2024 NFL Draft, Full 3-round mock draft post-Combine: Vikings, Chiefs trade up

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

Where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go next is somewhat of a mystery. It appears that they may have lucked into a quarterback they really like in Baker Mayfield with all indications being that he’ll stick around with the club after leading them to the Divisional Round last year. But with Mike Evans, Lavonte David, Devin White and more likely gone, there are big questions for the Bucs. 

Much like the Eagles previously, this would be a great spot to target a linebacker if a prospect was worthy of it. But that isn’t the case and, moreover, with the Bucs also moving on from Shaq Barrett, it would appear that Tampa Bay could be heavily in the market to find a new cornerstone edge rusher that Todd Bowles can cook with. 

Laiatu Latu might be a great option to accomplish that. It wasn’t long ago that the Bucs took Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in the first round and that hasn’t totally panned out. Latu might have less upside but appears like more of a sure thing, especially with no negative word out of Indianapolis from medical check-ins. 

He’s the most polished pass-rusher in the class and, even if he’s not the most twitched-up athlete, he showed that he’s good enough there to still succeed at the NFL level. He could come in and be a 7-9 sack player right away with a little bit of room to grow, but that kind of stability should be valuable in Tampa.