Todd Bowles Confidante Projects Bucs Will Choose Between Two Linemen In Round 1
April 8th, 2026
Joe had a long, private chat with Todd Bowles’ friend and supporter Pat Kirwan last week at the NFL annual meeting in Phoenix.
Bowles is a regular guest on Kirwan’s show on SiriusXM NFL Radio, and Joe talked to Kirwan one day after Kirwan spent time on and off the air with Bowles.
So of course Joe had a little extra interest in what Kirwan had to say yesterday about the Bucs’ potential 2026 first-round draft pick.
Kirwan went through an on-air mock draft exercise and reached Tampa Bay at No. 15., where Kirwan projected the Bucs to be deciding between edge rusher/defensive tackle prospect Keldric Faulk out of Auburn and DT Peter Woods from Clemson.
Kirwan went with Woods, who is more of a Calijah Kancey type than a mauling manbeast nose tackle. But Woods also is a guy who just turned 21 and is sure to add to his body. He measured 6-2 1/2 and 298 pounds at the NFL Scouting combine.
JoeBucsFan.com draft guru Sean Sullivan has Woods as the top defensive tackle on his board and calls him a Chris Jones clone. “He just collapses the pockets over and over and over again.” (You can hear Sean’s full breakdown on the Best In Class podcast.)
Faulk is a tweener at this point in his development, and another very young guy. He turns 21 this summer. Faulk measures 6-6, 276 pounds and seems like a guy who would have benefited from another year in college. But he is a freakishly athletic prospect and one that’s more of a project.
Joe probably wouldn’t draft either guy as high as No. 15, but why is Kirwan feeling the Bucs go that route?
April 8th, 2026 at 8:36 am
No more first round projects ! Give me production!! I know we have a new coaching staff but still don’t trust Bowles to coach em up. Production not hope.
April 8th, 2026 at 8:37 am
Won’t matter who they draft, we will still have Todd Bowles as out head coach!
April 8th, 2026 at 8:41 am
Two awful 1st RD choices. Hopefully Licht has enough sense to draft someone who has some decent college production.
April 8th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Woods would make Kancy a luxury. Great if he can somehow play.
April 8th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Hard pass on Faulk. Logan Hall vibes. Woods however is a player. I would take McDonald over him, but wouldn’t cry if we picked him.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:03 am
I’m not arguing that DL isn’t a need—it is—but some of this feels like an indictment on 94s durability and 50s age and snap count.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:05 am
Faulk is a college low production, below average film tweener project. NO WAY we draft this guy. First pick has to be day one starter and that ain’t Faulk. Trade back
And get Rodriguez then R. Mason. Two guys with years of college production and high motors who love the game. Who ever takes Faulk will seriously regret it
April 8th, 2026 at 9:06 am
Woods over Faulk, Kancey is in a contract year if we don’t pick up his option, and he would probably play a lot with Kanceys injury history, in a weak DT draft getting the top DT is a value
April 8th, 2026 at 9:06 am
Coaches don’t reveal draft picks to media personnel. So, he does not have any insider information.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:14 am
Such a bucs thing to do lol. Literally. Messidir is there and u pick the guy who didnt do dhit.
Thats why this franchise continues to suck on defense. Thats just about as stupid as u get
April 8th, 2026 at 9:15 am
Both sound like future BUST
So it’s likely Licht will draft one to placate his mediocre head coach
April 8th, 2026 at 9:21 am
Yeah, can’t see Bowles or Licht revealing anything about a first round pick other than to throw a smoke screen. Doing that makes sense . As much as the Bucs need talent on defense and they need a ton, don’t be surprized if they take the TE everyone is talking about. I am becoming convinced by their actions that the plan is to outscore oponets this year, because they can’t fix the defense this year. That is a major fix and they are slow in addressing it. I mean take a look yes the need a D tackle Vea is getting up there Kancy can’t stay healthy. They need 2 cornerbacks. The current starters are just plain awful. Maybe Morrison develops, but right now he can’t stay on the field and when he is it is not good. McColumn no hope.
Then they need 2 starting LBs and an Edge Rusher. to date they have shored up the defense a little, but look above that is a whole lot to add , that can’t even come close to fixing this year.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:21 am
Why is Jerwin’s Buccaneer first round pick a guessong game? He has to pick someone to write about. And Jason Licht is unpredictable…Will it be out of need or best available. The media is s at a disadvantage.while Jason Licht has a plan. Let the games begin.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:28 am
Also, a lot of what the Bucs will do will depend on what happens in front of them. Will they trade back? Will something freakish happen and somebody will be available that normally wouldn’t be because couple teams (and there are some poorly managed teams drafting early like they do every year) did something crazy earlier in the draft?
Anything is possible and I doubt it will be obvious like it was when we drafted Barton.
That year, everybody wanted Barton and he fell to us and we drafted him.
Will be a lot more intrigue this draft because we have so many needs.
Should be fun, unless we suck it up and take a bunch of offensive players. LOL
OG and TE I can live with.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:34 am
Don’t be fooled by the glamour guys. NFL games are won in the trenches, number one priority is offensive and defensive line. Our offensive line when healthy is top 5 in the NFL. We need defensive line talent. Would be nice if Kancey could play a full season. Vea has one or two good years left
April 8th, 2026 at 9:43 am
Bring on woods or McCoy
April 8th, 2026 at 9:48 am
Frank Pillow – Yes. 100%. Vita is too up/down for me, not much of a leader, getting up there in age and Kancey cant stay healthy. Further, do we even know for sure Kancey is that dude anyway? DL is most certainly a need. UNFORTUNATELY, linebacker is a far bigger need, we have needs all over lmao. Its great!
April 8th, 2026 at 10:10 am
NO to a TE and NO to any projects in the first and 2nd rounds. The Bucs has Braswell as a project and he still is not panning out.
April 8th, 2026 at 10:15 am
bakerfan Says:
April 8th, 2026 at 10:10 am
NO to a TE and NO to any projects in the first and 2nd rounds. The Bucs has Braswell as a project and he still is not panning out.
^^^^^^^^
I agree.
April 8th, 2026 at 10:23 am
Hard pass on Faulk – no more freakish athletes with no production.
Yes on Big DT – McDonald in first, other options in second and third. Not sure aout the guy from Clemson. Need size and attitude to pair with Vita. No expectations for Kancey. Just can’t count on him.
April 8th, 2026 at 10:26 am
Hopefully Bucs and JL find a trade partner and trade down… so many holes on this defense. To me, whether you draft 15th or 25th, you are getting the same type of guy… unless someone who you truly feel is a legit No. 1 falls to you at 15. Regardless of where they select their first pick I would HAVE to imagine it’s DL/Edge. So i kind of agree with Kirwan in that sense.
April 8th, 2026 at 10:36 am
The Faulk pick is Hall 2.0. Stop drafting to fix, change or modify a rook. Draft them for what they are. Faulk pick will make me puke. Sadiq haters will wish he was the pick instead. Faulk has zero pass rush. Not even close to the 15th pick worthy.