Could the Tampa Bay Buccaneers be looking for their next franchise quarterback a year from now?
That was the projection made by Justin Melo of NFL Draft on SI, who mocked Miami quarterback Darian Mensah to the Buccaneers with the 19th overall pick in his latest 2027 NFL mock draft. Melo’s reasoning centers on Baker Mayfield’s contract situation, as the veteran enters the 2026 season in the final year of his current deal while both sides continue working toward a long-term extension.
Melo also pointed to Mensah’s breakout 2025 campaign at Duke before his transfer to Miami. After helping lead the Blue Devils to an ACC championship, Mensah threw for 3,951 yards and 34 touchdowns while completing 66.6 percent of his passes. He now joins a Hurricanes program that recently helped develop Cam Ward into the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
The underlying metrics support why Mensah is already generating first-round attention. According to PFF, he earned an 84.1 overall offensive grade and an 85.0 passing grade during the 2025 season. He also produced 28 big-time throws compared to 21 turnover-worthy plays while averaging 7.9 yards per attempt and posting a 107.9 NFL passer rating. Those numbers came one year after an impressive debut season at Tulane, where he threw for 2,722 yards and 22 touchdowns while averaging 9.5 yards per attempt.
From Tampa Bay’s perspective, the projection is based more on uncertainty than necessity. General manager Jason Licht has publicly expressed his desire to keep Mayfield in Tampa Bay for the foreseeable future, and the quarterback recently said both sides want to reach an agreement on a new contract. Until that extension is finalized, however, quarterback will remain a position analysts connect to the Buccaneers in early mock drafts.
Whether Mensah ultimately lands in Tampa Bay remains to be seen, but another productive season at Miami could solidify his status as one of the premier quarterbacks available in the 2027 NFL Draft. As long as Mayfield’s future remains unresolved beyond the 2026 season, projections like Melo’s are likely to continue.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs land new QB in latest 2027 NFL Mock Draft
Reporting by Mason Riney, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mason Riney, Buccaneers Wire | USA TODAY Network
