Nailing 11 Picks In Mock Draft
April 19th, 2026
JoeBucFan.com draft guru Sean Sullivan (left) alongside Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman.
There are lots of draft gurus out there. Joe gets a laugh out of the ones who talk about 37 prospects potentially coming to the Bucs so they can claim victory if any one of them lands in Tampa.
However, when it comes to the local draftniks, Joe focuses on the guy who nailed 11 picks in last year’s NFL Draft, inluding nailing the first 7 picks of the 2025 draft in order.
His name is Sean Sullivan, and he’s the JoeBucsFan.com draft guru for the past seven years. Sullivan dropped his lone mock draft on the Ira Kaufman Podcast three days before the 2025 draft — seven weeks after he patrolled the NFL Scouting Combine talking to players, analysts, coaches and executives.
After hitting on the first seven picks, Sullivan was on target with guard Grey Zabel landing with the Seahawks at No. 18 overall, plus receiver Matthew Golden heading to Green Bay at No. 23. Then, to close the draft, Sullivan put Jihaad Campbell to the Eagles and OT Josh Simmons to Kansas City.
Eleven picks nailed by Sullivan. Eleven!
NFL Network draft guru Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN insider Peter Schrager weren’t in Sullivan’s league, neither was Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com.
Can Sullivan do it again? This draft is similarly challenging with absence of a lot of blue-chip quarterbacks and more real wild card teams than in 2024. After all, the NFL has 10 new head coaches this year. Plus, there are multiple teams with multiple first-round picks.
Sullivan’s annual mock draft with Joe and Ira Kaufman should post late tomorrow night/early Tuesday morning.
In the meantime, you can catch up on Sullivan’s position-by-position breakdowns in the Best In Class podcast. In written form, Joe will type up Sullivan’s mock in this space on Wednesday morning.
April 19th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
Knows his stuff
April 19th, 2026 at 3:25 pm
Is he still working at the car dealer?
Yes, Sean still serves as the big boss at Bill Currie Ford, and he holds the JoeBucsFan discount, ready to hand it to any customer that reaches out.–Joe
April 19th, 2026 at 3:29 pm
Does he have us drafting a new coach?
April 19th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
Way to go Sean!
That is impressive.
April 19th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
He has Travis Hunter going to the Jags?
April 19th, 2026 at 3:56 pm
I always thought Sean Sullivan looked like the slimmed down version of Brad Culpepper, at least from that picture.
April 19th, 2026 at 4:09 pm
I’m coming out with a Bucs 7 round mock on Thursday morning
April 19th, 2026 at 4:09 pm
Once the jags made that trade last year, weren’t the first 6-8 picks “chalk”?
Safe to say a lot of guys over think it. Hat tip to Sean, I just remember thinking this draft is going exactly as it was laid out to.
Maybe I’m getting confused with year before.
April 19th, 2026 at 4:29 pm
Here’s my latest PFF super accurate draft simulator 2026 results… I start off the draft, again, by trading Baker, a 1st (15) and 2nd (46) to the Raiders for their 1st (1), 2nd (36) and 3rd (67). I then trade down from first overall repeatedly to pick up additional picks. Then later, needing a QB, I trade to get Baker back at a discount! This again proves why I should be the GM. Just look at the players I end the draft with, giving up no future assets. I double up at EDGE, ILB, OG and TE. Lets see Licht beat this…
———
Trade 1
Buccaneers receive: R1:1, R2:36, R3:67
Raiders receive: QB B. Mayfield, R1:15, R2:46
Trade 2
Buccaneers receive: R1:2, R1:16
Jets receive: R1:1, R5:155
Trade 3
Buccaneers receive: R1:3, R2:34, R3:65, R5:143
Cardinals receive: R1:2
Trade 4
Buccaneers receive: R1:4, R2:35, R3:66
Titans receive: R1:3
Trade 5
Buccaneers receive: R1:6, R1:24, R6:206
Browns receive: R1:4, R3:77
Trade 6
Buccaneers receive: R2:54, R3:68, R3:98
Eagles receive: R2:35, R5:143, R6:185, R6:206
Trade 7
Buccaneers receive: R3:82, R3:97, R5:163
Vikings receive: R3:67, R6:195, R7:229
Trade 8
Buccaneers receive: QB B. Mayfield, R4:102, R6:185
Raiders receive: R1:16, R2:36
Trade 9
Buccaneers receive: R4:118, R6:213, R7:222
Lions receive: R4:116
———–
Pick 1.6
David Bailey, ED, Texas Tech
Pick 1.24
Kayden McDonald, DI, Ohio State
Pick 2.34
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
Pick 2.54
Malachi Lawrence, ED, UCF
Pick 3.65
Gennings Dunker, T, Iowa (moves to guard)
Pick 3.66
Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
Pick 3.68
Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
Pick 3.82
Darrell Jackson Jr., DI, Florida State
Pick 3.97
Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
Pick 3.98
Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor
Pick 4.102
Billy Schrauth, G, Notre Dame
Pick 4.118
Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
Pick 5.163
Michael Taaffe, S, Texas
Pick 6.213
Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas
Pick 7.222
TJ Hall, CB, Iowa
April 19th, 2026 at 4:38 pm
Dam Munch, are you really that lonely since your parakeet died?
April 19th, 2026 at 4:45 pm
I’ve spent more time than Munch thinking this through:
Bucs draft a guy someone predicted they would.
April 19th, 2026 at 5:01 pm
Malachi Lawrence is my favorite Edge Rusher in this draft
April 19th, 2026 at 5:11 pm
Is Joe Buc having a draft party this year?
No party. –Joe
April 19th, 2026 at 5:11 pm
Malachi Lawrence is a high motor beast
6’4 3/8 255 lbs, 4 52 speed
April 19th, 2026 at 5:28 pm
We’ve reached the Moment of Analytical Absurdity.
We’ve got a car salesman and Munch. Munch’s is much more entertaining.
April 19th, 2026 at 5:29 pm
Pot wouldn’t get MUNCH this dumb. It has to be stronger. As bizarre as Raiders’ picks have been in the past, even they are not this crazy.
April 19th, 2026 at 5:37 pm
I would love for the draft to play out exactly likes Munich’s scenario. I think Bailey is going to be the top edge rusher once this class has been in the league for a few years.
April 19th, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Draft in 4 days. All the crap we’ve learned and speculated comes to play.As others have mentioned, this year is top heavy. By mid-round one there is a drop off in likelihood of success. That puts the Bucs in a place where they have to choose between going for it and moving up, or dropping back for multiplepossibilities. Mesidor (and other OL types) seems like a hinge point. Pretty good but not at all elite. I’d say if you’re going up then rip the lid off. There are tumors that both NYJ and AZ are considering trading down. Reese is the one elite difference maker worth going to that spot. I’ve loved Styles, Downs and maybe Bain, but they have shown warts. Trade what picks are needed, and maybe AWJ to get the man.Or, craft the defense. You have pieces which may improve the pass rush already – Muhammad and Walker have solid potential. I like Bucs Guys’ approach to filling OLB and ILB with one of several quality draft picks.But I’d like to see some more innovation to develop. Getting Lawrence (UCF) really seems worth a little wait. Then I disagree about LB/S Louis from Pitt. Create a pass down scheme with him @ LB in a 4-2-5 setup. He’s a great coverage and boomer, with lots of exuberance as well. This works with either the full Reese option or the shotgun approach.As much as anything the D needs tenacity and fire. I AI’d it and Reese and Louis came up on the short list. Change the culture on defense.
April 19th, 2026 at 6:19 pm
@Lakeland
This is what I gave them. I’d still consider trading down.
1st round: AKHEEM MESIDOR (DE Miami)
2nd round: KYLE LOUIS (LB Pitt)
3rd round: KEYLAN RUTLEDGE (OL Georgia Tech)
4th round: CHANDLER RIVERS (CB Duke)
5th round: JACK KELLY (LB BYU)
6th round: BRANDON CLEVELAND (DT North Carolina St)
7th round: DEANDRE PROCTOR (WR Johnson C Smith)
April 19th, 2026 at 6:29 pm
@Rod Munch-
Love it Rod. Aside from having no chance of anything like it ever happening, it is still very innovative. Truth be told, I’d prefer you as GM to over JL. At least there would be some creativity and honesty…
Draft can’t get here soon enough.
April 19th, 2026 at 6:35 pm
Tony
That’s a nice draft
I like all 7 of those picks
Especially Louis and Rutledge
April 19th, 2026 at 6:57 pm
If Baker is worth that why trade him???
April 19th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
@Lakeland
Only way I don’t consider trading down is if Bain somehow fell to them but I still doubt that’ll happen. I’d still consider Bain even with everything that’s come out with him recently.
April 19th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
TBBF plans to mock our first round pick on Friday