NFL Draft season never sleeps, right? While the Bucs still have nine games to play in the 2022 regular season, we’re more or less at the midway point in the season. And what a disappointing season it’s been for Tampa Bay. There’s still time for the team to turn things around, but if you have little hope and find yourself looking ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft, this midseason 2023 mock draft roundup is for you.

Assessing Tampa Bay’s Offseason Needs At This Point In 2022

There’s still half of the season to play, so we don’t know for sure what the Bucs’ needs will look like heading into next spring. But for now, we can wager some guesses. Tom Brady and Blaine Gabbert aren’t under contract for 2023, so that leaves Kyle Trask as the lone quarterback left in the room heading into next year. So, quarterback may or may not be a draft need. There’s a lot to consider with that position, of course, starting with Brady’s future, as well as how the front office and coaches feel about Trask.

Bucs LB Lavonte David and co-DC Larry Foote – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Outside of quarterback, pass rush is always a focus. Tampa Bay could stand to continue getting younger up front on defense, plus the team will need to find a replacement for veteran linebacker Lavonte David sooner rather than later. The secondary is another area of focus, as Jamel Dean, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Mike Edwards are all in contract years.

It’s fair to wonder about the running back position as well, considering Ke’Shawn Vaughn doesn’t appear to have much of a place on the depth chart. Leonard Fournette will have two years left on his deal after this year, too, leaving 2022 draftee Rachaad White as the lone long-term option in the backfield.

And at wide receiver, the team has Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage locked in for the foreseeable future. But spending draft capital on some young depth and potential pieces for the future could be intriguing as well.

With all of that said, let’s check in on some of the latest mock drafts.

Pro Football Network’s Cam Mellor

Cam Mellor released a seven-round mock on Oct. 29. Here’s the rundown on what he’s projecting for the Bucs:

ROUND 1, PICK 19: DT, Gervon Dexter (Florida)

“At 6’6″ and well over 300 pounds, Gervon Dexter is a mountain of a man to block. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive line gets bigger, younger, and more ferocious. Dexter gives the Bucs another piece of a fearsome pass-rushing unit and is no slouch in run defense.”

ROUND 2, PICK 50: CB, Nehemiah Pritchett (Auburn)

“Nehemiah Pritchett has great length at cornerback and comes with sticky hands all along routes and at the catch point. Pritchett is a prime candidate to kick inside to limit slot receivers for the Bucs’ defense, something they haven’t done well in 2022.”

ROUND 3, PICK 82: G, LaDarius Henderson (Arizona State)

ROUND 5, PICK 150: WR, Charlie Jones (Purdue)

ROUND 6, PICK 180: C, Alex Forsyth (Oregon)

ROUND 6, PICK 182: EDGE, Brenton Cox Jr. (Florida)

ROUND 7, PICK 221: QB, Bo Nix (Oregon)

The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and GM Jason Licht – Photo courtesy of the Buccaneers

Keith Sanchez’s latest first round mock draft dropped on Oct. 30. Sanchez has the 3-5 Bucs picking No. 8 overall right now:

ROUND 1, PICK 8: EDGE, Myles Murphy (Clemson)

“The edge rush position for the Buccaneers used to be a position of strength, but it has quickly become a positional need for this team. Tampa Bay continues to add to the front seven and selects Clemson Edge rusher Myles Murphy. Murphy has all of the tools that you could want in an edge rusher and should be able to step in immediately and contribute.”

Walter Football

The latest Walter Football mock was released on Oct. 26, the day before the Bucs’ loss to the Ravens:

ROUND 1, PICK 19: CB, Jaylon Jones (Texas A&M)

“Jamel Dean will be a free agent soon, and the Buccaneers need the proper personnel to defend superior passing attacks.”