The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are at a crossroads. After an 8–9 finish to the 2025 season, the late-season collapse didn’t just hurt their record; it exposed an offense that feels stuck in neutral.
The defense offered little relief. With longtime leader Lavonte David now 36Â and nearing the twilight of his career, Tampa Bay faces an urgent need to identify a long-term replacement. One mock draft suggests the Buccaneers could address that need immediately by selecting a defensive cornerstone on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Buccaneers Predicted To Draft Ohio State LB As Lavonte David’s Long-Term Replacement
The Buccaneers’ defense ranked 19th in PFSN’s NFL Defensive Impact Metric and enters the offseason with several areas in need of improvement, with linebacker standing out as a key concern. While Tampa Bay still has proven defensive leaders such as David, his age makes it increasingly important for the team to invest in a high-upside successor.
PFSN’s Jacob Infante believes that replacement could be Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, projecting the Buccaneers to select him 15th overall in April.
“Lavonte David has been a reliable force for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers his whole career, but it becomes clear as each year passes that they haven’t properly invested in a long-term successor,” Infante wrote. “They could finally do so in the 2026 NFL Draft.”
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“Arvell Reese gets a lot of the draft hype in that Ohio State linebacker room, but Sonny Styles is a freak of nature in his own right. His instincts have shown plenty of improvement over time, and he’s an explosive, well-built athlete with a large tackling radius and the ability to make plays in coverage.”
Styles is coming off a breakout First-Team All-American season at Ohio State. While he recorded just one sack in 2025Â and nine for his career, sack totals don’t tell the full story.
Originally recruited as a safety in 2022, Styles transitioned to linebacker ahead of the 2024 season. That position change and his comfort within it sparked his emergence. His safety background shows up in coverage, where he displays excellent route awareness, range, and spatial feel.
Physically gifted with size, length, and athleticism, Styles is a fast processor and a rangy run defender who excels in space. A well-rounded WILL linebacker with elite coverage upside, he projects as an immediate starter and long-term impact player, exactly the type of player who could stabilize the Buccaneers’ defense now and eventually fill the void left by David.
David, who was selected 58th overall by Tampa Bay in 2012, has spent his entire career with the franchise. Though never known for high sack totals, his impact has been undeniable, playing a pivotal role in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run alongside Tom Brady.
