Bucs GM Talks About Drafting Older Defensive Players
April 1st, 2026
Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor.
So Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht traded down and made 23-year-old Vita Vea a first-round pick back in 2018, when it was still common for 21-year-olds to be in the draft pool.
In 2023, Licht drafted edge rusher YaYa Diaby a few weeks shy of his 24th birthday and last year it was edge rusher David Walker, who was a few weeks shy of 25.
NFL rookies are getting older, mostly because of COVID exemptions and players staying in college because they’re getting paid.
This was a subject during a Monday sitdown with Licht at the NFL owners meeting in the swanky lobby of the Arizona Biltmore resort.
Licht acknowledged age isn’t much of a factor in drafting a player but it can affect impact when a guy is taken entering what Licht called “early prime years.”
JoeBucsFan.com: Does that experience coming out of college, the 24- or 25-year-old, is that more valuable at certain positions on defense like an edge rusher? Is that more valuable to have an older guy, whereas as running back can come in at 21 and light it up?
Jason Licht: Yeah. It kind of depends; it’s a case-by-case basis. When we took Vita [Vea], he was a little bit older. Bottom line: we want good football players and it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in three, four, five years. Everybody wants to win now. You have to ingest everything and take everything into account, and at the end of the day you want to take the best player.
Lots of Bucs fans are paying close attention to University of Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor. He very likely will be there for Tampa Bay when their No. 15 overall pick rolls aroun.d The sixth-year senior was a beast for the Hurricanes and he turns 25 on Sunday.
Mesidor spent most of his youth in Canada and played high school ball in Clearwater in 2019.
Licht didn’t talk about Mesidor, but he did joke that older draft picks, guys that are more NFL-ready, won’t scare him. “In the NFL, you’re not necessarily on a 10-year plan,” Licht said.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:00 pm
I am with Joe. Bucs should not be drafting defensive players only to have Bowles ruin their talent.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:01 pm
Bowels will ruin them anyway. Now you don’t have to post.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:14 pm
Draft him. Bowles is gone next year. This kids a star and a stud
April 1st, 2026 at 5:18 pm
Overall, I like Mesidor – but him not running at his pro-day is a bit of a red flag. Still, he seems like a very high floor guy who should be able to play right away without the typical learning curve of younger rookies. If that’s the case, you’re getting a guy at a very expensive position for all his prime years locked up on a rookie deal.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:20 pm
Can you dullards for one thread just shut up your whining about Bowles? My God, you’re a bunch of boring d-bags. You people add nothing to any conversation.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:20 pm
Get him if he’s there!! I’m kind of doubting he will be though.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:23 pm
Some Bucs fans are still mad about that 2018 trade down
They feel like Licht gifted the Bills Josh Allen
But l believe the 20-21 draftees are a better bet
The ones that started for 3 years, and produced
Young guys like TJ Parker, CJ Allen,
April 1st, 2026 at 5:30 pm
Rod Muncher calling people boring d-bags. LOL Pot and kettle dude.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:37 pm
Munch is Funny, even when he isn’t Trying to be! What a Clown
April 1st, 2026 at 5:38 pm
Yeah Much you are anti-Baker the same way they are anti-Bowles. I haven’t seen a reason to be so anti-anything in football at least. I guess I’m anti injury? I dunno… injuries really make a mess of a team.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:40 pm
Who many fake accounts does Gipper have anyways? I guess in Cleveland there really isn’t much to do since they put out the river that was on fire.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:48 pm
I’m good with Mesidor, let’s hope Bowels uses him properly
April 1st, 2026 at 5:55 pm
Rod, stop worrying about the splinter in everyone’s eye, and worry about the 50ft plank sticking out of your own eye.
April 1st, 2026 at 5:57 pm
With the 155th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bucs select. . .Nikhai Hill-Green, Alabama lol
That’s the old guy I want. I’ll take Mesidor, but NH-G is ready made and I’ve been on him since he transferred to Colorado.
Reminds me a little of Bart Scott, can’t wait
April 1st, 2026 at 6:06 pm
I hear you Munch but take it easy. You’ve been known to repeatedly bash Baker.
I’m good with Messidor. Would prefer the DT McDonald if we trade back.
April 1st, 2026 at 6:11 pm
Whine about Baker for us one more time Rod. Lol
April 1st, 2026 at 6:25 pm
We need starters still at corner and DT. Edge can wait a little. Experienced starters there. McCollum too bored and overpaid to care and Morrison and unknown with health issues. Get the guys we need first. Mesidor is a risk regardless.
April 1st, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Glazers please clean house – GM and Coaches need to go. We need young and exciting football.
April 1st, 2026 at 6:42 pm
Edge cant wait. Its been a mess for years. Get it done
April 1st, 2026 at 6:42 pm
So rich Munch.
“You have to ingest everything and take everything into account,”
There are a ton of these types of quotes coming outta Licht and the Glazers mouths. Maybe they always talk like that and I just don’t recall but it seems like some kind of damage control.
You know, like, the fans are super miffed about retaining Todd and losing Mike but they don’t have the whole picture.
We only care about the on field picture and how it leads to Ws. Stop the excuses and fix it! Draft a 27 year old, I don’t care… put him in a position to help the Bucs win ball games or step aside.