Second-Most Accurate Mocker Says Bucs Select…
April 23rd, 2025
Brendan Donahue has been on a helluva run the past five years.
He blew chunks with his mock draft last year. But in the past five years, per The Huddle Report‘s tracking of the accuracy of mockers, Donahue has had the second-most accurate mocks over the past five years.
Yesterday, two days before the draft, the Sharp Football Analysis guru came out with his latest, and Joe is guessing it is his final mock. Previous mocks came out every 10 days or so.
(Mock… mock… mock… nyuk… nyuk… nyuk… )
Donahue has been very consistent. Every time Joe checked his mocks he has had Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht select the same player over and over and over.
And that is inside linebacker Jihaad Campbell of Alabama.
On paper, this makes the most sense. One Bucs inside linebacker is 35. The other cannot stay on the field and makes Jamel Dean look like a rock of stability The mystery here is Campbell’s shoulder. He had shoulder surgery after the combine. Then, Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk suggested in the worst case scenario, Campbell could be out eight months.
Joe knows Campbell’s doctor yesterday said he would be ready by training camp. Of course, he said this two days before the draft.
Campbell’s doctor is being paid by Campbell. He has a vested interest to push a specific narrative for his patient. Did anyone think Campbell’s doctor was going to say, “Nah, man, my patient’s shoulder is a mess. He won’t be back on a football field until Summer 2026.”
Donahue confessed that it is likely Campbell will likely wear a medical red flag on his lapel during the draft.
"He has continued to grow and get better each year…there's a lot to love about the versatility of Jihaad Campbell."
–@MoveTheSticks on @AlabamaFTBL LB Jihaad Campbell
📺: 2025 #NFLDraft – April 24-26 on @nflnetwork /ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4HV6OKvCpb— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) March 28, 2025
April 23rd, 2025 at 4:06 am
Five years of winning football and fun highlights just waiting to be locked down if no sneaky @#$&*’s take him before pick 19.
April 23rd, 2025 at 4:07 am
Five years of winning football and fun highlights just waiting to be locked down if no sneaky @#$&*’s take him before pick 19.
April 23rd, 2025 at 5:13 am
Have the Bucs even spoke with him / can a team doctor vouch for this etc.
I assume we just have his doctor’s word in which case too big a risk to use our 19th pick on.
April 23rd, 2025 at 5:53 am
He wasn’t in for a formal visit, but neither was Starks who also has been linked to the Bucs. What does all that mean? We’ll soon find out.
April 23rd, 2025 at 5:57 am
Im waiting for the Schrager mock draft to come out today.
April 23rd, 2025 at 5:58 am
I would think that the Bucs would have ways to figure out how his shoulder is and when he would be ready.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:05 am
I sorta enjoy all the draft talk but I’m growing weary at this point.
It’s such a crapshoot anyway. The first time I’ll truly become interested in the rookies is around mid August when Joe starts giving his excellent reports from Training Camp.
THEN we might get an idea of how the draft went.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:10 am
I like Campbell, but the 1st round VALUE is D-Line. Other very good ILBs ate available in the 2nd and 3rd rd.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:12 am
Every team will have access to his medicals. If the Bucs are interested, they will have their own doctors evaluate him and make a determination. They won’t be relying on the magic 8 ball here.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:16 am
Granted, the Bucs will need to address ILB sooner rather than later but there are a lot of defensive needs which the Bucs can address with that 1st round pick: edge, CB, DT and even safety. Plus, the Bucs want someone who can contribute right away, which may not be Campbell given his injury. Also, shoulder injuries are something which can end a career: ask Noah Spence, I am sure Jason remembers burning a high 2nd round pick on him back in the decade of depression. Go CB or DT……
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:18 am
Daddy are we there yet?!
How much longer?
Are we going to get there on time?
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:26 am
In my mock this morning, i traded back, still landed Emman, and that trade landed me Schwesinger, and still got wr Higgens….then Nohl Williams, Elijah Roberts and Isas Waxter. In reality, we might have to use a later pick to trade up for Nohl. That would be a major haul.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:36 am
I like that player fitting in with the Bucs.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:38 am
Besides Saftey I think most position ain’t being a full time starter this year. Even CB, no one is beating out our top 2. Now Dean is injured a lot so chance if playing is high. But I say grab the best player . If they have to sit a couple months should be really healthy in January when most are hitting rookie wall.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:43 am
Just get me to tomorrow.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:47 am
@Joe with this being a defensive lead draft class, any rumors of team taking Offense in round? Hearing on defense you can get a player at and probably get the sane caliber plyer in rounds 2 and 3. So I would think teams might wait on defense and go offense pushing defensive Talent to us.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:48 am
Don’t type with your phone. Sorry about the mess above.
April 23rd, 2025 at 6:58 am
Inside LB are easier to find in the middle rounds than most positions. I think the Bucs pass on Campbell and select a DT or CB. If WR Tetairoa McMillan falls at 19, I don’t think the Bucs could resist.
April 23rd, 2025 at 7:08 am
The more I hear Jerry Jones talking about substantive upcoming trades, the more I believe Jones very well may be looking to trade for Rachaad White on Draft Day.
April 23rd, 2025 at 7:16 am
Devin White 2.0 and the thing is, he’s worse than Devin was coming out of college
April 23rd, 2025 at 7:16 am
LB3 @19
April 23rd, 2025 at 7:22 am
We don’t need anymore injury prone players. Pass on him.
April 23rd, 2025 at 7:33 am
Has Dean been released yet?
April 23rd, 2025 at 7:40 am
I don’t like Cambell and the shoulder makes it a hard pass on him. I Yar (Norse god of football) has spoken, so let it be done.
April 23rd, 2025 at 7:46 am
‘Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports Jihaad Campbell (shoulder) had surgery after the combine and teams are projecting him as a PUP candidate.’
Would make no sense whatsoever to draft him at #19 with so many other needs and healthier players in the board…none !!!!!
April 23rd, 2025 at 7:53 am
They play football in Norway, Yar?
Madmax…
The problem with doing a draft simulator is there’s a certain amount of logic in the algorithm of teams choosing players. It completely takes out the stupidity of some of these teams reaching for players they have no business reaching for. It also bases value on players with a different scale than what the Bucs use from what we’ve seen. I trust the Lichts board.
I have no strong opinion other than ILB is a low value pick already, why risk it on an injured player. I still say edge… maybe a tackle. Secondary and ILB can we grabbed day two and three. I like the idea of an edge learning under Riddick while he’s here. Hopefully being in the rotation early.
April 23rd, 2025 at 8:04 am
Joe, Im curious as to why you only/always site the worst case scenario? And it’s “incite” ( pun intended) from a talking head, Charean Williams, non the less. I don’t think you have ever mentioned a best case scenario other than a tongue in cheek attempt to throw shade on an actual Dr. to bolster your point of view. You seem to have a singular objective
April 23rd, 2025 at 8:17 am
Not on the fence any longer about Campbell. Sorry to say, it’s a no. Of course his doctor is going to say he is good to go. And with HIPPA privacy laws, who really knows.
April 23rd, 2025 at 8:23 am
What it comes down to is do we have the luxury of drafting Jihaad and letting him sit and get healthy. Sure we had a great finish last year but too many here forget that we finished strong playing some of the worst teams in the league playing with 2nd and 3rd string QBs. I keep preaching it but no one is listening…we already as a team have a ton of ‘ifs’ going into the season why add another.
April 23rd, 2025 at 8:34 am
“Listen mister, just count the overpasses — to yourself!”
April 23rd, 2025 at 8:38 am
Because it is called “responsibility.” Charean isn’t a “talking head.” She been covering NFL teams as a beat writer for decades. She doesn’t put out BS.
Putting out false hope (best-case scenario) is irresponsible.
April 23rd, 2025 at 8:42 am
More than rumors. Both Bowles and Licht claimed on the record they wouldn’t pass up a stud on offense. Joe reported that at the time back at the owners meetings.
Now, how those two define “stud” is a different story.
April 23rd, 2025 at 9:30 am
With a name like Jihaad, this year’s annual rookie camp trip to MacDill AFB might be… how should I put it?
Interesting…
April 23rd, 2025 at 10:21 am
Joe, do teams get a chance to review the injured player’s medical chart pre-draft, or are they stuck with his doc’s comment?
Teams have medical data from the Combine — MRIs everything — and it’s all verifiable and acquired there. As for updated info, teams have to arrange for that privately. And then they have to actually trust it.–Joe
April 23rd, 2025 at 10:36 am
Yeah they have football in Norway. We call it soccer.
April 23rd, 2025 at 10:39 am
LOL Did he get caught Mokin yet?
Go Bucs!