Well, Bucs fans, the arrival of draft season came a little bit earlier this year than it has in half a decade. For the first time since 2019, Tampa Bay is not preparing to play on Wild Card Weekend and instead has shifted focus to the 2026 offseason and making sure it’s only a one-year absence from the playoff field.
There’s still plenty to settle before the NFL Draft comes around in late April. News came earlier this week that the Bucs are giving Todd Bowles a chance to right the ship in his fifth season as head coach, but with that news came the expectation that there would be some big changes to the coaching staff.
Those changes came later in the week, with offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, defensive line coach Charlie Strong and cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross all getting fired. Additionally, safeties coach Nick Rapone retired, though it seemed evident that he chose retirement as opposed to an actual firing.
Bucs GM Jason Licht and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
The offensive coordinator search is already underway, and the other positions will soon be filled, too. After that, there’s a mixture of personnel work that will be done to shape the 2026 roster in a manner that hopefully makes it a contender and not just a fringe playoff team.
Free agency technically comes first in March, but draft prep is already underway. The East-West Shrine Bowl is set for Tuesday, Jan. 27, while Senior Bowl practices run from Jan. 27 through Jan. 29 and the game itself will follow on Jan. 31. Then comes the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis at the end of February into the beginning of March before top 30 visits start coming in after that.
With all of that in mind, now is a great time for a new Bucs Mock Draft Roundup. As you’re reading this, we’re either nearing or just passing 100 days until draft day. This year’s draft runs from Thursday, April 23-Saturday, April 25 and will be held in Pittsburgh. With Tampa Bay’s draft position set at No. 15 overall, let’s take a look at what some of the mock drafts throughout the NFL world are projecting for the Bucs in the first round.
***As a reminder, Pewter Report’s 2026 Mock Draft 1.0 will drop Sunday, Jan. 25, the day before the Pewter Report Staff heads to Mobile, Alabama, for a firsthand look at this year’s Senior Bowl prospects.***
Bucs Mock Draft Roundup: Nearing 100 Days Until Draft Day
Ohio State LB Sonny Styles – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Marc Lebryk
Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema
Round 1, Pick 15: Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
“The Buccaneers’ disappointing season ended without a playoff berth despite a 6-2 start, and defensive issues played a major role down the stretch.
“Lavonte David is a future Hall of Famer but appears likely to retire this offseason, while SirVocea Dennis has yet to show the coverage ability required of a full-time starter. Ohio State’s Sonny Styles offers a clear upgrade. The former safety brings explosiveness, size and physicality to the position, and his 2.2% missed tackle rate ranked among the lowest in college football.”
Tankathon Staff
Round 1, Pick 15: Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
SB Nation’s Mark Schofield
Round 1, Pick 15: Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
“Another Ohio State defender comes off the board as the Buccaneers add some talent to the second level of their defense. Sonny Styles is an ideal off-ball linebacker for the modern era, with the athleticism to run with tight ends and even receivers on one play and turn around to rush the passer on the next.”
Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Troy Taormina
Fox Sports’ Rob Rang
Round 1, Pick 15: Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell
“The Buccaneers overcame a weak second half to win the NFC South (editor’s note from yours truly: no, they didn’t), but an ineffective pass rush that featured just two defenders generating more than 3.5 sacks needs reinforcing. Though Howell began his college career at Bowling Green prior to excelling at Texas A&M, he’s as proven as it gets, leading the SEC with 11.5 sacks this year — giving him an eye-popping 27 sacks over his career. Previously an off-ball linebacker, Howell possesses the awareness to make plays in space, as well as the burst, bend and closing speed to wreak havoc off the edge.”
Draftwire’s Curt Popejoy
Round 1, Pick 15: Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner
Round 1, Pick 15: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
“One of the hardest players to slot, Sadiq plays a position that could cause him to tumble down draft boards despite his undeniable talent. His flashes, both as a blocker and receiver, remind me of George Kittle.”
Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard
Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante
Round 1, Pick 15: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
“Cade Otton is an impending free agent, and given the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ passing struggles this year, they might not find it worth it to pay him big money for average results. Instead, they could use the 2026 NFL Draft to add a much-needed explosive element to an offense that regressed this season.
“Kenyon Sadiq is an elite athlete who can separate from man coverage, has reliable hands as a pass catcher, and battles hard as a run blocker for a smaller tight end. He caught 8 touchdown passes in the 2025 regular season, taking advantage of his first opportunity at cracking the starting lineup. His upside as a receiver is through the roof, making him worthy of a first-round selection in our 2026 NFL Mock Draft.”
CBS Sports’ Michael Renner
Round 1, Pick 15: Utah IOL Spencer Fano
“The Buccaneers could look to bolster their guard position, which was an issue for much of 2025. Spencer Fano was a tackle at Utah but looks best suited for the interior in the NFL.”
The Ringer’s Danny Kelly
Round 1, Pick 15: Georgia LB CJ Allen
“The Buccaneers need to plan for life after Lavonte David, who’s almost 36 years old and is heading into free agency. Allen could help. He’s a speedy, athletic linebacker who flies around the field and makes an impact as a blitzer, tackler, and coverage defender. Allen’s range and incredible makeup speed in pass coverage are huge pluses, and he closes in on the ballcarrier in a flash.”
Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk – Photo by: USA Today
ESPN’s Jordan Reid
Round 1, Pick 15: Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk
“The Bucs need reinforcements in their front seven to help Vita Vea and fifth-round revelation Elijah Roberts, and Faulk is intriguing with his lengthy 6-5, 285-pound frame. He can instantly help as a run defender; Faulk knows how to deploy his tools at the point of attack while stacking and shedding blockers with ease. His frame and playing style compares favorably to Mykel Williams and Greg Rousseau, but Faulk needs to expand his pass-rush repertoire. He also had only two sacks this season after posting seven in 2024, but scouts are still enamored with his upside.”
USA Today’s Ayrton Ostly
Round 1, Pick 15: Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker
“Tampa Bay’s defense has regressed over the last two years and finished the 2025 regular season 20th in points allowed. They spent a lot of draft capital on promising defensive backs last year and it was between edge rusher and linebacker at this spot. We ultimately went with the toolsy Parker who could grow into a better player in the NFL after a disappointing 2025 campaign for the Tigers. He has the ideal size (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) with great physicality that could complement the team’s speedier edge rushers.”
The Krewe is on the clock with pick 1⃣5⃣ pic.twitter.com/5njncR7N54
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 6, 2026
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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