After 18 weeks of watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers locomotive come off the tracks, it is time for a level of peace that only elimination can bring.

Don’t get me wrong; any lingering frustration is warranted. In an NFC South that was won by the 8-9 Carolina Panthers, the Bucs—who began the fall 6-2—could not get the job done. That’s a stinger, and the bruising probably won’t lose its color for weeks.

But while Panthers fans will be stressing over the pending Saturday matchup with the Rams, in which they will probably get waxed at home, the Tampa faithful can choose which offseason vice they want to turn their attention to.

A common one I’ve seen has been the social media outpouring that is calling for head coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard to be fired expeditiously. I share that point of view, and it is cathartic to some extent to read outraged tweets calling for their jobs. However, the Glazer family—the Bucs’ ownership group, if you’re not familiar—are probably not spending their days stalking X.com to see what JC Cornell has to say on the subject.

With that being said, a vice I feel is more productive would be looking ahead to the next cemented step for this franchise: April’s NFL Draft. Along with the team’s abysmal coaching, the Bucs’ collapse in the second half of the season also exposed the holes in the roster. And for the first time since 2020, Tampa has a top-15 pick in the NFL Draft.

The team’s last top-15 pick? Offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, who is still only 26 and has already become the first player in NFL history to be selected as an All-Pro for both tackle positions.

While I’m not promising another pick that good, the Wirfs example is meant to generate excitement—something Bucs fans should be hungry for after a nine-week stretch that was like getting slapped in the face with a wet napkin.

While 99% of the fanbase waits helplessly for a coaching change, let’s look at three college prospects who I think would fit perfectly in that Bucs snapback while they walk across the stage.

Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Lavonte David isn’t getting any younger. In fact, any Bucs fan who has watched him play this season could tell you that his retirement should be rather imminent. He turns 36 years old in just over two weeks, and he has been moving like he is that age.

With David on the decline, the Bucs are thoroughly depleted at linebacker. SirVocea Dennis, who has played alongside David throughout the season, has been serviceable in the run game but truly dismal in coverage — and the Bucs have thoroughly needed a linebacker who can both attack the line and drop out.

Enter: Ohio State’s Sonny Styles. Son of Lorenzo Styles Sr., a six-year NFL vet, Styles is a monster. ESPN has him listed at six-foot-four, 243 pounds—in layman’s terms, a big guy—but he also has freakish athleticism that stems from his background of playing safety and slot corner.

He is a downhill tackler, aggressive through the point of contact and most of all, he has that edge that a lot of Buccaneers greats have had in the past. And as a former DB, he has no visible fear of matching up with many different receiver archetypes in coverage.

Although NFL teams have not recently been keen to put first-round value on off-ball running backs, Styles has to be an exception—and the Bucs should make that exception. I know it isn’t the 1980’s, but the right backer can still improve all facets of a defense tremendously.

Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois

This one might be a reach, but hear me out.

A lot of the hype on edge rushers in the 2026 draft class centers around Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., who is firmly expected to be picked in the top-10. However, after him, a lot of the players at that position are kind of strewn about in terms of draft projection. Texas Tech’s David Bailey is expected to leave the board before 15, and then there are names tossed around like Auburn’s Keldric Faulk and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell.

Edge is quickly becoming similar to quarterback—a premier position where teams outside the top-10 either choose to wait until later in the draft or look for someone in free agency. But in terms of bang-for-draft value, if the Bucs want to get a pass-rusher who can make an impact, it’s Illinois’ Gabe Jacas.

Jacas is operating on a line that does not have a lot of other star power, and he still led the Big Ten in sacks this past season. Over his four years as an Illini, he has amassed 27 sacks—just shy of Simeon Rice’s program record. And yet, for some reason, he has a late second-round grade on him.

I don’t think he will fall that far, and if I were in the Bucs’ front office, I would want to scoop him up safely. He is a great option if Tampa wanted to trade back, or if they wanted to keep their first-rounder, they could either trade up to the second round’s top-10 or wait and hope. But Jacas will be a difference-maker at the NFL level.

Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

This one would be pretty damn funny.

Last season, when almost every draft analyst thought Tampa would gun for a defensive player, the Bucs zagged and took wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. Now, after two straight seasons of being one of the worst defenses in the league, it would be so Bucs to draft yet another offensive skill position player.

Granted, with Cade Otton being mediocre at best, tight end is not in dead last on the Bucs’ list of draft needs. However, it is nowhere near the top.

The only reason I would consider taking Sadiq if I was the Bucs’ front office is because I expect him to fall that low, and I think he is a great talent.

We saw two tight ends go in the top 15 last season—Colston Loveland (Bears) and Tyler Warren (Colts)—and both showed flashes of being elite in their first season. I expect Sadiq to have the same arc.

If Tampa wants to be humorous and really lean fully into the we-don’t-need-a-defense bit, go for Sadiq. Let’s see if they can win every game by scoring 40+ points.