The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have spent the first chunk of the season looking like a team headed for a top pick, and one early 2027 NFL mock draft has them landing the kind of player that can change a defense fast.
In that projection, Tampa Bay grabs the best edge rusher in the class after earning a top-3 selection. The idea fits a roster that has not come close to meeting expectations through five games, even after Thursday night’s 24-16 road upset of the Dallas Cowboys.
That win offered a much-needed jolt. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels became the first undrafted rookie QB to win a game for a team that was previously winless. Bucky Irving delivered a career night, Emeka Egbuka came through with a big performance, and the defense forced three turnovers to help shut down Dallas’ dangerous offense.
Still, the broader picture hasn’t changed much. Tampa Bay opened 0-4 and looked nothing like a contender.
Baker Mayfield, who signed a three-year, $165 million extension before the season, has not played like the franchise quarterback the Buccaneers expected. He then went down with a dislocated thumb in his throwing hand late in the Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, which pushed Daniels into the lineup.
The offensive line has also fallen apart in a way nobody saw coming. It was supposed to be one of the team’s strengths, but through four weeks it had allowed the most sacks in the league. First-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. entered the year with huge expectations after a dominant offseason, only to struggle in his first two games before missing the next two with injuries.
That rough start made Todd Bowles’ future look shaky, especially with last season’s 2-7 finish still hanging over the franchise. Through four weeks, Tampa Bay looked like a team destined for one of the earliest picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.
If that path holds, The Athletic’s mock has the Buccaneers targeting edge rusher Simmons. Tampa Bay already used a first-round pick on Bain this year, and YaYa Diaby is set to be a free agent in 2027, but the pass rush has not come close to delivering. Neither Bain nor Diaby has recorded a sack, and the Bucs have only six sacks as a team through five games.
The appeal of Simmons is obvious. As The Athletic put it: “The most polished pass rusher in the class, Simmons is up to 18 pressures and 7.5 sacks over the college football season’s first month. The 6’3, 255-pounder is a three-down weapon with a deep bag of tricks.”
That kind of production would give Tampa Bay a reason to dream about the edge again, especially if the team really does end up near the top of the draft board.
There is another name that would get fans buzzing just as quickly. If the Buccaneers are in position to chase the top of the draft, Jeremiah Smith will be the target plenty of people want them to pursue. The Ohio State receiver is described as the best receiving prospect since Calvin Johnson, and the source material suggests he may even be viewed more highly than Megatron was coming out of Georgia Tech.
Pairing Smith with former Buckeye teammate Egbuka in Tampa Bay’s offense would be a major storyline in its own right. But if the top three plays out the way this mock suggests, Miami could be in line to take a quarterback, and Tennessee could do the same if it decides to move on from Cam Ward. In that setup, Tampa Bay would likely need to trade up if it wanted Smith.
In Other News...
Todd Bowles Had A Sideline Scare During Bucs' First Win
The Buccaneers first win of the season came with a brief sideline scare for Todd Bowles, who was caught up in the kind of post-play celebration that can get chaotic in a hurry. Late in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys, Tampa Bay was erupting after an interception and a run by Buccaneers players when Bowles took a shot in the stomach from a helmet, turning a moment of relief into a few tense seconds on the sideline.
Bowles was seen grimacing and dropping to one knee before being reported as okay shortly after, which allowed the focus to shift back to a much-needed victory. The incident was part of the emotional release that followed the play, though reports did not identify which player made the celebratory contact. [Read more 🡒]
Dak Prescott's Postgame Frustration Has Cowboys Fans Debating This Team
The Cowboys left Thursday night with another loss, and the postgame mood around AT&T Stadium turned testy almost immediately. Dallas dropped to 2-3 after falling to the Buccaneers, and what should have been a straightforward reaction to a rough defeat quickly shifted when Dak Prescott took issue with a stadium workers comment about the result being embarrassing.
Prescott made clear he can live with blunt criticism, but he was bothered by the way the exchange unfolded after he noticed the comment. For Tampa Bay, it was the kind of road win that does more than add to the standings, because it also leaves the opponent sorting through frustration, accountability and a little bit of drama long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Sideline Scare Added Tension To A Much-Needed Bucs Win
The Buccaneers finally got the result they needed, beating the Cowboys 24-16 for their first win of the season behind rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels. It was a much-needed lift for a team that had spent the first month looking for something to stabilize around, and getting to 1-4 at least gives Tampa Bay a little breathing room heading into next weeks matchup with the Steelers.
The win came with a brief scare on the sideline when Todd Bowles was seen down on one knee and appeared to be dealing with discomfort before getting back up and saying he would be okay. For a team already trying to find its footing, even a moment like that can add tension to an afternoon that should have been about relief, and it only underscored how much the Bucs needed a cleaner, calmer path to their first victory. [Read more 🡒]