Drafting Philosophy
February 9th, 2026
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love.
Two weeks from today only two types of people will fly to Indianapolis in the last week of February: mental patients and football junkies.
(Joe loves Indianapolis; just hates winter.)
Ah yes, the combine will hit the Heartland in two weeks. There, seeds will be planted about the immediate futures of NFL teams, including the Bucs. Who might they sign? Who might they trade for or draft?
The combine is basically football’s winter festival, where college and NFL types descend upon downtown Indianapolis to discuss football from the time folks wake up until they go to bed. And, oh yeah, pretend they are back in college and try to drink downtown Indianapolis dry.
Joe is firm with a desire to draft Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. BSPN draft analyst Jordan Reid has Styles as his eighth-best player in the draft.
Styles started his college career as a safety but converted to linebacker without missing a beat. He only missed two tackles last season when defending the run, as his attacking style helps him effectively get ball carriers on the ground. Styles has excellent range and awareness, and he is timely in his decisions to charge downhill. Despite his DB background, Styles needs to continue to improve his feel in zone coverage.
Yes, Joe loves Styles and damn, the Bucs need him badly. Here’s the problem: Joe doesn’t see how Styles gets past Dallas at No. 12. The Bucs pick at No. 15. So to get Styles, the Bucs may have to trade above Dallas.
Here is something to think about: The Bucs defense stinks, right? So how can the Bucs win with a lousy defense? Score more than the other team, that’s how. Duh. The Bucs, on paper, have an offense that is far more complete than the defense is, especially if Mike Evans returns. So, if the following guy is on the board at No. 15, how do the Bucs pass on Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love?
Joe normally doesn’t like drafting a running back in the first round. But this guy is special.
He’s basically Bijan Robinson II. Reid has Love as the best player in the draft.
Oh, and who coached Robinson in Atlanta? The Bucs’ new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
If both Styles and Love are gone when the Bucs are on the clock, “this Joe” would draft Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
With either Love or Sadiq, the Bucs offense could be very, very, very dangerous.
Your 2025 Doak Walker Award Winner
JEREMIYAH LOVE ☘️🫶
Enjoy his best plays from this season
pic.twitter.com/OB59YQZaXb— Cory Wargo CFB (@CFBUpdate_) December 13, 2025
February 9th, 2026 at 9:07 am
1st rd…….QB for back up.
2nd and 3rd best DT around.
Stop wit da 3-4 edge Bowzo D plans.
February 9th, 2026 at 9:12 am
Spend all the free agent money on defense hard to ask a rookie defender to come in and be all world. If Love is on the board draft him
February 9th, 2026 at 9:15 am
Also with Bucky being very shaky, drafting a Love or a RB isn’t a bad idea you can run the offense through him
February 9th, 2026 at 9:17 am
I would be tickled pink with Styles or Love
Don’t expect for that to be a option.
I am not as optimistic about the current roster especially with aged and injured WR’s
1&2
I would be happy to trade down and accumulate more picks if that option presents itself.
The roster has more questions than answers as it sits right now.
February 9th, 2026 at 9:17 am
“Joe doesn’t see how Styles gets past Dallas at No. 12. The Bucs pick at No. 15. So to get Styles, the Bucs may have to trade above Dallas.”
No, because it’s not certain Dallas will spend their 12th overall pick on Styles, as they could easily draft Casius Howell with the same exact pick. I’ve seen models where Arvell Reese & Styles are available when we pick, and I’d go Styles if it played out that way.
Not we shouldn’t draft a damn RB or TE with a top 15 pick, or over-draft at either LB/RB as undervalued positions as most teams in need(us included) go QB-EDGE-OT-WR-CB because those are the positions you want a 5th year option on, especially if you hit.
This Joe, needs to relax.
February 9th, 2026 at 9:24 am
The other RB from ND Price also looks good too so maybe we need to be looking at some of the O line from ND. I also like the RB Allen out of Penn State too.
February 9th, 2026 at 9:26 am
Styles is the way to go for us, I believe. Trade up if you have to. I like Love a lot, just not 1st round for an RB and certainly not for a TE. Sorry Joe, we’ve been burned before on a first round TE and my PTSD can’t handle it. Howell, if Styles isn’t there, or a stud Guard in round 1.
February 9th, 2026 at 9:33 am
I would perfectly on board with Love or Sediq at 15, provi feed the next comes to fruition. They get Gabe jacas in the 2nd. Then the best available DE in the 3rd. This Joe is absolutely correct, if we simply have too menu weapons and firepower, the opponents fall behind quickly and get way iout of their game plan and run out of time in the b4t. Yeah sign me up for that😉😎
February 9th, 2026 at 9:33 am
I want to know when the last time a rookie defender was all pro and in the playoffs
February 9th, 2026 at 9:37 am
Agree with Joe that if Styles not available then pick Jeremiyah Love. He is an absolute superstar better than Bijon Robinson. Doubt he will be available at 15 but he is an exception to the BUCS all defense draft program. Haven’t seen a college back this good since Herschel Walker.
February 9th, 2026 at 9:51 am
you guys want to pick an RB in the 1st round and have him run behind michael jordan, haggard or Mauch, who will be less than 100% all season after his ACL….
how is drafting an LB, RB or TE going to stop/slow down a front 4 like SEA, LAR or SF?
DRAFT OL WITH OUR FIRST PICK!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
February 9th, 2026 at 9:58 am
Tucker is faster than either one. Get him HOLES and watch him fly.
Another guard would be nice, though the first round is too early unless Ioane is a generational talent.
February 9th, 2026 at 10:03 am
Gosh I’m glad this Joe isn’t our GM. If we picked a TE in the 1st round of this draft, it would be arguably the dumbest pick we could make. We got TEs who are good enough blockers to make this run game go. Don’t need all world pass catching TE’s when we have the WRs we have. Just need them to be utilized properly.
February 9th, 2026 at 10:09 am
Love looks like the piece to help open up Tampa’s running 🏃♂️ game. Defenses will have a difficult time defending Tampa Bays running and passing game simultaneously. They would have to chose – the run or pass. This would open up gaps for the Bucs to exploit and would help neuter defensive teams like Seattle.
The Bucs are a couple of draft picks and veteran acquisitions away from a Super Bowl 🏆 run.
Go Bucs
February 9th, 2026 at 10:45 am
I would throw up if we draft offense in first round. DEFENSE. DEFENSE. DEFENSE. Complete overhaul needed from top to bottom.
February 9th, 2026 at 10:46 am
“…we shouldn’t draft a damn RB or TE with a top 15 pick, or over-draft at either LB/RB as undervalued positions as most teams in need(us included) go QB-EDGE-OT-WR-CB because those are the positions you want a 5th year option on, especially if you hit.
This Joe, needs to relax.”
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WBL, you ruined my excitement. After watching Love’s highlights, I was all excited to see him in a Buc’s uniform. Every time he touched the ball he got a TD. Crazy spin moves.
But you are right, 1st Rd picks need to be used for EDGE or a wicked jazz DT that we need so badly. Offense would be fun, but look at how Seattle’s D contributed to winning a SB. I think our offense will resurrect in ’26, but our D is on life support. Can’t win without some kind of respectable defense
February 9th, 2026 at 10:57 am
Joe would draft a TE at #15? Last time we used a first rounder on a TE it was a disaster.
February 9th, 2026 at 11:05 am
Yeah let’s keep making this team one dimensional that’s what has been effective let’s just keep the defense on the sidelines won’t even field them, Superbowl here we come.
February 9th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Bad analysis of of the talent level at OLB,DE, ILB. leaves too many holes in the
the defense to draft offensive players. Oh and by the way good defenses have a
great four man rush that is the primary way to affect QB play.
February 9th, 2026 at 11:15 am
If Love is that special he will move up draft boards.
Styles or one of the true DEs like Keldric Failk who can still slide inside he is so big.
He stops the run better than most of our DTs already.
February 9th, 2026 at 11:22 am
Rather than looking at chicks 🙂 Joe was looking at research. There may be something very wrong if Arvell Reese isn’t a top-five pick.
February 9th, 2026 at 11:22 am
“WBL, you ruined my excitement. After watching Love’s highlights, I was all excited to see him in a Buc’s uniform. Every time he touched the ball he got a TD. Crazy spin moves.”
Harry, go look at Mike Washington Jr or Emmett Johnson to get your fix. Big fan of Rueben Owens too, can’t even think the last time we had his type of speed and explosiveness in the backfield. Don’t make picks that reflect having champagne taste, but picking like you have kool aid for brains.
As far as DT, I’m interested in Christian Miller and Caleb Banks those guys fit that Tommy Kelly type that Bowles had in AZ, Ghoslton had here and tried to have in ’22 with Akiem Hicks. We need another 2-gapping IDL opposite of Vita. Fan of Demonte Capeheart as well, especially the postional flexibility he brings to the table.
If “This” Joe were our GM, and drafted a TE/RB 15th overall I’d want him fired before the 1st round even ends.
February 9th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Bucs tight ends are the only weak link of the offense. Never thought any of them were exceptional blockers. Kieft is very good at blocking linebackers and DBs.
Josh Grizzard did think that Cade Otton was Jimmie Giles. The biggest tell for defenses what the Bucs were going to do was when Otton went in motion and turned up field. LOL
February 9th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Trade down and get some picks
February 9th, 2026 at 11:26 am
Oh, by all means, let’s base all future drafts on Dirk Koetter’s mistakes.
February 9th, 2026 at 11:34 am
“Rather than looking at chicks, Joe was looking at research. There may be something very wrong if Arvell Reese isn’t a top-five pick.”
He’s not as good in coverage as Styles, and his positional value compared to the top guys at QB-OLB-OT-WR-CB-Edge kind of makes him a lower priority to MOST teams. There’s a few ILBs who, had the position not lost it’s value over the years they’d be day-1/round 2 picks.
Right now NFL compared to say 20 years ago, you’re not running a 3-4 or 4-3 with three to four LBs in the grass the majority of the game. At best there are 2 on the field at once and in the nickel that’s all you’re getting in todays’ NFL.
Then you’ve got tweeners, who’ve split time off and rushing. Some of those guys look pretty intriguing based off what we want to do.
February 9th, 2026 at 11:36 am
“Bucs tight ends are the only weak link of the offense. Never thought any of them were exceptional blockers. Kieft is very good at blocking linebackers and DBs.”
It’d be overkill Joe, don’t try to rationalize a bad pick with bad reasons lol
Devin Culp had the same amount of targets as Tristan Wirfs