The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head into their second straight offseason where they have a new offensive coordinator after losing the previous one to a head coaching vacancy. To make matters worse, Chris Godwin is set to hit free agency, meaning that the Bucs will either need to re-sign him or find a replacement for him in the draft. Given the injuries Godwin has experienced in recent years, it wouldn't be crazy if the two sides move on and part ways.
Wide receiver appears to be the direction that draft analysts are leaning for Tampa in the first round due to Godwin's potential departure. In two of the three mock drafts in this write-up, draft pundits have the Bucs spending the 19th pick on a wide receiver, and it'd make sense if they were to go in this direction.
Bucs linked to wide receivers in NFL mock drafts
NFL.com: Tetairoa McMillan, WR (Arizona)
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has Tetairoa McMillan landing with the Buccaneers at 19th overall and points to both Godwin possibly leaving along with Mike Evans not being able to play forever. McMillan had an incredible 2024 season at Arizona, tallying over 1,300 receiving yards and finding the end zone eight times while averaging 15.7 yards per catch.
Considering that McMillan is one of the best receiver options in the draft, it'd be amazing if he fell to the Bucs at 19 overall. He'd be an immediate threat in their offense and it's not crazy at all to picture him becoming Baker Mayfield's new favorite weapon. It'd be hard not to fall in love with this pick if it went down this way.
Grade: A
CBS Sports: Luther Burden III, WR (Missouri)
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports also went with the Bucs taking a wideout at pick number 19 but they have them taking Missouri's Luther Burden III. Burden's numbers took a hit in 2024 due to quarterback issues in Columbia but he'd still be a welcomed addition to the Buccaneers' offense.
In 2023, Burden totaled over 1,200 receiving yards and scored nine touchdowns. He didn't hit the 700-yard mark this year but even with the quarterback issues, still managed to find his way into the end zone six times and average 11.1 yards per catch. If Tampa ends up drafting Burden, it's hard not to imagine Baker Mayfield being incredibly excited.
Grade: A-
PFF: Benjamin Morrison, CB (Notre Dame)
Jordan Plocher of PFF bucked the trend of linking Tampa to wide receivers and instead opted to have them take a cornerback with their first-round pick. Plocher linked the Bucs playing Cover 3 in 43.5% of pass plays and Morrison's ability to play the deep third in said coverage as to why this pick makes sense. He also noted that Morrison played outside and in the slot, something the Bucs could use in their secondary.
Defense wins championships (Bucs fans know this all too well) so this pick wouldn't upset anyone. The Bucs also saw their secondary decline in production toward the back half of the season so adding young talent to that area is nothing to scoff at.
Grade: A-