NFL free agency is right around the corner, but so is the NFL Draft. We’ll learn a lot more about the prospects set to be drafted high this year (and some that aren’t there that will be soon) once the NFL Combine is done with at the end of March, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t go through some mock drafts.

We’re getting in on the action — this is our pre-NFL Combine mock draft, and it sees the Tampa Bay Buccaneers addressing a pretty major need at pick No. 19. There aren’t any trades in this one, so everyone picks where they’re set to do so.

Without further ado, let’s kick it off with the No. 1 pick:

The Tennessee Titans have mentioned that they want a generational talent here, and Carter may just fit the bill. Carter has all the physical intangibles and put up 12 sacks and two forced fumbles at Penn State in 2024 — he could be a gamewrecker in Nashville.

Travis Hunter played both wide receiver and cornerback in 2024, but I think the Heisman Trophy winner will stay at cornerback in the NFL — and the Browns could certainly use a gamechanger like him. Cleveland has a few options they could go in the draft, but Hunter is an excellent corner with tremendous instinct and could serve them well.

Our first quarterback off the board is Cam Ward. This could easily be Shedeur Sanders, depending on who the Giants like, but Ward is calm and composed in the pocket and his 39 touchdowns in Miami last year speak for themselves.

There’s an argument that the Patriots could gather some weapons for QB Drake Maye, but games are won in the trenches. Campbell has good size and a tough punch, and he could be the mauler that New England needs.

The Jaguars also have a roster with a lot of holes, and while the Patriots go offense in the trenches, Jacksonville goes with defense. Graham is explosive and plays with a strong motor, and he could be a valuable piece in Duval.

Our second quarterback falls to the Raiders, who will hope to get Sanders up to speed sooner than later. Sanders is a good off-platform thrower and is fairly accurate, but he struggles holding on to the football for too long — Las Vegas will need to get that out of him.

Aaron Glenn is back with the Jets as head coach, and who wouldn’t want a defensive player? Starks is a forceful safety who can play all over the field, and Glenn can cook up a few different schemes on defense to suit him.

The Panthers need some help in the trenches themselves, but they’ll have a hard time passing up on McMillan to bring in a potential superstar threat for Bryce Young. McMillan caught for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns last year and is a big body that can utilize space well.

Another receiver! The Saints desperately need another weapon too and Burden could fit the bill. Burden is a playmaker who has been quite productive in the last two seasons of his career, especially in the short game.

Membou can be moved to guard after playing tackle at Mizzou, and I think that’s what the Bears would do here. Caleb Williams desperately needs an improved o-line, and the Bears can go with one of the best linemen available and then shift him inside.

Josh Simmons, meanwhile, will stay outside, and he’d be a good pick for the 49ers as tackle Trent Williams is aging. He had a knee injury at the end of 2024, but he doesn’t have to be thrown into the thick of it right away.

The Dallas Cowboys offense is desperately looking for a strong running back, and Ashton Jeanty could get the job done. Jeanty had one of the best college football seasons by a running back in the history of the sport in 2024, rushing for a quite frankly comical 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Another player who played tackle in college, Banks Jr. can also be kicked inside to guard. That could be a good move for the Miami Dolphins, who need a big offensive lineman to protect QB Tua Tagovailoa.

Will Johnson is an excellent corner who may not fall this far, but if he does, the Colts will take advantage. There’s a decent argument that Johnson is the best player available here and his instinctive play in pass coverage could benefit any team.

The Falcons probably should have drafted an edge rusher last year around this spot, but here we are. They’ll rectify that mistake this year with Pearce Jr., who is a little small for the NFL at the moment but has a very high motor and can work around protection quite well.

With 6.5 sacks and 49 total tackles at Ole Miss last year, Nolen boasts impressive production and has good NFL size. The Cardinals could benefit from a disruptor in the interior, so this could be a good fit for them.

There’s a pretty decent chance that the Cincinnati Bengals lose Tee Higgins in free agency, and if they do, they’ll immediately need another weapon for Joe Burrow. Egbuka caught 10 touchdowns for Ohio State last year and understands space pretty well from the slot.

The Seahawks have had a pretty troublesome offensive line in recent years, so nabbing a guard to protect Geno Smith wouldn’t be a bad idea in the slightest. He has a lot of stellar physical traits and could develop into a nice piece anywhere.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a lacking edge rush. Yaya Diaby is a high-pressure player but can’t seem to get sacks, and players like Joe Tryon-Shoyinka have disappointed. It’s entirely possible that Green isn’t here at 19 if he has a fantastic combine, but the Bucs would be thrilled if he ends up making it down here.

Green is an explosive player with a ridiculous motor and he produced in 2024, netting 17 sacks. The Bucs have had trouble developing edge rushers, but Green could be an answer to one of Todd Bowles’ biggest problems on defense.

The Broncos need a tight end for Bo Nix to throw to, and Warren would be a great answer. Warren caught eight touchdowns and lit up the stat sheet for 1,233 yards, and Sean Payton would love to have him in the offense.

The Steelers seem to always be cycling through receivers, and while they also need a QB, they definitely need a weapon on offense, too. Golden is fast, plays with good tempo and caught nine touchdowns at Texas in 2024.

The Chargers could see the departure of Khalil Mack in free agency, who has still been productive, so it wouldn’t hurt to get younger at the position. Williams is a very raw prospect, but he has a lethal get off and great size.

Another player who may not fall this fall, Morrison is coming off of a hip injury but has nine interceptions in 31 games. That’s very impressive for a cornerback, and the Packers would likely jump at a playmaker falling this far.

The Vikings have a very strong roster all around (and need to figure out what they’re doing at quarterback), so the trenches is never a bad route to go. Grant is very powerful and can play in multiple fronts, so that versatility could be helpful.

The Texans had some big o-line problems in 2024, and C.J. Stroud needs some good protection. Zabel could provide that and help get the Texans back on track in what should be a contested AFC South.

Another tackle, and the Rams could use one themselves. If Matt Stafford is set to be QB again in Los Angeles, Conerly Jr. could be a good option to make sure he’s protected.

A lot of teams that pick in this range have a lot of great players already, so to the trenches we go. Scourton is another very raw prospect with middling production, but his size and burst could be elite at the next level.

The Lions will be getting Aidan Hutchinson back, but making sure they have another player on the other side that’s young is only a good thing. Sawyer had nine sacks and three forced fumbles in 2024, so he’s a proven producer at the college level.

Teams are typically weary about drafting tight ends in the first round, but the Commanders could use an extra weapon for Jayden Daniels to pair with Terry McLaurin. Loveland had five touchdowns last year and can run just about any route.

Buffalo could do well to load up in the trenches and emulate the team that just beat their rivals in the Kansas City Chiefs. Williams is explosive and quick and could be a boon for Sean McDermott and his Bills defense.

The Chiefs need o-linemen pretty bad, but there aren’t as many notable ones this far down the line. Instead, they grab T.J. Sanders, who could replace Chris Jones eventually when the latter does retire.

Josh Sweat could be set to leave Philadelphia in free agency, so an edge rusher here would be nice. Scourton is another project from Texas A&M, but he has a very high motor and good strength.

READ MORE: Tristan Wirfs details transition from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield: ‘He’s a dawg’

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