The first wave of free agency has come and gone and sure enough, the results have provided us plenty of clues as to what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (and the rest of the league) will do in the upcoming NFL Draft.

The Buccaneers had a busy week, but there’s still plenty of work to be done in both free agency and the draft. So, let’s go ahead and dish out a post-first wave of free agency mock draft as we are now just five weeks out from the NFL Draft.

Buccaneers 2026 mock draft version 4.0

Round 1, No. 15 overall: Miami Hurricanes EDGE Akheem Mesidor

This is the first mock draft I’ve done without Cashius Howell at No. 15 and I’ll tell you why it’s now Mesidor.

For starters, Mesidor is bigger than Howell at 6-foot-3, 259 pounds. He also has four more inches of overall wingspan and his arms are almost two inches longer than Howell’s. Overall, he’s not much bigger than Howell, but he’s a lot longer, which definitely matters.

He’s got the bend and athleticism the Buccaneers are looking for at the position and he’s great with his hands, as well as setting up his moves. He may not be as quick as Howell, but he’s quick enough and his added length helps offset that.

Mesidor was reportedly highly impressive in combine interviews, as well, which always helps.

The red flags are age, as Mesidor turns 25 in April, and his inability to defend the run at a serviceable level. The age issue is obviously unfixable, but the run defense stuff can be coached up. Overall, he’s a good fit that makes a lot of sense at a position of need.

Honorable mentions: Georgia Bulldogs LB C.J. Allen

Round 2, No. 46 overall: Texas Longhorns LB Anthony Hill Jr.

I’m flipping back and forth between Hill Jr. and Jacob Rodriguez at No. 46 and today the coin landed on Hill Jr.

The Buccaneers filled a major need by signing Alex Anzalone in free agency, but there’s still plenty of work to be done at linebacker. Especially since Lavonte David’s future is still unknown.

Enter Hill, who is the epitome of “havoc”. The dude did nothing but make plays during his time at Texas, evidenced by his 249 total tackles, 17.0 sacks, three interceptions, 31.5 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles, and four pass breakups over the course of 40 games.

He provided the Longhorns defense a boost since the moment he stepped on the field his freshman year and still has plenty of development left at just 21 years old.

Honorable mentions: Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez, Oklahoma Sooners EDGE R Mason Thomas

Round 3, No. 77 overall: Washington Huskies CB Tacario Davis

Have you seen the collection of defensive backs on the current Buccaneers depth chart?

The Bucs have to add another corner, or safety, to the mix. They need a guy who can be an effective part of the short- and long-term, as well. Not just a veteran on one-year deal or practice squad guys they hope can turn into more.

Davis is unicorn at the position, weighing in at 6-foot-4, 194 pounds with 4.4 speed, which is simply crazy to think about. He’s a physical, lanky corner who excels in run support.

Granted, he plays tall and his transition skills are subpar due to his height. However, he can still match up on the perimeter in man/Cover 3 which is a big chunk of the Bucs’ secondary scheme. This would be a very intriguing pick that could really turn into something down the road.

Honorable mentions: Florida Gators CB Devin Moore, Texas A&M Aggies CB Will Lee

Round 4, No. 116 overall: Texas A&M Aggies TE Nate Boerkircher

This might be surprising to see considering the Buccaneers brought Cade Otton back on a three-year deal, but in reality, Otton staying in Tampa Bay makes this pick make even more sense than it did in our first Bucs mock draft.

Boerkircher can be an impact player on Day 1 despite being a Day 3 pick due to his blocking ability in the run game and his special teams play. He’s also a former walk-on who had to work for everything he got in college, so the mental toughness and grind-it-out attitude is there.

With Otton in the fold, it gives the Buccaneers and Boerkircher plenty of time to develop what looks like very underrated and underutilized receiving skills. He has very good hands, shows a tremendous knack for finding the soft spots in zone, and runs a variety of routes at a high level.

Like Mesidor, age is the biggest factor with Boerkircher, as he will also be 25 during his rookie year. However, in time, Boerkircher could become one of 2026’s biggest draft gems and that’s certainly worth rolling the dice on.

Honorable mentions: Arizona Wildcats S Dalton Johnson

Round 5, No. 155 overall: Syracuse Orange G TJ Ferguson

With good movement skills at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, and the ability to play both guard and center, there’s a lot to like when it comes to Ferguson.

So why is he dropping all the way to the fifth round? The answer is simple: lack of experience.

Ferguson appeared in 35 games over the course of his five years in college, but made just one start. Still, he showed plenty of flashes and potential to at least warrant a draft pick.

He obviously would come in as a depth guy, where he can continue to develop and maybe one day get on the field as a starter. At worst, he can be a reliable backup.

Honorable mentions: Texas A&M DL Albert Regis, Notre Dame Fighting Irish S Jalen Stroman

Round 6, No. 195 overall: Alabama Crimson Tide LB Justin Jefferson

Right now, Jefferson is best in coverage, where he can use his speed and athleticism to match up against opposing skill players. He would be a liability in the run game and has trouble getting off blocks, which raises questions about his effectiveness on special teams, something that is crucial for a late-round pick to have.

Still, there’s a lot of upside with Jefferson and he can become a solid backup/rotational player if everything plays out as expected.

Honorable mentions: Toledo CB Andre Fuller, Mississippi Dl Zxavian Harris

Round 7, No. 229 overall: Georgia Bulldogs WR Colbie Young

Size, size, and MORE size is what comes to mind with Young, who stands just a tick under 6-foot-5 and weighs 218 pounds.

He also has solid speed at 4.49 – does any of this sound familiar?

Now, no one is saying Young is the next Mike Evans. By any means. That’d simply be ludicrous to say about a seventh-round pick. However, Young can serve as a downfield threat on contested catches and he has all kinds of potential as a future red zone weapon.

Honorable mentions: WR J. Michael Sturdivant