NFL Draft Grades - Buffalo Bills
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Buffalo Bills Upcoming 2025 Draft Picks (9)
Grade: A-
I was hoping for a pass rusher here, given that the Bills likely saw what the Eagles did to their arch-nemesis Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Still, Maxwell Hairston is a very good pick. He’s a stellar cornerback prospect who fits the system, and he was discussed as someone who could have gone in the early 20s. He fills a huge need.
Grade: A
The Bills traded up to this pick, but didn’t really surrender much for it. With that in mind, I love this pick. The Bills must have watched what the Eagles did to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, so they know they need a great pass rush. They signed Joey Bosa, and now they traded up for T.J. Sanders, who has incredible upside as an interior defensive lineman.
Grade: A+
The Bills definitely watched the Super Bowl. They’re arming themselves with as many pass rushers as possible to finally take down the Chiefs. I love this pick. Not only does it fill an obvious need, but the highly athletic Jackson easily could have gone in the second round, or perhaps even earlier.
Grade: A
The Bills have drafted multiple pass rushers thus far. This is another defensive lineman, but it’s one who will help against the run. I thought Deone Walker would be chosen on Round 3, so I love this pick for value and need.
Walt's Mock Selections as of 4/25/2025 -View Current Mock Draft
Round: 1
Buffalo Bills: Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE/OLB, Boston College
The Bills signed Joey Bosa, but I don't think that'll preclude them from drafting an edge rusher at No. 30. They just what the Eagles did to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. They need to emulate that. Donovan Ezeiruaku is a terrific edge rusher, but has some size limitations. *** OTHER 2025 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: *** 1. Trey Amos/Maxwell Hairston, CBs - Other cornerbacks for the Bills to consider. 2. Malaki Starks, S - There's a chance Starks falls. Buffalo could end his drop because of its need at the position. Pick change; previously Shavon Revel, CB
Round: 2
Buffalo Bills: Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
The Bills are weaker to the run than the pass, so they could stand to add a defensive tackle. Tyleik Williams played well against Joe Alt in their '23 matchup. Pick change; previously Savion Williams, WR
Round: 2
Buffalo Bills: Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
The Bills signed Joshua Palmer, but they still need one more receiver to add to the group. Jalen Royals produced well at Utah State, but level of competition is a worry. Pick change; previously Shemar Turner, DT
Round: 4
Buffalo Bills: Bradyn Swinson, DE, LSU
Joey Bosa is obviously a short-term solution at defensive end. Bradyn Swinson has a good combination of speed and strength. Pick change; previously Jared Ivey, DE
Round: 4
Buffalo Bills: Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
With 10 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bills could look into double dipping at cornerback. Dorian Strong has nice size and high potential. Pick change; previously Luke Kendra, G
Round: 5
Buffalo Bills: Jay Toia, NT, UCLA
The Bills can improve against the run with this pick. Jay Toia is a heavy nose tackle prospect.
Round: 5
Buffalo Bills: Dante Trader, S, Maryland
The Bills should find some competition for Damar Hamlin. Dante Trader is undersized, but he was a solid player for Maryland.
Round: 5
Buffalo Bills: Luke Kendra, G, Cincinnati
The Bills aren't very deep on the offensive line, so they could target a mid-round blocker for depth. Luke Kendra is a tough guard whose strength is run blocking.
Round: 6
Buffalo Bills: Isaiah Neyor, WR, Nebraska
No one should be surprised if the Bills double up on receiver. Isaiah Neyor has an ACL tear in his past. Follow @walterfootball for updates. Also, you can Support Us on Patreon here! Also, if you haven't visited the site in a while, you may have noticed the new look. Yes, after nearly two decades, we've finally re-designed our site to be more modern. This was not done on a whim, but rather out of necessity because of what occurred during the 2023 NFL Draft. Our site crashed during the entire first day of the draft, which was disastrous for our revenue stream because we make more money during the draft than any other time. The site crashed because a line of code conflicted with the old format of the site, so we had to transition to this new look. Because we lost so much money during the draft, I want to point out that you can really help support the site by paying for the ad-free version of it. It's $7.99 per month, but you'll get a super-fast site with no ads. My developer will be adding new features to paid subscribers as well, so look for that in the near future. If you don't want to pay, please spread the word about the site through word of mouth. That would also be a big help!
Round: 6
Buffalo Bills: Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
James Cook could be traded, so here's a running back for Buffalo. Donovan Edwards has a great combination of size and speed.
Past Grades and Selections
2024 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
A+ Charlie Campbell reported that this would be either Ladd McConkey or Keon Coleman, and surprise, surprise, Charlie is right again. Coleman makes a lot of sense for the Bills, as he fills a huge need. He also comes with some value because I know of one team that considered him at the end of the opening round. I also love that Buffalo moved down twice to land Coleman. If you haven't visited the site in a while, you may have noticed the new look. Yes, after nearly two decades, we've finally re-designed our site to be more modern. This was not done on a whim, but rather out of necessity because of what occurred during the 2023 NFL Draft. Our site crashed during the entire first day of the draft, which was disastrous for our revenue stream because we make more money during the draft than any other time. The site crashed because a line of code conflicted with the old format of the site, so we had to transition to this new look. Because we lost so much money during the draft, I want to point out that you can really help support the site by paying for the ad-free version of it at the top. It's $7.99 per month, but you'll get a super-fast site with no ads. If you don't want to pay, please spread the word about the site through word of mouth. That would also be a big help!
B+ The Bills lost both starting safeties this offseason. This pick obviously fills a big need with a player I had going a bit earlier than this, so I like the value. Cole Bishop has tons of upside with his great athleticism. He's a bit raw, but he could turn into a great defender for Buffalo.
B+ DeWayne Carter makes sense here for the Bills as a fringe second-day prospect. Buffalo had a weakness in the interior of the defensive line as far as depth is concerned, so Carter will help in that regard as he improves the team's ability to stop the run.
B+ Ray Davis is a tough, physical back who can catch passes well, so he complements James Cook well. This is a solid move for the Bills, as Ray Davis could have been chosen 20-30 picks earlier without any complaints, and he fills a need.
A The Bills said goodbye to their long-time center Mitch Morse recently, so they needed to find a new player at the position. Sedrick Van Pran could be a solid starter in the near future, as he projects as a quality pass protector.
A I love that the Bears traded back into the 2024 NFL Draft to obtain a pass rusher, given that they don't have much in that department outside of Montez Sweat. Austin Booker was a productive player at Kansas, and I thought there was a chance he'd go in the third round.
B The Bills needed a linebacker after losing players at the position in free agency. Edefuan Ulofoshio makes sense here at the end of the fifth round. He's a raw player, but has plenty of potential, so perhaps he can be a starter one day.
D We'll have to investigate why the Packers traded up for Jacob Monk because he was considered as a late-round prospect or a UDFA player. Jacob Monk can play center or guard, but he looks like a backup at best in the NFL.
B+ The Panthers have struggled against the run for years. Perhaps that'll turn around with Jaden Crumedy joining the defensive line. Crumedy is a massive nose tackle who was projected in the fifth round, making this a solid pick.
A- I like this pick, as some of Charlie's sources listed Tylan Grable as a sleeper. Grable has plenty of athleticism, and protecting Josh Allen is never a bad thing.
B C.J. Hanson didn't surrender a single sack at Holy Cross last season. He also has good versatility, being able to play both center and guard. The Chiefs lost a key backup, so I understand why they'd draft a versatile blocker.
2023 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
A- I love that the Jaguars traded down twice. I thought they would pick Nolan Smith here, but Anton Harrison also makes a ton of sense. Jacksonville lost Jawaan Taylor this offseason, while Cam Robinson could be suspended. I had Harrison going No. 19 in my mock draft, so I don't view this as a reach at all.
A Wow, what value! Charlie Campbell slotted O'Cyrus Torrence to the Bills - in the first round! I had Torrence to the Chiefs a few picks later. Torrence is the No. 2 guard in the class after Peter Skoronski, so the Bills are getting an incredible bargain at the end of the second frame. Torrence will be essential for the Bills, who had to bolster their interior blocking.
D A linebacker was needed with Tremaine Edmunds gone. The thing is, the Bills could have drafted Dorian Williams later than this. Williams is a linebacker-safety tweener. He's fast, but he needs to get much stronger to play significant defensive snaps.
B The Jaguars are getting a high-upside player in Tyler Lacy. However, Lacy needs to get bigger and stronger for the NFL, as he doesn't appear to be ready to play many snaps in the pros at the moment. I actually had Lacy going one pick earlier, so the range makes sense.
B+ There are rumors that one of the Redskins' starting edge rushers might be traded, so this pick makes sense from a need and a range perspective. K.J. Henry is a quality player who performed better than his numbers indicate at Clemson.
A Xavier Hutchinson didn't have a great pre-draft process, which caused him to drop into the sixth round. He's still a quality route runner with solid hands, so he should have been chosen earlier than this. The receiver-starved Texans are getting a promising player.
2022 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
B Grade - B Grade
With Kaiir Elam and Andrew Booth on the board, it didn't seem necessary for the Bills to give up a fourth-round pick to move up for a cornerback. I think this pick is solid though. Elam could have gone earlier than this, and he fills a huge need across from Tre'Davious White.
B+ Grade
The Bills have needed help around Matt Milano at linebacker for quite some time now, as Tremaine Edmunds has been a disappointment. Buffalo's linebacking corps looks lost whenever Milano is hurt, so perhaps that won't be the case now that Terrel Bernard is on the roster. I like Bernard as a third-round prospect. He has three-down potential.
A Grade
The Bills didn't really need a receiver, but they're getting terrific value with Khalil Shakir, whom I had in the third round of my mock draft. Shakir has decent size and good athleticism, and he's a versatile threat. I just worry that he'll be lost on a deep depth chart.
A Grade
I can't believe it. Did the Bears just provide help for Justin Fields? I never thought they'd do that twice in this draft. Braxton Jones is a much-needed blocker for Chicago's putrid offensive line, and he could have easily been chosen a round earlier than this.
B+ Grade
Wait, Walt is grading a kicker/punter pick favorably? Yes, and I almost can't believe it. Two things, though. First, this is the sixth round, which is not the fourth round. Second, Matt Araiza can play both punter and kicker, so he can save a roster spot, which could end up being very valuable.
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B Grade
Faion Hicks is a small corner (5-10, 185), but he posted some impressive testing numbers at his pro day, including a 4.37 40. With quality upside, he's worth a shot in the seventh round.
2021 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
B Grade
This pick makes so much sense. The Bills need to beat Patrick Mahomes, and they can do that by placing as much pressure on him as possible. Rousseau should be able to help the Bills do that. However, some teams were concern with Rousseau's lack of explosion, and they believed that he would go in the second round. That's where I had Rousseau, but I can understand why Buffalo would pick him here, as he projects to be a solid player for them.
A Grade
Buffalo's top priority is beating Patrick Mahomes because he stands in their way of a Super Bowl victory. Getting all the pressure possible on him is the way to do it, and Carlos Basham should help. Basham was very productive at Wake Forest, though he doesn't have great athleticism or upside, which mirrors their first-round choice of Greogry Rousseau.
A Grade
Protecting Josh Allen is the most important thing, so I love this pick from that perspective. Here's another positive: I know some team was targeting Tommy Doyle in the fourth round. Perhaps they didn't take him because an unexpected player fell to them, but the Bills did well with the athletic and large Doyle, regardless.
B Grade
Jack Anderson nearly made the cut in my final mock draft. It makes sense that the Bills would add more offensive line depth to protect Josh Allen. Outside of an injury to Allen, a season could derail if there are multiple injuries to the blocking group.