© Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
New Mock Draft Has Bucs Taking One of 2024 Draft's Top Edge Rushers
This player is unlikely to fall to Tampa Bay, but the team would be fools to pass up on him if given the chance to draft him.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a few needs to address heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. A big one is edge rusher, and a new mock has the team taking one of the highest-regarded prospects in the draft at No. 26.
ESPN's Field Yates put out a new mock draft on Wednesday, and it features the first two rounds of the draft. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first round pick, Yates has the team taking UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu at No. 26, which would be a huge boon to the team should he end up falling there. Here is what Yates had to say about the pick.
"The Bucs have holes at edge rusher and along the interior of their offensive line, and Latu — my No. 16 prospect — is the most refined pass-rusher in the class, showing off masterful hand usage and understanding of how to set up opposing offensive linemen on tape," Yates wrote. "A neck injury early in his college career forced Latu into medical retirement while at Washington, though he eventually received clearance after a transfer to UCLA. It's a significant part of the calculation in drafting him and why he might not hear his name called earlier, but his 23.5 sacks over the past two seasons speak to his talent.
Latu is a noted pass rushing talent coming out of this draft, but it's unlikely that he would fall this far given how impressive his tape is. That being said, there has been quite a lot of edge rusher movement so far this year between already established players, and mixed with Latu's injury concerns, it is possible Tampa Bay could see him fall into its lap.
That isn't the only need for the Bucs, though. Yates also did the second round, too, and he addressed the team's need at guard by picking Kansas State's Cooper Bebe.
"If you're looking for versatility, toughness and strength, Beebe is a good target. The Buccaneers like versatile offensive linemen who are big but also mobile, and Beebe proved at the combine that he fits that profile. Be it at guard or right tackle, he has a lengthy highlight reel of quality college tape."
The Bucs would certainly be happy if they were able to address two of their biggest needs with the first two rounds of the draft. It's impossible to tell how the cards will fall until they do, though, so we'll just have to see how it goes come Draft day.
Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the offseason.
