B
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Grand theft in the 116th pick: the Buccaneers steal Hecht and grade out a B.
by alexokf ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 3 reaches
If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Buccaneers, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend. A sturdy weekend that grades out a B.
The Hecht pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged. They are betting Prysock proves the room right and everyone else wrong.
They punted on quarterback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. They went 6 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the quarterback spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
This one needs a full-page explanation: Akheem Mesidor in pick 18, miles early. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Eli Stowers in the Round 2 slot is exactly on the number, no argument either way. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Nothing to complain about; Jacob Rodriguez went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. A minor itch, scratched.
They liked Bryce Lance enough to skip the value, taking him in Round 3, Pick 18. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A offensive lineman of that caliber at slot 116 is the definition of value, full stop. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
You do not let a cornerback like Hezekiah Masses reach the 155th overall pick and blink. They did not. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They talked themselves into Ephesians Prysock at pick 163, and the board did not agree. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr in slot 195 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Zane Durant in pick No. 196. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.