Jordan Reid Selects Seven New Bucs
April 21st, 2026
Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas devours former Alabama QB Jalen Milroe.
One guy who has splashed onto the scene in recent years has been Jordan Reid of ESPN. He came up the hard way. He was a grunt of a GA college assistant and worked his way up to the four-letter writing specifically on the draft.
Reid goes to everything draft-related. The all-star bowl games, the pro days, the combine, you name it. So since he’s always talking to NFL scouts and coaches at these events, he has a pulse of what teams are seeking and not seeking.
Joe is highlighting here Reid’s seven-round mock draft with each Bucs player picked and a brief synopsis.
Bucs
First round
Jermond McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Joe wouldn’t touch this guy before the third day of the draft with a 10-foot pole. He is damaged goods. The dude hasn’t played since 2024. He blew out his knee working out at home in January 2025.
Now, there are reports, by way of Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, that multiple teams’ medical staffs have flagged this McCoy and are worried he may need a second surgery before he returns to the football field. No thanks, pass.
Second round
R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, one thousand times, yes! Joe damn near jumped out of his office chair reading this. Joe is a huge R Mason Thomas fan. He is lightning quick and you just don’t teach that.
And Joe doesn’t want to hear he’s too small. He’s just as tall as Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett and 20 pounds lighter. Thomas may be quicker. Absolutely, pick this guy in the second round if he slips that far.
Third round
Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
Bucs coach Todd Bowles believes there are 10-12 quality inside linebackers in this draft. Is Golday one of these guys?
Golday was a pretty good linebacker on a good team last year. Not great, but good. He flew under the radar because he played for Cincinnati in the Big XII. Not a lot of national TV games for the Bearcats compared to Texas Tech or Houston or BYU. Dane Brugler of The Athletic, in his draft guide “The Beast,” has Golday as his No. 4 inside linebacker.
Fourth round
Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma
Hey, Joe is OK with a starting receiver in the SEC from a playoff team. He averaged 11 yards a catch. After Oklahoma QB John Mateer got hurt and missed a few games, he was never really 100 percent after that. So Burks averaging 11 yards a game, catching passes from a backup and a beat-up starting QB in the SEC isn’t shabby.
Fifth round
Wesley Williams, Edge, Duke
Well, a guy from Duke ought to be able to figure out Todd Bowles’ defense. Williams is a really solid run-stopper but as a pass rusher? Well, maybe Bowles, the noted developer of edge rushers, can coach him up.
Sixth round
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
Not a bad move to take a flyer on a prayer QB. Say what you will about Cade Klubnik, but he cannot be worse than current Bucs No. 3 quarterback Connor Bazelak.
Entering the 2025 season, Klubnik was expected to perhaps be the No. 1 quarterback taken in the draft, a first-round pick for sure. Instead, Klubnik totally imploded this past season. Now folks think he’s a sixth-round pick. Hey, maybe Zac Robinson and highly respected Bucs QB coach Chander Whitmer can work some magic?
If Whitmer can make Klubnik a quality backup, that’s yet another gold star on Whitmer’s stellar resume. Everywhere Whitmer has been, he’s had quality QBs.
Seventh round
Jager Burton, C, Kentucky
OK, Joe already has a nickname for this SEC center: Jagermeister!
Joe is OK taking a flyer on any starting lineman who played in the SEC. Seventh-round picks are Hail Marys anyway. So, sure, why not Jagermeister?
April 21st, 2026 at 9:03 am
Throw this whole mock in the garbage, where it belongs.
April 21st, 2026 at 9:16 am
This mock draft is actually really good if the Bucs came a ay with this amazing even though I don’t know if McCoy is on there board kuz of injury
April 21st, 2026 at 9:25 am
Not a bad draft, I love it
Especially the Cabe Klubnik pick in the 6th round
He may have the most value of a 6th round QB
Since the Pats drafted TB12 in the 6th round
I love all of these picks
April 21st, 2026 at 9:28 am
McCoy pick will make me puke and Sadiq haters have McCoy remorse. So then Benmo goes to the pine? If so, somewhat of another wasted 2nd. RMT I like way better than Faulk or Howell. Problem is, RMT could be a first rounder.
Burks is ok.
Klubnik never reached his po at Clemson, so finally a QB pick to hut on.
The rest of the draft, meh…
April 21st, 2026 at 9:30 am
Awful. Good thing draft analysts are usually wrong
April 21st, 2026 at 9:40 am
I’ve got a dart board too. Can I do a few shots and spew out a mock draft too?
April 21st, 2026 at 9:56 am
Well, a guy from Duke ought to be able to figure out Todd Bowles’ defense.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
good one Joe!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
April 21st, 2026 at 9:57 am
Looks like zero out of seven. Using a dart board?
April 21st, 2026 at 9:58 am
No!
McCoy is going to need another knee surgery and may not play in 2026…
NO THANK YOU!!!!
We need young, healthy and cheap.
We don’t need another oft injured CB to be in and out of the line-up for the next 4 years…
The Bucs already took a big risk with Morrison.
Enough is enough.
April 21st, 2026 at 9:59 am
Is McCoy really “damaged” goods? I think the NFL medical staffs will determine if a 20 yr old who will be 18 months removed from an ACL is “damaged goods”. If that is truly the case(highly doubtful), then of course I’d pass. But the guy is a shut down CB and super talented.
If McCoy is damaged goods at 20, thrn what does Joe think about a 25 yr old with an extensive injury history in Mesidor?
JL will most likely bring in a vet CB this summer and draft someone in the middle to late rounds.
Still think it’s Rodriguez, Mesidor or Proctor.
April 21st, 2026 at 9:59 am
Just wasted 3 minutes of my life I’ll never get back. Jermod McCoy ? Seriously ?
April 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
swap the 1st round pick with OL and swap the 4th & 6th round picks for CBs and this would be a great draft…
GO BUCS!!!!
April 21st, 2026 at 10:06 am
🙂
Thank you.
April 21st, 2026 at 10:07 am
First round picks for the Bucs:
1) Edge – Mesidor
2) ILB – CJ Allen
3) IOL – Ioane
4) TE – Sadiq
5) IDL – K. McDonald
Depends on who is available when we pick and if our GM is able to move down in round #1…
April 21st, 2026 at 10:21 am
Joe Says: “He is damaged goods. The dude hasn’t played since 2024. He blew out his knee working out at home in January 2025… Multiple teams’ medical staffs have flagged this McCoy and are worried he may need a second surgery before he returns to the football field.”
Hmmmm… Then, sounds like the perfect Bucs early round draft-pick.
April 21st, 2026 at 10:23 am
I just read a good reason not to draft a linebacker in the first round, when it comes time for fifth year option inside and outside linebackers are assigned the same amount, so your inside guy is going to start his second contract millions and millions above his worth
April 21st, 2026 at 10:31 am
Klubnik is from the same high school as Drew Brees and Nick Foles- they’re rival HS is Lake Travis, the school of Basket Mayfield
April 21st, 2026 at 10:33 am
I liked watching Thomas play, too! I forgot about him. I have been soooo bored with this draft. Maybe, the most unremarkable draft that I can remember in a long time.
April 21st, 2026 at 10:35 am
Damn. Will Anderson got $50-MIL per ($134M fully guaranteed)!? WOW.
April 21st, 2026 at 10:37 am
I don’t think Jermold McCoy or Mansoor Delane is the nation top CB
They played in the SEC against tougher competition
But k believe Chris Johnson from San Diego State is the top CB
Even though he played against lesser competition
April 21st, 2026 at 10:39 am
Marine Buc…
The list. My order might be a little different but it’s the right players for sure.
April 21st, 2026 at 10:43 am
Root canal.
April 21st, 2026 at 10:43 am
Mccoy is on 15 months rehabbing an injury that should have been done in 9.
Also, we interviewed over a dozen tight ends, and he doesn’t draft any?
April 21st, 2026 at 10:43 am
No 24-25 year-olds early in the 1st-Round, please.
April 21st, 2026 at 10:44 am
2 and 3 I like quite a bit.
Absolutely not on McCoy.
April 21st, 2026 at 10:46 am
@ KA
I didn’t mean to list a specific order. I should have clarified that better…
Like I said – “it depends on who is available and if our GM is able to move back”
April 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
We have plenty of injured players on this squad from last year.
This article was completely useless and devoid of anything relevant.
R Mason Thomas in round two was the only pick that makes any sense.
We need to just grab J Rod in round one, no matter if it is a stretch.
LB, Edge, and CB are the biggest needs. Everything else is fluff.
April 21st, 2026 at 11:04 am
Joe, you should post Steven Cheah’s all new updated 4.0 NFL Draft LoL. HE’s our local “Mr. Bucs Fan” extraordinaire on FS1’s “Wake Up Barstool” (WUB). Idk, maybe you don’t like him Hahahah. He’s got the Bucs taking UGA’s CJ Allen. I said 3-months ago, HIM or Styles. A lot has changed since then. I haven’t heard much about him of late. CJ Allen, that is.
April 21st, 2026 at 11:06 am
Most draft gurus have JRod mocked somewhere 40- 50
If the Bucs pick him at 15
That will be a great over reach, according to them
And the pick will make them puke 🤮🤮
Everyone has their preferences
But in the end, no one will be 100% correct in these picks
That’s why l just analyze the players, instead of mocking them to a team
April 21st, 2026 at 11:11 am
Cheah has Jacob Rodriquez going to Houston at #28. They definitely have nothing to lose there. They can afford to reach for defense.
April 21st, 2026 at 11:11 am
One Center named Barton and the backup named Burton? um…. NO
April 21st, 2026 at 11:16 am
I lot of mocks have CJ Allen dropping to round 2, which I’ve been saying for months. He disappears in games and seems like he would need work in coverage, kinda like SVD but much more athletic.
I still think J Rodriguez would be a great pick at 15 or after trading down. The guy is super smart, creates turnovers, great in coverage, team leader and fills a huge need.
Get your edge in round 2 like Thomas, Lawrence or Derrick Moore.
Add an upgrade at guard in round 3 or if you get an extra 2nd by trading down, do it in round 2.
April 21st, 2026 at 11:22 am
They are doing wonderful things with knee and hip replacements nowadays. Morrison and McCoy could be quite a duo.
April 21st, 2026 at 11:33 am
1) DT McDonald
2) LB Rodrigues
3) DB Julian Neal
4) Edge LT Overton
5) LB Tauren York
6) OG Jerimiya Wright
7) TE JM Gyllenborg
This is based on no trades
April 21st, 2026 at 11:42 am
Excellent article.
Reads logic is off. A talented guy thar was hurt gets no penalty but one that had a rough year gets clobbered.
And we just picked a cb that had been hurt bad in the 2nd round and arent sure what we have after a year.
I like the guys mentioned but not all the spots taken
April 21st, 2026 at 11:45 am
I don’t really see any Superstar players in this draft
Not even the players at the top, Mendoza, Bailey, Styles etc
This just my opinion, l see a lot of average to above average players
I don’t see that WOW player in this draft
April 21st, 2026 at 12:00 pm
This might be the worst mock draft I’ve seen for the Bucs. The best one’s have us trading down in the 1st and taking Mesidor and then trading up in the 2nd to take JRod. That would be a dream scenario at least as far as I’m concerned
April 21st, 2026 at 12:00 pm
For all those spewing stuff like “damaged goods”, “bum knee”, saying he’s still rehabbing etc.
Go watch his pro day that he completed. Ran 4.3 40, 38 in vert and 10’7″ broad jump. Hard to do any of that on 2 good knees, much less a bum knee.
But if there is any medical concern with they knee, thrn I’m ok with them passing.
My favorite CB in this draft is Ponds. If he was an inch or 2 taller, hed be the first CB off the board. If the can get Ponds in round 2 or 3..home run.
April 21st, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Was he wearing pads, shedding blocks from tight ends? Was he in bump and run coverage? Was he weaving through traffic trying to get a tackle? Was he fighting with a receiver for the ball?
(Real) football is a far cry from track practice.
April 21st, 2026 at 12:05 pm
Lakeland:
Ive seen recent mocks that have J Rod going as high as Dallas at 20.
What we have to remember is most if these mock drafts are people not in the “know” and what happens is they all start parroting each other.
I would be perfectly happy with J Rod at 15 or after a trade down in round 1. He’s just that good.
April 21st, 2026 at 12:08 pm
That mock is horrible.
April 21st, 2026 at 12:13 pm
If a player you want won’t be there for your next pick, you take him with your current pick. Period.
That’s not overreaching.
The term “overreaching” is based on rankings of people who get it wrong every year.