Throughout the year and leading up to the 2021 NFL draft, we will update our Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mock Draft Roundup showing picks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from several prominent sites and draft analysts.
The following are picks in recent mock drafts for the Bucs:
EDSFootball - Kevin Hanson (1/15)
27. Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami (FL)
One of the team strengths for the Bucs is their ability to get after the quarterback (47 sacks, third in NFL). That said,
Shaquil Barrett (eight sacks) is playing this season on the franchise tag and the 32-year-old
Jason Pierre-Paul (team-high 9.5 sacks) will enter the final year of his contract in 2021.
Taking an indirect path from being the No. 3 recruit in the 2017 ESPN 300 to a potential first-round pick, Phillips had eight sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss over 10 games in his first season for the Hurricanes.
San Diego Union Tribune - Eddie Brown (1/13)
27. Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama
Ndamukong Suh,
Rakeem Nunez-Roches and
Steve McLendon will all be free agents. Most analysts considered Barmore a potential first-rounder on potential alone. He gave everyone a glimpse of that high ceiling by dominating Notre Dame and Ohio State -- two of the best offensive lines in the nation -- in the College Football Playoffs.
CBS Sports - Chris Trapasso (1/13)
27. Carlos Basham Jr., EDGE, Wake Forest
Tampa Bay plans for the future at defensive end with Basham, who's humongous and strong at the point of attack but moves like he's 25 pounds lighter than he really is.
The Athletic - Dane Brugler (1/12)
27. Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Bruce Arians wants a reliable pass-catcher at running back and neither
Ronald Jones nor
Ke'Shawn Vaughn have proved to be that (and
Leonard Fournette likely not back). The Bucs were ready to draft
Antonio Gibson for that role in last year's second round before
Antoine Winfield fell to them, so I expect Harris to be strongly considered here if still available for Tampa.
The Draft Network - Joe Marino (1/7)
27. Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC
Tampa Bay has some challenging decisions to make after the season regarding several key free agents, but to run it back with
Tom Brady and find success, making sure the offensive line is solidified is paramount. The Bucs proved they can get immediate production from a rookie blocker this year in
Tristan Wirfs and Vera-Tucker could do it again next year on the interior. Tampa Bay needs immediate returns on draft picks to maximize the window to win with Brady and interior offensive linemen can do just that. Vera-Tucker is a polished technician that can play multiple spots.
ESPN - Todd McShay (1/7)
27. Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama
It's noteworthy that
Chris Godwin,
Antonio Brown and
Rob Gronkowski are all on expiring deals, but the front seven's descent into free agency is more eyebrow-raising. Few teams had a better defense in 2020, and no one came close to the Buccaneers' run-stopping. Their 80.6 rushing yards allowed were 10 better than the second-best team. But Tampa Bay must now figure how to keep from slipping, with Ndamukong Suh, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Steve McLendon,
Lavonte David, Shaquil Barrett and
Kevin Minter all looking at the open market on the horizon. That's a problem. Barmore, a third-year sophomore, shows strong gap control against the run, and he tallied 7.0 sacks this season. The 310-pounder would lighten any offseason losses while lining up alongside
Vita Vea.
USA Today - Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (1/5)
25. Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State
Regardless of whether Shaquil Barrett re-signs, Tampa Bay should look to invest in another edge presence. Oweh did not record a sack in seven games this season, but his rare burst and closing speed signal a much more fruitful pro career.
Athlon Sports - Bryan Fisher (1/5)
25. Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC
Keeping a hand out of Tom Brady's face remains paramount as the ageless wonder continues and the investment up front is likely to continue with Vera-Tucker. He brings positional flexibility to the point where he could handle either tackle spot or kick inside if needed.
Previous update: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mock Draft Roundup 3.0
MORE TEAMS: All NFL Team Mock Draft Roundups
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