Bucs find two hidden gems in Day 2 mock draft that can help the defense overcome key issues in 2025
At this point, it'd be an absolute shocker if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went offense at any point on Day 2 after taking wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick in the draft. So, it's safe to say the team is going to make it a point to target defensive needs and players […]
At this point, it'd be an absolute shocker if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went offense at any point on Day 2 after taking wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick in the draft.
So, it's safe to say the team is going to make it a point to target defensive needs and players in Rounds 2 and 3.
The first positions that come to mind are cornerback and linebacker. One could make a case for EDGE, but it doesn't sound like the Bucs are going that direction after listening to Jason Licht speak with reporters on Thursday night.
"I’ll be honest with you, our depth at edge rusher gives me comfort," said Licht. "I’m not saying that we won’t address that, but I like [our depth]. I’ve said it before, I think Chris Braswell Jr. has a big future still, we obviously signed Haason Reddick, I think Yaya [Diaby] is going to have a huge year, we love Anthony Nelson…
"Then, we have some young guys like Jose [Ramirez] who still has an upside. I don’t think it’s as dire as people make it out to be. I think we’re going to be a lot better rushing the passer this year.”
It may not be the most convenient path, but the Bucs will certainly have a good shot to shore up the defense once they're on the clock.
Round 2, No. 53 overall: Nohl Williams, CB, California Golden Bears
So, Todd Bowles said the Bucs wouldn't pass up a great offensive player at 19 despite the needs on defense. That happened.
He also all but said the team desperately needed more cornerbacks and did in fact say the issue would get addressed in the draft. Lastly, what he wants most in 2025 is takeaways and players who can produce them.
Ok – now it's time to make all that happen and selecting Williams at 53 would be a big step toward taking care of both needs.
The dude is a ball hawk, logging an FBS-best seven interceptions in 2024 and 14 total to go along with 38 pass deflections over the course of his five-year career. He's a smart, physical player and has enough height and length to man the outside corner spot in an NFL defense. He can also play both man and zone coverages, which is important for what Bowles wants to do.
He's a willing tackler and has special teams experience on top of all that. Overall, Williams is a good fit and would provide an immediate boost to the Bucs' cornerback room.
Honorable mentions: S Jonas Sanker, CB Shavon Revel Jr., DL Darius Alexander
Round 3, No. 84 overall: Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon
Bassa is a former safety and you can see it in his game. He started out as a WILL linebacker (in order to take advantage of his speed and athletic abilities) before moving to MIKE in 2023. In other words: He has all kinds of untapped potential that can help him make an impact in the NFL.
Playing MIKE comes with green dot responsibilities, a.k.a captaining the defense by making sure play calls are correctly communicated and players are in the right spots. Bassa showed he's capable of handling that, which obviously adds more value to his overall body of work.
Like any late Day 2 pick, Bassa has plenty of room to grow when it comes to certain aspects of his game like blitzing, eye discipline, and some instinctual traits. The Bucs' linebacker room has one of the best to ever do it in Lavonte David, a guy who's entering his third year in the system in SirVocea Dennis, and then another veteran in Anthony Walker to help him develop.
If it all works out, Bassa has the potential to become a quality starter who might not exactly have the same impact as LVD has (let's be real that's a really high bar to match), but at least a very big impact at the position for the foreseeable future.
Honorable mentions: S Andrew Mukuba, CB Darien Porter Jr., DL Ty Robinson
ESPN draft analyst thinks there’s a concerning reason lurking behind Bucs’ idea to draft Emeka Egbuka in Round 1
Naturally, there are some big questions that come with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' decision to draft Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and maybe the biggest of them all is its relation to Chris Godwin's recovery from a severe ankle injury he suffered in Week 7. If there is any […]
