Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-Round Mock Draft: More Pieces On Defense

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Kentucky DL Josh Paschal. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

Round 2, 60th Overall: Josh Paschal, DL, Kentucky

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be looking for an interior pass rusher to complement Vita Vea in the 2022 NFL Draft. While this might not be what they were thinking, it would be interesting to add a versatile rusher to make the five-man fronts look absolutely diabolical at times.

Josh Paschal is one 268 pounds, but his wicked twitch and first step make for a fun move to the inside on passing downs. Pairing quickness with power would be excellent on the interior. It doesn’t solve the problem on early downs, but with Jason Pierre-Paul getting older, it keeps the edge room stocked for the future.

Round 3, 91st Overall: Nick Cross, S, Maryland

Jordan Whitehead was one of the guys who left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. The Bucs still look good in that area, as Antoine Winfield Jr. is developing nicely, and the organization clearly values what Mike Edwards does as well. Edwards is only under contract through this season, and getting ahead in a deep safety class could be the move.

Nick Cross is a rising prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has the functional athleticism and range to play on the back end, and his closing speed is very good working into the alley. He needs to work on angles and sometimes gets stuck in “no man’s land” (too high/low in terms of positioning) but the upside is there.

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