Carter Brantley’s Buccaneers’ 2026 Mock Draft 2.0

With free agency starting and moves going on, I figured it’d be a good time to do another one of those stupid mock drafts that no one cares about or reads but I still enjoy making.

There’s a bit of a clearer picture for the Buccaneers in terms of what they desperately need, what they might need, or what they might want to address for their future.

With or without the signing of Trey Hendrickson, the Buccaneers need to have another pass rusher, either for the future, as insurance in case of injury or underperformance, or as a rotational pass rusher.

Even with Alex Anzalone entering the fold, and Lavonte David potentially returning, the Buccaneers might deem the interior linebacker position a place where they could use reinforcements, as SVD was rough last year and is probably best for a special teams role.

With Mike Evans leaving, they might look at wideout as a bigger need than previously thought, even with Godwin, McMillan, and Egbuka still in the fold and Otton returning.

Jamel Dean signed with the Steelers; do they trust Benjamin Morrison enough to take his place as a starter? Who knows, but they could at least see corner as a place to improve their depth.

So enough hemming and hawing, let’s get on with it.

Round 1, Pick 15: Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State

Ioane is considered to be one of (if not the) best interior offensive linemen in this draft. This may seem confusing, as the Bucs spent a 1st round pick on Graham Barton just 2 years ago and have brought in Ben Bredeson as a starting left guard, but Cody Mauch could very well be due a big pay day. Mauch has been an excellent player at the right guard position, so having Ioane at left guard and potentially moving Bredeson to the other side moving forward could prove fruitful.

Or the Buccaneers could even just say screw it and have their o-line be absolutely dominant for Baker (or whoever they decide is the QB of the future) to go along with a strong receiving corps of Egbuka, J-Mac, and Godwin.

I know this isn’t a sexy pick, it’s not a defensive pick, and it’s o-line, so people will hate it, but I see the vision here.

Round 2, Pick 46: Jacob Rodriguez, ILB, Texas Tech

Rodriguez is one of the biggest risers in this draft. He had an excellent 2025 with the Red Raiders and was one of the most vocal leaders of any defense in CFB.

He’d be an excellent pick regardless, but if LVD retires or decides to move on, he’d be an essential, Day 1 starter type of pick. Rodriguez’ size isn’t nearly what the scouts would call “ideal” for the linebacker spot, but his production both as a run defender and in coverage was enough to warrant perhaps overlooking that for a moment.

He also has the type of sideline-to-sideline speed needed to be a linebacker in today’s NFL, and combined with Anzalone would make for potentially what was a massive weakness (linebacker coverage) into a strength.

Round 3, Pick 77: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson

Oops, all slot wideouts!

Ok, so Williams might seem on the surface to be a bit redundant with Godwin and Egbuka both being strongest when utilized in the slot.

But Godwin’s injury concerns and age means he might not be totally a safe bet for 2026 and beyond, and Egbuka showed last season that he can be versatile and line up in other places.

Plus, Williams has enough versatility himself; he spent over 150 snaps on the outside in 2024.

His biggest concerns are his size and injury concerns. He’s 6-foot flat, but has shorter-than-desired arms and a slight frame. He’s missed significant time over the past 2 seasons while at Clemson.

So, while his speed and vertical are both incredibly enticing, and his route running can be downright filthy, he has enough concerns to drop him down to round 3, and the Bucs could be a team to take advantage.

Round 4, Pick 116: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas

Muhammad might be my favorite mid-to-late round corner. He has speed for days as a former track star. He can be a contributor on special teams due to that amazing athletic profile. And he played mostly outside for Texas, meaning if he needs to be, he can be a backup outside corner for Morrison if the Bucs have enough faith in the former Notre Dame man to be their starting outside corner alongside Zyon.

Muhammad’s weaknesses are mostly related to his size; he struggles as a tackler due to his slight frame.

But, he seems to thrive in zone concepts, making him a perfect match for a Todd Bowles defense.

Round 5, Pick 153: Jaydn Ott, RB, Oklahoma

Ott has more a speedy profile than would maybe be desired for the Bucs in their current running back room. If they’re seeking more of a traditional power back, Ott isn’t the place to go.

That isn’t to say he doesn’t have a bit of oomph; that’s just not his calling card. He’s more of a shifty guy, one who could be a replacement for Bucky or a guy who lines up with Bucky in those 2-running-back sets rather than a change-of-pace fella.

Ott’s biggest issues are in pass protection and in staying healthy. Similar to Williams, he struggled to stay on the field during his collegiate career.

But, his explosiveness could give the Buccaneers two really interesting options in the backfield to go along with recently signed Kenneth Gainwell.

Round 6, Pick 194: George Gumbs Jr., EDGE, UF

You often hear about guys who get drafted despite lower production numbers at big-time schools, because while they had the talent they were sometimes overlooked due to being at a talented school.

Gumbs, Jr. could fall into that category, as a guy at UF who got lost amongst a talented defensive line. He ran a 4.66 40, has a 99th percentile vertical, and stands at 6’4 while weighing 245 pounds.

That lack of muscle is probably the biggest problem for the former Gator, but he overcomes it with a high athletic ability and has enough upside to warrant taking a late-round flyer on a player at a high-impact position.

Round 7, Pick 229: Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas

Tools, tools, and more tools. Green has all the athletic ability and talent to be a super fun QB at the NFL level.

At 6’6 with a 4.36 40 time, he possesses probably more raw athletic ability than any other QB in the draft and makes for a super intriguing prospect.

His accuracy and touch make him fall in most draft boards, but he has the leadership qualities of an NFL QB and made some real strides in the collegiate ranks following his transfer from Boise State.

Green could be the perfect project QB to stash on the bench or a practice squad; if he hits, he could hit big, and even if he doesn’t, it’s just a 7th round pick.