Buccaneers fill remaining team needs in Day 3 NFL Mock Draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a strong 2026 NFL Draft through the first three rounds.

They kicked things off by landing the steal of the draft in Rueben Bain Jr.. Next, they upgraded their linebacker spot with Josiah Trotter in the second round before getting Baker Mayfield a big-time weapon in Ted Hurst in the third round.

The draft will conclude on Saturday with Rounds 4-7 taking place. The Buccaneers still have a few key needs they’re likely to address before the draft comes to a close.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Mock Draft

Round 4, Pick 116: Justin Joly, TE, NC State

Defensive tackle was a real consideration here, but the tight end class is starting to thin out, and Tampa Bay needs to add a viable receiving threat to function in Zac Robinson’s tight end-centric offense.

The Bucs’ new offensive coordinator ran 12 personnel at the second-highest rate in the NFL last year, and that system requires another tight end besides Cade Otton.

Joly is the dangerous receiving threat the Bucs are looking for. He caught 166 passes for 1,978 yards and 15 touchdowns during his college career. He ranked as PFF’s 10th-best tight end in 2025 and would provide a massive boost to the offense.

Round 5, Pick 155: Taurean York, LB, Texas A&M

The Buccaneers drafted Trotter in the second round, and now they double-dip and land Taurean York on Day 3.

York is one of the smartest linebackers in the draft, and the multi-year team captain has earned rave reviews on his character and work ethic. He’s effective in coverage and is always in the right spot.

The knock on York is something he can’t control: his size. At just 5-foot-10, 226 pounds, scouts fear he’ll get bullied in man coverage and in the run game at the pro level. But his instincts are simply too good to ignore in the fifth round.

He’s not the downhill player that Trotter is, and that’s what makes them the perfect complements to each other. At the very least, York will be a special teams ace with proven durability after starting all 39 games in college.

Round 5, Pick 160 (from Packers): Hezekiah Masses, CB, California

The Buccaneers acquired this extra fifth-round pick in a trade-down with the Packers. They’re best served using it to bring a massive upgrade to their cornerback depth.

Masses offers ideal size, length, and speed, standing 6-feet with 31-inch arms while running a 4.46 40-yard dash.

His most appealing quality is his ball production . He led the FBS with 18 passes defended in 2025 and also recorded five interceptions. He’s also an aggressive, willing tackler.

Perhaps his most appealing ability, specifically for Tampa Bay, is his availability. He played in all 49 games over the last four seasons. The Buccaneers have struggled staying healthy in the secondary over the years, so Masses’ durability paired with his elite ball production could be tough to pass up.

Round 6, Pick 195: Pat Coogan, C, Indiana

The Buccaneers will have valuable intel on Coogan thanks to their quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer, who coached Coogan as the co-offensive coordinator at Indiana last season.

The Bucs badly need some depth on the interior offensive line, and Coogan is the man for the job. He has a year of starting experience at left guard before converting to center for the remainder of his college career.

Per Dane Brugler, Coogan is regarded as an incredibly smart prospect and an incredible leader. He was relied on for fiery pregame speeches for Indiana’s National Championship team.

Adding an experienced high-character leader to be the first man off the bench as an interior offensive line backup is about all you can ask for with your sixth-round pick. Besides Tom Brady, that is.

Round 7, Pick 229: Jordan Van Den Berg, DT, Georgia Tech

The Buccaneers would ideally like to address defensive tackle before the seventh round, and in reality they probably will. But if they wait until the seventh round and come away with Van Den Berg, nobody will be complaining.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive tackle is the definition of a toolsy player. He’s a 100th-percentile athlete, ranking second out of 2,278 defensive tackle prospects dating back to 1987.

He recorded 20 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks during his college career. His 29 pressures ranked 26th in the nation out of 887 defensive linemen.

He’s considered a developmental project, but with the starters already in place and a steady veteran presence, Tampa Bay could be the ideal spot for Van Den Berg to unlock his full potential at the pro level.

Learning from seasoned veterans like Vita Vea and A’Shawn Robinson would be the perfect clinic as he grows into a larger role down the line.

Add us as a preferred source on Google