The moment NFL enthusiasts have been impatiently waiting for is almost here. The 2023 NFL Draft is just a couple weeks away and NFL hopefuls are one step closer to hearing Commissioner Roger Goodell read names from the podium. Acquisitions during free agency and cap-casualty departures for all 32 teams across the league have shifted mock drafts. This week's edition of the mock draft roundup series will look at the most popular first-round projections for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Pick 19 from various sources. Predictions have the Bucs all over the map from taking a quarterback, to edge rusher, to offensive lineman. Of the five outlets, CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated have the Bucs selecting Kentucky's Will Levis.
Here is a breakdown of what analysts are saying:
NFL.com
- Pick: OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
- Comments: Jones gets after defenders as a pass protector and run blocker and fills a major roster hole for the Buccaneers at left tackle.
CBS Sports
- Pick: QB Will Levis, Kentucky
- Comments: We were at Levis' pro day, and he's built like a linebacker -- and watching him throw the ball in person is something to behold, you can actually hear the passes whistle. But questions remain about his ability to layer the ball to all three levels, as well as some inconsistencies when rolls to his left. Even with the Baker Mayfield signing, the Bucs could be in the mix for a young QB, and this could be a good landing spot for Levis, who may not be ready in Year 1.
The Draft Network
- Pick: QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
- Comments: Baker Mayfield is not the long-term answer at quarterback, and considering that the Buccaneers even signed him, they don't view Kyle Trask as the answer either. Hendon Hooker could miss part of the 2023 season as he recovers from his ACL tear but can use the year to develop behind Mayfield as a bridge quarterback. The Tennessee product has clean mechanics, good mobility with his big frame, and good arm strength that will all serve to make him a valuable potential successor to Brady (or Mayfield, technically) in Tampa. Drafting him here in the first round would also give the Buccaneers the chance to exercise a fifth-year option down the road to get a full four years of film.
PFF
- Pick: Edge Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
- Comments: The Bucs will likely have a "business as usual" draft after a couple of years of a Super Bowl window altering things. They need to invest in big swings at valuable positions to replenish this roster with youth, and McDonald is just that.
Sports Illustrated
- Pick: QB Will Levis, Kentucky
- Comments: If Levis falls here—and that's a possibility—the Buccaneers would have a tough time passing on him. The Buccaneers are in quarterback purgatory with Baker Mayfield on a one-year deal, and Levis would provide a high-risk, high-reward choice in the mid-first round.
