Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mock Draft – Day 2 & 3

The first day of the 2025 NFL draft is in the books. With a lot of surprises and trades, it’s hard to imagine anyone could predict how Day 1 would have turned out. At No. 19 overall, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected, Emeka Egbuka, wide receiver out of Ohio State. And, the Buccaneers will be the focus of this Day 2 and Day 3 NFL mock draft usint the PFF Mock Draft Simulator. The reigning NFC South Champions do not have a ton of holes, but they are in a great position to bolster their roster for the 2025 season. So, without further ado, it is time to beat the clock and get this exercise started!

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2025 NFL Mock Draft

Round 2: Kevin Winston Jr., Safety – Penn State

Outside of Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay’s safety room has a lot of unproven and young players on the depth chart. Christian Izien has the highest potential of the players in the room, but he is very new to the role he is slated to play in 2025.

As a result, I have Tampa Bay selecting Penn State’s Kevin Winston Jr., who could end up being one of the steals of the draft.

Before his injury this season, Winston Jr. had shown the ability to be a dominant all-around safety. In the run game, the Penn State product was a missile downhill that consistently stopped offenses in their tracks. He had 21 defensive stops, 46 tackles, and zero missed tackles in 2023, resulting in an elite 90.6 PFF run defense grade. In coverage, Winston only allowed 10 receptions for 121 yards in 2023, along with an interception and three pass breakups.

If he is all cleared with his injury, Winston Jr. would form a fearsome duo with Winfield Jr. in the Tampa Bay secondary. With the other addition Tampa makes to their secondary later in this draft, the Penn State safety could help elevate the NFC South champions to a different level on defense.

Round 3: Nohl Williams, CB – California

And here is the other addition to the Tampa Bay’s secondary.

Cal’s Nohl Williams is a physical, lengthy corner who has the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. In coverage, Williams is a ballhawk; he has 14 career interceptions, seven of which came for the Golden Bears in 2024. He also has 23 pass-breakups, demonstrating an ability to make consistent plays in coverage. As a run defender, Williams’s physicality allows him to go make plays downhill. Between his time at Cal and UNLV, the cornerback has 163 tackles, 43 defensive stops, and three forced fumbles.

Williams has a tendency to play a bit out of control, which can result in holding penalties and a decent amount of missed tackles. He can also sometimes give too much leverage to wideouts; at the Shrine Bowl, Williams only really lost reps when he allowed the wideouts to attack and set him up down the field.

Despite these flaws, Williams is a great asset for the Buccaneers if they land him. Todd Bowles would deploy him in the best possible ways, and he would be able to thrive as a ballhawk alongside Winston Jr. and Winfield Jr.

Round 4: Tory Horton, WR – Colorado State

Similar to Winston Jr., the Buccaneers landing Colorado State wideout Tory Horton in the fourth round would be one of the potential steals of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Playing five years between Colorado State and Nevada, Horton posted 3,601 yards and 27 touchdowns on 264 receptions. 2024 was his best season, as he snagged 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns. He had 575 yards after the catch, an ADOT of 10.2, and eight contested catches on 14 attempts.

Horton is a smooth route-runner who can create consistent separation with his overall skill set. He has the necessary speed, agility, and ball-carrier moves to make things happen in space. And while he is not known for it, Horton can go up and make plays on the ball in the air when his team truly needs it.

Some may worry about Horton being an instant-impact player coming off his knee injury and playing against some weaker competition in college. But with a deep Tampa Bay wideout group and transitioning into a potential role to replace Mike Evans, Horton will be able to make a seamless transition to the league. Between his opportunity to contribute in short spurts during his rookie year and his long-term projection, the Bucs could have Horton pay immediate dividends and be set up to be a future standout for the team.

Round 5: Teddye Buchanan, LB – California

At some point in the draft, the Buccaneers needed to draft a linebacker, and that’s where I went in this mock draft in the fifth round.

Playing for Cal in 2024 after four years at UC Davis, Teddye Buchanan was a missile in the run game. He had 75 tackles, 24 assists, 10 defensive stops, and three forced fumbles. In his last season at UC Davis in 2023, the linebacker also had an elite 85.4 run defense grade.

Buchanan was also a force for the Golden Bears in the passing game, too. As a pass rusher, the linebacker had 25 pressures and six sacks on 97 pass rushing opportunities. He allowed 18 receptions on 32 targets for 231 yards while also forcing three pass breakups, notching a 76.2 PFF coverage grade.

The 22-year-old linebacker has the athleticism and speed to make plays in space all over the field. Between his time in college and at the Shrine Bowl, Buchanan displayed the ability to run with players all over the field. This also translates to the run game; when he makes the correct reads, Buchanan can blow up plays before the offense can make things happen in a positive direction.

Some of the linebacker’s issues stem from missed reads and tackles, while he thrives in space. But for the Buccaneers, this could be mitigated by playing alongside Lavonte David. Between his ability on the field and veteran knowledge, David could help Buchanan be in a position to wreck games for Tampa Bay’s opponents. And once David departs, the Cal product could help usher in a new era in the Buccaneers’ linebacker corps as a contributor to it.

Round 7: Cam Horsley, DL – Boston College

With the last pick for the Buccaneers, I opted to add some defensive line depth on the interior in this mock draft.

Boston College’s Cam Horsley has had solid production in the run and passing games over his five-year career. He posted 10 pressures or more in every season while also recording 18 or more defensive stops from 2021-2024.

This selection would be considered a developmental  pick. Horsley does not have the biggest frame or size for an interior defensive lineman, something the Bucs would likely want him to improve on. However, he does have the play strength necessary to be a contributor down the line.

It may not occur in 2025, but Horsley would have the potential to be a contributor as a rotational player down the line for the Buccaneers if he were picked in this spot.