It was a busy and successful NFL Draft weekend for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with over 20 players added to the roster as rookies looking to make an impact. Six of those came in the draft itself, with another 15 getting signed as undrafted free agents.
Shilo Sanders and Desmond Watson highlighted the UDFA class, but they join what could be one of Tampa Bay's best draft classes in recent years.
Emeka Egbuka was the top pick, and players like Tez Johnson, Benjamin Morrison, and Jacob Parrish joined him, but one specific player might stand out above the rest. The Bucs took Central Arkansas edge rusher David Walker in the fourth round -- a fruitful round, historically, for Jason Licht -- and he's already catching the right kind of attention.
Mel Kiper Jr. notably name-checked him while handing out grades to the Buccaneers draft class.
"I love David Walker," Kiper said. "You might not know the name because he played at FCS Central Arkansas, but he proved at the Senior Bowl that he can play with the best of them. He had 31 sacks and 63 tackles for loss over the past three seasons. His tape is filled with explosion, power and a deep variety of pass-rush moves."
He's not the only draft analyst who had great things to say about Walker. On the NFL Network broadcast, Charles Davis compared him to Shaq Barrett, something that won't be lost on Bucs fans eager to see the pass rush get back to a level we all know it can be on.
David Walker could end up being the sleeper star of the Buccaneers' draft class
That part of the defense really hasn't been the same since Barrett left, and even when he returned late last season, things were already too far gone. Both Calijah Kancey and Yaya Diaby are stars in the making, but they're going to need help, and it seems like Walker is exactly the guy who can provide it.
David Walker is a BEAST 😤 pic.twitter.com/BZaNPLHmC6
— Steven Cheah (@StevenCheah) April 26, 2025
Let's not sleep on Chris Braswell, who was Tampa Bay's second round pick last year. He didn't pop the way we all expected him to as a rookie, which is a bit concerning given the massive opportunity there was plus the context of recent draft whiffs at the position.
Tampa Bay is 0-for-2 on finding guys not named Kancey to help the pass rush. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka busted and is now in Cleveland, and it's going to be a make-or-break season for Logan Hall. Braswell simmer rather than rolling to a boil isn't great but perhaps he'll take a step forward in 2025.
As for Walker, was listed as an edge rusher but announced as a linebacker at the podium which suggests Todd Bowles plans to use him as a bit of a hybrid. This warrants a comparison to Barrett, and between that and Kiper's praise there's a lot to be excited about with someone who might end up being the crown jewel of this draft class.
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