Bucs address crucial needs in a major way in latest 4-round mock draft
Tampa Bay checks some roster boxes that still remain after free agency.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty of needs remaining to address after free agency, and chief among them are on the defensive side of the ball.
Bucs GM Jason Licht did make some moves to address some of those roster holes, including adding rangy Detroit LB Alex Anzalone and versatile RB Kenneth Gainwell on multi-year deals.
However, the Bucs still have a need at every level of their defense, and no spot is more pressing than at edge rusher.
Fortunately, they have the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft to find some answers for 2026 and beyond, and that’s exactly what A to Z Sports’ draft pundits did in their latest 4-round mock draft.
Bucs address all three levels of defense in first three rounds of latest A to Z Sports mock draft
Round 1, pick 15 – Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell
Tampa Bay picks up an explosive edge rusher from Texas A&M in Cashius Howell with the 15th pick overall. This is what A to Z Sports’ Tyler Forness had to say about the pickup:
“There are multiple needs on the Buccaneers defense, but the biggest is at edge rusher. They struggled getting pressure on the edge last season, and it was a big reason why their defense couldn’t stop opposing teams. This might be a bit early for Howell, but he fits the profile of what Bowles wants in an edge rusher: fast and bendy.”
Hard to argue with this pick too much, although Howell’s sub-31-inch arm length is a legitimate concern. But the production is undeniable, as he tallied 11.5 sacks to lead all SEC edge rushers last season.
Round 2, pick 46 – Indiana CB D’Angelo Ponds
The Bucs have their nickel corner of the future in Jacob Parrish, who starred last season as a rookie. Parrish played some on the boundary by necessity, but his natural fit seems to be in the slot.
As such, it feels like a bigger cornerback might be a better fit here, with Ponds checking in at 5-8.5, 182 pounds at the NFL Combine. But his athleticism is undeniable, and he flashed it with a 43.5-inch vertical leap and impressive drills on the field in Indianapolis. He was also flat-out awesome last season for Indiana, posting an 89.5 PFF coverage grade after allowing a 50% catch rate and a 55.9 opposing passer rating when targeted.
The Indiana corner feels like a future nickel, and he could logically push Parrish to the boundary if Benjamin Morrison can’t take a step forward in 2026.
Round 3, pick 77 – Pittsburgh LB Kyle Louis
Louis is one of my favorite Round 3 targets. He tested very well in Indianapolis. He was among the top five linebackers in every drill at the Combine, posting a 4.53 40-yard dash time, a 39.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot nine-inch broad jump.
Louis has shown to be adept in coverage. The last two years, he posted 83.1 and 72.3 PFF coverage marks, respectively, with six total interceptions.
It goes without saying the Bucs have desperately needed to revamp their pass defense in the middle of the field. Anzalone is one of the best in that area and will be a big upgrade. Louis could be a big asset there and help the Bucs turn that weakness into a position of relative strength quickly.
Bucs find a second potential starting tight end in fourth round in Georgia’s Oscar Delp
Round 4, pick 116 – Georgia TE Oscar Delp
Delp, frankly, would be a big steal in this spot.
The former Bulldog had a field day at his Pro Day this week with a 4.48 40-yard dash, a 38.5-inch vertical, and 10-foot broad jump. He’s a willing and capable in-line blocker, and he has the speed and athleticism to be able to get down the field and beat linebackers in coverage.
Zac Robinson loves to deploy two tight end sets, and while the Bucs have both Cade Otton and Ko Kieft back, pairing Otton with Delp could create some mismatches for him to exploit in 2026 and beyond.
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