We are inching closer to the Detroit Lions’ selection in our 2026 NFL mock draft, as created by our community. As a reminder, in this mock draft, our most devoted commenters are acting as general manager for each team. We’ve got 31 different members of our community representing 31 different teams, and Erik Schlitt is choosing for the Lions.
We’re at Pick 15 in the draft, which means it’s time to reveal the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ pick. Acting as the Bucs general manager is commenter DanCampbellBurnerAccount.
Before we get to their pick, head to our 2026 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker. There you’ll find the previous 14 picks, along with links to each article and a grade for each pick, as decided by you, the readers. Don’t forget to cast your vote for each pick with the poll at the bottom of the articles.
Now, onto this pick:
With the 15th pick in the 2026 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Vega Ioane, guard out of Penn State.
Here’s DanCampbellBurnerAccount explaining the pick:
The departure of Mike Evans to San Francisco marks the end of an era, leaving a vacuum of production and leadership that would tempt any front office to reach for a flashy, immediate replacement. And if Carnell Tate had miraculously slid, I would have rushed to turn in my pick. However, history is littered with the remains of franchises that prioritized perimeter weapons while their foundations crumbled (I’m still mad at Matt Millen).
Instead, the Bucs GM makes a 4D move choosing to protect old man Baker Mayfield by shoring up the weakest position on an otherwise exciting offense. Adding Vega Ioane into the starting lineup builds a literal (not literal) wall on the left side. At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, Ioane is a force multiplier and placing him between an All-Pro like Tristan Wirfs and a rising star (if healthy) like Graham Barton creates a “no-sack zone” that fundamentally alters how opposing defenses must approach Tampa Bay. Ioane hasn’t surrendered a sack in two years, a statistic that speaks to his elite anchor and more impressive he’s probably a better run blocker that will bring a mean streak to a run game that has been missing that extra push for Bucky Irving.
Without a high-level addition like Ioane, the coaching staff will be forced to rely on Michael Jordan (yes, that one) or Elijah Klein, who are both competent depth players better suited for rotational roles. With Ioane anchoring the left guard spot, the offense is simply better. This is a move that Lions fans will understand: win in the trenches.
Time to grade the pick. Vote in the poll below and share your expanded thoughts in the comment section:
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