The Right Pick, The Right Player Is In The Bucs’ Sights
April 18th, 2026
Click through to BillCurrieFord.com to see their extraordinary April discounts. Family-owned in Tampa since 1960! Bill Currie Ford general manager Sean Sullivan is ready to help you PERSONALLY and give you the famous Ira Kaufman discount. Don’t Worry, Drive Currie!
BY IRA KAUFMAN
The opening round of the NFL Draft is slated for Thursday evening, but here at the source point for Buccaneer news, the future is now.
My pick is in — and he’ll be a major contributor from Week 1.
He’ll supply juice off the edge for a team desperate for a pass rusher with an arsenal of moves and the desire to be great.
And to add to his value, he’ll likely be available, even if Jason Licht drops down a few spots from No. 15.
Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor.
His name is Akheem Mesidor … and don’t you forget it. If he was 22 instead of 25, he’d be a Top-10 pick. Tampa Bay craves a player with Mesidor’s skill set and production at the University of Miami, where he was often overshadowed by Rueben Bain.
Yes, Mesidor’s 25. Big deal. So you might not get more than six or seven impact years from the guy. In the NFL, that’s an eternity.
Fresh off a 12.5 sack season, he’s a polished rusher with a “deep toolbox,” according to Hurricane defensive line coach Jason Taylor, who registered 139.5 sacks during his Hall of Fame career.
Talking about Bain and Mesidor, Taylor singles out their passion for the game. That has to be music to Licht’s tuned ears.
“No. 1, they’ve got the mental makeup,” Taylor says. “They love football. Not to take away from anybody in the league, but there’s a lot of guys who don’t love ball. They fell in love with the process of being great. I don’t care how long somebody’s arms are — put on the tape.”
Mesidor’s tape should excite Licht and Todd Bowles, who demands players who hate losing more than they love winning. Mesidor fits the bill. He finished his college career with 35.5 sacks and 52.5 tackles for loss.
He announced his presence in the 2025 season opener with 1 1-2 sacks against Notre Dame. That was a mere appetizer. For the main course, Mesidor fed off two sacks against Ohio State in the playoffs and another two sacks against Indiana in the national title game.
Can you imagine him hunting down Bryce Young and Tyler Shough?
Mesidor’s draft profile has been dinged by his age and some injuries, but that should work to Licht’s advantage. The Bucs could slide down from No. 15 and still have a good chance to choose Mesidor while adding draft capital.
You need a trade partner, and there’s a reasonable expectation teams in the 16-20 range will want to move up for a Kenyon Sadiq or Keldric Faulk. Licht could pounce in that scenario, pocket an extra third-round pick and still get a dynamic edge rusher.
It’s not like Licht is hesitant to trade back in Round 1. He’s done it three times, with mixed results.
In 2016, the Bucs moved from No. 9 to No. 11 and selected Vernon Hargreaves. Big mistake. With the ninth pick, Chicago took Leonard Floyd, who has 70 sacks and 149 QB hits in 10 seasons.
Licht hit the jackpot two years later, moving down from 7 to 12 and drafting stalwart Vita Vea. Things backfired in 2022 when Licht moved back from No. 27 to No. 33 and chose Logan Hall, who just moved on to Houston as a free agent instead of being awarded a second contract with the Bucs.
During that trade back, the Bucs missed out on Devin Lloyd and George Karlaftis. Lloyd, who just signed with Carolina, posted five interceptions last season while earning second-team All-Pro honors. Karlaftis has 30.5 sacks in 65 games with the Chiefs.
Mesidor is not a raw prospect who will need months of seasoning before he’s ready to contribute. He’s not just a speed rusher, the one-trick ponies who flourish in the college ranks before being steered helplessly wide by savvy NFL tackles.
“Mesidor won’t be universally loved because of his age and injury history,” says draft guru Dane Brugler. “But he is a disruptive force off the edge who is always playing 100 mph. He projects as a 3-down NFL starter, with interior value on sub packages.”
Value is the key word when it comes to the draft process. Getting the right player at the right spot is the goal of every NFL executive.
For a team like the Bucs, hoping to stave off a 2027 overhaul, Mesidor is the right player.
April 18th, 2026 at 4:02 pm
Five years should be the maximum timespan when NFL front offices are thinking ahead, excepting the quarterback position. I would rather have Mesidor than most of the other d-linemen/edge types.
April 18th, 2026 at 4:02 pm
very nice sentiment, Joe – that would be a great idea if Licht was not a mush-brain coward – he will trade down for IOL because that is the “safe” choice
April 18th, 2026 at 4:07 pm
Would love a mesidor pick on Thursday.
April 18th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
Mesidor is considered by many to be a high-production but high-risk prospect due to this injury history, despite having a strong 2025 season. Key injuries include:
o Shoulder Injury (2021): While at West Virginia, he played through a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery.
o Foot Injuries (2022–2023): Mesidor suffered torn ligaments in both feet, requiring surgery. He played through a torn ligament in one foot during the 2022 season at Miami, still managing 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
o Season-Ending Foot Surgery (2023): He tore a ligament in his other foot in the 2023 season opener against Miami Ohio, tried to play through it against Texas A&M, and was subsequently forced to miss the remainder of the season, requiring surgery on both feet.
o Arm/Elbow Injury (2026): During the Fiesta Bowl on January 8, 2026, Mesidor suffered a right arm/elbow injury when a player fell on him. He was fitted with an elbow brace but managed to return to the game.
Sorry Ira, we’ve had enough guys like that. His age (25) is a consideration, but his injury history concerns me much more. Much prefer someone like NT/DT Kayden McDonald who’s much younger (just turned 21) and has had no significant injuries. Mesidor could end up being great, or he could end up keeping Kancey company in the tub.
April 18th, 2026 at 4:35 pm
Another perfect Licht’s loser
Overage with injury history and average stats.
He will be a major contributor to the training room and IR. Hopefully he can play cover three.
Will be out of the league in 4 years
April 18th, 2026 at 4:47 pm
Amen
April 18th, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Ira, I hope you are right. Maybe the Bucs get that pick right for the first time since Leroy Selmon. However, history says the Bucs can’t seem to get that one correct. Yes they desperately need someone at that position who can dominate tomorrow. However, thay also need that at corner and inside LB. I agree with Joe, when you can’t be sucessful drafting an edge rusher since Leroy Selmon odds are not good. However, if this guy is as good as JT says he is and he should know he has the resume to prove it, then yes take him by all means. My thought, if their is a way to also grab JT as a d line coach then I think that would be even better.
April 18th, 2026 at 4:56 pm
Did some idiot just say “average stats”??
I can understand some concerns with injuries and age, but when folks who are clueless says “average stats” for a guy who has been extremely productive..well sometimes all you can do is laugh at the ignorance.
Id be ok with Mesidor at 15 and even more impressed if they can trade down and land him whole gaining more picks.
April 18th, 2026 at 5:12 pm
If Licht were picking second and had his choice of edge rushers and drafted a bust it would lend credence to the narrative that he can’t draft defense. He isn’t or hasn’t ever had that opportunity, so if “a guy” falls to us and he is great he also won’t get credit but will get destroyed if he fails. He drafted Hargraves that wasn’t good but at least he wasn’t Eli Apple.
April 18th, 2026 at 5:25 pm
In Licht we trust!
April 18th, 2026 at 6:14 pm
Haha some of yall act like you know more than licht. Especially the haters. If you don’t like him then go to another team and cry.
April 18th, 2026 at 6:29 pm
Hargreaves was the right pick, his college tape was great but for whatever reason never was able to make the transition going forward, a head scratcher. IF we can trade back I think Licht is looking at McDonald. I really wouldn’t be surprised that if a top offensive lineman is there at 15 then we draft him. Not what I WANT but it would shore up the trenchs.
April 18th, 2026 at 6:32 pm
@#1bucsfan we may not more than licht but other teams and GMs seem to and that the problem. Not us. So direct your sarcasm and attitude towards that. JL drafting has been poor average, FA poor, picking coaches bad. So fans have a right to be upset and voice their opinions
April 18th, 2026 at 6:35 pm
Sheesh! That’s a *lot* of injuries. He did play all last season and playoffs though- right? Maybe we get lucky and Bain falls to us. That might be what the Bucs are hinting at as far as violence and not picking choir boys. Some teams might have him lower on their boards than expected so you never know. Ira- if Bain falls to us, do you take him over Mesidor? Im going to assume you say yes…
April 18th, 2026 at 7:10 pm
No thanks, would rather have McDonald, or trade back grab Rodriguez.
April 18th, 2026 at 7:18 pm
If Pope Ira blesses Mesidor, then count me in amongst the faithful. Especially if it comes with an additional 3rd round pick.
April 18th, 2026 at 7:35 pm
Bucs def trading back. Stupid not to