NFL Draft 2019: Tampa Bay Buccaneers full mock draft

Round 5 – Pick 145

Chuma Edoga, T, USC

Protecting Jameis Winston is a major priority in Tampa Bay. The new offense will challenge the offensive line with deeper drops and longer developing plays. Right now Donovan Smith and his new contract are at one spot. Opposite him is Demar Dodson, a free agent after the season. Chuma Edoga of USC can come in and sit for a year to eventually take over for Dodson. He and Smith can figure out the right/left battle in the offseason.

This year can be used to add some size to Edoga and as a swing tackle if needed. Tampa has two solid pieces on the interior long-term in Ryan Jansen and Ali Marpet. Adding an athletic tackle with solid traits like Edoga gives them another long-term option up front.

Round 6 – No Pick

This pick was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange to hire head coach Bruce Arians. The Cardinals gave the Buccaneers their seventh rounder in this draft. That 7th rounder replaced the pick Tampa Bay traded in 2013 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Round 7 – Pick 208

Devine Ozigbo, RB, Nebraska

Going off of Twitter, the biggest need for the Buccaneers is at running back. They kept onto starting back Peyton Barber this season. Second round pick from a year ago, Ronald Jones, is due for an increased work load as well. Those two push this need down the draft board for Tampa Bay. Combine that with a weak running back class and the Buccaneers will be best served sitting out until the final round for a back.

Devine Ozigbo is a rising prospect throughout the process even without an invitation to the NFL Combine. A compact, decisive runner, Ozigbo offers an early down role in his career with upside to become much more. He’s not the most elusive but his vision and patience at the line of scrimmage allows him to set up his blocks and get to the second level. Once there he’s got enough speed to pull away from defenses and destroy angles.

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Round 7 – Pick 215

Demarcus Christmas, DT, Florida State

Gerald McCoy is not long for Tampa Bay. Last year first round pick Vita Vea and free agent incomer Beau Allen are waiting in the wings with a much lower cap hit. McCoy’s $13 million has been hanging over the franchise all offseason. If he is not dealt this offseason, he certainly will not be back next. Tampa Bay will need depth on their defensive line when that happens.

Demarcus Christmas is a two gap style defensive tackle that would work at either nose or 5-tech for Todd Bowles defense. He may never develop into more than a space eating defensive lineman but he has a role. There are few in the class that can hold the point of attack and anchor down like Christmas. If he ever got any semblance of a pass rush repertoire he could turn into a steal.