Buccaneers could steal this sleeper safety in 2026 NFL Draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to improve their secondary depth during the 2026 NFL Draft. 

The team is suddenly dangerously thin at both safety and cornerback after a flurry of defensive backs departed in free agency. Adding more capable depth pieces is a necessity, and there is one draft prospect that was simply born to play for Tampa Bay. 

TCU safety Bud Clark is the answer to the Buccaneers’ defensive problems 

Bud Clark is a sixth-year senior coming out of TCU. The 6-foot-1, 188 pound defensive back is one of the draft’s older prospects as he’ll be 25 at the start of his rookie season, but with that comes a wealth of experience that makes him NFL-ready. 

He’s a true ball hawk with a nose for the football. Over the past four seasons, he’s recorded 35 passes defended and 15 interceptions. 

In addition to his ability to force turnovers, the biggest quality that makes him a fit for the Buccaneers is his versatility in the defensive backfield. 

The Bucs highly valued Christian Izien, a chess piece that could be utilized at either safety spot or nickel cornerback before he left for a bigger role in free agency. They also signed undrafted free agent JJ Roberts last offseason, who can play safety and nickel cornerback. 

Clark offers that same versatility, and it will likely put him on Tampa Bay’s radar. During his college career, he logged over 1,200 snaps in the slot, over 700 snaps in the box, and over 400 snaps at free safety. Not only can he line up in a variety of spots, but he has significant playing experience doing it. 

Clark is projected as a third-round pick by NFL Mock Draft Database, and NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler gave him a third-round grade, so the projection checks out. That could be a bit rich for Tampa Bay, not because Clark isn’t worth the pick, but because the Bucs have more pressing needs such as inside linebacker and edge rusher.

The Bucs already have their starting safety duo locked in with Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith. For a team that views themselves as win-now, a third-round pick may be better served on an immediate starter, like when the team drafted Jacob Parrish in the third round last year to be the starting nickel cornerback. 

But if the Bucs are willing to spend their third-round pick on a rotational chess piece like Clark, it could prove to pay dividends. Clark checks all the boxes that Todd Bowles looks for in his defensive backs, and he’d have a path toward carving out a significant role early in his career.