If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers really do end up with the first overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, the temptation could be impossible to ignore.
Right now, the season is careening in that direction. Tampa Bay sits at 0-3, and Baker Mayfield is expected to miss at least three weeks after suffering a dislocated thumb. If the skid continues, the Bucs could find themselves staring at a chance to land one of the most talked-about prospects in the country: Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Smith is being described as a generational talent, and he is widely viewed as the first non-quarterback likely to come off the board. For a team suddenly looking at a long, ugly season, that kind of player could change the conversation fast.
Jeremiah Smith just settled ALL DEBATES, he is the GREATEST WR prospect ever.
• 12 receptions (career-high)
• 217 receiving yards (career-high)
• 4 receiving TD’s (career-high)
The Buckeyes WR was UNSTOPPABLE in the GREATEST game of his career 🤯🍿 pic.twitter.com/DhJLDREfJc
- Rookie Watch (@RookieWatxh) September 26, 2026
At first glance, wide receiver might not look like Tampa Bay’s biggest problem area. The Bucs already have depth there, and if they’re picking this high, the roster would almost certainly have other needs to sort through. But the bigger picture makes Smith a much cleaner fit than it might seem.
The most obvious holes next offseason are expected to be along the interior offensive line and at linebacker, and those spots are not typically where teams reach for a premium pick. Meanwhile, the receiver room has some uncertainty baked into it.
Chris Godwin could be headed for his final season in Tampa Bay, since the team will decide on his option after this year. Jalen McMillan, once viewed as a key piece for the future, is dealing with an injury for the third straight year.
Beyond Emeka Egbuka and Ted Hurst, the Bucs need another dependable playmaker.
It’s not just the 200 yards and 4 TDs for Jeremiah Smith - it’s wild routes like these, at 6-4, 220, that make him such a special prospect pic.twitter.com/gnlWb2S5nX https://t.co/TyT6YVz5W9
- Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 26, 2026
And Smith is not just another receiver prospect. He brings the kind of size and explosiveness that can tilt a defense.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, the Ohio State star has the look of a true X receiver, the sort of player who can win in ways that make coverage feel hopeless. The comparisons are already loud, with Smith drawing Julio Jones buzz and the kind of praise usually reserved for the very top tier of NFL wideouts.
Tampa Bay also knows what that type of player can look like. The Buccaneers are still feeling the absence of Mike Evans, another big-bodied matchup problem, and Smith has the ability to restore that dimension to the offense.
Smith has already made his mark in Ohio State history as the school’s all-time receiving yards leader after breaking the record this season. He passed Egbuka, his former Buckeyes teammate.
The two were part of one of college football’s best receiver pairings, combining for 2,326 yards and 25 touchdowns during Ohio State’s national championship run in 2024. Egbuka helped mentor Smith before leaving for the NFL, and the idea of those two reconnecting in Tampa Bay would give the Buccaneers a built-in connection on offense.
That matters even more because the Buccaneers committed heavily to Mayfield this offseason, handing him a three-year, $165 million extension that keeps him in Tampa Bay through 2029. He has stumbled early in 2026, but adding a prospect like Smith would give him a chance to get back to elite form with a weapon few quarterbacks could ever dream of having.
There is still a lot of football left, and the Buccaneers could win enough games to push themselves out of the Smith sweepstakes. But if they stay in range, the decision may be simple. A player with this kind of ceiling does not come around often, and if Tampa Bay gets the chance, it may have to make sure Jeremiah Smith is wearing red and pewter for a long time.
In Other News...
Vikings Win May Have Changed The Buccaneers Season Fast
Baker Mayfields thumb injury has put the Buccaneers in an early-season spot they hoped to avoid after a Week 3 matchup with the Vikings that now carries more weight than the final score. Mayfield suffered a dislocated thumb and is expected to miss at least three weeks, leaving Tampa Bay to move ahead without its starting quarterback while the offense adjusts on the fly.
Rookie backup Jalon Daniels finished the game after Mayfield went down and now steps into the spotlight as the fill-in. Todd Bowles and Bruce Arians have both weighed in publicly on the injury and on Mayfields playing style, adding another layer to a situation that could quickly shape how the Buccaneers navigate the next stretch of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Offense Just Took Another Hit They Couldnt Afford
The Buccaneers offense has already been stretched thin by Baker Mayfields thumb injury, and now it has taken another hit with wide receiver Jalen McMillan expected to miss 6-8 weeks after an MRI revealed a sprained PCL. Tampa Bay has been trying to keep its attack afloat without its starting quarterback, and losing another key pass catcher only adds to the pressure on a unit that has had to absorb one setback after another.
McMillans injury is a frustrating one for both the team and the player, especially with his early career already marked by missed time. For a Buccaneers offense trying to stay steady while Mayfield is out for at least three weeks, the timing could hardly be worse, and it leaves even more uncertainty around how the group will hold up in the coming stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Make Necessary Roster Move To Avoid A Safety Depth Squeeze
The Buccaneers made a practical early-season move at safety by signing Ifeatu Melifonwu to a one-year contract after using him on the practice squad and elevating him for the first three games. With the NFL limiting how many times a player can be elevated from the practice squad, Tampa Bay had to get Melifonwu onto the active roster if it wanted to keep him in the mix.
A roster spot cleared up with wide receiver Jalen McMillan likely headed to injured reserve, giving the Bucs the flexibility to make the switch without creating another squeeze elsewhere. For a team trying to manage its depth carefully in the opening stretch, keeping Melifonwu around became the priority, and the timing of McMillans status made the move possible. [Read more 🡒]