Recent mock draft has Bucs taking an SEC standout who would be the perfect fit for their roster needs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head into their offseason knowing which side of the ball they need to improve greatly in order to take the next step forward towards the Super Bowl.  Clearly, that is on defense.  

Fortunately, the upcoming NFL draft will provide the opportunity to address some of those holes, particularly on the edge, at inside linebacker, and in the secondary. 

A to Z Sports draft analyst AJ Schulte put forth his most recent mock draft earlier this week, and he hast the Bucs taking someone who could check off two of those boxes in Georgia LB Jalon Walker.  

Schulte had this to say about the pick: 

The Buccaneers' pass rush has been carried pretty heavily by the duo of NT Vita Vea and second-year player YaYa Diaby. With Anthony Nelson and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka set to be free agents, it's time the Bucs added some serious juice to their pass rush.

I'm not quite certain what I would do with Jalon Walker, but his athleticism and intelligence make him a Day one starter. I feel confident Todd Bowles could maximize his ability to play all over the formation. 

He's not wrong about the Bucs' need to find pass rushing answers outside of Diaby and Vea.  Tampa Bay needs to help fix its questionable pass defense by helping generate a rush off the edge.  Walker could certainly help in that regard.  

However, Tampa Bay has major questions on the inside as well, with SirVocea Dennis missing most of 204 with a shoulder injury and Lavonte David's future uncertain.  The Bucs' depth behind those two were exposed and was a major reason why opponents had a field day in the passing game in the middle of the field for too much of the season. 

Walker played inside and outside at Georgia, where he racked up 12.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in his three years.  He posted a strong 17.4% pressure rate in 2024.  That kind of roster flexibility is something that Tampa Bay could have used badly in 2024 and would surely be interested in moving forward.  

If Walker indeed is still on the board when the Bucs are on the clock, he would serve as a very tempting option for Jason Licht to pounce on.