When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the clock in the 2027 NFL Draft, the answer looks obvious: wide receiver.
Not just any receiver, either. Tampa Bay needs a true X - the kind of big, dependable target who can help Baker Mayfield, stress defenses vertically and become a problem in the red zone.
With Mike Evans gone and the current receiver group struggling badly this season, the Buccaneers have been left without the kind of WR1 that can steady the passing game. That absence has shown up in a brutal way, with Tampa Bay sitting dead-last in passing offense.
The good news is that the 2027 class appears to have several receivers who fit exactly what the Buccaneers are missing. If Tampa Bay wants to fix the problem, this is the draft to do it.
Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State is not part of the conversation here, and for good reason. He’s viewed as a generational talent and is expected to go within the top three picks, which makes him out of reach for Tampa Bay.
In a perfect world, he’d be the obvious answer. But the realistic targets are the ones below.
Charlie Becker of Indiana is probably the most electric name on the board after Smith. At 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, Becker brings the size, speed and physical edge Tampa Bay is after.
He’s known as a vertical threat with rare straight-line speed, but he also wins in the air in a way that makes him more than just a deep-ball specialist. As the source scouting note put it, “Becker is primarily used as a vertical threat, and there are few college players who can match his straight-ahead speed.
But he is more than just a threat with his legs; he's similar to an NBA rebounder with the way he wins 50-50 passes.”
That kind of profile would fit cleanly into what the Buccaneers need. If he somehow slides to them, there shouldn’t be much debate.
Another Indiana receiver, Nick Marsh, also checks a lot of boxes. He’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds and brings a different kind of value: strong at the catch point, dangerous after the catch and polished enough to be considered the most well-rounded receiver in the class.
He’s built to fight through contact and create yards after the catch, and he also brings real value as a blocker. The scouting description says, “Built like a running back, Marsh's separators are his frame, competitiveness and power at the catch point.
His strong releases at the line help him work through and steer clear of press coverage prior to making catches. And he's excellent after the catch, turning underneath catches into big gains as defenders bounce off his frame.
Marsh is also an outstanding run blocker who isn't afraid of doing the dirty work inside of the box.”
KJ Duff of Rutgers brings a different kind of headache for defenses. At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, he has the kind of frame that can overwhelm defenders and turn routine throws into contested-catch wins.
He led all of college football with 22 contested catches in 2025, then followed that with 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns last year. This season, he was on pace to top that production, with 774 yards and nine touchdowns through seven games before a season-ending ankle surgery cut things short.
That injury could push him down the board, and if it does, Tampa Bay could benefit. He’s been compared to Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, another big-bodied target who wins with size and ball skills.
Duff looks like a natural X receiver and a red-zone weapon waiting to happen.
Cam Coleman of Texas closes out the group as another prototypical X who looks ready to help right away. He’s 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds and has the reputation of being a physical route runner and a quarterback-friendly target.
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