The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could land Miami quarterback Darian Mensah with the 42nd overall selection in the 2027 NFL Draft, according to a three-round mock released this week by CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner.
That outcome would give Tampa Bay a highly productive college passer in the early second round, at a time when the franchise is evaluating long-term options behind Baker Mayfield.
Renner’s post-deadline projection places Mensah with the Buccaneers at pick 42. The mock relies on reverse Super Bowl odds to set the order and accounts for trades completed before the 2026 deadline.
Mensah has thrown for 2,694 yards and 28 touchdowns against just two interceptions this season. He has completed 76.8 percent of his passes across nine games while posting a passer rating near 191.
The 6-foot-3 redshirt junior has also rushed for 137 yards and two scores. Pro Football Focus has graded him 91.4 overall, ranking him among the top quarterbacks nationally.
His path to Miami included stops at Tulane and Duke. In 2025 with the Blue Devils he amassed 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns, earning second-team All-ACC recognition plus MVP honors in the conference title game and Sun Bowl.
Career production now tops 9,390 passing yards and 84 touchdowns. Scouts have highlighted his accuracy and timing while noting questions about arm strength that have kept him from locking in as a consensus first-round talent.
For the Buccaneers, currently 3-6 and sitting near the bottom of the NFC South, the projection arrives amid a season defined by elite rushing and uneven passing. Tampa Bay ranks first in the league in rushing yards but last in passing, with Mayfield limited to 922 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions in six starts.
Mayfield signed a three-year extension in September. Even so, the organization has faced questions about backup depth and future succession planning after an injury-interrupted stretch earlier in the year.
Selecting Mensah at 42 would represent value relative to higher rankings on some other boards, where he has appeared as high as the top 10. It would also supply a ready-made developmental quarterback who has already operated at a high level in a pro-style system.
Renner’s second-round table lists the pick without further commentary, simply pairing Mensah with Tampa Bay. The exercise includes 18 trades and reflects the board after the midseason deadline.
Mensah returns Saturday when Miami hosts Duke. Strong closing performances could still alter his final draft range before the process accelerates in the spring.
Landing him in the second round would give the Buccaneers a cost-controlled option capable of competing for snaps while Mayfield remains under contract. It would also address one of the more frequent topics of discussion around the franchise heading into 2027.
