The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are only four games into the season, but a 0-4 start has already made the 2027 NFL Draft a talking point amongst fans. Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings reports that Tampa Bay is selecting Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles with the No. 9 overall pick, giving the Bucs another powerful interior defender to pair with Vita Vea.
That draft position could change significantly depending on how the season unfolds. Baker Mayfield is missing time due to a thumb injury, and Tampa Bay’s offense has struggled even when it has been able to move the ball between the 20s. Rookie Jalen Daniels showed encouraging flashes in Sunday’s 17-14 loss to Green Bay, but the Bucs still managed just 14 points and continued to struggle to protect
their quarterback. If the offense continues to struggle while Mayfield is sidelined, Tampa Bay’s eventual draft position could end up higher than the No. 9 spot used in this mock.
Cummings’ projection sends Echoles to Tampa Bay as a potential long-term piece along the defensive front. The Ole Miss defender is listed at 6-foot-3 and around 315 pounds, giving him the size to hold up against the run while still offering the athleticism to disrupt as an interior pass rusher. His game is built around power, quickness off the snap, and the ability to create penetration rather than simply occupying blockers.
Echoles also has production behind the scouting profile. During the 2025 season, he started all 15 games for Ole Miss and finished with 68 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks. He earned All-SEC and All-America recognition while becoming one of the more productive defensive tackles in college football. PFN has also previously noted that Echoles led all Power Four defensive tackles with 39 pressures that season.
There are still areas of his game that will need refinement before the draft. Evaluators have pointed to pad level and body control as areas Echoles can continue to improve, but his first-step quickness, closing speed, and ability to disengage from blockers give him traits that could translate well to Tampa Bay’s front.
The fit would also give the Buccaneers some flexibility around Vea and Calijah Kancey. Vea remains the centerpiece of the defensive line, while Kancey has shown disruptive ability when healthy. Injuries have made it difficult for Tampa Bay to get consistent production from that combination, though, and adding another interior defender with size and pass-rush upside would give the Bucs more options up front.
There is still a long way to go before Tampa Bay knows where it will actually pick or which positions will emerge as the biggest needs. Mayfield’s return, Daniels's development, and the offensive line's performance could all reshape the conversation over the next few months. If the Buccaneers remain near the top of the draft order, however, Echoles is the kind of prospect who would make sense for a defense that needs more consistent disruption around Vea.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Mock Draft Monday: Buccaneers add disruptive DT in latest projection
