NFL Draft Insider: ‘Real Possibility’ TB Buccaneers Take All-American With Top Pick
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell short of expectations this past season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Now, coming off an offseason that saw a void created with the departures of Lavonte David and Mike Evans, it appears a big addition could come early in the 2026 NFL Draft. Jordan Reid of ESPN wrote that he believes there’s a very “real possibility” the Buccaneers select Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq with the 15th overall pick.
Related: 2026 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings by Position, including Kenyon Sadiq Sadiq, standing at 6-foot-3, earned second-team All-American honors this past season at Oregon and won the Big Ten Tight End of the Year award. He’s widely viewed as a consensus top-20 talent in the 2026 NFL Draft class, with several viewing him as one of the best offensive weapons in the class. He’s drawn NFL comparisons to All-Pro tight end Trey McBride by Lance Zierlein of NFL.
com , in part because of his route running at all three levels and his ability to generate yards after the catch. Plus, as another benefit for the NFL team that lands him, he’s demonstrated a willingness to block and is at least usable in that role with room for improvement. Related: Buccaneers Interested in Former First-Round Pick Reid noted that tight end is one of the positions the Buccaneers front office and coaching staff are “keyed in” on as potential Round 1 areas to address.
Barring a trade down, Sadiq would be the only tight end worth consideration with a top-20 pick. Tampa Bay seems relatively set at wide receiver with the trio of Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan for three-receiver sets. However, under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, it also appears we could see more 12 personnel sets from the Buccaneers offense in 2026.
If that’s the case, Sadiq could likely overtake Cade Otton quickly as the top receiving threat at the position. If Sadiq is off the board when the Buccaneers are on the clock with the 15th overall pick, Tampa Bay is also reportedly eyeing defensive ends. With several edge rushers projected to go inside the top 20, there’s a good chance the Buccaneers land one of their top targets.