NFL Mock Draft: Bucs pull off three trades in 7-round prediction

Round 4

Pick acquired from Las Vegas Raiders

After going pretty heavy on the defense with the first few picks, the Bucs can probably afford to get fancy with some skill position players in the fourth round. One of those guys could be Kayshon Boutte, who has high-upside stock and might be worth the risk.

He had ankle surgery last offseason but didn’t really seem like the same explosive player he had been before. That’s what has tanked his stock from where it was back in 2021, which would have easily seen him picked in the first round. Instead, after a setback season at LSU, he’s a Day 3 pick but a potential mid-round steal for a team that can put him in the right position. With the Bucs, Boutte would slide into the slot where Chris Godwin is likely to be moved from. This would give Baker Mayfield (or whoever wins the starting job) a wide receiver trio of Mike Evans, Godwin, and Boutte — not too shabby.

Round 4

Bucs acquire picks No. 122 and No. 134 from Kansas City in exchange for picks No. 119 (from earlier trade with Minnesota), No. 181, and No. 214 (from earlier trade with Las Vegas).

Pick acquired from Kansas City Chiefs

As stated a few times, the Bucs don’t actually have any fourth-round picks in this year’s draft. Rather than pass up on some decent mid-round talent, we put together another trade that landed the Bucs two additional fourth-rounders to use on interesting lottery tickets that could pay off big.

The first if Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn. Who doesn’t love drafting a rookie running back? Much like the quarterback debate, much has been made about Tampa Bay possibly selecting Texas running back Bijan Robinson, but the history of first-round backs isn’t great — it’s much kinder to mid-round backs like Vaughn.

He’s short, which is somehow overstating his height. At 5-foot-5, he clocks in at Darren Sproles levels but that’s less a knock on his height and more a highlight of his potential skillset. Vaughn is a downhill runner who adds blazing speed to the Bucs backfield. Paired with Rachaad White, Vaughn would be a true change-of-pace back in that he offers skills that complement White and help diversify offensive schemes.

New offensive coordinator Dave Canales hails from a Seahawks system with a glutoness love for running backs, but utalizes them like a lean machine. It would be interesting to see what he does with a backfield of White, Vaughn, and Chase Edmonds at his disposal.

Round 4

Pick acquired from Kansas City Chiefs

At a certian point in the draft, upside is what teams are buying in young players. Mid-to-late round picks are often considered lottery tickets and there’s no better way to describe how drafting Keondre Coburn could work out for the Bucs.

He’s a true boom-or-bust prospect, as he’s shown flashes of talent that would make you think he’s the best defensive tackle in the draft class.

He’s also painfully inconsistent, which is why his stock is where it is. He’s a Day 3 pick with first-round upside, and that’s such a wide chasam that it’ll be difficult to bridge the gap unless he lands in the right place. Perhaps that’s Tampa Bay, where he would be a depth piece on the line who wouldn’t be relied on to be consistent and where his bursts of talent could be embraced as part of a defensive strategy.