A Mock Draft With A Twist
April 5th, 2025
Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku.
OK, Joe can’t stall any longer.
We’re past the combine. We’re past free agency. We’re past the owners meetings. It’s April.
Time for Joe to take the draft more seriously. It’s 19 days away.
Joe texted a sports media friend in Chicago who actually hates mock drafts more than Joe. (“This Joe” likes mock drafts from the respectable folks who take them seriously and who stick to one mock — that’s it!). He told Joe he’s mocked out before the combine hits.
Joe and the mockers have polar opposite mindsets of what mocks should be. Joe believes a mock draft is first and foremost about accuracy. Most mockers don’t give a damn about accuracy. One prominent mocker stood in front of Joe and said he cares nothing about accuracy.
That dude ought to be working for Colin Cowherd, another clown who brags he doesn’t care about accuracy. If someone isn’t striving to get it right, why the hell should Joe waste two minutes?
That’s why Joe wants to ralph when seeing most mock drafts. Oh, for the days of Joel Buchsbaum. He did one mock and one only — and it was often very accurate because he took it seriously, not like a mock draft is some weird version of Risk.
So, here is an interesting mock from a guy Joe knows and respects. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic has a different spin on mocks as the preeminent college football writer. Good dude, works his tail off.
Feldman does his homework. His intel comes from college sources, not the NFL. Feldman reasons college coaches have built gameplans against the top players, and some of these same coaches have NFL experience. So they can offer strong insight into to how a guy might transition to the next level.
Further, college coaches have no reason to con Feldman or blow smoke up his nose or play him like (some) NFL sources would.
College coaches have little if any skin in the draft game.
So in Feldman’s mock, again, using intel only from college coaches, he has the Bucs selecting edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku from Boston College at No. 19.
Tampa already added Haason Reddick to boost the pass rush, but Ezeiruaku is a high-floor, low-risk option to join him. The 6-2 1/2, 248-pounder is undersized but does have good length with 34-inch arms. He has good athleticism, with a 35-inch vertical jump. More impressively, his 4.19 shuttle time was by far the fastest of the edge players at the combine, as was his 6.94 3-cone time.
He won the Hendricks Award, honoring the nation’s top defensive end, after leading the ACC with 16.5 sacks and 20.5 TFLs.
“I thought he was a monster,” a Power 4 conference O-line coach said. “He’s got a lot of moves and counters to beat you with. I don’t think people talked enough about this kid considering how good he actually was.”
Would Joe like for the Bucs to draft this Ezeiruaku? Yeah, about the same as Joe would like to come home some day to see Rachel Watson waiting at the front door with a bottle of Eagle Rare.
Yes, Joe loves edge rushers.
And for whatever reason, Boston College seems to produce quality dudes. Guys you can bank on. And since Boston College is coached by Bill O’Brien, you have to figure Ezeiruaku has been coached up and prepped to play NFL ball, not ACC ball. (Keep in mind Bucs GM Jason Licht is a longtime friend of O’Brien.)
Joe would be quite happy on the first night of the draft if Ezeiruaku joined the Bucs.
Noted NFL Films analyst Greg Cosell really likes how Ezeiruaku rushes but wonders if 6-2, 248 might be a bit on the smallish side. Cosell believes Ezeiruaku is an outside linebacker.
Overviewing a prospect the Bills could draft day 4
Day 4 – Donovan Ezeiruaku
His stats last season:
– 15.5 Sacks
– 15 TFLS
– 43 Tackles
– 3 forced fumblesStrengths:
– Tremendous variety of finesse and technical counters to create havoc off the edge as a pass rusher— BillsMuse (@BillsMusee) February 19, 2025
April 5th, 2025 at 8:21 am
LB3 @ 19
April 5th, 2025 at 8:30 am
Not with #19!!
April 5th, 2025 at 8:31 am
He’s one of many who’ve mocked him to the Bucs. Another Buc publication also has him being our first pick. We’ll see, at #19 a lot can happen. I still say we’re thin at reciever. Evans comes out after every catch, and his hammy’s aren’t getting any younger. Godwin might not be ready for the start of the season? He’s coming off two serious injuries. One, or more of the top receivers in the draft might be there at #19. You win games by scoring points. Who said that?
April 5th, 2025 at 8:41 am
BPA that isn’t OT, QB, RB or TE and I’m good.
April 5th, 2025 at 8:50 am
A trade down into the late 20’s after Starks/Emman/Harmon are gone….maybe
Its like YAYA said, whoever comes in as an edge has a lot to push through, it wont be easy…something to that effect when i watched his live interview.
He gets after it but look who his competition was….just saying.
April 5th, 2025 at 8:54 am
OK with that guy-Corners in 2nd
April 5th, 2025 at 9:09 am
Yes, he’s an OLB, also known as an edge player in today’s 3-4 defenses. He’s not undersized. He’s bigger than Reddick, bigger than Shaq. He’s big enough. Micah Parsons size. Could he get washed out in the running game? Maybe. That’s what they say about every hurt under 250, and yet you have all-pro guys that size.
April 5th, 2025 at 9:13 am
Don’t think this guy is strong enough or big enough. He is going to end up as a project for some team. Emmanwori at SAFETY is 6’3″ 225 which is about 20 lbs lighter than Ezeiruaku. Each of these guys have names that are unspellable but Emmanwori offers a lot more flexibility for any defense.
April 5th, 2025 at 9:25 am
I don’t think any of the mocks last year had the Bucs picking Barton, but quite a few of us with Joe did. We have a better idea of what Licht will do than a mocker.
I use the best mocks to understand who will be available for Licht to pick, not actually who Licht will pick – we do that better. According to NFL Mock Draft Database, WalterFoodball and Sayre Bedinger were the most accurate mocks last year, picking 11 of the 32 first rounders correctly. Right now these guys have the following players being available when Licht picks at 19:
Walter:
Jahdae Barron
Derek Harmon
Shemar Stewart
Malaki Starks
Maxwell Hairston
Jihaad Campbell
Bedinger:
Will Johnson
kenneth grant
nick emmanwori
Maxwell Hairston
Trey Amos
Shemar Stewart
April 5th, 2025 at 9:33 am
Also, J0e’s rant about mock drafts and accuracy is old. Accuracy is a little bit of a misnomer anyway, even if you wait until the day before. In the end, a mock draft, even a one and done, is a prediction based on the best information gathered at that time. Earlier mocks suffer from having less information available. Of course they do, but that doesn’t make them worthless. The draft and all the talk leading up to it are entertainment. And the talk around mocks helps educate those of us who don’t follow the college game. You don’t mock early thinking that this is definitely how it will play out. You say, based on what I know right now, this is the way I think it could go. And there’s always iffy picks that could go multiple ways, and that causes a ripple effect on later picks. I don’t understand why J0e has such a hard time grasping this. Things change. Everything is always in flux. Of course, earlier mocks drafts are not as close to the end result as the later ones. That doesn’t matter. Why take it all so seriously? This is a game after all, and ALL offseason NFL media is built on speculation. And that generates interest and money for the sport. I thought J0e was a capitalist.
April 5th, 2025 at 9:36 am
He will be the pick if he is there.
April 5th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Have to wonder though, since they have added two edge guys, that they have high hopes for, in the last two seasons, do they really need to target this position again. Sure I get the BPA argument. Last year it was Braswell they used a high pick on. This year it is Reddick that they brought in via FA. They have Diaby that shows some promise. DT/NT, CB, and even WR. Those are all positions of need. I’m just a little mystified why so much attention on this position. I mean at some point Licht has brought in guys to fill that spot so he should be comfortable in thinking that he has addressed that long standing need. Otherwise wouldn’t that say that he doesn’t have faith in all those recent moves he’s made.
April 5th, 2025 at 9:40 am
gbobucsfan Says:
April 5th, 2025 at 8:41 am
Passing on Tyler Warren could be a mistake. He’s being compared to Brock Bowers. He’d be an offensive weapon we don’t have. Of course, there’s almost no chance he makes it to 19.
April 5th, 2025 at 9:46 am
Durango 95 Says:
April 5th, 2025 at 9:36 am
No. It says you can never have too many pass rushers. If Reddick was on a multi year deal and Diaby had played at an all-pro level, then you could skip the Edge position. Otherwise, load up. Nothing wins on defense more than being able to bring waves of pass rushers at an opponent.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:01 am
If this BC edge rusher is on the board when the Bucs pick at #19 – there should be no hesitation in selecting him.
Reddick is likely a 1 year rental who turns 31 in Sept. Even if he gets a dozen or more sacks this year – there’s no way the Bucs should re-sign Hassan to anything more than another 1 year deal in 2026.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:07 am
Remember the good ‘ol Rachel Watson days when we had some of the best cheerleaders in the NFL…Now we have dudes in leotards…SMH
April 5th, 2025 at 10:09 am
No thanks; he’d be fighting for def snaps with a fairly seasoned group & would probably only end up with 300-400 on the season (like Braswell did last year … 17 games, 329 def snaps).
I’ll stick with a beastly DT/NT in Rnd 1 to rotate in with Vita Vea. Will probably end up giving us 500 def snaps or so as a key rotational guy, but IF (heaven forbid) we should lose Vea to injury for several games, we’d at least have a big-body to take his place and keep eating up double-teams in the center of our DLine.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:11 am
Mock drafts are a waste of time but some of them are entertaining. Some of them are just dartboards. All it takes is a trade or two and the whole thing winds up on its head anyway.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:15 am
Also, if mock drafts are so worthless, how is it that J0e could use the information in them as topics for content on JBF… so, in reality, JBF is part of the NFL mock draft industrial complex, no?
April 5th, 2025 at 10:16 am
DR, I really wouldn’t mind a beastly DT myself. We got Via at #19 if I remember right. I’m not dead set on anyone in particular.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:18 am
Filthy animal, what else is there to talk about? It gets worse next month.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:37 am
I trust Licht and his scouts to find quality talent throughout the draft, so I am in favor of a trade down if available. Otherwise, I am hoping they stack the deck with defense this draft, as we really need both starters and depth.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:37 am
I like mock drafts. I don’t like people who bash them because they’re “not accurate”. Of course they’re not accurate. It’s a prediction based on opinions and available information. The mocks I have problems with are the ones done by people who have no idea about the operations of individual GMs and coaches.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:39 am
@ JimBobBuc
“I don’t think any of the mocks last year had the Bucs picking Barton…”
I have to disagree. I recall Barton or JPB being the pick in every mock last year.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:44 am
This sh*t is too easy, why would anyone need/want to do this for months leading up to the draft??
Bucs Mock Draft 4/5/25 using PFF w/ Sub
19. ED Ezeiruaku
53. CB Revel
84. S Winston Jr.
121. LB Carter
159. CB Riley
225. LB Dumas-Johnson
April 5th, 2025 at 10:46 am
I’d be very happy with the pick. Reddick love him or not is only here 1 season.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:54 am
JimBobBuc Says:
April 5th, 2025 at 9:25 am
Most mocks had us taking Barton or the other big center or possibly a guard.
April 5th, 2025 at 11:05 am
Agreed DR… You win in the trenches!
April 5th, 2025 at 11:05 am
Mocks are good because you get an idea as to what players may be in the mix when the Bucs pick comes up. Gives fans a chance to pull up YouTube videos and highlights of players and get an idea of who they would like to seee selected. Did this when Devin White was drafted and his highlights popped off the screen. I really wanted him. Last year early mocks had Jaden Daniels going later in the first round and I knew that kid was going to be special. Without mocks the majority of fans would have no idea who the 10 are so players are that be in the mix to be taken by the Bucs in the first round.
April 5th, 2025 at 11:50 am
If Jason likes him and drafts him, I’m fine with it. But……BEEF. CENTER CUT.
Penetrating, center cut beef.
April 5th, 2025 at 11:58 am
Ezeiruaku has been rising up draft boards and might not be there at 19. If he is I think you run up to the podium with the pick. Address DB and LB in rounds 2, 3, and 4. I think we will also draft DT and WR at some point. LETS BAKE
April 5th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
Dark Horse pick is Nic Scourton, lots of potential and very mentally mature young guy.
April 5th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
If it’s me, I take Blanton’s at 19.😉
April 5th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
Can do the exact same thing with position rankings.
April 5th, 2025 at 12:39 pm
The answer is in your question. There are some topics Joe tries to avoid for reasons already stated.
And you will notice these posts you cite focus on the player, not some dumb parlor game by a guy who likely has never spoken with an NFL GM or executive. (ahem)
Joe also likes to reference mocks from guys Joe knows and trusts and sees the legitimate work these guys put into it and don’t treat mocks like some weird version of Axis and Allies, such as Feldman, who only does one mock.
April 5th, 2025 at 12:39 pm
If Bucs want to a dark horse at EDGE, Jack Sawyer OSU in round 2-3 is your man. That guy is a pure football player. There is a little of TJ Watt in Sawyer. That’s pretty good company.
April 5th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
The latest accurate Walterfootball mock has Tyler Warren going to the Seahawks at # 18 right before us. So there is a chance albeit slight.
April 5th, 2025 at 12:53 pm
Very interesting. True football guy.
Perhaps Joe is way off base here, but Sawyer seems to be more of a Logan Hall type in the NFL. A grinder and a dirty-work (not dirty) player willing to eat up blocks for other teammates’ glory.
April 5th, 2025 at 1:01 pm
Joe Says:
April 5th, 2025 at 12:39 pm
Oh, well I agree that the mockers who aren’t connected, well their mocks are a waste of time. I’m talking about guys like Daniel Jeremiah, who has plenty of contacts and is a former scout himself. In this case, I’m in rare agreement with J0e in that the some random dude on some random website or with a yootoobs channel posting mock drafts is a bunch of worthless noise.
However, I think most of the mocks from NFLN or BSPN are credible even if you may take issue with the personality or opinion.
April 5th, 2025 at 1:10 pm
And no, as I indicated much earlier in this thread, only issuing one mock draft doesn’t make a guy more credible in itself. Like I said, the NFL draft industrial complex is a lot of attention to the NFL, and it entertains and informs. It literally does not matter if a mock draft issues 3 weeks before the draft ends up with only a 15% hit rate. The point is the entertainment of hearing the ideas, opinions, and most up to date knowledge from people who are connected. The whole thing is a process for the purpose of entertainment and information. It’s all speculative, but informed speculation… which is 90% of NFL related media in the offseason. So I still don’t understand the hang up with “accuracy”
April 5th, 2025 at 1:40 pm
The idea that the Buccaneers shouldn’t draft a highly productive edge rusher like Donovan Ezeiruaku because he might only play 300-400 snaps as a rookie is exactly the kind of shortsighted thinking that stalls long-term roster development.
Rookies, especially on the edge, rarely come in playing 70%+ of snaps unless there’s a dire need. That doesn’t mean they’re not critical to the defense. A rotational pass rusher who gives you 350-400 high-leverage snaps and generates pressure consistently is more valuable than a space-eater logging 500 snaps just to plug a gap. Pressure disrupts offenses. Period.
At 31 and on a one-year deal, Reddick is a temporary asset—no matter how effective he might still be. Passing on a long-term solution like Ezeiruaku just because you have a short-term vet is how you end up scrambling in 2026 with no succession plan and no cap space.
Interior defenders are important—but in today’s NFL, edge rushers change games. They get paid like quarterbacks for a reason. Building depth and future starters at that position should be a priority every year. Especially when you’re trying to generate pressure without sending five or six on every down.
If you’re in the war room thinking about rookie snap quotas rather than long-term upside, you’ve already lost. Ezeiruaku has elite tools, violent hands, and advanced bend—he doesn’t need to be a 700-snap player out the gate to justify the pick. But give him a year to learn behind Reddick, Diaby? That’s a succession plan. That’s how dynasties are built—not just depth charts.
April 5th, 2025 at 1:41 pm
I like the player, but I can’t see Licht using another 1st round pick on a defensive lineman, especially after signing Reddick. How many more defensive front-7 players is Licht willing to throw high draft capital at to watch this defensive coordinator get zero production out of?
The only possible way that they’re going to see the fruits of their scouting labors on all of these highly picked defensive linemen is to load up on the back end now. I honestly think you’ll see two defensive backs picked in our first three picks, along with an off ball linebacker. Wouldn’t surprise me to see them go corner-corner in the 1st and 2nd rounds, especially if the plan is to move Tykee Smith to safety.
April 5th, 2025 at 1:51 pm
Arguably the greatest player to ever set foot on an NFL field was Lawrence Taylor.
Position: Outside Linebacker Height: 6’3” Weight: 237 pounds
Lol, So By today’s metrics? That’s undersized.
Football isn’t bodybuilding. You don’t win reps on the edge by tipping the scale—you win with timing, leverage, get-off, and violence. Donovan Ezeiruaku checks those boxes in bold. His frame isn’t a limitation; it’s a tool—compact, efficient, and built for leverage battles in today’s game.
When people lean on size as a primary critique, what they’re often missing is this: the modern NFL is built for versatility and speed. Offenses are faster. Play-action is layered. Mobile quarterbacks punish slow-developing rushes. You need guys who can explode off the line, adjust mid-rush, and finish—not just look good in a weigh-in line.
April 5th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
The draft is fun and I do enjoy the mocks as much as anyone. It’s the hope of a better tomorrow with better players.
Unfortunately we have a defensive guru at HC that no longer has a clue how to stop offenses from having record days against us.
We need speed at every defensive position. That is the only way to combat the absolute Swiss Cheese defense Bowles runs out on a now annual basis.
And remember folks, Joe was 1000% in on Winston as the #1 overall pick.
One of the biggest busts in NFL history as the first pick QB of the draft.
Despite what he now says, he wanted Winston to remain the QB in Tampa.
So his draft analysis means less than zero to me.
April 5th, 2025 at 2:15 pm
So let me get this straight…
-Lawrence Taylor – 6’3″, 237 lbs
-Derrick Thomas – 6’3″, 243 lbs
-Von Miller – 6’3″, 250 lbs
-Dwight Freeney – 6’1″, 268 lbs
-Terrell Suggs – 6’3″, 260 lbs
-Kevin Greene – 6’3″, 247 lbs
-Robert Mathis – 6’2″, 245 lbs
-Joey Porter – 6’3″, 248 lbs
-James Harrison – 6’0″, 242 lbs
-Justin Houston – 6’3″, 270 lbs
-Rickey Jackson – 6’2″, 248 lbs
-Cedrick Hardman – 6’3″, 249 lbs
-Greg Townsend – 6’3″, 264 lbs
Note: That’s just the top 30 all-time in sacks.
All legends. All game-wreckers. All between 6’0″ and 6’3″, 240–270 pounds.
So… are they “too small” too?
Or is it time to admit the “size” knock is just lazy scouting when the tape tells you the truth?
Because from where I’m standing, the history books are filled with edge rushers built exactly like Donovan Ezeiruaku.
April 5th, 2025 at 3:39 pm
Well said on your 1st post LUV.
Drafting a potential premier Edge rusher is a much higher priority for the Bucs than adding another NT/DT IMO. Not saying we shouldn’t draft an inside Dlineman as well – we should – just prioritize the premium (and higher need) positions with the higher picks…
Edge and CB in rds 1 and 2 would be ideal if the draft falls that way for us.
April 5th, 2025 at 4:09 pm
i dont think i could handle his knuckles to the forehead celebration
April 5th, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Good posts LUV and Pickgrin.
I hope this kid is there and agree we should be looking primarily at edge and CB in first 2 rounds.
The PFF mock posted in the comments is basically what I end up with. Ezeriraku and Revel 1-2 would be ideal!
These mock drafts are all borderline useless but I enjoy looking at them and doing my own this time of year. Drafting is fun.
April 5th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
@BucHawk – were you ballhawk75 before?
April 5th, 2025 at 6:37 pm
Jamaree Caldwell and Deone Walker. If we can’t get Grant, I’d be OK with one of those 2.
I could live with –
1 – Donovan E.
2 – Revel
3 – Jamaree Caldwell
4 – Jeffrey Bassa
April 5th, 2025 at 8:44 pm
Draft a Beast. Not a lightweight…Need a Monster.
April 5th, 2025 at 9:19 pm
Ezeiraku or Barron
April 5th, 2025 at 9:22 pm
I just listened to J Ledyard’s analysis of J Barron and man does he sound like a viable replacement or backup for Dean.
April 5th, 2025 at 10:50 pm
I know this won’t make it past the filters but I feel like any mock draft that does a “shocking trade” is like watching some guy in the park open his raincoat and start mastur******.
April 6th, 2025 at 12:42 am
I think it would be an excellent pick. That shuttle time indicates dominant agility, as seen in the highlights. The thing with mock drafts is that they are all wrong when the time comes. Maybe they hit on a few, especially more so in top10.
April 6th, 2025 at 3:11 am
Pickgrin & Saskbucs — appreciate the insight. Hopefully the board breaks just right.
April 6th, 2025 at 4:26 am
Love the mock drafts! Unsure if Ezeiruaku will be there by the Bills first pick. There are always surprise wheeling and dealings though. The link was interesting with pros and cons. I am going with pro. If he is there by 19, he would be a good fit for the Bucs.