Latest 2025 mock draft has Bucs gambling on what could be Lavonte David's eventual replacement

Lavonte David can never be fully replaced. He's one of the best players to ever don a Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform and has earned his place among the franchise's elite.But the Bucs can sure as hell try and find the next guy to take his place and that's exactly what they do in the first […]

Evan Winter — NFL Managing Editor
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Dec 15, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) celebrates after a sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half at SoFi Stadium.
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Lavonte David can never be fully replaced. He's one of the best players to ever don a Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform and has earned his place among the franchise's elite.

But the Bucs can sure as hell try and find the next guy to take his place and that's exactly what they do in the first round of A to Z Sports' latest three-round mock draft.

College and draft writer A.J. Schulte has the Bucs taking Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker with the 18th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Walker is a very athletic player who has played all over Kirby Smart's defense in 2024. Per Pro Football Focus, he's logged snaps at both outside linebacker positions, all three off-ball linebacker positions (MIKE, SAM, WILL) and he's even played snaps in the slot. 

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia

The Buccaneers' pass rush has been carried pretty heavily by the duo of NT Vita Vea and second-year player YaYa Diaby. With Anthony Nelson and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka set to be free agents, it's time the Bucs added some serious juice to their pass rush.

I'm not quite certain what I would do with Jalon Walker, but his athleticism and intelligence make him a Day one starter. I feel confident Todd Bowles could maximize his ability to play all over the formation. 

Schulte specifically references Walker's ability as a pass rusher, where he currently has 6.5 sacks on the year, but it's his athleticism at the off-ball position that really stands out. Much like David, he can be moved around the front seven, blitzed, and dropped into coverage when needed.

The problem, however, is with Walker's lack of instincts due to his relative inexperience and the fact he's not truly settled in at one position, like most Georgia players. Bleacher Report's Matt Holder notes that in his latest scouting report:

Walker's biggest issues are tied to his instincts, which stem from his lack of experience and playing several different positions. He often looks like he's thinking too much and can take a second to process information. However, he has started to show growth in the mental part of the game and can be a very good defender when he becomes more instinctual.

If there's anything you want in a linebacker, it's good instincts. A lot of times it's better than any athletic trait. Unless the guy is 6-foot-6, 320-pounds and can run and move like a guy who is 6-foot-2, 245-pounds – which we all know is not possible.

That would make this a serious gamble for the Bucs, especially considering it's a top-20 pick in the first round. All one has to look back to is Jamin Davis and the Washington Commanders. Davis was a very athletic, yet inexperienced, linebacker coming out of Kentucky, but Washington bet on his ceiling and took him with the 19th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Well, he was released before he could even finish out his rookie contract. That's how that went.

But, if it works out, the Bucs could find another foundational piece for the next decade, like LVD.

Schulte then has the Bucs drafting another Georgia player in guard Tate Ratledge (to help offset Ben Bredeson's potential departure) in the second round and Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman in Round 3. In all, this would be an interesting haul that also makes sense, but we're clearly still a very, very long way from all of this becoming tangible.

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