BR’s 2026 Buccaneers’ 7 – Round Mock Draft 2.0

Pros:

• Diverse Pass Rush Arsenal: He’s got a deep bag of tricks when rushing the passer, chaining together moves like swipes, arm-overs, and club-rips to keep offensive linemen on their toes.
• Explosive and Relentless: Mesidor bursts off the snap with amazing anticipation, turning that initial quickness into constant pressure. He can threaten the edge and then quickly cut inside with a “Euro step” move.
• Advanced Hand Combat: He’s a master at using his hands to defeat blockers, consistently beating them to the punch and setting up his moves with clever fakes and changes in direction.
• Smart and Opportunistic: He’s great at recognizing when tackles overcommit to protecting the edge, and he quickly counters by attacking inside gaps instead of running himself out of the play.
• Strong Against the Run: He sets a tough edge, sheds blocks effectively, and shows incredible hustle tracking the ball on run plays, using his quickness to disrupt blocking schemes.
• Scheme Versatility: Having played multiple positions, including nose tackle earlier in his career and both inside and outside at Miami, he offers defensive coordinators a lot of flexibility in how they use him.
• High Motor and Competitive: This guy plays with serious fire! He never gives up on a play, always working counter moves and chasing down opponents with outstanding effort until the whistle.
• Elite Coaching Advantage: He’s benefited immensely from being coached by NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor at Miami, which has really sharpened his technique and helped him become one of the most refined edge rushers out there.

Cons:

• Suboptimal Build for Edge: At 6’3″ with shorter arms than typically desired for an NFL edge rusher, he might struggle to establish a firm anchor and maintain leverage against more physically imposing offensive tackles.
• Inconsistent Power Conversion: His speed-to-power rush often doesn’t hold up against stout blockers, and his bull rush can be easily neutralized by tackles who absorb his initial charge effectively.
• Balance Issues Post-Contact: He has a tendency to narrow his base during contact, which compromises his balance and can lead to him tripping or falling when trying to make plays in the backfield.
• Over-Aggressive Run Pursuit: His eagerness to penetrate can sometimes be a detriment against the run, as he’s prone to overshooting his lane and vacating his assigned gap responsibility.
• Significant Injury History: Concerns about his durability are notable, stemming from multiple foot surgeries during his collegiate career at West Virginia and Miami, which led to him missing considerable playing time, including nearly all of the 2023 season.

Summary:

Mesidor’s film is really impressive, showing a lot to be excited about. He’s got one of the most comprehensive pass rush arsenals in this draft class, and the way he seamlessly connects moves without missing a beat highlights a natural instinct for disrupting blockers. When you see him go up against top-tier tackles, it’s clear he relies on skillful technique and relentless effort, rather than just pure athletic gifts, to make plays. That kind of blend usually translates really well to the pros, where technique often trumps raw speed, and the fact that he was mentored by Jason Taylor only boosts confidence in his future growth and development.

 Round – 2, Buccaneers’ Pick 46: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

HT: 6’1
WT: 236 lbs

Accolades:

• 2× SEC Champion (2024, 2025)
• First-team All-SEC (2025)
• Consensus All-American (2025)

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Pros:

• Exceptional closing speed that translates directly to game situations
• Physical tackling ability with bone-jarring hits
• Quick diagnosis of running plays with rare instincts
• Consistent tackling technique with proper form
• Fluid hips allowing smooth transition from run support to pass defense
• Dangerous blitzer with weaponized speed
• Advanced block-shedding technique
• High football IQ with strong pre-snap communication and adjustment skills

Cons:

• Struggles in man coverage against athletic tight ends
• Shows lower body tightness when changing direction against misdirection plays
• Over-aggression can lead to overrunning plays and creating cutback lanes
• Needs more refined pass rush moves beyond athletic gifts
• Momentary hesitation against play-action

Summary:

Allen has legitimate three-down potential at the next level, boasting an athletic profile and instincts that allow him to make an immediate impact against the run. His sideline-to-sideline range is impressive, particularly when tracking perimeter runs or blitzing from unexpected angles. However, his coverage skills need refinement, as he can be a beat slow in zone coverage and his man-to-man technique is inconsistent against skilled route runners.

What distinguishes Allen is his blend of athleticism and growing football IQ. He processes information quickly, playing at full speed rather than hesitating. This ability helps offset some of his coverage limitations. While he’s shown promise in passing situations, he’ll face tougher tests at the next level as quarterbacks probe his ability to handle complex routes.

Round – 3, Buccaneers’ Pick 77: Connor Lew, IOL, Auburn

HT: 6’3
WT: 300 lbs

Accolades:

• First-team All-SEC Freshman (2023)

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Pros:

• Elite pass protection technician with phenomenal hand placement and reset ability
• Exceptional lateral quickness and balance, moving like a pulling guard in space
• High football IQ, making protection calls and identifying stunts and blitzes pre-snap
• Improved anchor strength, capable of absorbing bull rushes from larger SEC nose tackles
• Plays with controlled aggression and nasty finishing mentality
• Exceptional leverage fighter, using center-of-gravity advantage to win battles
• Next-level awareness and processing speed, picking up late blitzers and stunts
• Battle-tested against NFL-caliber competition as a rare three-year starter at center in the SEC

Cons:

• Frame limitations can make him vulnerable to larger SEC nose tackles (340+ pounds) with proper leverage
• Leans forward in pass protection, creating vulnerability to quick swim moves by explosive defensive tackles
• Can get driven back into the quarterback’s lap against powerful bull rushers
• Slow getting out on screen passes, needing refinement in timing and coordination with quarterback and running back
• Tends to attack with same hand pattern on initial engagement, a tendency NFL defensive tackles may exploit

Summary:

Lew profiles as a scheme-versatile pivot who will thrive in systems emphasizing movement over raw power. His athletic tools and proven production against elite competition suggest high ceiling. Technical flaws are correctable, and his year-over-year improvement indicates he’s not near his development peak. The right offensive coordinator will maximize his second-level blocking and protection recognition while scheming around his size limitations.

Round – 4, Buccaneers’ Pick 116th: Bud Clark, S, TCU

HT: 6’1
WT: 188 lbs

Accolades:

• 2× Second-team All-Big 12 (2024, 2025)

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Pros:

• Ball Production Specialist: Fifteen career interceptions over four productive seasons, including two pick-sixes, reflect steady instincts and consistent impact on the football.
• True Sideline-to-Sideline Speed: Elite straight-line acceleration provides real range over the top and the recovery gear to erase breakdowns.
• Rapid Diagnostic Skills: Quickly processes route combinations and triggers downhill with confidence when he sees it unfold.
• Alignment Versatility: Comfortable in both man and zone coverage with extensive experience at safety and in the slot.
• Length at the Catch Point: Uses his frame well to disrupt timing, contest throws, and challenge receivers at the highest point.
• Tough Run Support Defender: Willing tackler who works through congestion and finishes plays with physical intent.
• Proven Leadership and Experience: Three-year team captain with 61 career starts and a strong showing at the Senior Bowl.
• Explosive Closing Ability: Sudden burst allows him to undercut routes and consistently attack passing lanes.

Cons:

• Light Frame: Lacks ideal mass to consistently take on blocks, which shows up when working through contact in the box.
• Eye Discipline Lapses: Can get too aggressive reading the quarterback, occasionally drifting out of position on layered concepts.
• Man Coverage Technique Issues: Opens his hips early in man coverage, creating separation windows for sharper route runners.
• Tackling Consistency Fluctuations: Missed tackle rate spiked in 2025 after a cleaner, more reliable 2024 season.
• Durability Concerns: Missed significant time in 2021, 2022, and 2025, raising long-term availability questions.
• Inconsistent Finishing Form: Tends to lunge at ball carriers’ legs instead of wrapping, especially against larger backs.

Summary:

Clark’s NFL value is rooted in his coverage versatility and proven ball production. Fifteen interceptions across four seasons is not a fluke trait, and his ability to function as a deep safety, box defender, or slot matchup piece gives defensive coordinators a level of flexibility most Day 3 safeties simply don’t provide. His 2024 tape stood out as his most complete season, showing high-end grading and consistent impact across all three levels of defense. The 2025 film was a bit more uneven, but he still produced impact plays and held his own in run support against a competitive Big 12 schedule.

He fits best in split-safety structures like Cover 2 and Cover 4, where his range and instincts can be maximized without forcing him into constant single-high stress. Clark plays with natural robber instincts, reading the quarterback well and breaking on throws with intent. His experience in the slot also translates to a big nickel role, giving him early value on passing downs while he develops into a full-time safety. His Senior Bowl week reinforced the tape: he competes, tracks the ball well, and doesn’t shy away from physical challenges despite his size.

The concerns are still real. His lighter frame needs added functional strength to handle NFL contact, and he can’t afford to lose the movement skills that define his game. The injury history across multiple seasons raises durability questions that will need careful evaluation. His aggressive eyes and gamble-heavy style can also be exploited at the next level by quarterbacks who manipulate safeties. Still, the combination of production, versatility, and instincts gives Clark a clear path to immediate sub-package snaps and long-term starting potential if he stays on the field.

Round – 5, Buccaneers’ Pick 155th: Zxavian Harris, DL, Ole Miss

HT: 6’8
WT: 330 lbs

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Pros:

• Frame/Length: Rare 6-foot-8 build with elite arm length that naturally creates separation and clogs throwing lanes.
• Run Defense: When his hands land first, he can lock out, control blockers, and sit in his gap with real stopping power.
• Alignment Versatility: Has experience from nose to 5-tech, giving fronts flexibility across odd and even alignments.
• Special Teams Value: Six blocked kicks reflect length, timing, and awareness—instant impact ability on field goal units.
• Pass-Rush Move: Swim move flashes as a go-to counter; long arms make it difficult for interior linemen to recover.
• Power Profile: Generates force as reps develop, walking linemen back and squeezing the pocket from the interior.
• Growth Trajectory: Improved consistency and tackling efficiency while taking on a much heavier snap load late in career.
• Pursuit Ability: Long stride shows up chasing from the backside, closing space better than most linemen his size.

Cons:

• Burst/Quickness: Lacks initial explosiveness off the snap, making him susceptible to reach blocks and combo climbs.
• Pad Level/Leverage: Consistently plays high, allowing double teams to get underneath and displace him off the ball.
• Pass-Rush Plan: Limited arsenal beyond a swim and occasional bull; needs more counters and faster, more precise hand usage.
• Hand Timing: Hands are often late to engage, giving blockers early control at the point of attack.
• Tackling: Inconsistent finisher who struggles to break down, leading to balance issues and missed tackles in tight areas.

Summary:

When you turn on the tape, Harris looks like a projection to stick in the league as an odd-front nose who does the dirty work. The frame alone is rare in this class, and it shows up when he’s right. He can swallow interior lanes, command doubles, and keep second-level defenders clean to run. The senior tape reflects real progress against the run, and the pressure production climbed once his role expanded. There’s a usable NFL player here.

The limitations are real, and they’re not just about polish. The get-off is slow and the feet are heavy, which caps his pass-rush ceiling against NFL interiors. He’s unlikely to win consistently on passing downs without help. Early on, he projects as a run-down nose, and the oft-cited bull rush upside depends on fixing hand timing and pad level. Those are coachable, but they’ve lingered throughout his SEC career, so expecting a quick turnaround is a gamble.

Then there’s the off-field piece, which will drive his evaluation as much as the tape. Multiple arrests in back-to-back years, including a domestic violence charge, will knock him off some boards outright. For teams comfortable with the background, the appeal is clear: a massive, versatile interior body who can contribute on special teams immediately with kick-block ability, occupy space inside, and develop into a rotational run defender if the technique catches up to the tools.

Round – 6, Buccaneers’ Pick 195th: Hezekiah Masses, CB, California

HT: 6’1
WT: 180 lbs

Accolades:

• 2025 Walter Camp 2nd Team All-America member
• 2025 Associated Press 2nd Team All-America member

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Pros:

• Length/Reach: Uses long arms to control the catch point; consistently disrupts hands and finishes through the receiver.
• Zone Vision: QB-focused eyes with advanced anticipation; jumps windows early and steals throws before they develop.
• Route Matching: Stays tight through stems; syncs deceleration and break timing on digs, curls, comebacks, and outs.
• Ball Production: Proven playmaker vs. real competition; strong INT/PBU totals with a suppressed completion rate allowed.
• Boundary Leverage: Smart sideline usage; funnels releases and shrinks route space with positioning and physicality.
• Trigger/Closing: Quick click-and-close in zone; drives downhill with burst to contest flats and underneath throws.
• Vertical Tracking: Comfortable carrying deep routes despite average timed speed; stays in phase and competes at the top.
• Special Teams Value: Four-phase experience; immediate roster utility while defensive role expands.

Cons:

• Play Strength: Lean 180-pound frame shows up; gets displaced in the run game and struggles to shed blocks.
• Penalty Discipline: Grabby at the top of routes; flags pile up when he loses leverage instead of playing the ball.
• Run Support: Inconsistent angles and urgency; limited physicality and anchor versus stalk blocks.
• Press Technique: Lacks pop and timing in his punch; opens hips early and gives free releases.
• Tackling: Elevated missed tackle rate; lunges, drops his head, and fails to wrap consistently in space.

Summary:

Turn on Masses’ tape and the vision in zone jumps immediately. His eyes stay disciplined, his trigger is quick, and he reads quarterbacks well enough to undercut throws with confidence. That feel is ahead of schedule for a player who spent three seasons at FIU before stepping up in competition. It’s his defining trait and the reason he’ll see the field early. In Cover 3 or Cover 4, where he can sit in his landmark, key the quarterback, and drive on the ball, he consistently creates plays. The 58.1 passer rating allowed in 2025 matches what shows up on film.

Man coverage is more uneven. The length and competitiveness are there, and at his best he can stay attached through a full route. But the penalties, grabby hands, and inconsistent press technique show a corner still learning how to be physical without crossing the line. NFL officiating may be more forgiving, but the habits need tightening or he’ll extend drives with flags. His speed is adequate, and while he doesn’t play slow, there’s limited margin for error if he loses early to vertical threats.

The evaluation is straightforward: legitimate day-two ball skills and zone instincts in a day-three frame. He needs added mass without sacrificing movement skills, and he needs a scheme that lets him read and react rather than live on an island in press-man. Tackling and run support must improve, no debate. Still, the instincts, length, and production are real. With patient coaching and the right deployment, there’s a path to him becoming a quality outside starter. Not a day-one plug-and-play, but the upside is worth developing.

Round – 7, Buccaneers’ Pick 229th: Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston

HT: 6’6
WT: 246 lbs

Accolades:

• First-team All-Big 12 (2025)
• Second-team All-MAC (2024)
• Third-team All-MAC (2023)

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Pros:

• Catch Radius/Length: 6’6 frame creates elite catch radius, consistently winning above defenders on contested throws.
• Soft Hands: Naturally soft hands secure passes cleanly away from frame at all levels of field.
• Contested Catch Focus: Maintains strong focus through contact, consistently hauling in contested targets throughout career.
• Explosiveness/High Point Ability: Excellent lower-body explosiveness translates to strong vertical wins and high-point ability.
• Route Tree Versatility: Ran full route tree at Houston from in-line, slot, and wide alignments.
• Zone Awareness: Finds soft spots in zone coverage and works efficiently underneath routes.
• Route Craft: Subtle head fakes and body control create hesitation at top of routes.
• Durability/Volume: Four-year contributor with nearly 2,500 snaps and 27 straight games with a catch.

Cons:

• Short-Area Quickness: Lacks the burst and lateral quickness to consistently separate at route break points.
• Route Tempo: Too consistent in pace, making his releases easier to pattern and disrupt.
• Run Blocking: Struggles to generate leverage and sustain anchor at the point of attack.
• Press Resistance: Can be rerouted by physical jams that throw off timing and disrupt route execution.
• Play Strength: Light build relative to the position limits his ability to anchor against power.
• Vertical Separation: Average play speed restricts his ability to consistently stack defenders or separate deep.

Summary:

The Combine essentially confirmed what Koziol is as a prospect. His elite vertical and broad jump numbers reflect the lower-body explosiveness you see when he elevates over smaller defenders to finish at the catch point. But at 247 pounds, he’s undersized for the position at the next level, and that shows up when he’s asked to anchor in the run game or sustain blocks. The testing made the profile clear: he’s a pass-catcher first and foremost, and forcing him into a traditional in-line Y role would be working against his strengths.

Where Koziol fits best is as a big slot weapon operating in the intermediate areas and red zone. At 6’6″, with soft hands and a massive catch radius, he doesn’t need elite long speed to create value between the numbers. He produced consistently across multiple levels of competition, and his contested-catch success translated even as the competition improved. The explosiveness from his testing hints at more seam-threatening ability than his college tape consistently showed, especially when used on the move or into favorable leverage. He’s at his best when schemed free—because against tight man coverage, he’s not a consistent separator on his own.

The range of outcomes is defined. The ceiling is a quality TE2 with a stable pass-game role in a system that plays to his strengths. The floor is a fringe roster player who can’t hold up as a blocker. His success will depend heavily on coaching intent—he needs a staff willing to feature the receiving skill set while minimizing the schematic exposure of his limitations.

Mock Draft Summary

This mock draft leans heavily into building a more versatile, high-motor defense while quietly reinforcing the offensive core with intelligence and flexibility.

At the top, Akheem Mesidor headlines the class as a tone-setting addition to the front seven. The vision is clear: add a technically refined, high-effort pass rusher who can move across the line and create pressure through skill rather than pure traits. He fits a modern, multiple front where versatility and disruption matter more than prototype measurables.

That theme continues in Round 2 with CJ Allen, a fast, instinctive linebacker who upgrades the defense’s range and physicality. He profiles as a three-down piece long-term, even if early usage leans run-heavy while his coverage develops. Together, Mesidor and Allen inject speed, effort, and football IQ into the front seven.

Offensively, Connor Lew in Round 3 brings stability and intelligence to the interior offensive line. He’s a technically sound, scheme-versatile center who can elevate protection calls and overall cohesion up front. The pick suggests a focus on long-term reliability over sheer power.

Day 3 shifts toward traits and depth. Zxavian Harris offers rare size and run-stuffing upside as a developmental nose tackle, though his ceiling depends on technical growth and off-field clarity. Hezekiah Masses adds a ball-hawking zone corner with strong instincts, fitting a scheme that allows him to read and react rather than play heavy man coverage.

Late, Tanner Koziol rounds things out as a situational receiving tight end who can contribute in sub-packages and the red zone, giving the offense another matchup-based weapon.

Conclusion 

This class prioritizes defensive front versatility, effort, and intelligence, while adding high-floor, developmental pieces on offense and in the secondary. It’s not a splashy, traits-heavy haul—but it’s cohesive. The approach bets on coaching, scheme fit, and motor to maximize value, with multiple players projecting as early contributors in specialized roles and potential starters down the line.