The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh this month, a city where the Bucs could select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. Before then, though, there will be plenty of speculation and buildup for the team and who they may add to the roster through the draft. Thankfully, we now have some added context for players now that the scouting combine has come and gone.
The Draft Network’s Jaime Eisner recently released the latest 2026 NFL mock draft of the cycle, which has the team going in the defensive direction with a pass rusher. Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell is the selection in the mock as someone who shows twitch and explosiveness off the edge.
Eisner explains the Howell pick, writing, “Cashius Howell has escaped some—some—of the arm-length backlash that Bain Jr. has received. But like Bain, the production can’t be ignored. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need more juice in the pass-rushing department and they turn to Howell with this pick. He’s incredibly explosive off the snap, plays with a high motor, and has proven he can produce double-digit sacks at the college level.”
The combo of Howell with Yaya Diaby off the edge, and Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea in the middle would be a fine dynamic for Todd Bowles. This defense needs to turn a corner, and Howell may be the final piece to achieving that.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs get mocked a new player on offense for the 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Andrew Harbaugh, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
