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BY IRA KAUFMAN
He’s done it before, and it makes even more sense this time around.
The Bucs own the 19th pick in the opening round of the 2025 NFL draft and should the right player be there for the taking, Jason Licht will be more than happy to turn in the card.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht.
If an inside linebacker, edge rusher or cornerback that the Bucs covet is still available at No. 19, Tampa Bay’s opening-round selection will go according to plan. There’s no secret Tampa Bay has some defensive issues that need to be addressed — but that doesn’t mean the Bucs should play it safe in the first round.
Licht likes to talk about how the Bucs break the first round into a smaller group of prospects the team would be happy to select with their assigned pick. Most of the time, Licht sticks to his spot.
But not always.
In 2020, the Bucs moved up one spot from No. 14 to grab Tristan Wirfs because Licht had concerns another team was on the brink of moving into the 13th slot to grab what has turned out to be the best offensive lineman in franchise history.
Vita Vea, among others, was part of Jason Licht’s trade-down bounty in 2018.
Licht has also moved back three times in the first round, with mixed results. He dropped from 9th to 11th in 2016 to draft Vernon Hargreaves, a major bust. In 2018, the Bucs moved back from No. 7 to No. 12 before selecting Vita Vea, in retrospect a shrewd maneuver.
Three years ago, Licht dropped out of the first round altogether, trading out of the 27th spot and selecting Logan Hall at No. 33. Through two seasons, Hall remains a work in progress, although he improved in 2024.
Why would Licht move back again next month?
First off, the Bucs, coming off a 10-win season, have a solid roster. Signing Haason Reddick in free agency removes some of the urgency to address edge rusher. Before his nightmarish 2024 season, Reddick was considered one of the premier pass rushers in the league.
The Bucs have needs, but it’s not like they’re craving a quarterback or frantic for a defensive tackle. Many other clubs have far more glaring holes on their depth chart.
It’s a refreshing thought for Buc fans that this franchise approaches next month’s draft without a sense of desperation. If the prospects the Bucs are most excited about are off the board, Licht should eagerly move back and acquire additional picks — even if it means dropping out of Round 1.
It may seem like a bummer for Buc fans craving an immediate impact first-round choice, but Licht and his staff have proven to be masterful with Day 2 and Day 3 selections.
Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan arrived in Round 3. Bucky Irving and Cade Otton were drafted in the fourth round and Licht plucked Zyon McCollum out of Sam Houston State in the fifth round. All five figure to start for the Bucs this fall.
More picks translate into more opportunities and Licht loves the idea of spreading out more chips on the draft table.
“There’s always some guys that we’ve identified as potential sleepers on Day 3,” Licht says. “We’re as excited about the first-round pick as anybody, but those are the ones that kind of my staff has been making their bread and butter.”
Licht’s track record suggests those picks in the middle rounds are invaluable.
Don’t be shocked if he trades down from No. 19 to load up on bread and butter.
Catch up on your draft prep with the Best In Class podcast. Below is the annual edge rushers breakdown.