We have given Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht a ton of credit for making obvious choices in recent years when it comes to the first round of the NFL draft.
In 2024, the Buccaneers were in desperate need of a center. Licht went out and drafted Duke’s Graham Barton in the first round and he became a Day 1 starter.
In 2023, the Buccaneers needed another solution when Vita Vea seemed to be chronically injured. That year, Licht went out and drafted Pitt’s Calijah Kancey in the first round. Now, Kancey seems on the verge of becoming one of the NFL’s dominant interior defensive linemen.
In 2025, Licht went against the grain. He took a wide receiver in the first round (No. 19 overall) with Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka despite being stacked at that position and Tampa Bay desperate for help on defense at edge rusher, cornerback and inside linebacker.
Pro Football Network predicts Licht will go back to making the obvious choice in 2026, with their latest mock draft predicting the Buccaneers will take Alabama edge rusher LT Overton at No. 21 overall.
From PFN: “LT Overton may lack the typical production of a first-round EDGE prospect, but he does make up for it with his rare flexibility. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have built a unique pass rush unit with their defensive line body types, and Overton would elevate them to become challenging to throw against.”
Overton Hasn’t Put Up Big Numbers in 3 Seasons
Perhaps no position gets drafted more on potential than edge rusher — at least in the first round — because it is such a rare combination of athleticism, size and speed. Overton is one of those rare few who seem like they might have what it takes.
At 6-foot-5 and 283 pounds and with a projected 4.80 second 40-yard dash, Overton has the type of physical characteristics NFL teams salivate over.
What Overton doesn’t have is any sort of on-field production to point at to make us think he could eventually be a dominant NFL edge rusher. Through his first 3 seasons of college football — 2 at Texas A&M and one at Alabama in 2024 — he only has 3.0 career sacks. Through 3 seasons, Overton is also yet to become a full-time starter.
From NFL Draft Buzz: “Football greatness was written in the stars for LT Overton, a unanimous five-star recruit who hit the college scene running after reclassifying to graduate high school a year early. The blue-chip prospect initially planted his flag at Texas A&M, where he immediately earned playing time as a true freshman in 2022, starting the final three games and collecting 28 tackles with 2.5 for loss. Despite flashes of brilliance in College Station over two seasons, Overton sought greener pastures and transferred to Alabama for the 2024 campaign, bringing his rare combination of size and athleticism to Tuscaloosa.”
The last time Licht drafted an edge rusher in the first round, it ended up being a bust.
Tampa Bay selected Joe Tryon-Shoyinka at No. 32 overall in 2021 and he played 4 disappointing seasons with the Buccaneers before he left on a 1-year, $4.755 million free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns in 2024.
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