The Tampa Bay Buccaneers own the 15th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft but anything is on the table for them. In a recent mock draft from The Athletic, Jason Licht works his magic to move the Bucs down from the 15th pick to the 21st pick and still has them landing a stud.
Dan Pompei made Tampa's pick in this particular mock draft and had the Bucs moving back and eventually selecting Texas A&M EDGE rusher Cashius Howell.
"At 6-2, 248 pounds, Howell doesn’t have ideal size, which is why he may be available this late. What he has is a track record of production against elite competition. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year had 25 sacks in three seasons and 11.5 in 2025. He may not be a difference-maker against the run, but Howell should make an immediate impact on passing downs. Howell would fill the Bucs’ most pressing need, but we should consider that general manager Jason Licht doesn’t always draft a player who fills what everyone else thinks is a need. (See Emeka Egbuka.) Howell, though, might be too good to pass up."
Bucs trade down, land Cashius Howell in latest 2026 mock draft
The Bucs need to get better at pass rush and Howell could help them do that. He had 11.5 sacks during his final year in College Station and could bring that production to Tampa's defense. As Pompei noted, Howell lacks the size the NFL prefers in its pass-rushers but his college production against quality opponents speaks for itself.
If Licht was able to pull off a move like this on draft night, it'd be more wizardry from the Bucs GM, something that this fan base has grown accustomed to. This is only one of many mock drafts to come but hopefully the actual draft plays out in a similar manner.
For what it's worth, Tampa did try to upgrade at pass rush last offseason by signing Haason Reddick in free agency and then drafting David Walker in the fourth round. Unfortunately, Walker missed the entire season after sustaining a major injury in training camp and Reddick missed time due to injury as well.
That was a series of unfortunate events for Tampa but the Bucs have to continue trying to add help at pass rush. If defenses can get after the quarterback, it makes life a heck of a lot easier for the rest of the unit. Howell would be a huge boost there and hopefully could make the once-lethal unit scary again.