The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't making any bold predictions.
The four-time defending NFC South champions are confident, though, that they have a good chance to be better because of the players they took in the NFL draft from Thursday through Saturday. General manager Jason Licht and coach Todd Bowles expect their draft class to help the team's defense regain some of the swagger it lost over the past two seasons.
After taking Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round, Licht and Bowles shifted their attention to bolstering the pass rush and secondary with the selection of two edge rushers and a pair of cornerbacks on the last two days of the draft.
Also on Saturday, 6-foot-6, 464-pound University of Florida defensive tackle Desmond Watson — an Armwood High graduate — announced on social media he was signing as an undrafted free agent.
Egbuka was the team's top pick despite quarterback Baker Mayfield already having a stellar group of receivers at his disposal, including Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and 2024 third-round pick Jalen McMillan, who had seven touchdown receptions over his final five games as a rookie.
With Evans — the franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards, TDs and scoring — entering his 12th year and Godwin coming off a severe ankle injury that sidelined him most of last season, though, the Bucs are banking on Egbuka helping the team's potent offense score even more points while indirectly helping a defense that hasn't been as dependable as usual.
“There's a lot to like about him,” Licht said after selecting Egbuka, who helped Ohio State win the national championship in January.
“It's also awesome as a GM to have a head coach who's a defensive-minded person who is running up the hill with his name saying, ‘We’ve got to draft this guy,’” Licht said. “So it made it a lot easier.”
ALSO READ: Bucs select Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the NFL draft
The Bucs re-signed Godwin to a three-year, $66 million deal this offseason and say the 29-year-old, who teams with Evans to give Tampa Bay one of the most productive receiver tandems in the league, is making good progress in his recovery from the dislocated ankle that sidelined him after seven games last fall.
“We're lucky to have them all right now,” Licht said.
The GM also has a better feeling about the pass rush after signing free agent Haason Reddick to a one-year, $14 million contract this winter and drafting Central Arkansas linebacker David Walker and SMU defensive lineman Elijah Roberts on Saturday. A concern about depth at cornerback was addressed with the selections of Notre Dame's Benjamin Morrison and Kansas State's Jacob Parrish in the second and third rounds.
Watson gets hometown shot
Watson, who grew up in Plant City, had been hoping to get selected in the later rounds of the NFL draft on Saturday. He would have become the heaviest pick in NFL history. But no team gambled on the supersized run-stopper.
The Bucs, though, took a chance by signing him after the draft ended. He will get $50,000 guaranteed, the Athletic reported, including a $20,000 signing bonus.
Watson wowed NFL scouts last month by repping 225 pounds a whopping 36 times, which topped any bench-press performance at this year’s combine. He covered the 40-yard dash in 5.93 seconds and recorded 25 inches in the vertical jump.
He looked winded during position drills, not all that surprising given Florida had just four defensive linemen in the rotation. But his size and strength — his weight, really — stood out during perhaps the most important day in his professional journey.
ALSO READ: The Bucs' game plan for Raymond James Stadium? A major renovation and a Super Bowl
“Dez, obviously, he’s a unicorn,” Gators coach Billy Napier said. “You’ll go the rest of your career and you’ll never be around a guy that’s that stature. And then you get to know Dez. He’s extremely intelligent. He’s got a great sense of humor. He was a great teammate.
“He'll get his shot, and I’m hoping he’ll make the most of it.”
Watson stepping on the scale was as eye-popping as his bench press. He was listed at 449 pounds last season, up from 435 pounds as a junior and 415 pounds as a sophomore. He’s had to manage his weight since he first stepped foot on campus in 2021, when then-Florida coach Dan Mullen called him “a 385-pound athlete.”
Watson never missed a game in his four seasons in Gainesville. His highlights, though, are few and far between. He rag-dolled South Florida running back Brian Battie in 2022 and ripped the ball out of South Carolina running back Jaheim Bell’s hands for a forced fumble and a fumble return later that year. Watson probably would have scored had quarterback Spencer Rattler missed an open-field tackle.
Watson, the ultimate space-eater, finished his collegiate career with 63 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks. He also carried the ball for a 1-yard gain and lined up at fullback for a few more plays against Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl in December.
No hesitation
The Buccaneers took Egbuka with the 19th overall pick despite not bringing him to town for a pre-draft visit, saying they were familiar enough with the Ohio State receiver as a player and potential team leader that they didn't have questions for — or about — him.
“We met him at the combine and we know a lot about him over the years,” Licht said. “He's a true pro. Mature beyond his years. He's a perfectionist.”
Egbuka had 81 receptions for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, when he helped the Buckeyes win the national championship. He relishes the opportunity to play with Mayfield and a highly productive group of receivers.
“I'm a student of the game,” Egbuka said. “I love learning about it.”
Third-day additions
The Bucs added three players on Saturday, taking a couple of edge rushers — Walker and Roberts — in the fourth and fifth rounds. Seventh-round selection Tez Johnson, an undersized but elusive wide receiver from Oregon, was Tampa Bay’s final pick.
Johnson will be reunited with a former college teammate, running back Bucky Irving, who was a fourth-round pick in 2024 and rushed for 1,122 yards and eight TDs as a rookie.
Working on the defense
Tampa Bay ranked third behind Baltimore and Detroit in total offense (399.5 yards per game) and fourth in scoring (29.5). Improving the defense was the top priority this offseason after the Bucs had difficulty generating a consistent pass rush and forcing turnovers a year ago. The secondary finished with seven interceptions, tied for fourth fewest in the NFL.
In addition to counting on Reddick to rebound from a subpar year with the New York Jets to rejuvenate their pass rush, the Bucs believe linebacker Chris Braswell, a second-round draft pick in 2024, is poised to take a step forward after having two sacks as a rookie. Third-year pro Yaya Diaby could make a difference, too, if he can revert to the form of his rookie year, when led the Bucs with 7 1/2 sacks.
Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum are the incumbent starters at cornerback, but Morrison and Parrish will get a chance to compete for playing time.
