Best Players Left On The Board
April 24th, 2026
Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas devours former Alabama QB Jalen Milroe. Thomas and other strong rookie defenders remain on draftable tonight.
All kinds of good defensive players still looking for an NFL home, waiting to be drafted tonight.
Shoot, if Joe were Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht, Joe would try to find a way to get a second pick in tonight’s second round.
If Licht could swindle a team to end up with two second-round picks, without giving up a third-round pick, Licht could get an absolute haul.
The Bucs need corners? Sitting there are Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood, both of Tennessee, plus Avieon Terrell of Clemson, Keionte Scott of Miami and Brandon Cisse of South Carolina and D’Angelo Ponds of Indiana are looking for work.
Want to beef up the defensive trenches? Kayden McDonald of Ohio State and Lee Hunter of Texas Tech are still there.
Not satisfied with edge rushers, even after the Bucs grabbed the Miami Mauler, Rueben Bain? R Mason Thomas of Oklahoma, Cashius Howell of Texas A&M, Zion Young of Missouri and Gabe Jacas of Illinois are standing on the sidelines.
And of course, there are several linebackers like Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech, CJ Allen of Georgia, Anthony Hill of Texas, Kyle Louis of Pitt and Jake Golday of Cincinnati.
Shoot, looking to fill a hole at wide receiver? Denzel Boston of Washington and Malachi Fields of Notre Dame are still without teams.
If the Bucs got two of any combination McDonald, Thomas, Allen, Hunter and/or Rodriguez, Joe might just start shotgunning beers.
When Joe got home last night and started looking at Daniel Jeremiah’s list on NFL.com of top defenders who are still available, man, if Licht plays his cards right, the Bucs could have a nasty-ass defense in the near future. That’s what happens when offense dominates Round 1 of the draft.
No wonder why Licht wanted to trade back last night!
April 24th, 2026 at 4:36 am
Jrod or Hill next please…..Hunter and Mcdonald will go top 5, shoot, Jrod too more than likely.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:39 am
Get the ILB you need — even if you have to trade up. Then get Orange or Jackson Jr as your DT in the 3rd. I don’t think the Bucs are as bad off on CB.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:47 am
Wouldn’t mind another edge to really hammer that position, reinvent the room and identity. Yaya isn’t exactly Simeon Rice and he’s not above competition. Plus Braswell getting left out on the streets would be fine by me. If Walker is anywhere NEAR what Licht thinks he is (and sells us on) then Bain, Walker, Diaby lining up next to Mr half season Calijah and Vita along with a much much better coverage linebacker roaming the middle then there’s some real potential there. To me, it’s about getting off the field as much as points per game. Nothing impressive about allowing “only” a field goal when you just allowed an 8 minute drive. By the 4th, the defense is exhausted and Kirk Cousins has another 400 yards passing because you can’t get off the field on 3rd and 8
April 24th, 2026 at 6:06 am
Licht usually drafts based on needs / guys under contract. We have 6 IDL and 6 Edges under contract so I’d say we’re done at both of those positions. Based on contracts we are short at ILB, Guard, Safety and Corner so I’m thinking we draft two of them today.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:08 am
bucs probably have to trade up for one of those lbs but we dont really know how they have them graded along with the other players left
April 24th, 2026 at 6:09 am
licht will probably stay put regardless of how bad the team needs one of them lbs and then say we got the player we wanted
April 24th, 2026 at 6:19 am
That’s a lot of defensive talent left so we should be able to get a couple of good ones hopefully offensive players get scooped early
April 24th, 2026 at 6:30 am
corner back is the biggest need now for sure
April 24th, 2026 at 6:50 am
I agree with MJ, Bucs are in bigger needs for CB than ILB.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:00 am
We drafted two corners last year in the second, and third. We paid Zyon. Rodriguez had more picks than all of them. The middle of the Bucs defense is a joke. Dennis is pure garbage. Better get the best MLB available at all costs. Whoever the Bucs have rated the highest, get him. Corner should be the least of our worries. The front seven needs an overhaul.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:09 am
ILB, please.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:16 am
Definitely some talent at CB left. I’d like to see ILB then CB then DT and safety.
I think day 3 there may be a TE or QB ( Cole Payton or Cade Klubnik) to develop while Baker steers the ship for a few more years.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:19 am
Id take a corner with this pick, or at least the 3rd pick. Let Jason work his magic on an olineman in the 4th. Need another dlineman, another corner and a coach that just lets his guys play ball.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:32 am
J Rod, CJ Allen or bust
April 24th, 2026 at 7:33 am
If we pick a corner, I’d like that short Pounds kid, and leave him at nickel. Parrish is probably the best corner on the team, needs to play outside
April 24th, 2026 at 7:44 am
I think we’ll see a run on defensive picks in round 2.
Although I wouldn’t mind ILB or CB in the second, I think there’s a chance Jason goes OL with this one…probably guard.
The biggest reasons for last year were OL injuries…they led to the QB injuries. Licht will want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:49 am
We could go in a few different directions. Feels like there’s going to be a run on CBs and WRs, considering most teams know you need 3 quality players if not starters at both positions. The majority of the league doesn’t have stalwarts at both those positions.
If that’s the case, and we get one of the top ILBs to slide to us while there is still top CB talent available. It’ll be interesting to see where Licht and our draft team go with their pick at 46th overall. I’d pass on a CB in the 2nd to grab one of the top ILBs remaining, and target somebody like Daylen Everette 77th overall in the 3rd.
Good chance we could make a deal on day 2 for more picks, there’s a few teams that didn’t have a 1st rounder and you never know who could be coveting our position in the 2nd/3rd/4th.
Good start to the draft so far, but still plenty of picks left.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:20 am
This is wher corner and LB run starts.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:26 am
Don’t know how we get a second 2nd rd pick unless we trade a 3rd or 1 from nest year
April 24th, 2026 at 8:27 am
There are a lot of good players here and at 13 the Bucs will get another one for the D.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:45 am
Still could use another receiver if egbuka gets hurt
April 24th, 2026 at 8:45 am
BPA.
We have missed on many 2nd round picks over the years.
Grab the BPA and be safe.
We have many needs.
MLB, CB, OG/C, NT, DE, DT
Just get the best guy available.
Get a “steal”
Do NOT draft for need!
April 24th, 2026 at 8:49 am
lots of defensive talent on the board…would love Mason Thomas…that would almost be unfair lol
with that said, Licht has a great track record of drafting OL in the 2nd round….Marpet, Cappa, Luke, Mauch….
i think we should grab OL but man it’ll be extremely hard to pass up on M.Thomas, Kayden McDonald or Cashius Howell
GO BUCS!!!!
April 24th, 2026 at 8:50 am
I’d be tickled if we could somehow add another 2nd round pick
April 24th, 2026 at 8:55 am
Which means lots of trade ups in rounds two?
April 24th, 2026 at 8:57 am
Cincy, Buffalo and NO could be a home for Jrod.. Burn a 4th to move up.
April 24th, 2026 at 9:33 am
Trade Braswell for a 2nd rounder. Fortunately, espn has the 3 stud linebackers ranked 10th, 17th, and 18th of the players remaining and we pick 15th. I’d say we have a really good shot at landing one of them. A lot of teams don’t value ILB as much as we have to because we run zone quite a bit and desperately need coverage in the middle. We can’t run a 5th rounder out there and expect him to start- especially as slow as SVD is. SVD ran a 4.64 40. Allen ran a 4.48. Hill ran a 4.51. And Rodriguez ran a 4.57 but beat all linebackers in the short area quickness drills and in backpedaling. Any of them would be a HUGE upgrade. Also, this draft is really, really deep for corners.
April 24th, 2026 at 9:40 am
Intriguing names left at Edge, ILB, DB & DT for sure
Jason is no stranger to doubling-up on positions, but I don’t think you can Draft Howell now with his short arms or they’re gonna start calling us the Short-arm, Sunny-day, Sunday Sackers, haha!
April 24th, 2026 at 9:42 am
What a Xmas present it was Bain falling to #15 and not having to trade up. Didn’t think he would fall that far. Got to choose between Bain & Mesidor and got BPA + Need in one scoop. FN nice start to the Draft.
April 24th, 2026 at 9:43 am
How would he get another second? Who has two picks in the round and would give up both to move up to 14?
Doesn’t square.
Please pick Rodriguez if he’s there. That would represent a significant investment in the front 7 which is needed.
April 24th, 2026 at 9:43 am
J ROD PLEASE
April 24th, 2026 at 9:47 am
Hear me out.. Anthony Hill Jr. over Jacob Rodriguez.
I think Hill is rangier than Rodriguez and can also bring more value when blitzed. I think his instinct reminds me more of LVD’s game.
There’s no replacing Lavonte, but I think Hill has more LVD qualities while still bringing great production over 3 seasons
April 24th, 2026 at 9:48 am
This might be the round for a CB
April 24th, 2026 at 9:49 am
D’Angelo Ponds
April 24th, 2026 at 10:08 am
Outrigger Says:
April 24th, 2026 at 7:32 am
J Rod, CJ Allen or bust
This ^^^
April 24th, 2026 at 10:16 am
There are four ILBs worthy of consideration. Jacob Rodriguez, CJ Allen, Jake Golday, and Anthony Hill. This reminds me of when Lavonte was drafted. Luke Keuchly was at the top of my ILB list but David, Bobby Wagner, Zach Brown of UNC, Mychal Kendricks. We got the only one left… and the best one.
April 24th, 2026 at 11:19 am
McDonald for sure in the second, then Rodriquez or Hill. CBs in round 4 and 5.
April 24th, 2026 at 11:44 am
I love when light doubles up at a need.
April 24th, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Joe said, “ if Licht plays his cards right, the Bucs could have a nasty-ass defense in the near future. “
Licht already played a big card to the detriment of that hope. But maybe at least no one will be able to blame the 29th ranked pass defense and worst red zone defense in the NFL on lack of talent.
April 24th, 2026 at 12:46 pm
To get another 2nd we’d have to trade a player, if we don’t want to give up picks. Tradable upcoming FA are Vea, Kancey or Mauch. Makes sense money-wise but creates another hole to fill unless it’s Kancey who is only a part timer. Might be able to swing 2 picks for him though, 2nd and a 5th. Maybe throw in Braswell to bump it up to 2nd and a 4th.
April 24th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
Badbucs Says:
April 24th, 2026 at 12:46 pm
To get another 2nd we’d have to trade a player, if we don’t want to give up picks. Tradable upcoming FA are Vea, Kancey or Mauch.
F NO to all three!!!!!
i’d rather offer up Bucky
GO BUCS!!!!
April 24th, 2026 at 2:28 pm
If Allen’s there grab him, as a lifelong DAWG fan I can tell you he will be a solid dependable green dot helmet player with a TEAM 1st attitude who is a proven leader & a thumper who has SEC experience & was a 3 year starter at GEORGIA. IF JRod is there “although I haven’t seen him play ” everything I’ve read about him is a definite positive he’s a leader at MLB also that set alot of records at TTU IN the big12 so either would be a long term answer to a problem the Bucs will have a opportunity to fill. Now is not the time for our Rock Star GM to get cutesy & try to find a deal, take the Middle LB of these 2 thats there & let’s continue to reload our Defense in the tradition of the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS. Even if they are gone grab the guy from Tex. The Bucs have a bigtime chance to land one of these 3 players & theres not a tremendous difference between them talent wise.so do it!! GO BUCS!!!!