TAMPA, Fla. -- Solid draft picks have kept the Tampa Bay Buccaneers competitive for the past five years, claiming a Super Bowl crown after the 2020 season and winning four straight NFC South titles.

The Bucs hold the 19th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft that starts Thursday and will likely target defensive help. 

The Miami Dolphins will look to fill holes at cornerback, defensive tackle and offensive line after a disappointing 2024 season. They are looking for high character athletes who will bring a professional attitude to the team.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, who have a new coach and general manager, have 10 picks in the draft, including the fifth overall selection and six of the top 130 choices. The crop should provide a launching point for the franchise’s new general manager and coach. They have taken an unusual, though not unheard-of, approach to scouting for this year's draft.

Bucs General Manager Jason Licht and his staff have done an outstanding job evaluating players since selecting Evans with the first pick in his first draft in 2014. All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, defensive tackle Vita Vea, wide receiver Chris Godwin and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. are among their best picks.

Now it’s time for him to do it again.

“We knew that we had a special group of guys — the individuals, but you still never know until you get out there and they start playing,” Licht said of last year’s class.

Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell could be a target of the Bucs with the team's first-round pick (19th overall). (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Bucs' need

Edge rusher, cornerback and linebacker are Tampa Bay’s biggest needs. Coach Todd Bowles has stressed the importance of putting pressure on quarterbacks without having to blitz.

The addition of two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Haason Reddick in free agency could be a significant boost if he plays as he did between 2020-23, when he had double-digit sacks four consecutive seasons. 

But signing Reddick doesn’t preclude the Bucs from seeking an edge in the first round. Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. went to Tampa Bay in the AP mock draft.

Drafting edge rushers is one area that’s been a problem for the Buccaneers. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (32nd overall pick, 2021) had just 15 sacks in four seasons and signed with Cleveland in free agency. Logan Hall (33rd overall pick, 2022) has 8 1/2 sacks in his first three seasons.

Bucs don’t need

The Buccaneers don’t need starters on offense but could add players for depth. Though they seem set at wide receiver with Evans, Godwin, McMillan and veteran Sterling Shepard, Licht didn’t rule out another playmaker. Evans turns 32 in August and Godwin is coming off a major ankle injury.

“We’re not going to overlook that position at all if everything falls that way for us,” Licht said.

Finding finds

Licht’s specialty has been the middle rounds.

Irving, McMillan, Smith, defensive lineman YaYa Diaby, running back Rachaad White, tight end Cade Otton and cornerback Zyon McCollum are among the key players the Buccaneers have drafted in the third or fourth rounds over the past three seasons.

“We’ve had some good production,” Licht said. “My staff and the coaches have done a great job. The last three years — I would say combined, those drafts were elite when you put them all — add them all together. We want to try to keep doing it. It doesn’t always work out that way but keep doing it. I think this particular draft just seems to be a little bit more leveled out, which I’m excited about. I’m not saying that’s something I don’t like about this draft. It’s something I do like about the draft.”

Jaguars' new approach to draft seeks 'intangibly rich' players

Jacksonville's means of finding its picks from this year's draft is far from traditional, even though it’s modeled after the Los Angeles Rams.

New General Manager James Gladstone and coach Liam Coen didn’t host any visits from Top 30 prospects, didn’t attend any college pro days and didn’t hold a scouting event for local players. They traveled to the NFL combine in Indianapolis in February, but there’s a chance they won’t return in future years.

“There’s a lot of layers to not doing those facility visits,” Gladstone said.

The 34-year-old, first-time GM said recency bias could be a factor, pointing out players who visit closer to the draft might potentially have a leg up over those who came in earlier. The Jaguars also noted how players prep for those interviews and are typically on their best behavior.

“The sourced intel from those who have lived with these individuals is likely to be more accurate than me sitting down with a prospect for a short period of time and attempting to dissect who that human being is,” Gladstone said. “I don’t view myself as having this extreme superpower of deciphering the complexity of a person in an hour, right? …

“There are other mechanisms that we tend to lean into to help us determine whether or not a player is, in fact, a fit for us, more than just a singular touch point that would be a top-30 visit.”

Gladstone also said prospect visits — whether they’re in Jacksonville, at college pro days or at the combine — could tip the team’s hand before or during the draft.

Jaguars' need

Jacksonville has needs at nearly every position. But its defense seems to have the biggest holes, with defensive line, cornerback, safety and linebacker in desperate need of upgrades. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham could be options at No. 5.

Offensively, Jacksonville took steps to build around quarterback Trevor Lawrence in free agency by signing center Robert Hainsey, guard Patrick Mekari and receiver Dyami Brown. But no one would be surprised to see Gladstone draft a running back, a receiver a tight end and an offensive lineman or two. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and LSU left tackle Will Campbell will be in the mix with the fifth pick.

Jaguars don't need

They seem set at quarterback after signing journeyman Nick Mullens to a two-year, $4.5 million deal that included $3 million guaranteed. He will serve as Lawrence’s backup. They also don’t need any specialists after rookie kicker Cam Little hit 25 of his final 26 field-goal attempts, and punter Logan Cooke and long snapper Ross Matiscik made the Pro Bowl.

Seeking ‘intangibly rich’ players

Gladstone continues to use the phrase “intangibly rich” when describing players he wants to draft. He offered some insight into its meaning, saying physical and mental toughness would fall into that category.

“Those two elements will be top of mind,” he said. “When you look at our draft-day call sheet, the items that we’re bucketing in that intangibly rich category are the largest, brightest number and color on our call sheet. It’s because that’s where we start.”

Dolphins have a lot of holes to fill

Miami Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier took a conservative approach to free agency this year. With limited salary cap space, Grier doled out modest, team-friendly contracts to a few complementary players the Dolphins hope can contribute to a swift turnaround in 2025.

That leaves a lot of heavy lifting needing to be done with the Dolphins’ 10 picks in the NFL draft.

“We’re going to need NFL-ready players,” Grier said. “There’s no ‘Hey, let’s hope this guy’s ready.’ These guys are going to be forced in to play. We have to be right on the person and character of the guys that we bring here.”

The Dolphins fell way short of expectations in 2024, going 8-9 and missing the playoffs, and their offense took a noticeable step back from their 2023 group that led the NFL in yards.

Many of Miami’s offensive inefficiencies were because of its offensive line, which Grier has addressed in free agency but will need to bolster in the draft.

Behind-the-scenes culture problems, such as player tardiness, were also an issue. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said that will be addressed among the players on the roster, and the goal in the draft is to bring in players to fit a new culture of accountability he’s trying to institute.

“We’re trying to get the right guys to develop as professionals,” McDaniel said, “and their core value has to be team football, football-winning and they really have to get joy out of that. That was a component that was consistent among the different personalities we drafted last year; all of these guys were living and breathing football.”

Dolphins' need

Cornerback has swiftly become one of Miami’s biggest areas of need after Grier said the team is exploring trade options for All-Pro Jalen Ramsey. If Ramsey departs, that would leave Miami needing to fill two starting cornerback slots after releasing Kendall Fuller, who started 11 games in 2024.

On the offensive line, Miami signed James Daniels in March to start at one of its guard spots, but it needs a starter on the other side.

Defensive tackle Calais Campbell, who played on a one-year contract in Miami last season, signed with the Arizona Cardinals this month, so the Dolphins will likely use one of their early picks to add a capable starter to pair with veteran Zach Sieler.

The Dolphins still need a No. 3 quarterback, but with so many other pressing roster needs, they likely won’t go for a quarterback until the later rounds.

Dolphins don’t need

The Dolphins selected a running back in each of the past two drafts, so it would be a surprise if they take one again this year with so many other holes. Their primary backs in 2025 will be De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright, and they also signed veteran Alexander Mattison last month.

The Associated Press contributed to the Jaguars and Dolphins content in this report.