The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing for a pivotal 2026 NFL Draft.
The 2025 season ended disastrously for the Bucs, falling from a 6-2 start to an eventual 8-9 record. Head coach Todd Bowles is firmly on the hot seat, and another poor showing could lead ownership to push the reset button.
Jason Licht and the front office need to pull a rabbit out of their hat to address the multitude of holes on this roster and get the Bucs back into playoff contention.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-Round Mock Draft
As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, it’s becoming clear that the ideal strategy for the Buccaneers is to trade down and acquire more draft capital. It’s a deep class, and the Bucs have no shortage of needs to fill, but only seven draft picks to do it with.
The toughest part is finding a trade partner, but the Steelers could be the solution to that problem. They hold 12 draft picks, so they have the ammo to move up if the player they want is on the board.
If Pittsburgh has interest in Alabama QB Ty Simpson, they’ll likely want to jump ahead of the New York Jets, who currently hold the 16th overall pick.
Mock trade with Pittsburgh Steelers:
Steelers Receive: 16th overall pick and 195th overall pick
Buccaneers Receive: 21st overall pick, 76th overall pick, 121st overall pick
Round 1, Pick 21 (from Steelers): Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
Jacob Rodriguez is the most productive inside linebacker in this draft class. He comes complete with a stacked resume of over 300 total tackles, 13 forced fumbles, six sacks, and six interceptions during his college career.
The last time the Buccaneers had a linebacker who separated himself due to a knack for creating turnovers along with elite instincts and football IQ, it was Lavonte David. They even have similar athletic testing, with Rodriguez measuring in at 6-foot-1, 231 pounds and running a 4.57 40-yard dash compared to David who measured in 6-foot-1, 233 pounds and ran a 4.65.
There is no better replacement for the retired Bucs legend than Rodriguez, and he’d be a home-run pick to kick off the draft class.
Round 2, Pick 46: Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois
Gabe Jacas would give the Tampa Bay pass rush the juice it is lacking. He recorded 27 sacks and seven forced fumbles during his college career at Illinois — the same school as Bucs great Simeon Rice, which has to bring some good juju.
At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, he plays a physical, violent style of football. On top of his production, he’d contribute towards the Bucs’ goal of bringing a nasty demeanor back to the defense.
“He’s smart, he’s a great teammate and he’s really, really strong. Play-through-your-face type of guy,” said an anonymous NFC scouting director, per Lance Zierlein.
Jacas has made it known he wants to return to his home state of Florida to play for the Buccaneers. “Tell them to come and get me,” Jacas said, speaking to the Pewter Report staff at the Senior Bowl. Jason Licht and the front office should honor that request, as he’s the perfect fit for what this defense needs at the edge position.
Round 3, Pick 76 (from Steelers): Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
After drafting Rodriguez in the first round, the Buccaneers double-dip and ensure the inside linebacker position is secure for the foreseeable future.
Kyle Louis gonna be like Derrick Brooks. Watch…
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) February 27, 2026
He’s considered undersized at 6-foot, 220 pounds, but his elite coverage skills and production make up for a perceived lack of size.
Louis recorded 24 tackles for loss, six interceptions and 10 sacks over the past two seasons.
Some view him as a player that might be limited to nickel packages on passing downs, and with his size aligning more with a strong safety in the NFL, he may need to change positions or at the very least, land with a defensive staff that knows how to properly utilize his skill set in their scheme.
With how badly the Bucs’ linebacker corps struggled against the pass last season, a player like Louis with such a strong reputation in pass defense is a match made in football heaven.
Round 3, Pick 77: Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
The Buccaneers retained Cade Otton in free agency, but they can’t be satisfied with the tight end depth just yet.
Behind Otton, there is Ko Kieft, who is a blocking specialist that poses zero threat in the receiving game, along with Devin Culp and Payne Durham, who combined for only two catches last season.
Zac Robinson ran 12 personnel at one of the highest rates of any coach last season, and he’ll need a reliable receiving threat to pair with Otton.
Delp was underutilized in college with only 70 receptions for 854 yards and nine touchdowns in his college career, but the film shows a player with a lot to offer at the pro level. At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, he boasts elite athleticism for the position including a 4.48 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical.
He’s also a willing and capable blocker, so he’ll have no trouble getting on the field at the pro level and would make a perfect pair with Otton to upgrade Tampa Bay’s tight end room.
Round 4, Pick 116: Kaleb Proctor, DT, Southeastern Louisiana
Kaleb Proctor is undersized at 6-foot-2, 291 pounds, but after signing 6-foot-4, 320 pound A’Shawn Robinson and bringing back Raheem Nunez-Roches, who is also above 300 pounds, the Bucs can now afford to forego size and take a develomental player with sky-high upside as a pass rusher.
Proctor actually profiles similarly to Bucs’ former first-round pick Calijah Kancey (6-feet, 280 pounds), and Tampa Bay could use an insurance policy for Kancey with his extensive injury history.
He recorded 107 tackles including 26 for loss, 16 sacks, and 79 pressures during his college career. He also had an impressive 20.2% win rate on true pass sets.
“As an interior defender, Proctor is an elite athlete with rare playmaking range. He’s an elusive rusher with an explosive first step and the ability to unlock openings with varied approaches and angles,” wrote NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein.
His competition level as an FCS player will be called into question, but the Bucs took a similar fourth-round swing on a highly-productive FCS player last year in David Walker, and they do it again here.
Round 4, Pick 121 (from Steelers): Beau Stephens, IOL, Iowa
The Buccaneers badly need to upgrade their interior offensive line depth after how badly the backups performed last season in relief of injured starters Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson.
Beau Stephens out of Iowa is the perfect upgrade to the depth after he ranked as the No. 3 guard in the nation out of 686 players per PFF, and earned the best pass blocking grade of anyone at the position. He allowed zero sacks and was called for zero penalties in 620 offensive snaps.
He’d have a legitimate path towards a future starting job in Tampa Bay, as Mauch is entering a contract year and coming off a significant injury while Bredeson doesn’t have any guaranteed money past the upcoming season.
Round 5, Pick 155: Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington
The Buccaneers have a history of drafting players out of the University of Washington, and Ephesians Prysock can continue the pipeline.
Tampa Bay needs to address cornerback depth after losing starter Jamel Dean, depth piece Kindle Vildor, and practice squad veteran Bryce Hall.
Prysock measures in at an impressive 6-foot-3, 195 pounds along with 33-inch arms, fitting the physical mold of a Todd Bowles cornerback. He also ran a solid 4.45 40-yard dash.
Prysock recorded 20 passes defensed and two interceptions during his college career. He is a willing run defender and earned above-average grades in both pass and run defense per PFF.
He'd be an immediate upgrade to the backup depth, but his size and athletic traits could help him develop into an even bigger role than that down the line.
Round 7, Pick 229: J. Michael Sturdivant, WR, Florida
The Buccaneers need an X receiver to replace Mike Evans, and Florida’s J. Michael Sturdivant is worth a late-round flier.
“Sturdivant is a big, explosive outside "X" receiver with three-down potential, strong play strength and athleticism,” wrote PFF.
In his five-year college career, he recorded 150 catches for 2,073 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Sturdivant measured in at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds and ran a 4.40 40-yard dash, which is impressive for his size. His physical traits are intriguing this late in the draft, and he could prove to be a tremendous value.
Tampa Bay already has a strong wide receiver room which removes the pressure for instant production and allows Sturdivant to develop in a talented room before potentially taking on a bigger role down the line.