From Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been playing some of the most consistent football the franchise has ever seen. Over the last two years, they’ve made back-to-back playoff appearances, even picking up a win in 2023. But to take the next step, a few things still need work.
The defense needs attention. Mayfield, along with star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, gives the team a strong offensive foundation. Still, one analyst believes Tampa Bay should focus on the long-term future in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Predicted to Select Tetairoa McMillan in NFL Draft
Even with Evans and Godwin missing time due to injuries, the Buccaneers finished with the third-best offense according to PFSN’s Offense+ metric. Defensively, though, they landed in the middle of the pack at 16th on the Defense+ metric.
So it made sense that they emphasized defense heading into the offseason. They made some smart moves in free agency — re-signing Greg Gaines and bringing in Anthony Walker and Haason Reddick.
Still, many expected the team to keep building up that side of the ball in the 2025 NFL Draft. But the latest mock draft from PFSN’s Reese Decker takes a different route, projecting that Tampa Bay will select wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 19 pick.
“At 6-foot-4, Tetairoa McMillan is the definition of a mismatch nightmare for defensive backs. He’s far more than a token red-zone weapon — he’s a smooth, polished receiver with excellent body control and the ability to transition in and out of breaks fluidly.”
McMillan put up strong back-to-back seasons in college, recording 1,319 yards in 2024 and 1,402 in 2023. He was also a reliable red-zone threat, scoring 26 touchdowns over that stretch.
“He’s a physical player who craves the contested catch and is an elite tracker of the football.”
But Decker’s main reason for projecting McMillan to Tampa Bay is more about the big picture — and Evans’s future.
Evans is one of the most accomplished wide receivers of the modern era. He’s recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards in each of his 11 NFL seasons, making him one of the most consistent threats in the game. But at 31, age and wear are starting to catch up.
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be a perfect fit, allowing McMillan to learn and develop alongside a similar-styled player who is on the expressway to receiving a coveted gold jacket five years following the completion of his career.”