was his 88.6 run defense grade. On tape Allen has some Lavonte David-type traits. David was a second-round pick by the Buccaneers in 2012 and wound up having a Hall of Fame-caliber career in Tampa Bay.

Of the five players listed in this edition of SR’s FAB 5, I think Allen would be the Bucs’ fifth option. And I wonder how much better Allen is as a prospect versus other inside linebackers that could be had on Day 2 like Cincinnati’s Jake Golday and Texas A&M’s Taurean York. I also like both of those instinctive, physical linebackers.

Georgia ILB CJ Allen – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Cory Perrine

Still, the Bucs could very well need two starting inside linebackers in 2026 if David retires as expected. Allen has a high football I.Q., plays under control in the run game and make checks at the line of scrimmage, and has very good speed and athleticism to be effective in pass coverage and as an occasional blitzer. He could step in as the Mike linebacker on Day 1 and be an upgrade over SirVocea Dennis, especially from an athleticism standpoint.

If Allen or of these other four defensive players wind up in red and pewter either at No. 15 or somewhere later in the first round if Tampa Bay trades down, Todd Bowles will take a huge step in fielding a much better unit in 2026. Check out Allen’s highlight reel below.