Buccaneers rock the first round of the NFL Draft and snag Heisman finalist to fix a major roster hole in latest mock draft
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to nail the 2026 NFL Draft, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Well, they do just in A to Z Sport’s brand new mock draft simulator.
Draft season is in full swing as we’re on the precipice of April 1. So naturally, it’s time to crank out a Tampa Bay Buccaneers mock draft.
This is the fifth installment dating back to December. However, we changed things up a bit on our end, leading to a completely different experience this time around.
That’s because, on a quick side note, A to Z Sports has not only launched a brand-new website, but we’ve also built our own mock draft simulator.
And let me tell you – it’s amazing.
So, using the simulator, I put together a full seven-round Buccaneers mock draft that gave me unlimited roads toward the final destination. Let’s dive in and see how it all shakes out.
The A to Z Sports NFL mock draft simulator offers a deeply customizable and data-driven experience with never-before-seen features. Try the mock draft simulator today, before the 2026 NFL Draft arrives!
Buccaneers 2026 mock draft version 5.0
There is important context to point out before we get started. I made not one, not two, but three first round trades that gave the Buccaneers an excellent slate of picks to work with.
I traded back with the Detroit Lions, then the Cleveland Browns, and then San Francisco 49ers due to the fact guys like C.J. Allen, Cashius Howell, Akheem Mesidor, R Mason Thomas, and a couple of others remained on the board as the first round progressed.
Therefore, I rolled the dice. And boy, did it work out. Below are the trades and what I was able to pull off:
- Trade back with Lions: The Buccaneers traded the 15th overall pick for the 17th overall pick and the 128th overall pick (fourth round).
- Trade back with the Browns: With the same guys on the board and few players still in front of them, the Buccaneers then traded the 17th overall pick, the 70th overall pick (third round), and the newly-acquired 128th overall pick to the Browns for picks Nos. 24, 39, and 70. The Bucs moved back seven spots in the first round, gained an extra second-rounder, and moved up seven spots in Round 3.
- Trade back with the 49ers: Finally, with the same guys on the board, the Buccaneers rolled the dice one more time and traded the 24th overall pick to the 9ers for the 27th overall pick and the 138th overall pick (fourth-rounder). Unfortunately, Howell and Allen were off the board by the time the Bucs were on the clock. Still, the new bounty of picks certainly helped alleviate the situation.
So, the Buccaneers’ new draft outlook contained the 27th overall pick, two second round picks, a third-rounder, two fourth-rounders, and then a pick in each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds:
That’s quite the haul and guess what? The Buccaneers still get one of the top pass rushers at No. 27 in this mock draft, as you’ll see below.
Round 1, No. 27 overall: Miami Hurricanes EDGE Akheem Mesidor
Yep, that’s right. The gamble works out, as the Buccaneers nab Mesidor, who recorded 12.5 sacks playing alongside Rueben Bain Jr. in 2025.
Mesidor has an extremely deep bag of pass rush moves and while run defense isn’t a strength, he can still wreak havoc in opposing backfields. I mean, the guy recorded 17.5 tackles for loss in 2025.
Regardless, he’s a good athlete who possesses solid burst and bend. He should be able to contribute quality snaps right away.
The biggest knock on Mesidor is his age. He turns 25 in just a few days, which obviously isn’t ideal. That’s why taking him at No. 15 is a little too rich for my blood, but at No. 27? Sign me up for that all day long.
The addition of Mesidor gives the Buccaneers a good four-man rotation on paper with the hope he can become the No. 1 guy sooner than later.
Top players on the board at 27: Oklahoma Sooners EDGE R Mason Thomas, Washington Huskies WR David Boston, San Diego State Aztecs CB Chris Johnson, Indiana Hoosiers CB D’Angelo Ponds, Missouri Tigers DL Zion Young
Round 2, No. 39 overall: Missouri Tigers DL Zion Young
The Buccaneers hoped either Mason Thomas or Johnson fell to them at 39, but that didn’t happen. It’s OK, though, because Young is an excellent addition that like Mesidor, can certainly find his way onto the field as a rookie.
Yes, the Bucs signed A’Shawn Robinson in free agency, but it’s only a one-year deal. That, along with Calijah Kancey’s health issues and Elijah Robert’s wait-and-see mode, leaves Tampa Bay with a need on the defensive line, still.
Young is a fringe first-round talent that would immediately boost the Bucs’ run defense thanks to his length, strength, and technique. He still has a ways to go as a pass rusher, but that can all be developed over time. The key factor is he has enough traits to where he probably won’t be a stud rusher or anything like that, but he can be an every-down player.
Top players on the board at 39: Texas Tech Red Raiders LB Jacob Rodriguez, Toledo Rockets DB Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Tennessee Volunteers WR Chris Brazzell, Ohio State Buckeyes DL Keyland McDonald, Indiana Hoosiers CB D’Angelo Ponds
Round 2, No. 46 overall: Texas Tech Red Raiders LB Jacob Rodriguez
The Buccaneers are thrilled to take Rodriguez, here. Just in case you’re unfamiliar with his final season in Lubbock: The dude finished fifth in Heisman voting (yes, that’s right), and swept the major defensive awards by winning the Butkus Award (top linebacker), Bronko Nagurski Trophy (for the nation’s top defensive player), Chuck Bednarik Award, and the Lombardi Award.
He also earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year billing. It’s all more than well-deserved after Rodriguez finished the season with 128 total tackles, 1.0 sack, 11.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions, six pass deflections, and an FBS-leading seven forced fumbles.
Rodriguez is fast, athletic, and arguably the most instinctive linebacker in this draft class. He’s an all-around player that can both cover and defend the run. Rodriguez can be the missing piece to the Bucs’ linebacker room that would suddenly make it a respectable crew on paper. It would be shocking if he failed to compete against Christian Rozeboom for the starting job opposite Alex Anzalone, as well.
The biggest knock on Rodriguez is his size and that’s understandable considering it was the catalyst behind his inability to get off blocks at times. But hey, Lavonte David is an undersized linebacker and we saw how that worked out. No one is saying Rodriguez will rise to the level of the franchise legend – only that the lack of size won’t completely prohibit him from becoming a great player.
Top players on the board at 46: Indiana Hoosiers CB D’Angelo Ponds, Texas Longhorns LB Anthony Hill Jr., Missouri Tigers LB Josiah Trotter, South Carolina Gamecocks CB Brandon Cisse
Round 3, No. 70 overall: Texas A&M Aggies CB Will Lee III
The Buccaneers wanted to get back to playing more man coverage in 2025 and they backed it up by drafting Benjamin Morrison in Round 2 and Jacob Parrish in Round 3.
Well, the jury is still out on Morrison. On top of that, Zyon McCollum had the worst year of his career before landing on season-ending IR. If you look at the Buccaneers depth chart, the cornerback position is a major question mark. That’s why the Buccaneers took Lee in this mock draft.
Lee is an adept man coverage corner that also possesses the size Todd Bowles loves at 6-foot-1, 189 pounds. He’s a long, physical corner who mirrors receivers really well and he appears much faster on tape then the 4.50 he ran at the combine.
Granted, he’s nowhere near as good in zone coverage as he is in man coverage, but that can be coached up. He gets grabby and isn’t the cleanest in run defense, but again, those issues can be fixed.
Top players on the board at 70: Georgia Tech Yellowjackets G Keylan Rutledge, Pittsburgh Panthers LB Kyle Louis, Georgia Bulldogs TE Oscar Delp
Round 4, No. 116 overall: South Carolina Gamecocks S Jal0n Kilgore
You’ll see the grades I received for each pick later, but I’m going to go ahead and play spoiler with Kilgore. For some reason, the simulator did not like my pick, evidenced by the “C” grade.
I staunchly oppose that grade because Kilgore is the perfect DB specimen. He’s not a true safety. In fact, he’s a chess piece Bowles can move around the defense that provides depth at both corner and safety. He can move between safety and nickel while he continues to work on his coverage skills and techniques.
Granted, Kilgore is very raw and there are a lot of scouts that think he needs to step it up in the physicality department. He definitely needs to clean up certain elements like his backpedal, but his issues are correctable.
With Lee and now Kilgore in the fold, the Buccaneers can feel a lot better about the defensive back room.
Top players on the board at 116: Stanford Cardinal TE Sam Roush, UConn Huskies WR Skylar Bell, Georgia Bulldogs CB Daylen Everette
Round 4, No. 138 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. In reality, Otton’s presence helps this pick make even more sense than it did in our second Buccaneers 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 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 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.
Rounds 5-7:
- Round 5, No. 155 overall: Notre Dame Fighting Irish G Billy Schrauth
- It was a bit surprising to see Schrauth in the fifth round, but the ankle and knee injuries he suffered over the last two years are certainly worth noting. Regardless, he has starter potential if he can stay healthy and immediately boosts the Buccaneers’ depth on the interior offensive line.
- Round 6, No. 195 overall: Florida Gators WR J. Michael Sturdivant
- Simply put – the Buccaneers need a big body to replace Mike Evans. Sturdivant is that guy at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds and with 4.4 speed. His actual production isn’t even close to what he shows on tape, which is why he fell to 195. However, there are plenty of traits to tap into and he could be steal for the Buccaneers.
- Round 7, No. 229 overall: South Carolina Gamecocks DL Nick Barrett
- Barrett adds more beef to the defensive line and brings good run defense ability to the party. He’s not going to become an effective pass rusher, most likely, but he can eat up space and take on blocks so others around him can make plays.
So, what was the final grade for this Buccaneers mock draft?
As it turns out, I make a pretty good GM. Even if the simulator did not like my Kilgore, Boerkircher, or Sturdivant picks:
Regardless, the first four picks can be Day 1 contributors and even the guys after them have legitimate shots to compete for playing time. On top of that, they all have the ability to make some big plays for the Buccaneers in 2026.
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