The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were on a nice little streak before last season. They won the Super Bowl as a wild-card team and then won the NFC South four consecutive times. However, an 8-9 record last season kept them at home for the playoffs in 2025.
Tampa Bay has the No. 15 overall pick and seven in total in 2026. Let’s see how they can best use those picks to regain their previous spot atop the NFC South. We’ve conducted a seven-round Buccaneers mock draft using our Mock Draft Machine.
Buccaneers 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
Round 1 (No. 15 overall): Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
The Buccaneers need more juice in the pass-rushing department and they turn to Texas A&M's Cashius Howell with this pick. Yes, his arm length will be a major pre-draft talking point, but the pure production speaks for itself. He’s incredibly explosive off the snap, plays with a high motor, and has proven he can produce double-digit sacks at the college level.
Round 2 (No. 46 overall): Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
Tampa Bay only has three cornerbacks under contract past this season, so adding to that room is a must. Keith Abney II is a smart, competitive corner who played on the boundary at Arizona State. Many think he’ll slide inside at the next level. I think he can do a little of both. He plays a physical brand of football that will excite Buccaneers fans and coaches. His lack of speed is the concern and why he may end up playing nickel at the NFL level.
Round 3 (No. 77 overall): Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama
The Buccaneers need long-term pieces in their linebacker room. Deontae Lawson is an athletic, high-IQ linebacker who has a knack for being a disruptive blitzer. He’s also a positive player in coverage. He needs to work on his tackling, though. He can get to ball carriers, but he’s not always bringing them down one-on-one. If he can fix that issue, there’s no reason he can’t be an NFL starter.
Round 4 (No. 116 overall): Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
Will the Buccaneers sign Baker Mayfield to a long-term deal? Will they start evaluating alternative options? Cole Payton is one of the most intriguing players in the 2026 NFL Draft class. He brings an interesting toolbox to the table, including the desired arm strength and touch you want to see from an NFL quarterback prospect. He’s physical on the run but makes an effort to keep plays alive inside and outside of the pocket before escaping. However, he’s only a one-year starter, and it’s at the FCS level. Limited reps and even more limited exposure against top competition mean he’ll be a project, but maybe you’ll strike gold.
Round 5 (No. 155 overall): Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
This linebacker room needs all the help it can get, so using another pick at the position may be a worthwhile endeavor. Jack Kelly is a versatile defender who can play traditional linebacker while showing some pass-rush upside as an EDGE. He’s a great athlete and plays with a high motor. He’ll find a role rather quickly in Tampa Bay.
Round 6 (No. 195 overall): Tyren Montgomery, WR, John Carroll
I was quite impressed with Tyren Montgomery at the Panini Senior Bowl. He’s 5-foot-11.5 and 190 pounds. He made play after play all week long against Power 4 defenders. He’s a bit of an older prospect, but I think he’ll find his way into rotational snaps as a rookie and can be a WR3 or WR4 before the end of his rookie contract for Tampa Bay.
Round 7 (No. 229 overall): Marucs Allen, CB, North Carolina
Yup, we’re going to double-dip on corners too. Marcus Allen is a developmental press corner who flashes but has some flaws in his game. His hand punches and length help him disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage and into their routes. He can also get his hands on the football. However, he’s tight-hipped, not overly speedy, and is a little too grabby. He’s a draft-and-develop type of player here in the seventh round.