The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a very clear mission statement in the 2025 NFL Draft. After Baker Mayfield beefed up the offense with a 41-touchdown season, this front office needs to go all-in on trying to build a defense that can keep them atop the NFC South.
While the lack of a pass rush could prompt Tampa Bay to use one of their top picks on a defensive end, the secondary's poor performance last year makes cornerback another top priority that GM Jason Licht could use one of his premium picks on.
Even though this class is generally regarded as below average when it comes to secondary talent, there are a few defensive backs worthy of a first-round pick. One of them may not last until the Bucs pick at No. 19 if teams are entranced by his talent, but there's a chance he falls.
In a first-round NFL Mock Draft from Tommy Jaggi of FanSided's Still Curtain, the Bucs were the benefactor of some very lucky breaks and ended up with Michigan cornerback Will Johnson. With Johnson being regarded by many as a Top 10 pick, this would be a dream scenario for Licht.
Buccaneers picking Michigan CB Will Johnson in 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Johnson would be CB1 in most drafts, as the presence of Travis Hunter is making many forget about what a quality player he has been in his time with the Wolverines. At 6-2 and over 200 pounds, Johnson can smother and overwhelm smaller receivers at the line of scrimmage.
Johnson's ability to make plays in both man and zone schemes shows both an immensely smart football brain and the type of versatility teams want to see when they pick a cornerback this high. Johnson should be able to start right away, especially for a coach who likes longer corners with size.
Johnson's biggest flaw right now is some iffy open-field tackling, though it is by no means a big enough flaw for him to fall too far in the first round. A Bucs team that let the cadaver of Kirk Cousins throw for over 500 yards against them clearly needs one more big-name playmaker in their secondary.
After some of the surprising turns that happened in the 2024 NFL Draft, nothing should be viewed as shocking anymore. Johnson falling to 19 might be unexpected by some, but this pie-in-the-sky scenario could come to fruition if a few bounces end up going their way.