Five Surprise Picks in the First Round for the Buccaneers

As we inch closer to draft day I thought Buccaneers fans should take a look at some dark horse players that aren’t being mentioned by the national media or other writers.

I think every fan is familiar with the selection of either Hargreaves, Spence, or Rankins for the Buccaneers. We’ve seen both Clemson defensive ends, but I think we all know the unjustified pressure that they would see because of past failures. Then there’s the unrealistic hopes that Ramsey, Bosa or Jack falls.

Instead, in this slide show, I’m going to go with five players that I think not only fit needs, but the type of player that we have seen Jason Licht draft over the course of his two years as the general manager of the Buccaneers. While I do think that every single one of these players can probably be acquired with a trade down, remember that it takes two to trade. I think that Licht will make a move and that Mike Glennon will be involved in a draft day trade, but that’s for later discussion.

More from Bucs Draft

• The Athletic’s early NFL Mock Draft has the Bucs taking a Top 5 QB in 2024
• Bucs front office reveals one thing the team missed during NFL Draft
• Peter King explains simple reason why Bucs passed on drafting Will Levis
• Mel Kiper Jr. hands out his official Buccaneers draft grade
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers undrafted free agents tracker 2023

This also is important if none of the quarterbacks that are projected to go before the ninth pick don’t go and we see a run on players, it would be nice to know we still have some good options available. These players will be ranked from least likely to most and  without further ado, I kick this off with a big surprise.

Next: Number Five