B-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers let Lew fall and pounced. Final grade: B-.
by AtrixAnthony ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 3 steals
· 1 reaches
Somebody in the 116th pick was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Buccaneers sat still while Connor Lew, the No. 84 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium.
The interior defensive lineman spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. Lawrence has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced. They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Nearly every premium pick went to that side of the ball.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick No. 15 they get a coverage-and-run second-level piece. More want than need.
A conviction pick on Malachi Lawrence at the 46th pick that the board grades a round light. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Eli Stowers at No. 77 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Somehow Connor Lew was still sitting there in the 116th overall pick, and they pounced on premier offensive lineman value. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Jaeden Roberts at slot 155 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the offensive lineman. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Steal is underselling it; Reggie Virgil at the Round 6 slot is a heist with the alarm still ringing. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Latrell McCutchin Sr. in pick 229 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It fills a real need, too.