The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, ignoring some much bigger needs on the roster.

There's obviously more work to be done on Day 2, as the Bucs have the 53rd overall pick in Round 2 and No. 84 in Round 3. The middle of this draft is a deep one, so they should be able to find some more players that can provide immediate help.

So, with that being said, let's take a look at some targets for Jason Licht and Co. as we head into Day 2. It's important to keep in mind the players on this list are guys who are likely to their at picks Nos. 53 and 84.

Sure, I'd love to put someone like Donovan Ezeiruaku on the list, but he's likely to be long gone before the Bucs pick on Friday, so there's no point including him. It also works in the reverse: If a player is more likely to be selected in the fourth round or lower, then they won't be on the list. Trade ups and trade backs are always a possibility, but those won't be included.

But no more wasting time. Let's dive in.

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Quarterback

N/A: One could make an argument in favor of adding a quarterback in this draft, but not on Day 2. A Day 3 project guy makes sense, but the Bucs obviously have Baker Mayfield and they re-signed Kyle Trask. There's also a lot of intrigue surrounding Michael Pratt, so taking a signal-caller on Friday isn't going to happen.

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Running back

N/A: It's a deep running back draft, but the Bucs are set with the trio of Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, and Sean Tucker. A Day 3 pick makes sense like quarterback, but Day 2 doesn't register as much.

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Wide receiver

N/A: This is as easy as it gets. The Bucs certainly won't take a receiver on Day 2 after drafting Emeka Egbuka in Round 1. At least, I don't think they will. Right?

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Tight end

N/A: Cade Otton is the clear-cut TE1 on the roster and Payne Durham enough promise last year to where the Bucs can rely on him as the backup. Even Devin Culp took advantage of his opportunities late in the season.

Payne and Culp may not have lit up the stat sheet, but they certainly showed progress and it's likely enough to where the Bucs don't feel the need to take a tight end on Day 2.

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Tackle

Honestly, taking a tackle on Day 2 wouldn't be illogical. Some competition for Charlie Heck at swing tackle isn't a bad idea, at all, and taking a tackle would give the Bucs a safety net in case they can't extend Luke Goedeke. That doesn't seem likely, as Licht said he plans on having extension talks over the summer, but you never know. Either way, a tackle in Round 3 wouldn't be the worst pick in the world.

• Boston College T Ozzy Trapilo: Licht loves big offensive linemen and Trapilo certainly fits the bill at 6-foot-8, 319-pounds. He can also add some more size, which makes him even more enticing. 
  
  It's not just his size, though. Obviously, technique comes into play and Trapilo knows how to use his size/weight in an efficient manner and he knows how to time his strikes/use his hands well against defenders. Boston College ran both zone and gap schemes, so he knows the ins-and-outs of each, which is a big help. He can definitely come in and challenge Heck for the swing tackle job.

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Guard/Center

Ben Bredeson mentioned he could slide over to center if something where to happen to Graham Barton, but who steps up for Bredeson if that were to happen? Sua Opeta is currently coming off a season-ending ACL injury and Elijah Klein played a grand total of nine offensive snaps as a rookie. Behind them, it's Luke Haggard and Raiqwon O'Neal. There's no true backup center on the roster right now, so it's easy to see why guard or center could be an option, but most likely in the third round.

However, it's likely there won't be a center at 84 worth taking, so guard is more of a plausible option.

• Georiga Bulldogs G Dylan Fairchild: The dude is as big and strong as they come and his wrestling background obviously comes in handy when essentially wrestling with defenders in the trenches. He plays with the mean streak you want in an offensive lineman and comes from a run scheme that featured a mix of both zone and power. He has all the makings of Licht offensive line pick, minus the small school origin.

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Defensive line

There has been a good amount of talk about the Bucs adding a defensive lineman to their current situation and it honestly makes sense. Vita Vea, Logan Hall, and Calijah Kancey aren't guys that will play 100% of defensive snaps, so adding another quality player that can keep the pass rush and/or run defense running at a consistent level can certainly help the defense as a whole in 2025 and beyond.

• Toldeo Rockets DL Darius Alexander: The Bucs had Alexander in for a Top-30 visit, so there's definite interest, there. He can play both the run and rush the QB. His total sack numbers don't match his potential, but that's the key: He's just now tapping into his ceiling and playing alongside the aforementioned trio could put him on the fast track to success.
• Nebraska Cornhuskers DL Ty Robinson: This is a guy who could play all up and down the line, which would be huge in a rotation. He plays aggressive and fast and his IQ/play recognition is borderline elite. He's just one of those guys who might not ever be considered the best at his position or even top-10, but his play demeanor and toughness/scrappiness will lead to plenty of big plays and love from whichever fanbase he plays in front of.

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EDGE

The Bucs have solid four-man rotation on paper, but there are questions with each player. Said questions can hold the unit back if they aren't answered in effective fashion, as well, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to add some athletic youth in the mix that could provide both a short- and long-term solution to the pass rush.

• UCLA EDGE Oluwafemi Oladejo: The Commanders have shown solid interest in Oladejo and it makes sense considering the potential he showed in 2024 after moving from a MIKE linebacker role to a full-time stand-up pass rushing role.

• Ole Miss EDGE Princely Umanmielen: In terms of an inside/outside pass rusher – Umanmielen fits the bill. He led the Gators in sacks two years in a row while playing with his hand in the dirt and then led the Rebels in sacks last year while mostly playing from a two-point stance. He even dropped into coverage at times in the Ole Miss defense.
  
  Power/strength isn't his game, however, that can be installed over time. With the moves the Commanders made over the offseason, they don't need that from him right now, either. He can rotate in on obvious passing downs and add some juice to the pass rush while he continues to develop.

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Linebacker

The Bucs certainly need to add more depth to the linebacker room, even after the Anthony Walker addition in free agency. Like several defensive positions, drafting a guy on Day 2 can give the team both a short- and long-term option to help keep the defense upright.

• Oregon Ducks LB Jeffrey Bassa: A former safety, Bassa can cover from the MIKE position and can pursue sideline-to-sideline. He also wore the green dot in college, so he knows how to captain a defense. The Bucs will need to coach him up in the blitz department, but that can certainly be done as he rotates with Lavonte David and SirVocea Dennis.

• Ole Miss Rebels LB Chris Paul: The Bucs brought Demetrius Knight Jr. in on a Top-30 visit, but Paul offers more upside in coverage. You have to love his all-out play style, as well, which is an absolute must-have at the position. He's undersized, but makes up for it by playing every down like it's his last, yet avoiding mistakes and making plays at the same time.

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Cornerback

The Bucs can certainly stand to add a corner after forgoing one in Round 1, especially after Todd Bowles' most recent comments. Jamel Dean can't stay healthy and he doesn't have the ball production needed at the position, which leaves the Bucs with a big question opposite Zyon McCollum. Drafting a corner on Day 2 would give Bowles a guy that can step in if Dean goes down or he could even challenge him for the starting job if he gets off to a fast start in OTAs/minicamp/training camp.

• Iowa State CB Darien Porter Jr.: This pick makes a lot of sense as Porter Jr. is a converted wide receiver, like Sainristil, and he tested incredibly well in the three-cone and short shuttle, which are two measureables Peters takes seriously. He also has the size, length, speed, and ball skills that Quinn seeks out in his cornerbacks.
  
  At the same time, he's still raw when it comes to the cornerback position and he turned 24 back in January. At the same time, he'd be entering a situation where he has the time to grow and further develop his cornerback skills. He'd be well worth the project and is almost guaranteed to be there at 61.

• California CB Nohl Williams: The Commanders need to step it up when it comes to interceptions and adding a ballhawk like Williams would be a good move to ensure they get better. He picked off an FBS-leading seven passes last year and finished his four-year career with 14 in all. His awareness and ball skills make up for his lack of top-end speed and there's a world where he could move to safety in the future.
  
  He can also return kicks. Williams would be a very intriguing addition on Day 2.

• Michigan Wolverines CB Will Johnson: How far will he fall? If he tumbles to 53, it'd be well worth the dice roll on the Bucs' part. Johnson has the talent to be a perennial Pro Bowler if he can stay healthy and that's worth the gamble.

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Safety

This all really depends on what happens with Tykee Smith. While it seems like he's moving from nickel to safety, we haven't seen that in motion nor has it been 100% confirmed. The closest thing we've received to confirmation is Bowles saying they've discussed it and he's (Smith's) interested in it.

So, we'll go ahead and list this as a need heading into Day 2, with the assumption Smith moves to the position over the summer.

• Virginia Cavaliers S Jonas Sanker: Sanker projects as a box safety, but he could play free safety and even line up over tight ends/in the slot when needed. He's an athletic, instinctive competitor and he played special teams in college. He'd be a great depth piece on defense while he learns and develops and could really provide a spark on special teams in the meantime.
• Texas Longhorns S Andrew Mukuba: Mukuba is definitely a free safety through-and-through and his presence would allow Todd Bowles to use Antoine Winfield Jr. as a total wildcard across the board.

Bucs’ first round draft pick honestly doesn’t make sense for a team trying to break into the NFC’s elite tier

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is officially in and Jason Licht and Co. have decided to take Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in with the 19th overall selection. It's quite the decision, as Mike Evans is still playing at a Pro Bowl level, Chris Godwin just signed a […]