Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Biehl enters his 12th season with Tampa Bay and first as vice president of player personnel after being promoted from director of player personnel (2022-24). Biehl began his time with the Buccaneers as director of college scouting – a role he held from 2014-21.

Mike Biehl enters his 12th season with Tampa Bay and first as vice president of player personnel after being promoted from director of player personnel (2022-24). Biehl began his time with the Buccaneers as director of college scouting – a role he held from 2014-21.

In his current role, Biehl directs both the college and pro personnel departments, in addition to overseeing the evaluation process for all draft-eligible players. He holds an essential role in the team's player acquisition strategy and contributes to key decisions in both the NFL Draft and free agency. Biehl's ability as a talent evaluator has been vital to putting the Buccaneers among the league's best in terms of success through the NFL Draft. All 38 of Tampa Bay's first through sixth round picks from 2019-24 were on an NFL roster during the 2024 season, and the Buccaneers are the only team to have every such pick remain in the league during that span.

In the team's 2025 free agency efforts, Biehl aided in the decision to sign two-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Haason Reddick to enhance the team's pass rush, in addition to the key re-signings of guard Ben Bredeson, linebacker Lavonte David and wide receiver Chris Godwin.

The 2024 class continued Tampa Bay's run of success in the NFL Draft, producing four starters in center Graham Barton, running back Bucky Irving, wide receiver Jalen McMillan and defensive back Tykee Smith. The Buccaneers were one of only three teams in 2024 to have three-or-more players drafted in the third round or later play 500+ snaps in their rookie campaign. Irving, the team's fourth-round selection, earned a PFWA selection after leading the rookie class in yards from scrimmage (1,514), rushing yards (1,122) and rushing touchdowns (eight). Irving and Barton helped revamp the team's rush offense, which finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (149.2) and third in yards per rush attempt (5.3).

On the path to an appearance in the NFC Divisional Round in 2023, the Buccaneers relied heavily on their draft class, which provided the most total snaps by a rookie class in the NFL that season (5,560). Seven members of the eight-person class played in at least 13 games for Tampa Bay as the collective group combined for 106 games played and 48 games started. First-round defensive lineman Calijah Kancey and third-round outside linebacker Yaya Diaby combined for 59 pressures, 22 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits and 11.5 sacks. Diaby led all rookies in tackles for loss in 2023, with 12, and tied for first in fumble recoveries (two), in addition to leading the Buccaneers in sacks. Meanwhile, Kancey was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for November, finishing his rookie campaign tied for second among rookies in tackles for loss (10), tied for fourth in quarterback hits (12) and sixth in quarterback pressures (33). Second-round guard Cody Mauch started all 17 games for Tampa Bay in his rookie season, while sixth-round cornerback Josh Hayes led all NFL players in special teams tackles in 2023 (14).

Tampa Bay selected eight players in the 2022 NFL Draft and saw immediate contributions from the entire class, ranking seventh in the NFL with 3,689 snaps by rookies in the 2022 season. Of those 3,689 snaps, the Buccaneers saw their rookies log 1,977 of them on offense, good for the fourth-most in the NFL. Fourth-round tight end Cade Otton was Tampa Bay's most prolific rookie contributor on offense in 2022, leading all rookie tight ends with 42 receptions and ranking third among rookie tight ends with 391 receiving yards. Since entering the league in 2022, Otton ranks second among all tight ends in offensive snaps played (2,589), in addition to ranking second in his tight end class in touchdown receptions (10), third in receptions (148) and fourth in receiving yards (1,446). Tampa Bay's 2022 third-rounder, Rachaad White, leads all members of his running back class in receptions (165) and receiving touchdowns (11), while ranking second in receiving yards (1,232) and third in scrimmage yards (3,316) through three seasons. White became 1-of-9 players in NFL history with 10+ rushing touchdowns and 10+ receiving touchdowns through their first three career seasons.

In 2021, Tampa Bay selected outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in the first round and center Robert Hainsey in the third round, who each became primary starters in just their second NFL season (2022). The pairing combined to appear in 126 games over their first four seasons, starting a total of 80.

In 2020, the NFL conducted its first ever virtual draft, with the Buccaneers selecting a total of seven players. Five out of six players saw playing time in at least ten games, led by first and second-round picks Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr. Despite no offseason or preseason games, both rookies started all 16 regular season games and every playoff game they appeared in.

Wirfs and Winfield Jr. turned out to be key contributors en route to the Buccaneers second Super Bowl victory. Wirfs played every offensive snap, only allowing one sack. Winfield Jr. had similar success, starting his rookie campaign by winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month and finishing third on the team with 94 tackles, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception. Both were named to the PFWA All-Rookie team. Since 2020, Wirfs and Winfield Jr. have been two of the NFL's most productive players at their respective positions with Wirfs earning four Pro Bowl selections and two AP first-team All-Pro nods in his four seasons and Winfield Jr. earning one Pro Bowl trip and one first-team All-Pro selection.

The 2019 NFL Draft produced a total of eight draft picks, with five players seeing starts in Todd Bowles' defense. Devin White, picked fifth overall, started all 13 games he played, recording 91 tackles, recovering four fumbles, and capping his first season with consecutive NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors for November and December. Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, picked in the second-round, led the team with three interceptions, tying for the most among NFL rookies. Both White and Murphy-Bunting earned spots on the PWFA's All-Rookie team. Third-round pick Jamel Dean finished the season with 17 passes defensed, tying for fourth in the NFL.

In his second season, White was named a team captain and led Tampa Bay with 140 tackles – fifth-most in the NFL – while adding 9.0 sacks. White earned second-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice. Both White and Murphy-Bunting were key contributors during Tampa Bay's postseason run, with White tallying 38 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, while Murphy-Bunting recorded three interceptions in his first three career playoffs games, becoming just the fourth player to do so in the Super Bowl era. White later garnered his first Pro Bowl selection for his efforts during the 2021 season.

With the 12^th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers selected defensive tackle Vita Vea, who helped anchor the Buccaneers' top-ranked run defense during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The team has finished top five in rush defense in four of Vea's six seasons in Tampa Bay, helping land Vea his first Pro Bowl selection in 2021. Fourth-round pick Jordan Whitehead, chosen 117^th overall, started 55-of-59 career games for Tampa Bay in his first four seasons, tallying 292 tackles and five interceptions. After two productive seasons with the New York Jets, Whitehead re-signed with the Buccaneers prior to the 2024 season as a key free agent acquisition.

Ronald Jones II – a second-round pick in the 2018 Draft – recorded 1,000 yards from scrimmage and six rushing touchdowns in nine starts in 2019 and followed that up with an even more impressive 2020. Jones rushed for 978 yards on 192 carries (5.1 avg.) with seven touchdowns. His 5.1 yards per carry established a new franchise record and ranked eighth in the NFL among qualified rushers.

Fellow 2018 second-round pick Carlton Davis III started 75 career games over six seasons for Tampa Bay, including starting all nine of the team's playoff games between 2020-23. Over his six years for the Buccaneers, Davis III ranked fifth in the NFL in passes defensed (73), adding 13 takeaways.

The 2017 NFL Draft saw Biehl, working with General Manager Jason Licht, select six players, with three stepping into starting roles as rookies. The Buccaneers' first-round pick, tight end O.J. Howard, started all 14 games he played in, tying for the team lead with six touchdown receptions – tied for the second-most among NFL rookies and the fourth-most ever by a Buccaneers rookie.

In the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers selected wide receiver Chris Godwin. Over seven seasons with Tampa Bay, Godwin has totaled 6,690 receiving yards – the second-most in team history – and 34 touchdowns, which rank tied for second in franchise history. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2019, Godwin ranks 10th in the NFL in receiving yards per game (73.9 avg.) among players with at least 50 games played during that span. The 2019 season saw him rank third in the NFL with 1,333 receiving yards and fourth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns with nine, earning Pro Bowl and second-team AP All-Pro honors. During the 2022 offseason, Godwin signed a contract extension after he led the team in receiving yards (1,103) and receptions (98) in 2021. Coming off an ACL injury at the end of the 2021 campaign, Godwin recorded 104 receptions for 1,023 yards during the 2022 season. His 104 receptions in 2022 were the second-most in a single season in franchise history. He earned his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season in 2023, finishing with 83 receptions for 1,024 yards.

Biehl also assisted Licht in the 2015 NFL Draft, where the team held the first overall pick which was used to select quarterback Jameis Winston, who earned Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year and a PFWA All-Rookie Team selection, while setting nearly every rookie passing record in Buccaneers history. The 2015 draft also saw Tampa Bay select tackle Donovan Smith (34th overall), guard Ali Marpet (61st overall) and linebacker Kwon Alexander (124th overall), all of whom earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team alongside Winston. Alexander was selected to the 2017 Pro Bowl. Both Marpet and Smith signed contract extensions, with Marpet named first-team All-Pro by Pro Football Focus in 2020 in addition to being named to the PFWA All-NFC Team, before later earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2021.

Biehl came to the Buccaneers with 16 seasons of NFL experience, including 13 seasons with the San Diego Chargers (2001-13). Biehl worked as the club's assistant director of college scouting for six seasons (2008-13), after being promoted from college scout (2001-07), where he scouted the Midwest region of the country. Over that span, the Chargers had the eighth-most wins in the NFL, won five AFC West division championships and made six playoff appearances.

Prior to his time with the Chargers, Biehl spent three seasons (1998-2000) working in the Buffalo Bills' personnel department, during which time the Bills had the NFL's sixth-best record and qualified for the playoffs twice.

A native of Paxton, Illinois, Biehl attended Illinois State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in finance and a master's in sports management.

Mike and his wife, Kim, have two children: son Nathan, and daughter Kendall.