Over the last 4 seasons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their fans have seen enough of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka that when the franchise turned down the fifth-year option on his contract for 2025, few were surprised.

Watching Tryon-Shoyinka muddle his way through another below average season — he has career lows of 24 tackles and 2.0 sacks — has only reinforced that.

One of the problems with Tryon-Shoyinka throughout his career has been his lack of versatility. If he wasn’t rushing the passer, he wasn’t much good to the defense. And most of the time, he wasn’t very good at that, even.

The latest 2025 mock draft from CBS Sports directly addresses the coming departure of Tryon-Shoyinka to free agency by predicting the Buccaneers to take versatile Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker with the No. 21 overall pick in the first round.

While Walker’s addition would address problems on defense, it’s only possible because Tampa Bay is so good on offense.

“With the additions of Bucky Irving, Graham Barton, Jalen McMillan and Cade Otton, the Buccaneers offense is in pretty good shape,” CBS Sports’ Chris Edwards wrote on January 2. “I tend to think they can come to terms with Chris Godwin on a team-friendly one-year deal if they choose to go in that direction.”

Walker Cemented Draft Status in Spotlight Game

Walker was the No. 1 rated high school prospect in North Carolina as a senior at Salisbury High and won a College Football Playoff National Championship as a true freshman at Georgia.

He led the Bulldogs with 5.0 sacks despite not playing primarily as an edge rusher or starting a game in 2023 and is having a breakout season in 2024 with 35 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 19 QB pressures and 2 fumble recoveries through the first 8 games.

Walker, 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, cemented his status as a first round pick in a 30-15 win at No. 1 Texas on October 19 with 7 tackles, 3.0 sacks and a fumble recovery. According to ESPN, it was the first time a player had 3.0 sacks and at a least 7 tackles against a No. 1 team in 20 years.

From NFL Draft Buzz: “With proper coaching and development, Walker has the tools to become a dynamic playmaker in the NFL. His high character and leadership qualities, combined with his on-field potential, make him an intriguing prospect who could outperform his draft position.”

Buccaneers Tried to Fill Defensive Front in Draft

The Buccaneers have tried desperately to fill out their defensive front in the NFL draft in recent years with varied results.

Tampa Bay used their first pick in three consecutive drafts to add edge rushers or interior defensive linemen with busts in Tryon-Shoyinka in 2021 and defensive end Logan Hall in 2022 followed by interior defensive lineman Calijah Kancey at No. 19 overall in 2023.

Of those 3, only Kancey has shown that he could eventually turn into an impact player and is having a breakout season in 2024 — he leads the Buccaneers with 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss in just 11 games.

If Kancey can figure out a way to remedy the injury issues that have cost him 8 games over the last few seasons, he has the potential to become a Pro Bowler.