While the NFL draft is all about hope for the future, the reality is that teams are limited by the available talent and the needs of their rosters. At pick 19, the Buccaneers will miss out on most of the best prospects in this year’s draft class before they get to make their first selection.

That is not to say the Bucs’ options at 19 are terrible. There are several legitimate talents who could upgrade their roster, especially on defense. At the very least, they should be able to upgrade their edge rush or secondary. Luckily for Jason Licht and the Bucs, they have so many unique needs at the deepest positions of the draft on defense. While there are a lot of players

We have several players in mind who could be seen as dream scenarios for the Bucs as they prepare to draft with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Donovan Ezeiruaku

The Boston College edge rusher is one of the more popular picks for Tampa Bay this year. He was a highly productive pass rusher in college, recording 30 sacks in four seasons at BC. Ezeiruaku could fall to the Bucs due to his limited athletic ceiling. He is undersized and has just good explosiveness. However, he presents a solid succession plan for designated pass rusher Haason Reddick, who is only signed through 2025.

Shemar Stewart

Opinions on the Texas A&M uber athlete vary wildly. Some marvel at Shemar Stewart’s elite athletic profile while others are repelled by his unprecedented lack of production for a first-round prospect, just 4.5 sacks over three seasons and 19 starts. Nevertheless, the Bucs would be drafting the player Stewart can be, not the player he was. If they can teach him how to finish sacks, he has the potential to be a devastating NFL pass rusher.

Will Johnson

With Jamel Dean on the last year of his contract and rapidly approaching 30, the Bucs need to plan for the future of their outside cornerback position. Will Johnson was one of Michigan’s star defenders during their championship run in 2023. A down year last season and a lack of elite long speed will see him available when the Bucs pick at 19. Still, Johnson is one of the smoother and more instinctive defensive backs in this year’s draft class, so the Bucs will no doubt consider taking him with their first pick.

Malaki Starks

With Antoine Winfield Jr. on the roster, safety is not necessarily a major need, but pairing Georgia’s Malaki Starks with the All-Pro safety would make the Bucs secondary truly terrifying. Starks is smart with a nose for the ball. What he is really missing is high-end athleticism. Starks may have a limited ceiling, but he is exactly what a safety needs to be: reliable.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Best case scenario player for the Bucs in round one of the NFL Draft