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CBS Sports has Bucs finding Vita Vea’s replacement in 2027 mock draft
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- CBS Sports has Bucs finding Vita Vea’s replacement in 2027 mock draft
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have spent the last few drafts adding young talent to their defense, and CBS Sports believes their next major investment could come right in the middle of the defensive line.
In his latest 2027 NFL mock draft, CBS Sports' Mike Renner has Tampa Bay selecting Oregon defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington with the No. 13 overall pick.
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Renner's reasoning centers on Vita Vea 's long-term future. With Vea set to turn 32 next year and his contract situation becoming a topic this offseason, Tampa Bay could eventually have to start thinking about who takes over at nose tackle in the next few years.
Washington certainly has the size to make that conversation interesting. At roughly 330 pounds, he brings the kind of frame needed to hold down the middle of an NFL defensive line, but his athleticism at that size is what has caught Renner's attention.
"Washington is insanely explosive for a 330-pounder and would fit right in with the butt-kickers on the Bucs defensive line," Renner wrote.
Washington's 2025 season at Oregon also showed considerable improvement from the year before. According to PFF, he finished the season with an 80.0 overall defensive grade and an 83.8 run-defense grade across 656 defensive snaps.
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He wasn't just making an impact against the run, either. Washington generated 22 pressures across 358 pass-rush snaps, finishing with two sacks, two quarterback hits and 18 hurries. He also recorded 27 tackles, 11 assists and 24 defensive stops.
That was a significant jump from 2024, when Washington played 298 snaps and finished with a 65.8 overall defensive grade. His run-defense grade jumped from 54.3 in 2024 to 83.8 in 2025, while his workload more than doubled.
There is still an entire college football season between now and the 2027 NFL Draft, so both Washington's draft stock and Tampa Bay's needs can change considerably.
Still, the pick makes sense on paper. Vea remains one of the most important pieces of Tampa Bay's defensive front, but finding his eventual successor before the Bucs desperately need one would give general manager Jason Licht an opportunity to plan ahead at one of the defense's most important positions.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: CBS Sports has Bucs finding Vita Vea's replacement in 2027 mock draft
