The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are lucky to have Jason Licht at the sticks as general manager, as they have constantly been able to refresh their talent pipeline and bring in young stars that can take this franchise over the top in what has become a wide-open NFC South.
As the 2025 NFL Draft comes closer, the Bucs can take solace in the fact that having one less-than-stellar class is not going to completely derail their chances of contending like it would for most teams out there. This is due to how many studs Licht brought to town in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Even though we are just one year removed from last season's extravaganza, fans can firmly declare most of Tampa's draft picks from 2024 as either stars or players who could be long-term contributors if they keep their momentum up.
Re-grading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2024 NFL Draft class
Round 1, Pick 25: Graham Barton, C, Duke
PFF might not be Barton's biggest fan, but the fact that a former college tackle stepped right into a role as Baker Mayfield's new center and played this well deserves adulation. Losing Ryan Jensen is tough, but Barton managed to plug that hole instantly. The sky is the limit as he continues to get more comfortable. Grade: B+
Round 2, Pick 57: Chris Braswell, EDGE, Alabama
Edge rusher might be Licht's Draft blind spot, as Braswell only played a situational role despite an alarming lack of skill up front last year. Braswell was disappointing, but he has plenty of time to turn this around, provided he is actually allowed to do so. Grade: C
Round 3, Pick 89: Tykee Smith, SAF/CB, Georgia
Smith had a very rough start to life in the pros, but he managed to bounce back and flex more of the ball skills that made him such a valued member of the Georgia secondary. Expect Smith to start in his second season, as there is a quality NFL player in there somewhere. Grade: B
Round 3, Pick 92: Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington
McMillan was drafted after teammates Rome Odunze (Bears) and Ja'Lynn Polk (Patriots), but he may have been the most impressive Huskies receiver as a rookie. Even with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin ahead of him, McMillan caught eight touchdowns and established chemistry with Mayfield. Grade: A-
Round 4, Pick 125: Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon
There's a good chance that Irving is already on track to be one of the best Day 3 picks in Buccaneers history. Irving wrestled the starting job away from Rachaad White, compiled 1,500 yards from scrimmage, and did it with style. Irving may be the best value pick of the entire NFL Draft. Grade: A+
Round 6, Pick 220: Elijah Klein, IOL, UTEP
Klein played just nine offensive snaps. He was drafted to be a backup guard, and that's what he was. Nothing to see here. Grade: Incomplete
Round 7, Pick 246: Devin Culp, TE, Washington
Culp didn't play that many snaps behind fellow Husky and entrenched starter Cade Otton, but he appears to have shown enough to compete with Payne Durham and Ko Kieft for a backup role. Grade: C+