1. The Bucs Will Trade Down in the First Round
Jason Licht will likely opt to trade down from their current first-round position. Picking lower in the round provides more flexibility; missing on a pick in the 20s is less impactful than a top-10 miss. Licht prefers the safety of a mid-to-late first-round pick over the pressure of a top-10 selection.
2. Sonny Styles Will Spark a Long Wait for Off-Ball Linebackers
Once Sonny Styles is drafted early—likely between picks 3 and 8—there may be a significant gap before another off-ball linebacker is selected. Expect the next off-ball linebacker, potentially CJ Allen or Jacob Rodriguez, to come off the board around picks 23-28.
3. One of the Top 3 Edge Players Will Fall Out of the First Round
Whether it’s concerns about Rueben Bain Jr.’s past, questions surrounding Akheem Mesidor’s age or health, or worries that Keldric Faulk’s dip in production foreshadows future issues, at least one of these edge rushers will likely slip into the second round. Last year, we saw Donovan Ezeiruaku drop to 44th and Mike Green to 59th; history could repeat itself.
4. Oregon Tight End Kenyon Sadiq Could Slip to the 2nd Round
Despite being viewed as the most talented tight end in this draft class, Sadiq’s overall size and strength don’t match up to top tight ends from previous years like Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, or Brock Bowers. While he’s the best in this class, I see him more as a second-round talent and wouldn’t be surprised if he falls out of the first round next Thursday.
5. Darrell Jackson Jr. Won’t Last Past the 2nd Round
Many fans and mock drafts have Jackson projected to go in the 3rd or 4th rounds, but I don’t see him lasting that long. He’s a big man with athletic feet, capable of clogging running lanes and surprising linemen with his quick first step. Similar to how the Rams selected Braden Fiske at 39th overall in 2024, Jackson will likely go earlier than expected.
6. Four Wide Receivers Will Be Drafted in the First Round
Although there are 5 to 7 receivers projected to go in the first round, I believe only four will be selected in the first 32 picks. While receivers have been flying off the board in recent drafts, I think this year’s need for other positions will take precedence, and the top-tier talent at wide receiver isn’t as elite as in previous years. Carnell Tate stands out, but there are concerns surrounding others like Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, and Densel Boston.
7. Penn State Quarterback Drew Allar Will Be Drafted by the 5th Round
Once considered a potential top-5 pick during the 2024 and early 2025 college seasons, Allar has all the intangibles—size, arm strength, accuracy, and running ability. He just needs to put it all together. Given his potential, I don’t see him slipping past the 5th round.
8. The Bucs Will Make Two Trades During the Draft
I anticipate the Bucs will trade down in the first round and then make another move in the middle rounds—3, 4, or 5—to secure a player they’re targeting. Unlike recent drafts, Licht is likely to be more active in moving around this year.
Whatever happens, I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
For the Bucs to trade down it means there has to be a player for another team to trade up for. If a defensive player or offensive player fall out of the top ten I don't see Licht trading away that value so easily.
If Sadiq falls to the second I would do everything to trade up and grab him.
Allar in the 5th is good value for a backup
Faulk I think will fall and I do not want him in the first. Would love him in the 2nd
If you look at the Bucs depth chart their clear weakness is still at boundary CB and ILB.
Bucs have 11 OL they are comfortable with to roll with so drafting an OL is a luxury they could splurge on but not necessary (Wirfs, Goedeke, Bredeson, Barton, Mauch, Feeney, Chukwama, Skule, Klein, Haggard, Scott).
Running back is the same story with a clear top five of Irving, Gainwell, Tucker, Williams and Owens.
Edge is really controversial given the team may be super high on Walker returns. But I still think they add one edge via the draft as insurance. It seems that the the Bucs FO likes their projected top four of Muhammad, Diaby, Walker, and Nelson. Kamara is a question mark but he has the traits to push for playing time over Nelson along with the drafted edge rusher.
Dennis, Anzalone, Rozeboom and Jackson while are adequate starters none of them are in the above average/good territory. Edge at least has Diaby who is a clear #2 edge who is knocking the door to show if he is a low level #1 edge rusher. ILB does not have a clear starter unless we pencil in Rozeboom and Anzalone as the starters.
This is where Licht likes to draft ILBs in rounds 3 and 4 and while most would like to see the team burn a 1st or 2nd round pick on ILB Licht rarely drafts ILB that high (White is the exception).
Wide Receiver is still stacked and they can bring back Shepard as an option too. Between EE, Godwin, McMillan, T. Johnson and K. Johnson that is a strong 5. Then you throw in Houston, Greene, it becomes very competitive. Sills is the icing on the cake because he is deceptively fast for his size. While it would be nice to draft an X WR with size it doesn't make sense to burn draft capital here.
More likely the Bucs spend a draft pick at TE than WR because Otton is near or already hit his ceiling. Durham and Culp are solid for depth but haven't yet pushed into a clear #2 role.
Still, Licht does not shy away from value at WR in the third round and if a WR is there he will pull the trigger if need be.
Now we arrive to CB and it is a complete mess right now with no clear #1 CB and McCollum isn't playing like the 2 he should be. Morrison is a question mark and you could move Parrish over to be a low end 1 to pair with McCollum.
But that would require the Bucs draft CBs to shore up depth if Parrish is to play boundary CB and Roberts slides into NCB.
no clear #1 CB and McCollum isn't playing like the 2 he should be.
Dont they want McCollum to be the #1?
if they dont then first pick is CB?
LICHT on edge rushers
It is tough. There [are] only so many [edge rushers] that you could call truly impactful players,” Licht said.
“We found going back over the last few years that the players that [edge rushers] we thought were going to be good, most of them ended up being good. We just didn’t have the opportunity to take [them] or we took another position before them that we’re happy with in most cases.
“There’s a lot that goes into it. You’ve got your speed rushers, you’ve got your power rushers. The ones that have a little bit of both are usually the ones that are the most productive in the NFL. A lot of them have certain traits about them – personality traits – that make them tick a little bit more than others. So that’s why we do all the work that we do on them. It’s not for lack of trying. It’s not that we don’t believe in having edge rushers. We’ve had more success trading for or signing them than we have drafting, and I’ll be the first to admit that. But it’s not that we didn’t [like] any of the rushers that are currently making a lot of noise in the NFL…It’s a position that you can’t have too many of, but this year there’s a decent amount and we’ll have to see how it goes. We’ve done a lot of work on them.
I hope to Christ they do not pick McCoy from Tennessee. News out of NFL circles today was that more than half of NFL teams are red-flagging his knee problem as "degenerative". They need to avoid him at all cost.
@bucsbits - Licht is totally right by saying this… “It is tough. There [are] only so many [edge rushers] that you could call truly impactful players,” Licht said.
Thats what I’ve always said about the position. You better get them early or you’re really not getting a difference maker.
@bucsbits - Licht is totally right by saying this… “It is tough. There [are] only so many [edge rushers] that you could call truly impactful players,” Licht said.
Thats what I’ve always said about the position. You better get them early or you’re really not getting a difference maker.
Maybe Licht should actually draft a good edge rusher before saying stuff like this? He's only had a decade
no clear #1 CB and McCollum isn't playing like the 2 he should be.
Dont they want McCollum to be the #1?
if they dont then first pick is CB?
Has McCollum or Morrison shown anything to be a a 1? Parrish who is the NCB has shown more so this is why the Bucs drafting a boundary CB is a possibility to be a 1 if it means it keeps Parrish at NCB.
But if the Bucs are happy with Parrish/Morrison/McCollum as the top three maybe they wait till the 4th round to draft a boundary CB. It is a complete mystery on what they are thinking here.
Maybe Licht should actually draft a good edge rusher before saying stuff like this? He's only had a decade
Yeah you don't need to draft a home run at edge to have better pressure and improvement. Walker coming back to give you 4 sacks and new drafted 2026 rookie edge gives you 6 sacks that is 10+ sack change from the year before. Not factoring in Kancey playing a full season lol.
@bucsbits - Licht is totally right by saying this… “It is tough. There [are] only so many [edge rushers] that you could call truly impactful players,” Licht said.
Thats what I’ve always said about the position. You better get them early or you’re really not getting a difference maker.
Maybe Licht should actually draft a good edge rusher before saying stuff like this? He's only had a decade
Isnt that what he meant by "get them early or you’re really not getting a difference maker?"
In that decade you mention the team has had 1 top 10 pick. The top 5 pass rushers per PFF are all top 5 guys.
Some of it is circumstance and some if it is Bowles and definitely some of it is Licht
I hope to Christ they do not pick McCoy from Tennessee. News out of NFL circles today was that more than half of NFL teams are red-flagging his knee problem as "degenerative". They need to avoid him at all cost.
The Bucs like to gamble with talent so it is possible they go with him even with a trade down.
Note really surprising but Licht signals willingness ness to trade back
“In a lot of scenarios that we’re working through, yeah,” Licht said about trading down."
and/or take BPA round 1
“I have no problem – no problem – if we view the player as a high-end, very high-end talent that’s going to make an impact at some point,” Licht said. “I have no problem [with that].”
A trade down scenario is on the Buccaneers website
15. ** MOCK TRADE ** Cleveland Browns (from Tampa Bay): WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Cleveland doesn't wait long to put some of that recently-earned draft capital to use, here sending the Buccaneers picks number 70 and 107 to move up nine spots and hit their other big need, wide receiver. Using the Jimmy Johnson trade value chart, that deal is almost an exact match in value. If one considers Tyson to be the last receiver in the very top tier along with Tate and Lemon – and I'm betting enough teams are comfortable with his medical information to make that true – it's unlikely he would fall to pick number 24.
24. *MOCK TRADE* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Jacksonville via Cleveland): EDGE Zion Young, Missouri
The Buccaneers were counting on the depth at edge rusher to make their trade down of nine spots work, and they are pleased to find several attractive candidates still on the board here. The Bucs go with Young, a potential three-down player with great size (6-6, 267) and power to set the edge against the run and bull-rush opposing blockers. Young is a very physical player and a tone-setter who plays with his hair on fire at all times. The Bucs hit their biggest need with a player who can step right into a prominent role and still have three Day Two picks to address positions like off-ball linebacker, cornerback and tight end.
@bucsbits - Licht is totally right by saying this… “It is tough. There [are] only so many [edge rushers] that you could call truly impactful players,” Licht said.
Thats what I’ve always said about the position. You better get them early or you’re really not getting a difference maker.
Maybe Licht should actually draft a good edge rusher before saying stuff like this? He's only had a decade
Isnt that what he meant by "get them early or you’re really not getting a difference maker?"
In that decade you mention the team has had 1 top 10 pick. The top 5 pass rushers per PFF are all top 5 guys.
Some of it is circumstance and some if it is Bowles and definitely some of it is Licht
Fire, definitely get your point so this is NOT a critique, just wondering about your thoughts. The Bucs website has a trade down scenario and it includes an edge rusher
"24. *MOCK TRADE* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Jacksonville via Cleveland): EDGE Zion Young, Missouri
The Buccaneers were counting on the depth at edge rusher to make their trade down of nine spots work, and they are pleased to find several attractive candidates still on the board here. The Bucs go with Young, a potential three-down player with great size (6-6, 267) and power to set the edge against the run and bull-rush opposing blockers. Young is a very physical player and a tone-setter who plays with his hair on fire at all times. The Bucs hit their biggest need with a player who can step right into a prominent role and still have three Day Two picks to address positions like off-ball linebacker, cornerback and tight end."
TO ME . . Zion Young's bio reads like aa quintessential Bowles pick, a run stopping edge setter. Arguably more of the same from Bowles tenure.
Its only a hypothetical obviously, but isnt an example - just like hall, JTS and even Diaby - of Licht drafting to the stated needs of the HC?