The Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw their season almost come undone due to their defense in 2024 — a season saved by a brilliant offensive performance late in the year and a defense that managed to keep its head above the water down the stretch.
It’s a safe bet the Buccaneers, with a head coach who built his reputation on defense in Todd Bowles, will do everything they can to make sure the defense isn’t such a liability in 2025.
USA Today’s latest mock draft projects the Buccaneers will take East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. in the first round with the No. 19 overall pick.
From Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department: “Shavon Revel projects as an early-round pick with the potential to make an immediate impact as an outside cornerback. His length, speed, and physicality are ideal traits for defending big-bodied receivers on the outside and handling vertical routes. While his ball skills and eye discipline could limit his ability to generate turnovers, Revel’s ability to blanket receivers and disrupt plays at the line makes him a valuable asset. With further refinement, he has the ceiling to develop into a high-level starting cornerback at the next level.”
Unlikely Path to Potential NFL First Rounder
Revel, 6-foot-3 and 193 pounds, charted out an unlikely path to being a potential first round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. He came out of Ronald W. Reagan High School in Pfafftown, North Carolina, and played his first 2 college seasons at a junior college, Louisburg College, but didn’t get to play as a freshman in 2020 because of the pandemic and only played 6 games in 2021.
Revel transferred to ECU, where he was an All-AAC selection in 2023 with 55 tackles, 1 interception and 6 pass deflections. Revel was already off to a hot start in 2024 with 2 interceptions in 3 games — including a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown against Appalachian State — before he tore his ACL in practice.
“Revel possesses the length and frame that NFL teams covet, particularly for outside corners,” Bleacher Report’s Cory Giddings wrote. “His blend of size, speed, and physicality has made him one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2025 draft class, with the potential to impact both man and zone-heavy schemes.”
Bucs Had One of NFL’s Worst Passing Defenses
There’s no way around the fact the Buccaneers had one of the NFL’s worst passing defenses in 2024 — they finished 29th in the league in passing defense at 243.9 yards per game.
One of the big reasons Tampa Bay struggled defending the pass has to be directly traced back to the injury-riddled season of free safety Antoine Winfield Jr.
Winfield was the NFL’s best free safety in 2023 when he had a career year with 122 tackles, 3 interceptions, 12 pass deflections, 6 forced fumbles, 6.0 sacks and 4 fumble recoveries on the way to being named NFL All-Pro. He cashed in big before the season with a 4-year, $84.1 million contract extension.
That big payday was followed by the worst season of Winfield’s career — he only played in 9 games due to a variety of injuries, had a career low 60 tackles and didn’t have an interception during the regular season for the first time in his career.
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