Buccaneers 2025 NFL Draft Grades: Rounds 4-7

Now that the draft is complete, how did the Bucs fare?

The 2025 NFL Draft is behind us, and the Buccaneers now have a complete draft class to be able to evaluate. Their first two days of the draft provided some surprises and solid picks. We have graded those selections, so check them out here if you’d like. Now let’s dive into the Bucs day three picks and see how they graded.

4th Round, 121st Overall, David Walker, EDGE, Central Arkansas

The Bucs decided to kick off their day three with a pass rusher. After passing on many options on both day one and day two, they land on a pass rusher from a small school with big time production in David Walker. In his four seasons at Central Arkansas, Walker accumulated 39 total sacks including 10.5 this past season. He is going to be 25 years old when the season begins and he is a bit undersized for the position at 6’1”, 263 pounds, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still rush the passer.

Despite the size and age, Walker still knows how to get to the quarterback and even though the competition level at Central Arkansas was not the highest, Walker’s production is still eye opening. Coming into this draft Walker was one of “my guys” and I even spoke about him in the roundtable we did on the site. This is a solid value pick for Tampa Bay at a position of need. He will likely never be an every down player, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be a role for him on this defense as a pass rush specialist Todd Bowles can throw out there on third downs. Exactly the type of swing teams should be taking on day three.

Grade: A

5th Round, 157th Overall, Elijiah Roberts, Defensive Lineman, SMU

Tampa Bay decided to go back to the well and focus on the pass rush by adding Elijiah Roberts out of SMU. While listed as an EDGE defender by ESPN, Roberts’ measurables likely make him a guy who will play on the inside for Todd Bowles. This feels like the Will Gholston replacement as Roberts can do a lot of similar things but has a bit more pass rush upside.

This is a pick with upside at a position of need for Tampa Bay. Roberts will be in a rotational role for the Bucs and he could end up contributing a bit more as the season goes on.

Grade: B+

7th Round, 235th Overall, Tez Johnson, Wide Receiver, Oregon

The Bucs ended their draft the same way they started it, drafting a wide receiver. This time it was Oregon’s Tez Johnson and he’s a player that could actually play a very specific and important role in 2025 if he makes the team. Johnson had a lot of experience returning punts at Oregon and that is something Tampa Bay could use on special teams.

The reason Johnson fell to the Bucs pick was like the combination of his size and speed, which were not favorable to him. He measures in at 5’10”, 154 pounds and only ran a 4.51 40 yard dash at the combine. A player that small while not being very fast and was likely why he was available to Tampa Bay at this spot. When you watch him though, there is clearly some juice there with his ability to break tackles and make impact plays. He was one of the best players on the board when the Bucs were selecting so they were smart to take a swing on someone who can play a role for them in 2025.

Grade: A-

The Bucs had a solid draft, addressing some needs while also strengthening their receiver room for both the present and future. We will see how these guys fare in their rookie season but right now, it looks pretty promising.