Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2021 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 8.0
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:
Toney was off the board before this in each of the past three iterations of my mock draft (and he may not last this long), but he would make sense for the Buccaneers if still available here. Given their offseason moves, the Bucs don't have any glaring needs entering the draft as they begin their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions. That said, Antonio Brown remains a free agent and Chris Godwin was designated with the franchise tag.
A versatile playmaker that will create matchup problems for opposing defenses, Toney ran a sub-4.4 forty at Florida's Pro Day this week and exceeded the 100-yard mark in four of his five final collegiate games.
It's best available player for a team that is returning all of its starters from a Super Bowl-winning roster. Collins is a 3-4 OLB who could potentially replace Jason Pierre-Paul if the Bucs don't bring him back in 2022. He sneaks in to close Round 1, marking Tulsa's only first-round pick in the common draft era (since 1967).
The defending champions brought back Chris Godwin, Lavonte David, Shaq Barrett, Rob Gronkowski, Ndamakong Suh and Leonard Fournette, leaving few holes on the roster. That leaves this pick a bit of a mystery, but if Barmore winds up falling to the bottom of the first round, Tampa Bay shouldn't hesitate to bolster its formidable front-seven and groom a replacement for Suh.
It's hard to find many holes on the defending Super Bowl champions' roster, so they go with a talented young player who they can groom to ultimately take over for Jason Pierre-Paul, who is a free agent after the season. As just a redshirt sophomore, Ojulari led the SEC in sacks last year with 9.5 and added another three in his bowl game against Cincinnati. At 6-foot-2 and just 249 pounds, he may not yet be ready to contribute outside of obvious pass rushing downs, but a team like Tampa has the luxury of waiting and letting the 20-year-old develop.
Every starter has returned for the champs, which means there won't be any pressure on the incoming rookie class. Most analysts considered Barmore a potential first-rounder on upside 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.
The Buccaneers figure to have all their starters back, so this is a draft for the future. Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette eventually will be free agents.
The Buccaneers did an extraordinary job keeping the band together in free agency, retaining receiver Chris Godwin, pass rusher Shaquil Barrett, tight end Rob Gronkowski, and linebacker Lavonte David. That means they can take their highest-rated player on the board at this spot. If Rousseau is still available, he'd represent terrific value. His upside is tantalizing, as he offers a rare blend of length, athleticism, and versatility.
Thus far, the Super Bowl champions have been able to bring back most of their key free agents, so they could go for more of a luxury pick here. In this case, it's Najee Harris, a three-down back with a great mix of side speed, power and hands. He'd be an upgrade over Leonard Fournette, who remains unsigned.
