The 2025 NFL Draft hasn’t been over for a week yet, and we are already looking ahead to the 2026 installment of everyone’s second favorite event on the calendar. While nothing replaces the Super Bowl, the draft has shown it is the second-best thing for fans every year.
Thanks to draft analysts like Jordan Reid at ESPN, we already have a 2026 NFL Mock Draft to see what they think the Bucs need for the next draft cycle.
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The Bucs didn’t draft a linebacker with any of their picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, Reid wasted no time in plugging in a replacement for Lavonte David this mock draft. He has the Bucs targeting Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen with their first-round selection.
He writes, “Many thought the Bucs would find Lavonte David‘s successor early in the 2025 draft, but that position is still open. Allen is a patient second-level defender who quarterbacked one of the country’s best defenses last season. He’s an aggressive hitter who can fill gaps in a hurry coming downhill against the run. But I’d like to see better awareness in pass coverage.”
It is sad to know the Lavonte David era is coming to an end, but the 2026 class is loaded at linebacker, which is good for the Bucs.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs get Lavonte David replacement in 2026 NFL mock draft