The Buccaneers’ 1-5 start has already them parked near the top of early 2027 NFL mock drafts, and ESPN’s Field Yates sees Tampa Bay targeting one of the most disruptive defenders in college football.
In Yates’ latest mock, the Bucs land Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons with the No. 4 overall pick. That slot is based on NFL standings through Week 6, with Tampa Bay behind the Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans.
Simmons has been a force throughout his college career, piling up 116 tackles, 45.5 tackles for loss, 31.5 sacks, and eight forced fumbles in 35 games with the Longhorns. This season, he’s taken things up another level with 25 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in six appearances.
But he’s currently sidelined. Simmons suffered a high ankle sprain in Texas’ 27-24 loss to Florida on October 17, needing help off the field before being carted to the locker room and unable to return. An MRI, according to Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods, showed no structural damage, but Simmons is expected to miss three to four weeks.
Texas has already ruled him out for Saturday’s game against Ole Miss, and his status after that is still up in the air. The injury has interrupted a season in which Simmons leads the nation in sacks and tackles for loss. No one has said his season is over.
For Tampa Bay, the fit is easy to see. The Buccaneers have 11 sacks through six games, including five against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday. David Walker leads the team with four sacks, and rookie Rueben Bain Jr. got his first career sack against Pittsburgh.
Walker and Bain give the Bucs something to build on, but Tampa Bay still needs more heat from the rest of the front. A player with Simmons’ burst and finishing ability would give the defense another real threat off the edge.
There’s also a neat connection already in place. Simmons and Bain both entered college as highly regarded pass-rushing prospects, and joining them with Walker would give Tampa Bay a young group that could grow together.
The Bucs still have 11 games left, so their draft slot could look very different by season’s end. Simmons’ recovery and the rest of his season will also shape how he’s viewed in the lead-up to 2027. Still, given Tampa Bay’s need for a steadier pass rush, Yates’ projection lines up with the direction the team has already started to take on its defensive front.
In Other News...
Baker Mayfield Carries One Huge Buccaneers Question Into Panthers Game
Baker Mayfield has carried the Buccaneers through the first part of the season with the kind of toughness Tampa Bay has come to expect, and now he heads into Week 7 with a little extra attention on his right hand. Officially listed as questionable against Carolina, Mayfield was a full participant in practice all week after dislocating his thumb in Week 3, leaving the team to sort through the usual pregame injury-report suspense around its quarterback.
Todd Bowles said Mayfield looks ready to play, which is the key development for a Buccaneers offense that also has to navigate the absence of top receiver Emeka Egbuka, who has been ruled out with a concussion. Mayfield is expected to wear a custom glove on the injured hand, a small but notable detail for a team that would rather keep the conversation centered on the game plan than on what its quarterback is wearing when he takes the field. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Face A Season Pressure Game In Carolina Shorthanded
Sundays trip to Bank of America Stadium carries a little extra weight for Tampa Bay, and it comes with a depleted roster on both sides. The Buccaneers head to Carolina on Oct. 25 with several players unavailable, adding another layer of difficulty to a division matchup that already has plenty riding on it. Fans who want to follow along can catch the game locally on FOX, with streaming options on NFL+ and NFL Sunday Ticket, while radio coverage is set for WXTB 97.9 FM and SiriusXM Channel 380.
The injury list is the bigger story for Tampa Bay, though, because it trims away some of the teams margin for error at a time when every AFC South-style slip in the division feels magnified. Carolina has its own absences to manage, but the Buccaneers challenge is figuring out how to get through a road game without some key pieces available, and how much it can still demand from a shorthanded group in a matchup that could shape the tone of the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Get The Weather Break They Needed In Carolina
A much-needed break is waiting for Tampa Bay in Charlotte, where the Buccaneers are set to play the Panthers under sunny skies and mild temperatures around 65 to 70 degrees. After dealing with some less cooperative conditions in recent weeks, the setting at Bank of America Stadium should be about as clean as it gets for an offense trying to get back on track, with no rain expected and only a moderate breeze in the forecast.
The wind, listed around 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph, should not force any real changes to Tampa Bay's game plan, especially with Baker Mayfield on track to return after missing three games because of a thumb injury. It could still be enough to add a little difficulty on the edges of the operation, particularly for the kicking game and for any longer punts, but the bigger picture is simple: the Buccaneers should be able to lean on their passing attack without the weather getting in the way. [Read more 🡒]