Bucs Draft Grades
April 28th, 2025
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Joe always has to type the same introduction each year for this story. Still, it’s true.
It is irresponsible to slap a grade on a draft before the rookies even pull on a jock strap in the first rookie minicamp practice (Bucs rookie minicamp is next week). Joe gets it, and that’s very true.
However, we no longer live in the 19th century where folks are willing to wait three years before the new orange grove starts producing fruit. We are 25 years into the 21st century (math people, spare Joe your outrage: the ancients didn’t have odometers).
In 2025, we live in an ADD, microwave, one-hour grocery delivery, drive-through, fast -food, video-on-demand, walk-in clinic, gamble-on-your-cell-phone society. We want results and we want results now! Patience is the virtue of losers.
So below is a sampling of grades for the Bucs’ draft this past weekend from various NFL sources. Let the debate begin:
General manager Jason Licht, another underrated decision-maker. I don’t know if I would’ve picked Egbuka as early as he did, yet there are some Chris Godwin elements to his profile, so I get it.
Morrison could be the steal of the cornerback position in this class if he stays healthy, and Parrish is a chippy inside-outside defensive back. Love the double-dip there.
Walker brings tenacity and a developed pass-rush move arsenal to the defense front, and Roberts is on the other end of the size spectrum at the same position. More diversification on defense.
Grade: B+
I pegged Egbuka as a top-20 talent, so I wasn’t surprised by where he was taken, despite the Buccaneers’ more evident roster needs. They addressed one of those areas — the secondary — with a pair of Day 2 picks, which could pay off if Morrison rebounds from a hip injury and the 5-10, 191-pound Parrish outplays his size.
Walker is a thickly built edge and Roberts is a large and athletic 5-technique bolstering Tampa Bay’s front seven. Johnson’s very slight frame and slow 40 time belie his talent as a receiver able to work the middle and get deep.
Grade: B+
Emeka Egbuka: “He’s a good fit because he’s good at football.” You can never have too many talented receivers, even if Egbuka and Chris Godwin are both slot-native wideouts.
Benjamin Morrison is an outside corner with decent size (6’193) and elite production early in his career. He amassed nine interceptions and 14 breakups as a freshman and sophomore. He missed most of his senior season with a hip injury and that also hurt his draft stock. This is the type of upside shot Day Two was made for.
Having already added Egbuka to a crowded receiver room, I’m not sure how the highly productive Tez Johnson cracks Tampa Bay’s roster. He will need to beat out Trey Palmer for punt return duties.
Grade: B+
GM Jason Licht is another guy – one who doesn’t seem to get deserved credit – who does a heckuva job in the draft-and-develop space. A bit surprising the Bucs went with a wideout – Emeka Egbuka – in Round 1, but he’s among this draft’s safest players … and Mike Evans isn’t getting any younger (though Egbuka’s game more closely resembles Chris Godwin’s). The team needed reinforcements at corner, and second-rounder Benjamin Morrison and third-rounder Jacob Parrish should check that box nicely. Might have been nice to see NT Vita Vea get some help on the D-line, though.
Grade: B
Double-dipping was the clear strategy for the Bucs in 2025 with two picks apiece dedicated to receiver, cornerback and edge rusher. The smartest teams draft for the future, anticipating rather than reacting, and that is precisely the strategy GM Jason Licht and the Bucs took in nabbing Emeka Egbuka at No. 19 overall, even with the seemingly ageless Mike Evans and Chris Godwin set to return this year. Egbuka was the second receiver off the board, but I think he’s a safer pick than the first one — Tetairoa McMillan (to the NFC South division rival Carolina Panthers) — and a pass-catcher that will keep Baker Mayfield happily firing away. Seventh-round big-play magnet Tez Johnson has the quickness to surprise, as well.
Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish might very well prove Day 2 steals in the secondary, and I’m a fan of both of their new edge rushers, David Walker and Elijah Roberts — each of the prospects complement their respective running mates with different, unique skill sets.
But in a class loaded with talented big men along the line of scrimmage and running backs, Tampa Bay’s completely ignoring such spots was surprising.
Grade: B-
Egbuka is a high-floor receiver who is a luxury alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Morrison is an interception machine, if he is healthy after two surgeries in 2024. If he isn’t, Parrish offers extra insurance. Walker could be a small-school star.
Grade: B+
April 28th, 2025 at 12:05 am
Don’t forget Prickly Pete Prisco…gave Bucs 1 of only 3 “A” grades. That was surprising.
April 28th, 2025 at 12:07 am
Walker will be the x-factor for grading this draft in a couple years. I feel like we know what we’re going to get out of Egbuka and Morrison. If Walker turns into a 10+ sack guy this draft becomes an easy A+.
April 28th, 2025 at 12:19 am
Patience is for losers- nice Joe!
April 28th, 2025 at 12:20 am
We are now 5 deep at CB!
My prayers have been answered!
Zion
Dean
Morrison
Bryce Hall
Parish
I also hope we can find 2 more CB to compete with Hayes and Funkmaster.
Izien/Tykes Smith- safeties and nickles
April 28th, 2025 at 12:24 am
I don’t need to wait 3 years to know Licht killed this draft! We are blessed to finally have some competent management at the top for the first time in most of our lives!
April 28th, 2025 at 12:24 am
No. Idiots and a-holes are impatient.
April 28th, 2025 at 12:31 am
Hey Joe,
The draft grades I’m most interested are from you guys, Ira, Steve, Lee and Sean Sullivan. How about a post draft recap show with you four opining on the Bucs draft, other draft results in our Conference and what’s left to shore up when post draft decisions are made to cut players on other teams who may have been replaced by draft picks and might now be cut? A good example is Carolina and their veteran Edge.
April 28th, 2025 at 12:38 am
Haha Rob Rang… glowing review! But you didn’t take a big DT or an RB when you are already 3 strong so… B-.
See how it pans out… being out West, most of the time the polls Joe posts are closed before I get a chance to vote but I would slap an A- or B+ on it. Like many the Egbuka pick quickly grew on me. Never disliked the player… more the shock of positional need but shortsighted not to trust JL and co to address D holes afterwards. I think they did a great job of that and many analysts seem to agree.
April 28th, 2025 at 12:47 am
Sarcasm, man. Sarcasm. 🙂
April 28th, 2025 at 12:55 am
Still thin at MLB
April 28th, 2025 at 1:09 am
We’ll know in 3 or 4 years.
April 28th, 2025 at 1:26 am
Watching the videos when they got the call… Every single one of these players makes you root for them. Appreciative and humble.
Personally, I think Morrison at CB and Walker at edge are going to be draft a steals.
April 28th, 2025 at 1:28 am
This coming year will resemble much of last year. 9 or 10 wins if all goes well. The offensive is top 5 and arguably top 3 for weapons baker can use. So we should be scoring 31 a game. Secondary got a little better.
However middle of field where that defense is exposed most was not addressed. So lots of yards this defense will likely give up tons of yards per game. Should win another division if healthy
April 28th, 2025 at 3:01 am
Agree with JJ. We didn’t lose in the playoffs because we needed more receivers. Despite LVD’s greatness, ILB was our Achilles heal, along with Edge Rush . Even if SirVocea Dennis gets healthy & is as good as Bucs hope, we did not address our reason we lost games. LVD may be on his last dance. So even if the free agent ILB plays well, we have to hope nobody inside ever gets hurt. We can’t push LVD to play every play and never retire. Love the FA splash sign and 2 solid Edge draft pickss. I’m glad Jason Licht is a lot smarter than me…..he must have a plan. I know 31 other teams will watch all those 3rd and 4th down conversions. Hopefully we don’t get injured over the middle. So I guess dropping Edge rushers into short pass coverage is a permanent thing ?
April 28th, 2025 at 4:22 am
Microwaves are great for heating up leftovers — not building dynasties. So on the surface, I’ll tip my cap to Licht and the scouting department for a well-thought-out draft plan. But real judgment comes after we see how these kids adjust — not three weeks from now, three years from now
April 28th, 2025 at 5:57 am
I love this draft class, the only one I had second thoughts about was when we took Walker in the 4th and I thought that was a little high but the more I looked into him the more I liked him. He was dominating in the senior bowl and those are the best players in the country. I’m very excited about this draft class.
April 28th, 2025 at 6:43 am
Really, these draft grades are trying to gauge value and need along with hidden gem potential. We needed a linebacker. We didn’t get one and I’m sure we were dinged for that. Fair or not. I did. I’d give us a B. That first corner would have been a first rounder if healthy. That will be considered a great value pick…if he heals up nicely. That 4th round edge is intriguing. He is bound to be considered a very possibly hidden gem value pick. That huge edge/small tackle had good production. We’ll have to wait and see about him. E2? I don’t know if I’d take him there? The receiving flea at the end? We should have just traded that pick. Last year we got Culp there. He had way better speed than the flea at twice the size.
April 28th, 2025 at 6:44 am
Pretty sure any of the Joe’s could beat out Palmer in punt return.
April 28th, 2025 at 8:11 am
A+ for me.
April 28th, 2025 at 8:18 am
Grades are about right. I hear the talent at ILB in this years’ draft was thin. I have no doubt they would have taken a flier on one of them if they fell to them in the right round. Obviously, there wasn’t anything worth trading up for.
I’m ok with the selections, we addressed quite a bit of concerns from last season. I’m warming up to Walker, there were a couple prototypical sized OLB/DE from big schools remaining when we opted to go with a highly productive, albeit undersized kid from Central Arkansas. Everyone and their mother want to give me an example of successful undersized OLB/DE, and I have to remind them, they are the exception not the norm. We will see, I hope he’s the next Shaq Barrett for us.
April 28th, 2025 at 8:32 am
Regarding Morrison:
Trepasso- “Morrison could be the steal of the draft IF he stays healthy…”
Reuter- “with a pair of Day 2 picks, which could pay off IF Morrison rebounds from a hip injury”
Dvorchal-“He missed most of his senior season with a hip injury ”
Dunleavy-“Morrison is an interception machine, if he is healthy after two surgeries in 2024.”
Meanwhile, Campbell’s shoulder was a major concern after playing through it, attending the combine, and having it fixed with ONE surgery. I don’t get it. Now we can rant about Dean, AWJ, AND Morrison as they eat up cap and tub space with the likes of Hayes playing the majority of a season
April 28th, 2025 at 8:38 am
The experts agree it was a good draft? It scares me when experts agree.
April 28th, 2025 at 8:46 am
Love this story. Mark the tape and come back to this in 2-3 years to see who knew what they were talking about. Doing that every year will keep the cycle rolling, for something both fun and important to read every year.
April 28th, 2025 at 8:47 am
These draft grades are selling it short.
A+ draft.
Best draft in the NFL.
April 28th, 2025 at 8:58 am
I know that the cat food is 75% off, however I own a dog. I had us drafting 2 ILB, 1 CB, 1 edge, and 1 DL.
We picked 0 ILB, 2 CB, 2 Edge, and 0 DL.
This is the 2021 draft all over again and Jason L. didn’t maximize our picks. There is no way you have a bottom 5 D and pass on Campbell, Mike Green, etc…
B-