*Scroll to the bottom to see a compiled list of Buccaneers mock draft picks from sports analysts
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – By the end of this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have a few new faces on their roster with the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft.
When star quarterback Tom Brady retired in February, the Bucs made a few changes to their previous starting lineup with veteran free-agency departures, trades and releases. During the off-season, the Bucs released veteran tight end Cameron Brate, running back Leonard Fournette, left tackle Donovan Smith and kicker Ryan Succop.
The team also lost cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, guard Shaq Mason, quarterback Blaine Gabbert, safety Mike Edwards, wide receiver Scotty Miller, safety Keanu Neal, defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches and offensive tackle Josh Wells.
While several familiar faces are no longer on the team, the Buccaneers did acquire running back Chase Edmonds, offensive lineman Matter Feiler, defensive tackle Greg Gaines, kicker Chase McLaughlin, safety Ryan Neal and of course, former Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Baker Mayfield, prior to draft week.
Since Brady left, Mayfield and quarterback Kyle Trask are the only quarterbacks under contract for the Bucs, so it’s possible the team could trade up or select a young quarterback, depending on the outcomes of the other team’s picks. After last season, Tampa’s offense was also left a little dry, which led to many sports analysts predicting the team will select an offensive position with their first draft pick.
What picks do the Buccaneers have in the 2023 draft?
For the upcoming draft, the Buccaneers will have the 19th pick in the first round after being knocked out of the 2022 playoffs by the Dallas Cowboys. The Bucs will also have the Texans’ sixth-round pick after trading guard Shaq Mason to Houston, along with a seventh-round pick.
During the NFL Draft, which takes place on April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri, Tampa Bay will have the following overall picks:
- Round One, Pick 19, 19th Overall
- Round Two, Pick 19, 50th Overall
- Round Three, Pick 19, 82nd Overall
- Round Five, Pick 19, 153rd Overall
- Round Five, Pick 41, 175th Overall (Compensatory pick)
- Round Six, Pick 2, 179th Overall (From the Texans)
- Round Six, Pick 4, 181st Overall (From the Colts)
- Round Six, Pick 19, 196th Overall
- Round Seven, Pick 35, 252nd Overall (Compensatory pick)
Who will the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select in the first round? Here’s a breakdown of what sports analysts are saying:
Breakdown of first-round picks by position:
OL: 8
EDGE: 3
QB: 2
S: 2
TE: 2
Peter King of NBC Sports: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
If sports analysts can agree on one thing, it’s that Tennessee’s offensive tackle Darnell Wright seems to be the clear choice for the Bucs’ first-round pick. NBC Sports Peter King said Tampa needs young players all over the field, but it’s a little too early for a quarterback. He added that getting another tackle to pair with Wirfs would make sense to help protect Baker and Trask.
King shared, “The Bucs need young replenishments all over the field. This is probably a year too early for a quarterback, so getting a tackle to pair for the next few years with Tristan Wirfs makes sense for GM Jason Licht.”
Connor Rogers of NBC Sports: EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
Another popular Bucs first-round pick among analysts is also EDGE Myles Muphy. NBC Sports Connor Roger said the Clemson player is a strong defender with power and while he hasn’t been dominant at Clemson, he has the potential to “come off the board early.”
“Jason Licht has taken his early round swings on pass rush help, but this unit still desperately needs help. Murphy is a strong run defender with power and athleticism. He never had a truly dominant season for Clemson, but his potential as a 21-year-old rookie will have him come off the board early,” Rogers said in his mock draft.
Eric Froton of NBC Sports: S Brian Branch, Alabama
NBC Sports Eric Froton stated that while Alabama safety Brian Branch is considered a cornerback on Draft Kings, he noted Branch possesses the ability to drop into coverage as a safety and play shut-down slot defense.
Eric Froton wrote, “Branch (6’0/190) is one of the most game-ready prospects in the 2023 draft, possessing the rare ability to play shut down slot defense or drop into single-high coverage as a safety. The flexible hybrid DB could have presented an interesting value opportunity, as the Bucs are 20-to-1 to take a safety, but 5-to-1 to select a cornerback. But Branch is considered a cornerback on Draft Kings’ position props, so the lower (+500) CB prop hits in this simulation.”
Kyle Dvorchak of NBC Sports: OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State
According to Kyle Dvorchak, he predicts that the Bucs will select Dawand Jones, an offensive tackle from Ohio State. The NBC Sports analyst said that this prediction was one of his “larger reaches,” but that the Bucs need to find a replacement for Donovan Smith and what better replacement than a “6’8/374 beast of a tackle?”
“This is admittedly one of the larger reaches in my second mock draft. However, tackle a premium position and the Bucs are in dire need of a replacement for Donovan Smith, who they cut earlier in the offseason, at right tackle. If they are going to reach, why not do it 6’8/374 beast of a tackle who played on the right side in college and will be asked to do so in Tampa Bay?” Dvorchak wrote.
Chad Reuter of NFL.com: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
On NFL.com, sports writer Chad Reuter is predicting that the Buccaneers will select OT Darnell Wright from Tennessee as their first-round draft pick. Reuter said that Tristan Wirfs would shift to left tackle, “allowing Wright to handle edge defenders on the right side as he did last year for the Volunteers.”
Jaime Eisner of The Draft Network: EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
The Draft Network has Tampa Bay selecting edge Myles Murphy from Clemson. Jaime Eisner stated that the Bucs could be tempted by a corner here, but he’s not sure they’ll “expect a pass-rushing talent like Myles Murphy to fall.”
“While the Buccaneers did not have a Top 30 visit with Murphy, they’ve met with a ton of EDGEs—which makes sense as an area of need. Murphy would be a great addition to Todd Bowles’ defense with the ability to contribute in 2023,” Eisner shared.
Michael Renner of PFF: EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
Michael Renner from PFF also said that he believes the Bucs will pick up Myles Murphy, adding that the Bucs need to reload at valuable positions to “get themselves out of the cap-strapped position they’re in.”
Gilberto Manzan of Sports Illustrated: TE Dalton Kincaid
While veteran Cameron Brate was released by the Bucs in the off-season, leaving the team to rely on Cade Otton, Gilberto Manzan from Sports Illustrated said Tampa Bay will select Dalton Kincaid, a tight end from Utah as their first-round pick.
“Kincaid is a polished route runner and might be the best pass catcher among a deep crop of tight ends this year. Baker Mayfield probably isn’t the long-term answer in Tampa, but he tends to play better with productive tight ends as security blankets,” Manzan said.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today: OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz think the Bucs will stick with the offense route for their first-round pick and bring in offensive tackle Anton Harrison from Oklahoma to help make a “big investment” for the teams future quarterback since QB Baker Mayfield was only signed to a one-year deal.
“In bringing in Baker Mayfield to compete with Kyle Trask to be Tom Brady’s successor, the Buccaneers appear to have telegraphed a patient approach to a rebuild. If Tampa Bay is going to wait at least a year to make a big investment for its quarterback of the future, it would be wise to bring on a left tackle like Harrison to elevate pass protection and allow Tristan Wirfs to remain on the right side,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote.
Sam Farmer of Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!life): QB Will Levis, Kentucky
Sam Farmer’s mock draft on Yahoo! is just one of the few mock drafts I’ve seen predicting that the Buccaneers will select a quarterback in the first round. Farmer had Tampa Bay selecting Kentucky QB Will Levis, who became one of the top prospects following the NFL Combine.
Farmer said his reasoning the this Bucs pick was that the team needs ” to get a quarterback they can develop.”
“The Buccaneers need to get a quarterback they can develop. Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker would be interesting here too,” he stated.
Greg Auman of FOX Sports: OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
FOX Sports pulled together nine experts from the network’s NFL and college sports staff to create a 2023 mock draft. For the Buccaneers, Greg Auman selected offensive tackle Broderick Jones from Georgia as the team’s first-round pick.
“I’ve paired the Bucs with Brian Branch a bunch in mock drafts, but with him just grabbed and only two offensive linemen off the board, Tampa Bay can fill a key need and replace Donovan Smith at left tackle. Jones ran a 4.97 40 at 311 pounds, with athleticism to match his size, and he gets the nod over Tennessee‘s Darnell Wright here. If the Bucs want to slide Tristan Wirfs to left tackle, this is a chance to do so, but they might just keep him where he’s been an All-Pro,” Auman wrote.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports: S Brian Branch, Alabama
According to Ryan Wilson, he predicts that Alabama’s safety Brian Branch will be picked up in the first round. Wilson said that Branch is “special.” “He can play in the slot, near the line of scrimmage or deep center field. And if Nick Saban trusted him at Alabama, that’s all you need to know about his NFL prospects. He ran a 4.58 at the combine but he plays much faster than that,” Wilson said.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports: TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
In Chris Trapasso’s mock draft for CBS Sports, he actually has the Buccaneers trading picks and moving their first-round selection back to No. 28 instead of pick No. 19. In this scenario, Trapasso has Tampa Bay selecting tight end Michael Mayer from Notre Dame.
“After a pair of trade backs, the Buccaneers snag Mayer to be their complete TE1 for the next decade. In the moves, Tampa Bay received No. 92 from Cincinnati and a 2024 second-round pick from Jacksonville,” Trapasso wrote.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports: IOL O’Cryus Torrence, Florida
CBS Sports writer Josh Edwards is predicting that the Buccaneers will take Florida IOL O’Cryus Torrence in the first round. Edwards said Tampa Bay has invested in its offensive line for years, but now the unit needs some attention.
“Tampa Bay invested in its offensive line for years but the unit needs some attention after the past few offseasons. The Buccaneers have at least two long-term pieces to build around with Tristan Wirfs and now O’Cyrus Torrence,” Edwards shared.
Kyle Stackpole of CBS Sports: QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
CBS Sports’ Kyle Stackpole is among one of the few analysts believing the Bucs will take a quarterback in the first round. Stackpole chose Hooker as the QB prospect in hopes that he’ll be able to manage the teams’ offense.
Stackpole said, “The Buccaneers still have pieces to contend in a weak NFC, so they take the 25-year-old Hendon Hooker and hope the Tennessee QB can manage the offense.”
Will Brinson of CBS Sports: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
There seems to be an obvious trend that the Buccaneers need use their first-round picks to stack their offense. Will Brinson of CBS Sports stated that he believes the Bucs will select offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. from Ohio State because Tampa Bay’s OL needs to be “rebuilt.”
“The Bucs’ offensive line is NOT great right now and it needs to be rebuilt,” Brinson said.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
On CBS Sports, Pete Prisco predicts that the Bucs will select offensive tackle Darnell Wright from Tennessee, as there have been talks of moving Tristan Wirfs to the left side following Donovan Smith’s departure from the team.
“There is talk of moving right tackle Tristan Wirfs to the left side, which would make Wright a plug-and-play as a rookie at right tackle, his natural spot. He is a nasty, tough player,” he wrote.
