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We've made it to draft day, Bucs fans, and the reward is one final mock draft before we see who Jason Licht and his staff actually select.
We have put out an endless number of speculation pieces, projections, scouting reports, and rankings. All of that is coming to a head here as we make one final projection of their picks in one of the biggest drafts in recent memory for the Bucs franchise. The team is very close to contending for another Lombardi Trophy. The offense has all the pieces it needs. The defense is just a few players short. This class is designed for them to make up that difference.
Here are our selections for the Bucs in our final 7-round mock draft for the team.
The Bucs trade back and get some much-needed draft capital and still get one of the top-tier pass rushers in this draft class. Pearce Jr. has the physical tools matched with athletic ones to be able to hit the ground running for the Bucs as they look to have a consistent pass rush presence, finally.
Darien Porter in the second round is going to end up being a steal for someone; in this case, it is the Bucs. They need to have someone added to the group as they move Tykee Smith to safety, and adding Porter to take his place is as good a move as any. The trio of Zyon McCollum, Jamel Dean, and Porter will give the Bucs a good start towards improving their pass coverage in 2025, and hopefully beyond.
I have to admit, I am not a fan of Elic Ayomanor. I think his hands are inconsistent; he relies on his raw athletic traits to get him out of jams, and his flash plays make people forget about his lackluster ones. That being said, being in a receiver room with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans leads me to believe he could fix those minor errors of his and become a reliable target for the Bucs, so he is worth taking a chance on here.
The Bucs saw flashes from Cade Otton in 2024, but he has remained inconsistent during his time with the team. Bringing in some competition is good for the Bucs at the tight end position and for Cade Otton, who is entering a contract year. Not to mention, Baker Mayfield likes having a consistent receiving option at the tight end position.
Mello Dotson brings depth to the cornerback position, but he also has some underrated ball skills that the team needs to better force turnovers in 2025. The team was able to get them in 2024, despite the injuries they had across the board on defense. That being said, preparing for more injuries with a veteran-led defense is a savvy approach for Jason Licht and Todd Bowles in 2025.
The Bucs brought back Kyle Trask on a one-year deal, but I don't see him ever being much for the Bucs. Drafting Kyle McCord gives them someone with a similar playstyle and live arm like Baker Mayfield behind him, in case his physical style gets him in trouble.
The Bucs add another space-eating, run-stopping defensive lineman to the rotation for development with this pick. Ty Hamilton has some physical traits to work with, but not many other tools in the box.
Jimmy Horn Jr. can be a very exciting return option for the Bucs as they look to make Bucky Irving their full-time running back and potentially move him away from being their return man.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Final Bucs 7-round mock ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
We have put out an endless number of speculation pieces, projections, scouting reports, and rankings. All of that is coming to a head here as we make one final projection of their picks in one of the biggest drafts in recent memory for the Bucs franchise. The team is very close to contending for another Lombardi Trophy. The offense has all the pieces it needs. The defense is just a few players short. This class is designed for them to make up that difference.
Here are our selections for the Bucs in our final 7-round mock draft for the team.
Projected Trade: Bucs send the 19th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Eagles for the 32nd, 64th, and 165th picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and a 3rd-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Round 1, Pick 32: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
The Bucs trade back and get some much-needed draft capital and still get one of the top-tier pass rushers in this draft class. Pearce Jr. has the physical tools matched with athletic ones to be able to hit the ground running for the Bucs as they look to have a consistent pass rush presence, finally.
Round 2, Pick 53: Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State
Darien Porter in the second round is going to end up being a steal for someone; in this case, it is the Bucs. They need to have someone added to the group as they move Tykee Smith to safety, and adding Porter to take his place is as good a move as any. The trio of Zyon McCollum, Jamel Dean, and Porter will give the Bucs a good start towards improving their pass coverage in 2025, and hopefully beyond.
Round 2, Pick 64: Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
I have to admit, I am not a fan of Elic Ayomanor. I think his hands are inconsistent; he relies on his raw athletic traits to get him out of jams, and his flash plays make people forget about his lackluster ones. That being said, being in a receiver room with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans leads me to believe he could fix those minor errors of his and become a reliable target for the Bucs, so he is worth taking a chance on here.
Round 3, Pick 84: Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon
The Bucs saw flashes from Cade Otton in 2024, but he has remained inconsistent during his time with the team. Bringing in some competition is good for the Bucs at the tight end position and for Cade Otton, who is entering a contract year. Not to mention, Baker Mayfield likes having a consistent receiving option at the tight end position.
Round 4, Pick 121: Mello Dotson, CB, Kansas
Mello Dotson brings depth to the cornerback position, but he also has some underrated ball skills that the team needs to better force turnovers in 2025. The team was able to get them in 2024, despite the injuries they had across the board on defense. That being said, preparing for more injuries with a veteran-led defense is a savvy approach for Jason Licht and Todd Bowles in 2025.
Round 5, Pick 157: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
The Bucs brought back Kyle Trask on a one-year deal, but I don't see him ever being much for the Bucs. Drafting Kyle McCord gives them someone with a similar playstyle and live arm like Baker Mayfield behind him, in case his physical style gets him in trouble.
Round 5, Pick 165: Ty Hamilton, DL, Ohio State
The Bucs add another space-eating, run-stopping defensive lineman to the rotation for development with this pick. Ty Hamilton has some physical traits to work with, but not many other tools in the box.
Round 7, Pick 235: Jimmy Horn Jr., WR, Colorado
Jimmy Horn Jr. can be a very exciting return option for the Bucs as they look to make Bucky Irving their full-time running back and potentially move him away from being their return man.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Final Bucs 7-round mock ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
