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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2026 Buccaneers Mock Draft Roundup 11.0

The Draft kicks off on Thursday, garnering a slew of mocks before the grand event. Overarchingly, pundits have linked a defensive player to the Buccaneers in the first round. Here is what analysts are predicting that Tampa Bay could do with the 15th overall pick

mesidor ap

The Draft is nearly here with festivities kicking off on Thursday, April 23. The NFL world will descend upon Pittsburgh as the future of each NFL club will shift. 257 prospects will hear their name called through seven rounds. Each year, jaw-dropping surprises take place, encapsulating the unpredictable grandeur that is the NFL Draft. Throughout the pre-draft process, most mocks have a defensive player linked to the Buccaneers, notably an edge to bolster the team's pass rush in 2026 and beyond. In continuation of the trend, several outlets have the Bucs taking an edge at pick 15:

NFL.com

  • Pick: Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami
  • Comments: "Mesidor's a quick, strong pass rusher who can also make plays against the run. Based on general manager Jason Licht's recent comments that he could see the Bucs contending in short order, he's not likely to worry about Mesidor's age (will be a 25-year-old rookie)."
  • Other Bucs' selections in seven-rounder: LB Jacod Rodriguez (second round), CB Davison Igbinosun (third round), DT Zxavian Harris (fourth round), OT Keagen Trost (fifth round), OG Alex Harkey (sixth round), WR Michael Sturdivant (seventh round)

CBS Sports

  • Pick: Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami
  • Comments: "A defensive line coach told me Mesidor is the most pro-ready rusher out of the group. He'll be 25 when he plays his first game, and that can scare teams off. But Tampa needs a rusher and could use one who doesn't need a season or two to hit his stride."

The Draft Network

  • Pick: Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami
  • Comments: "The Buccaneers are one of those teams that have been in search of an answer to their pass rush issues for a few years now, and not having one has hurt this team in key situations. In this spot, the Buccaneers go after Miami edge Akheem Mesidor. Mesidor plays the game with a high motor and physicality, which should make him have an immediate impact on the Buccaneers' defensive line."

PFF

  • Pick: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn
  • Comments: "Faulk has been a polarizing player throughout the pre-draft evaluation cycle, but he's still only 20 and a high-level run defender — having secured at least an 83.4 PFF run-defense grade in both 2024 and 2025. Tampa Bay continues to need consistent playmakers along its defensive front seven, and Todd Bowles could take a swing at a developmental piece in Faulk. The former Tiger feels like a player who could hear his name called earlier than anticipated."

The Athletic

  • Pick: G Vega Ioane, Penn State
  • Comments: "Edge rusher and linebacker are arguably Tampa Bay's top two areas of need, but do the Bucs see any prospect — at either position — worthy of this spot? They are in a position to go best player available here, which might be Ioane, who would provide an immediate upgrade at left guard."
  • Other Bucs' selections in seventh-rounder: Edge Gabe Jacas (second round), LB Keyshaun Elliott (third round), CB Devin Moore (fourth round), WR Reggie Virgil (fifth round), RB Eli Heidenreich (sixth round), TE Tanner Koziol (seventh round)

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