Although Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq is an appealing option for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to round out the offense and be that missing piece for Baker Mayfield to take this crew to true elite status, there is honestly no question that the Bucs biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball.
The Bucs defense was one of the more underwhelming units in the NFL, and it deserves a lot more blame than it actually received from the NFL punditry for the team's collapse last season. So much of the narrative was focused around quarterback Baker Mayfield, in part because he is the big name in town and in part because the media loves building up someone as an MVP candidate before tearing them down.
But the Bucs screwed the offense with a Todd Bowles led defense that was an embarrassment. They are going to have to rebuild it from the ground up, and there are some big talents in the draft this year who could potentially luck into the Bucs laps at pick 15.
Buccaneers need defense, and can find it in the draft
Ohio State Buckeyes superstar linebacker Sonny Styles is the latest big name to officially declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, and he would be a perfect fit to upgrade a Bucs linebacker corps that was so bad a washed Lavonte David was still their clear best backer.
Styles is a polished, pro ready linebacker, just like his teammate Arvell Reese, who is another potential top 10 pick and another dream target for the Bucs. Now, Styles is even less likely to be available at 15 than Reese, but he is well within the realm of possible 'backers to land in Tampa Bay this year.
The Buccaneers need to keep their options wide open on draft day, and while traditional linebackers like Reese and Styles would be huge upgrades to this defense, pass rushers are at a premium and the Bucs will favor edge rushers like David Bailey to the maximum. YaYa Diaby alone is obviously not enough to sustain a playoff push as far as the Bucs pass rush goes, which the Carolina Panthers and the NFC South, among others, exposed so plainly last season.
Styles is worth keeping in mind near the top of the Buccaneers transfer radar heading into the draft season this year. He was recently compared to Fred Warner by analyst Daniel Jeremiah, and if he is anywhere near the San Francisco 49ers elite linebacker, he would be a home run pick for Tampa.