B
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Grand theft in the 229th pick: the Buccaneers steal Boerkircher and grade out a B.
by alexokf ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 6 picks
· 5 steals
· 1 reaches
You could see the war room lean forward. Nate Boerkircher at No. 229 is the sort of fall that does not happen, except it just did. It does the job without flash, and the B reflects it.
They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. Spending an early pick on linebacker with interior defensive lineman, cornerback and other spots open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to. If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through interior defensive lineman.
The Perkins Jr. pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the interior defensive lineman spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 15th overall pick they get a downhill hitter at safety at a price that makes it sweeter. Need was not the driver here.
Sonny Styles in the Round 3 slot is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. It adds depth where they could use a little.
A want over a need in No. 116: Harold Perkins Jr. adds a linebacker while interior defensive lineman, cornerback and other spots keeps waiting.
You do not let a wide receiver like Ted Hurst reach Round 5, Pick 15 and blink. They did not. The roster fit checks out.
Taking Beau Stephens in pick 195 is close to grand larceny; an offensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Circle this one: Nate Boerkircher at slot 229 is a fall that decides a draft. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.