Grading every Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2025 draft pick (with 1 bold prediction for each)

The 2025 NFL Draft has come to a close, and Tampa Bay is walking away with an exciting group of young players.

The front office approached the draft with a focus on overhauling the defensive unit while staying true to the “I Am That Man” standard — a philosophy that uses Lavonte David as the blueprint for the type of player the Buccaneers want in their organization.

The core traits they value are accountability, competitiveness, confidence, passion, and resilience, and the 2025 draft class fits the bill.

With that in mind, here’s a closer look at how each of the Buccaneers’ draft picks grades out — plus one bold prediction for every player.

Grading every pick the Buccaneers made in 2025 NFL Draft

Round 1, Pick 19: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

Drafting Egbuka in the first round was a surprising pick for Tampa Bay. The board fell perfectly according to their defensive needs, and Jason Licht had his choice of top prospects such as cornerback Jahdae Barron, safety Malaki Starks, linebacker Jihaad Campbell, or EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku.

Instead, the Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound wide receiver, adding him to an offensive unit that ranked in the top five last season and is returning all 11 starters.

Egbuka is a very talented and productive player poised for a successful NFL career. He joins a prestigious lineage of first-round wideouts from Ohio State, including Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. With a storied recent history at the position, Ohio State has become a wide receiver factory — and even among that elite group, Egbuka stands out. He leaves the program as the all-time leader in receptions and ranks second in receiving yards.

Right now, he is more of an insurance option for Tampa Bay and a long-term investment for the future. Mike Evans is 31 years old, and Chris Godwin is 29, coming off his second major injury. All three of the team’s top receiving options missed at least four games last season, and the Bucs don’t want first-time play caller and offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard to find himself in a similar position this season.

While drafting a receiver in the first round didn’t address a pressing need, and Egbuka will at best serve as WR3 barring an injury to the starters ahead of him, the Buccaneers stayed true to their board by selecting a safe, high-floor player — making a proactive move to add another productive, reliable target for Baker Mayfield.

Grade: B

Bold Prediction: Egbuka joined Marvin Harrison Jr. as the only two receivers in Ohio State program history to record two seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. That success will carry over to the NFL, and despite the competition for targets in Tampa Bay, Egbuka will have at least two 1,000 yard seasons under his belt before his rookie contract expires.

Round 2, Pick 53: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame

Benjamin Morrison is a first-round talent who saw his draft stock slip due to an extensive injury history. At just 21 years old, he has already undergone two hip surgeries and one shoulder surgery. To reassure scouts about his health and availability, Morrison held a private workout prior to the draft to showcase his recovery.

The Bucs have dealt with their share of injuries in the secondary in recent years. They moved on from Carlton Davis III last offseason due to a combination of cost and durability concerns, while Jamel Dean has consistently struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. Given that track record, the questions surrounding Morrison’s medical history are valid — but his talent at No. 53 overall was simply too good to pass up.

The 6-foot, 193-pound cornerback recorded nine interceptions and 18 passes defended during his college career. Earlier this offseason, Todd Bowles made it clear he wanted to add more ball hawks on defense after the team forced just seven interceptions last season, and by selecting Morrison in the second round, the Bucs are gambling that he will stay healthy and become the ball hawk Tampa Bay desperately needs.

Grade: B+

Bold Prediction: Despite his concerning injury history, Morrison will be able to get healthy-and remain healthy-in Tampa Bay. He will replace Jamel Dean as the starting outside cornerback by the end of his rookie season.

Round 3, Pick 84: Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State

Jacob Parrish is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, but the feisty cornerback plays much bigger than his frame, showing relentless physicality. He also ran a blazing 4.35-second 40-yard dash, the fourth-fastest time among all cornerbacks in this draft class.

Drafting Parrish continues the trend of adding ball hawks to the defense; he recorded five interceptions in two seasons as a starter at Kansas State.

Parrish offers the flexibility to play both outside and inside, but he will likely primarily play inside for Tampa Bay and compete for the starting nickel job.

His blend of versatility, elite speed, physicality, and ball skills make him a perfect fit for the Buccaneers defense.

Grade: A

Bold Prediction: Parrish will help the Bucs defense overcome their turnover woes. Last year, Zyon McCollum and Tykee Smith tied for the team lead with two interceptions apiece. Parrish will eclipse that total as a rookie, and snag three interceptions for Tampa Bay this season.

Round 4, Pick 121: David Walker, EDGE, Central Arkansas

David Walker is an undersized but highly productive pass rusher who has drawn comparisons to Shaq Barrett — a similarly built 6-foot-1, 260-pound edge rusher who also thrives as a pass-rush specialist. The comparison to Barrett is sure to excite Bucs fans; Barrett became a beloved player in Tampa Bay, highlighted by a franchise-record 19.5-sack season in 2019 and playing a key role in the team’s Super Bowl run in 2020.

Walker totaled an eye-popping 39 sacks, 244 tackles — including 82.5 for loss — six forced fumbles and eight passes defensed during his college career. He earned the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the most outstanding defensive player in the FCS, after recording 12 sacks, 55 pressures and four forced fumbles in 2024. While he faced lower-level competition, his pass-rushing ability is undeniable and well worth a fourth-round flier.

Grade: A

Bold Prediction: Walker could struggle to make a big impact in 2025, with the Buccaneers already featuring a deep edge rotation of Haason Reddick, YaYa Diaby, Anthony Nelson, and Chris Braswell. He’ll have to earn his keep as a rotational piece early on — but he’ll eventually carve out a significant role and post at least one double-digit sack season before his Tampa Bay career is over.

Round 5, Pick 157: Elijah Roberts, DL, SMU

After spending his first three college seasons at Miami, where he failed to make much of an impact, Roberts transferred to SMU, where he recorded 17.5 sacks and four forced fumbles over the past two seasons. At 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, he ran an impressive 4.78-second 40-yard dash and projects as a versatile lineman who can move across the defensive front.

According to PFF, Roberts' 131 quarterback pressures since 2023 lead all college defenders, demonstrating his pass-rushing ability and potential to become a true disruptor along Tampa Bay’s defensive line.

Doubling down on productive pass rushers on Day 3 aligns with Todd Bowles’ desire to generate more pressure with four, rather than relying heavily on the blitz. Roberts adds another solid rotational piece to the defensive line. That said, with uncertainty still lingering at one of the team’s biggest areas of need — inside linebacker — this could have been an ideal spot to address it.

Grade: A-

Bold Prediction: Logan Hall, the team’s No. 33 overall pick in 2022, is set to become a free agent after the 2025 season. The Bucs will groom Roberts as his eventual replacement — allowing Hall to enter free agency next offseason and turning to Roberts as the new starter up front.

Round 7, Pick 235: Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

After beginning the draft with a surprising wide receiver selection, the Bucs end the draft the same way, selecting Tez Johnson out of Oregon.

Johnson posted over 2,000 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in two seasons for the Ducks, and will reunite with his best friend Bucky Irving in Tampa Bay.

Though very undersized, measuring in as the lightest player in NFL history at just 154 pounds and with average speed, Johnson is a threat with the ball in his hands after the catch and could develop into a reliable, QB-friendly target in the NFL, as well as a contributor in the return game.

The only issue with this pick is that the Bucs simply didn't need another wide receiver here, especially after spending a first-round pick on Egbuka. Talented defenders such as cornerback Cobee Bryant and safety J.J. Roberts were both tremendous value picks still on the board, and could've had a more immediate impact.

Grade: B-

Bold Prediction: The Buccaneers drafting two wide receivers could signal trouble for receivers at the bottom of the depth chart, including Sterling Shepard, Trey Palmer, and Ryan Miller. As a seventh-round rookie, Johnson will secure the final receiver spot and push Palmer, whose Tampa Bay career began with such promise, off the roster.

Buccaneers Final 2025 NFL Draft Grade: A-

Jason Licht and his staff earn a strong A- for their initial 2025 NFL Draft grade. The front office successfully addressed the team’s biggest needs, leading to a defensive overhaul while also landing one of the draft’s top receivers to bolster an already explosive offense.

The 2025 draft class looks poised to become the next great generation of Buccaneers — and it just might be the group that pushes Tampa Bay over the top into true Super Bowl contention.

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