Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Bucs’ Selections In Way-Too-Early 2025 Mock Drafts

Originally posted on PewterReport.com | By Scott Reynolds | Last updated 4/30/24

The 2024 NFL Draft has just concluded and it’s always fun to peek ahead for the Bucs to the next draft class on the horizon as several media outlets publish their way-too-early 2025 NFL mock drafts. Most draft analysts and prognosticators use the current Las Vegas predicted order of finish to determine draft order in advance of the 2024 NFL season.

As expected, most Las Vegas sportsbooks have the Atlanta Falcons winning the NFC South with the three-time defending division champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing the underdog role once again. Yet it’s interesting as the odds makers have the Bucs in for a rough season and finishing in the bottom half of the league. Some of these NFL mock drafts even reflect Tampa Bay having a Top 10 pick.

With no obvious need to address in next year’s draft because the Bucs haven’t even played the first down in 2024 yet, the selections for Tampa Bay are all over the place. In addition to each of the Bucs’ draft picks I’ve offered up my analysis on the selection.

33rd Team – Marcus Mosher

No. 13 – Bucs – Alabama QB Jalen Milroe

If there is a quarterback in this class who has a chance to have a Jayden Daniels-like rise, it’s Jalen Milroe. In his first full season as a starter, he averaged a whopping 10.0 yards per attempt and ran for 531 yards. He still needs a lot of work, but the potential is there to be a QB drafted in the top 10.

SR’s Analysis: Mosher has the Panthers picking third, the Saints picking 10th and the Bucs selecting at No. 13, and the Falcons picking No. 18 in this mock draft. In this scenario, the Bucs are either going the Atlanta Falcons route with drafting a first-round QB to be a long-term successor to Baker Mayfield – or by virtue of having the No. 13 overall pick, Tampa Bay will actually look to replace Mayfield in 2025 because the team had a bad year and did not meet expectations. Milroe made big strides as a QB in 2023 and it will be interesting to see how much progress he can make at Alabama in 2024.

The Athletic – Dane Brugler

No. 10 – Bucs – Tennessee OLB James Pearce Jr.

Pearce put some fun pass-rush reps on last year’s film, especially against South Carolina and Texas A&M. Although he is a little light (6-foot-5, 245 pounds), he has freaky ability and can secure top-10 status with another strong season.

SR’s Analysis: Brugler has the Panthers with the first overall pick, the Saints at No. 9, the Bucs at No. 10 and the Falcons at No. 20. Pearce and Penn State’s Abdul Carter could be vying for the first edge rusher taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. After two sacks as a freshman, Pearce exploded for 10 sacks, two forced fumbles and a pick-six last year. After drafting YaYa Diaby in the third round in 2023 and Chris Braswell in the second round in 2024, having to draft another pass-rushing outside linebacker in the first round in 2025 means that one of those picks bombed, which would not be ideal.

Bleacher Report – B/R Staff

No. 12 – Bucs – Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka

Emeka Egbuka could have been a first-round pick this year had he declared for the NFL draft. But injuries slowed him throughout the 2023 campaign, and he went back to be a part of what could be something special with this year’s Ohio State Buckeyes.

Still, the talent that was seen during the earlier evaluation hasn’t changed. If anything, Egbuka could end up much higher in the process if he stays healthy and shows more effectiveness working as an outside receiver instead of primarily playing from the slot.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t need a ball-winner on the outside or a true X-receiver when they have Mike Evans returning. However, Chris Godwin’s contract ends after the upcoming season, and he’ll likely look for a significant payday, be it in Tampa or elsewhere.

Egbuka can be an ideal complementary piece to the offense while keeping multiple weapons around Baker Mayfield.

SR’s Analysis: Bleacher Report has the Panthers picking No. 1 overall, with the Saints 10th, the Bucs 12th and the Falcons with the No. 20 overall selection. Egbuka was a 1,000-yard receiver with 10 touchdowns in 2022 for the Buckeyes, but his production was cut in half last year as Marvin Harrison Jr. took center stage. Can new QB Will Howard feature Egbuka again and improve his draft stock? I can see the Bucs drafting a wide receiver in the first round next year – just not sure the 6-foot-1, 203-pounder will be the 12th-best player in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Athlon Sports – Luke Easterling

No. 12 – Bucs – Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan

Back in 2014, the Bucs drafted a 6-foot-5 stud receiver (Mike Evans) to learn from another one (Vincent Jackson), and they could repeat the process here.

SR’s Analysis: Easterling has the Panthers with the No. 1 overall selection followed by the Saints at No. 10, the Bucs at No. 12 and the Falcons at No. 21. McMillan is a monster receiver who gives off Mike Evans vibes. After catching 39 passes for 702 yards (18 avg.) and eight touchdowns as a freshman, the receiver called “T-Mac” hauled in 90 receptions for 1,402 yards (15.6 avg.) and 10 TDs last year in addition to throwing a 21-yard TD to Arizona’s QB. A year after drafting Jalen McMillan, the Bucs draft another receiver named McMillan. Get ready for the “Mac Attack” in Tampa Bay between those two pass catchers.

Fox Sports – Rob Rang

No. 13 – Bucs – Ohio State G Donovan Jackson

A powerfully built 6-foot-4, 320-pounder, Jackson is the latest in the long line of former five-star recruits polishing their game at Ohio State before earning a high selection in the NFL. He generated all-conference honors at left guard following each of the past two seasons, including first-team accolades by both the media and league coaches in 2023, but nevertheless returned for a chance at a national championship.

SR’s Analysis: Rang has the Panthers drafting No. 1 overall, the Saints picking 10th, the Bucs picking 13th and the Falcons drafting at No. 21. Drafting a guard with the 13th overall pick seems rich and I’ll really have to study Jackson this year to see if he warrants being a Top 15 pick. Usually that’s pretty high for an interior offensive lineman. But as it stands right now, adding another top guard seems like a priority for Tampa Bay if Graham Barton winds up playing center as a rookie and succeeding.

PFF – Max Chadwick

No. 12 – Bucs – Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter

The Buccaneers opt for the best player available in Colorado’s Travis Hunter. Hunter is a freak of nature with his ability to play at a near-elite level at wide receiver and cornerback. He earned a 78.9 receiving grade and a 74.7 coverage grade in 2023.

SR’s Analysis: PFF has the Panthers with the No. 1 selection, followed by the Saints at No. 11, the Bucs at No. 12, and the Falcons at No. 22. This is the most intriguing selection by Tampa Bay so far. Hunter is an incredible athlete who was a two-way player at Colorado and showed a tremendous amount of endurance. He’s a true playmaker on both sides of the ball and could continue that trend with the Bucs at the next level.

USA Today – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

No. 11 – Bucs – LSU OLB Harold Perkins

Listed at 6-1 and 220 pounds, Perkins could prove to be a tricky evaluation for NFL teams that typically want their pass rushers to be far rangier. Yet it’s clear Perkins knows how to chart a course to the quarterback after he recorded 13 sacks and 26 tackles for loss in his first two seasons in Baton Rouge. The Buccaneers added second-rounder Chris Braswell to their edge rush this offseason, but Tampa Bay would surely benefit from someone with Perkins’ burst and disruptive tendencies.

SR’s Analysis: USA Today has the Panthers improving to the point where they select No. 9, the Bucs choose at No. 11, the Saints finish second in the NFC South with the No. 19 pick, and the Falcons and picking late at No. 22. Perkins is not an edge rusher, and won’t be at the NFL level due to lack of size, so Middlehurst-Schwartz is wrong about that. Perkins is a better version of Devin White – a blazing fast inside linebacker who racks up sacks due to blitzes and spying on quarterbacks. He’s sacked the likes of Anthony Richardson and Jalen Milroe among others and would be a perfect fit at middle linebacker in Todd Bowles’ defense.

Walter Football – Walt Chrepinsky

No. 10 – Bucs – Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison

The Buccaneers had a poor pass defense last year, so they’ll need to find better players in their secondary. Benjamin Morrison has a ton of upside as a 6-foot cornerback. He did a good job of limiting Marvin Harrison Jr.

SR’s Analysis: Chrepinsky has the NFC South down and out with the Panthers having the No. 5, the Saints with the No. 9 selection, the Bucs at No. 10 and the Falcons picking at No. 20. Morrison is a smaller cornerback than Todd Bowles prefers outside. Listed at 6-foot, 185 pounds, he’s probably shorter and lighter than that. Yet, what will make him a first-rounder next year is his ball skills. Morrison is an absolute thief with six interceptions as a freshman and three more last year. He has nearly as many interceptions (nine) as he has passes broken up (14).

This article first appeared on Pewter Report and was syndicated with permission.

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