As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers approach the 2025 NFL Draft, one side of the ball should be as frightening as ever for the rest of the NFC South.
Tampa's offense will bring back all 11 starters from a year ago. Baker Mayfield has yet another year under his belt with the Bucs (another career year, for the record). He also gets his top two wide receivers back after the team re-signed Chris Godwin to stay alongside Mike Evans.
The Bucs' back field still offers a healthy one-two punch between Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. Cade Otton proved to be a reliable target while the offensive line gets to stay together.
Now, the Bucs' real job is to continue adding on the defensive side. If they can come away with some difference makers by way of the draft, then they're in line for a fifth-straight division title. With the following type of haul, in just three rounds, the Bucs will run away from their divisional foes.
3-Round 2025 NFL Mock Draft gives Tampa Bay Buccaneers exactly what they need
Some might see him as a top-15 prospect in this class, but the Bucs are fortunate to land the best pure linebacker in the draft at pick no. 19 overall. The time for Lavonte David to hang up the cleats is coming soon, and this linebacker unit will need a new leader.
Campbell is one heck of an athlete and offers plenty of speed. He can be used in a variety of ways but can be especially effective in blitz packages where Campbell often blows up plays before they unfold. Some experts have even said Campbell is the perfect fit in Tampa Bay, so this makes all the sense in the world.
The Bucs defense needed to be a focal point of this draft, and early. With Campbell, they're off to a great start.
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If there were a top edge rusher on the board at pick no. 19, the Bucs also could have gone that route. But, in Round 2, they come away with one of my favorite pass rushers in this class. Arkansas standout Landon Jackson looks like a man among boys at times as his towering size is not difficult to notice.
Jackson is one of those blue collar type pass rushers who plays with his hair on fire. He's a high-effort player who doesn't always have a clear-cut plan of attack. However, he simply attacks. It might look unorthodox at times, but Jackson's sheer will to get to the quarterback is impressive.
The secondary always seems to be an area of need for the Bucs, so they stick to defense here in the third round by going with 6-foot-1 Virginia Tech cornerback Dorian Strong. His overall length and size are appealing as an outside cornerback and he offers a lot to like in terms of raw traits.
Strong is a gambling man at heart. He takes those risks which will often pay off with pass breakups or even takeaways. They can be game-changing plays. But, those risks can also lead to getting beat. He has the instincts and ball skills to be an effective corner in the NFL, but will just have to polish his skills and decisiveness a bit.