At this point, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are used to seeing Penn State edge defender Chop Robinson slotted to them at the No. 26 pick in just about every 2024 NFL mock draft.
What they’re not used to seeing is the Bucs being projected to pick Robinson over Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse, Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton, and Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson.
But that’s what happens in the latest first-round projection from NFL.com’s Eric Edholm, who gave the following explanation for his selection:
There’s some buzz that Robinson could go off the board sooner than this. As for the Bucs, they don’t appear to be married to one position, but this pick would check off boxes in terms of both value and need. Adding one more athletic rusher to the mix might really make this pass-rush unit sing in time.
Yes, Robinson has rare explosiveness and athleticism for the position, which does give him tons of upside. But he’s still very much a work in progress, and the Bucs are a contending team that need instant-impact players more than developmental projects, especially in the first round.
Verse would be a much stronger fit for what Tampa Bay needs in an every-down edge defender, and either Barton or Powers-Johnson would give them an immediate upgrade at either left guard or center, both of which they desperately need.
Under the right circumstances, Bucs fans would probably be fine with Robinson being the pick. In this particular scenario, it would be a massive disappointment.
To check out the full first-round mock draft at NFL.com, click here.
[lawrence-related id=86661]