After seeming as if they were once again going to dominate the NFC South Division, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended up having a horrible end to the 2025 season as they lost seven of their last nine games to finish with an 8-9 record.
Todd Bowles kept his job following the collapse, but his seat is getting hot with routinely having the talent to be a playoff contending team, but not end up advancing far in the playoffs.
With an aging roster, the Buccaneers must make sure they ace the 2026 NFL Draft to start getting younger and get better talent overall on the roster.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
When it comes to the Buccaneers, their first pick is at 15th overall in round one. From there they have seven picks throughout the entire draft.
In this installment of the 2026 NFL 7-Round Mock Draft series, TWSN analysts Marissa Myers and Steve Bradshaw go through what a successful draft would look like for the Buccaneers.
Mock Draft Done Using the PFF Mock Draft Simulator.
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee: First-Round Pick, 15th Overall
With Sonny Styles off the board in this mock draft, the Buccaneers need to stick with improving the defense, and to do so, they need to address the cornerback spot.
McCoy is a player the Buccaneers can’t pass over. Had it not been for McCot suffering a torn ACL in January ahead of the 2025 college football season there’s the conversation that he could’ve been drafted much higher.
McCoy possesses elite instincts to diagnose plays and react in a timely manner. With his sound technique and impeccable timing ability he can be a cornerstone for the Buccaneers’ defense.
Romello Height, Edge, Texas Tech: Second-Round Pick, 46th Overall
After going cornerback in round one, this selection needs to be a pass rusher. In 2025, the Buccaneers didn’t have a single defender with over five sacks outside of Yaya Diaby.
Romello Height is available in round two because of his 6’3, 240 lb frame. That being said, he had an elite PFF pass rush win rate at 21.8% to pair with 10 sacks in 2025.
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech: Third-Round Pick, 77th Overall
Linebacker is arguably the biggest area the Buccaneers need to address as they need better players there, and have to get younger.
Jacob Rodriguez fills Tampa Bay’s biggest need at inside linebacker. He was a standout player for Texas Tech as he recorded over 120 total tackles in each of the last two seasons and generated 13 forced fumbles and six interceptions.
Rodriguez plays with great instincts that allow him to constantly be around the football. His skills and leadership ability are exactly what Tampa Bay needs.
Eric McAlister, WR, TCU: Fourth-Round Pick, 116th Overall
There weren’t a ton of great options, so this pick is made to replace Mike Evans in some capacity. The appeal with Eric McAlister compared to the other wide receivers in this range is that he’s 6’3, 205 lbs.
McAlister isn’t the most exciting prospect, and his consensus big board rank is down at 185. However, due to the frame and fit that he would give Tampa Bay, this seems like a realistic selection.Â
Aamil Wagner, OT, Notre Dame, Fifth-Round Pick, 153rd Overall
If the Buccaneers are going to feel secure about their future, they need to look to address offensive line depth at some point in this draft.
With Wagner, he has solid strength, and balance that provides him the necessary upside to be considered a good depth lineman. He also plays with solid movement skills to reach the second level effectively.
Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington: Fifth-Round Pick, 194th Overall
In round five, it makes sense for the Buccaneers to look for some more cornerback depth. Ephesians Prysock comes in at 6’4, 195 lbs, which makes him a perfect dart throw.
Even though Prysock isn’t a very complete player, he brings elite size to the table. That’s something that you just can’t teach.
Deven Eastern, DT, Minnesota, Seventh-Round Pick, 229th Overall
The Buccaneers were unable to create pressure with four rushers. This led to more pressure being put on the secondary.
The Buccaneers also need to start preparing for the end of Vita Vea’s playing career as he will be 31 this upcoming season. By drafting Eastern, who plays with great speed and off the line and follows it up with impressive power, they can star to feel better about their future at the defensive tackle spot.
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