How many Bucs would you take if you were trying to win now? For many who grew up in my generation, we were able to put this exercise to the test through the iconic video game series Madden. Madden always featured a re-draft process that put every current player into a draft pool. Chad Reuter of NFL media put forth his own seven round mock draft using current NFL players. Here are the Bucs who made the cut:

First Round – Quarterback Baker Mayfield

Baker stans who wear Pewter will be over the moon to hear Reuter has the swaggy playcaller staying in Tampa Bay going 15th overall to the Bucs. Not even a fantasy mock draft can keep the two sides from going through their current contract negotiations. Reuter’s thinking on the placement:

“Mayfield has become the heart and soul of the Buccaneers franchise. I can’t picture him anywhere else.”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Second Round – Left Tackle Tristan Wirfs

Wirfs isn’t the first Bucs player off the board, nor is he the first tackle. Not only does Mayfield go one round ahead of him, fellow tackles Penei Sewell (33rd overall), Trent Williams (37th) and Jordan Mailata (53rd) all get selected in front of the former 2020 first rounder. Reuter has him going 59th overall to the Browns noting both his fantastic talent along with his growing missed time due to injury.

“Wirfs has missed some games due to injury in his career, but he’s become one of the top pass protectors in the league when his spikes are laced up.”

Fifth Round – Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka

It takes three rounds for the next Bucs player to come off the board. Egbuka gets paired with Matthew Stafford in Arizona for the Cardinals in this alternative reality. He’s the 19th receiver taken off the board. Putting him with Stafford is a creative coupling. Stafford has a history of working well with the Egbuka’s archetype, previously putting up monster seasons with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Rueter’s take on the selection:

“Matthew Stafford should quickly find a connection with Egbuka, as Baker Mayfield did last year with Mike Evans out of the lineup.”

Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka Photo by: USA Today

Fifth Round – Defensive Tackle Vita Vea

Vea is the 11th interior defensive lineman off the board, going to the Giants in the fifth round. It is just two picks after Egbuka is selected. If only this type of article held sway in contract negotiations, it could help the big man net the contract extension he is looking for. Reuters makes the selection for New York to help them fill the real-life void they created when they traded away Dexter Lawrence.

Seventh Round – Safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

After reaching the peak of his powers in 2023, Winfield is a late round selection in Reuters’ exercise and the 10th safety selected. One was selected in the first round (Kyle Hamilton), three in the fourth (Xavier McKinney, Nick Emmanwori, Derwin James), three in the sixth (Jalen Pitre, Talanoa Hufanga, Kevin Byard) and two ahead of him in the seventh (Jessie Bates, Budda Baker).

Winfield lands in a place with especially low moving costs, staying in the Bay with Baker. Reuters’ justification for his pick:

“Winfield was born to play safety for Todd Bowles in Tampa Bay — and he is coming off a second Pro Bowl season in 2025.”

Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. and OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With just five players taken in seven rounds, it looks like Rueter believes the Bucs lack an average level of high-end talent. But I believe he may have overlooked a few players. Luke Goedeke certainly would get taken in a real re-draft. He has 19 tackles taken in this exercise, but no Goedeke. I’d personally have him over at least two of the selected tackles including Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taylor Moton.

And looking at 32(!) edge rushers going ahead of Yaya Diaby looks like a small oversight. Laiatu Latu gets selected and his 61 pressures last year are behind Diaby’s 2024 and 2025 seasons and his 8.5 sacks last year and 12.5 over the past two seasons are just 1.5 and 1.0 ahead of Diaby. Perhaps more curious is the inclusion of Montez Sweat and Cameron Jordan, both of whom Reuter takes off the board fifth round.

Bucs Selections

In addition to Mayfield and Winfield staying put, Reuters made the following selections for the Bucs:

WR Nico Collins – Second Round
LB Devin Lloyd – Third Round
C Tyler Linderbaum – Fourth Round
DT Jordan Davis – Fifth Round
EDGE Nick Herbig – Sixth Round

The Collins selection is really apt, as he provides the big-bodied slant/deep threat that was recently vacated by Mike Evans’ departure. Lloyd was a free agent this offseason and there was no public chatter linking him to Tampa Bay. But he is a perfect fit for a Todd Bowles defense. Davis “replaces” Vea who went 10 picks ahead, providing the massive nose who can create a numbers advantage against the run that Bowles likes to make foundational to his scheme.

Herbig is my favorite pick. His pass rush efficiency is special. And as much as I like that pick, I’m not a huge fan of the Linderbaum selection. While he is very good run blocker, he is limited as a pass protector, and I prefer a pass first offensive line.