Top prospects mocked to Buffalo
- CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson (24 times)
- DB Trent McDuffie, Washington (19 times)
- CB Kaiir Elam, Florida, CB Kyler Gordon, Washington, RB Breece Hall, Iowa State (10 times)
- WR Jameson Williams, Alabama (9 times)
- IOL Zion Johnson Boston College and DT Devonte Wyatt, Georgia (8 times)
Top positions mocked to Buffalo
- Cornerback/defensive back (71 times)
- Wide receiver (22 times)
- Interior offensive line (15 times)
- Running back (10 times)
No. 25 – RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
I'm told Buffalo is going either running back or defensive back with this pick. Comped to Matt Forte, Hall is the choice.
No. 25 – CB Kaiir Elam, Florida
Elam's up-and-down tackling is why I had reservations with this projection, but he plays with size, speed and physicality in coverage, something Buffalo could use right now.
No. 25 – WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State
The Buffalo Bills are in a fantastic position. They're not pressed into addressing any specific need. Instead, they can adhere to the best-play-available approach.
Last season, the Bills finished ninth in passing offense. They have weapons all over the place in wide receivers Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie. Buffalo also added Jamison Crowder with both Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders not coming back to the squad.
A quick look at the group shows the team isn't afraid of investing in targets with a smaller stature. Head coach Sean McDermott previously called the group "Smurfs."
Penn State's Jahan Dotson fits right into the team's profile. The first-team All-Big Ten performer stands 5'11' and weighs only 178 pounds. His size isn't the detriment it may lead some to believe.
"Dotson plays much bigger than his frame indicates," Sobleski said. "Typically, receivers on the smallish side are pigeonholed into serving as slot receivers. Dotson is a true outside target. In fact, he primarily played outside the numbers for the Nittany Lions. A small frame doesn't stop him from regularly making catches away from his body, because Dotson has arguably the best hands in the entire class."
The Bills are looking to make a Super Bowl run this fall. The more weapons they have, the more difficult they become to beat.
No. 25 – RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
I can't find another prospect capable of having a bigger impact for the Bills at this selection. Hall would be a nightmare for opposing defenses.
No. 25 – CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
No. 25 – CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
The Bills don't have many needs, but finding a quality corner opposite Tre White is a priority. Booth is physical, aggressive and scheme-diverse. His best football might be ahead of him if he buys into the Buffalo culture. It is a little concerning that Booth hasn't run yet during the pre-draft process. But the Bills care a little less about 40-yard dash for cornerbacks than other teams.
No. 25 – CB Kaiir Elam, Florida
The Bills really don't have any glaring needs but if they want to get over the hump in the AFC, taking an excellent cover corner here in Elam shouldn't hurt. He'd pair nicely with Tre'Davious White to give Buffalo more talent in the back end.
No. 25 – CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
They need help in the secondary, especially with Tre'Davious White returning from a torn ACL.
No. 25 – DT Devonte Wyatt, Georgia
Brandon Beane goes back to the defensive line well, this time to get another elite athlete on the interior. Wyatt was the highest-graded defensive lineman at the Senior Bowl and can make an impact from Day 1.
TRADE No. 25 to Seattle for No. 40, No. 152 and 2023 second-round pick
Bills GM Brandon Beane said he only has 20 first-round grades in this draft, so he actually might be inclined to trade back from No. 25 to then use extra picks to move up on Day Two. The Seahawks get their quarterback of the future in Corral, who has ties to Pete Carroll through Lane Kiffin. Buffalo gets No. 40, No. 152 and a 2023 second-round pick in this deal.
No. 25 – RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
I've gone from receiver to cornerback for the Bills in previous mocks, and now I'm slotting a running back to them. All positions are potential areas of need, and the CB spot really has my attention, especially with Tre'Davious White coming back from knee surgery. But I also strongly believe that head coach Sean McDermott wants to run the ball with more regularity and authority, and to take some runs (and hits) off the plate of QB Josh Allen. This former Cyclone fits the bill.
No. 25 – CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
The Bills are rumored to go in a few directions here -- running back, wide receiver and even offensive line. That feels like more smoke than fire, as a quick look at this roster points to a huge need at cornerback after the team lost Levi Wallace to free agency despite already having a need there.
McDuffie doesn't have elite arm length (just under 30 inches), but his toughness at the line of scrimmage and quickness on underneath routes will be perfect opposite Tre'Davious White.
No. 25 – CB Kyler Gordon, Washington
The Bills' balance across the roster gives the flexibility to do whatever suits them, and play the board as it falls to them (maybe even putting a running back like Breece Hall in play). That said, with Tre'Davious White returning from an ACL injury and Levi Wallace now in Pittsburgh, Gordon would both be a value and fill a need here.
No. 25 – CB Kaiir Elam, Florida
Defenses can never have enough cornerbacks in the AFC, and Elam has gone a bit under the radar in this year's class.Levi Wallace left Buffalo for the Steelers in free agency and star corner Tre'Davious White is recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in November. Elam is a big, physical corner who has blazing 4.3 speed and the ability to match up in man coverages as a rookie.
No. 25 – RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
With the way the board went, trading up or down would be the ideal situation for the Bills. Need-wise, cornerback makes sense with Andrew Booth available, but that's not a position where general manager Brandon Beane has historically invested top draft picks. Instead, the Bills go for a player who immediately becomes the team's No. 1 running back and can help in the passing game, especially in creating yards after catch. Drafting a running back in the first round is risky, but at No. 25, the logical options are limited and Hall immediately improves the offense. -- Alaina Getzenberg
No. 25 – RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
The do-it-all running back would alleviate some of the pressure on Josh Allen to carry the offense.
No. 25 – DB Daxton Hill, Michigan
This has been a popular pick for us over the months because of Hill's versatility. He's underrated nationally but watch him play and it becomes clear pretty quickly that he's in the running for one of the best defensive backs in this class. He's listed as a safety but he can line up anywhere.
No. 25 – Kyler Gordon, Washington
They have one position of major concern and that is corner. They need a player who can play opposite Tre'Davious White, who, by the way, is coming off a torn Achilles' tendon. I like Gordon more than I do his college teammate, Trent McDuffie.
No. 25 – IOL Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
6-foot-4, 323 pounds | Age: 21 (3/15/2001)
PFF BIG BOARD Rank: 39
Media Consensus Rank: 21
PFF is a lot lower on Green than the media consensus and likely how the league views his NFL prospects. He's one of the younger players entering the 2022 NFL Draft and will benefit significantly from NFL coaching when given the opportunity to play just one position (likely guard) at the next level. He has 1,098 career snaps played at left guard, 853 at right guard, 142 at right tackle and 81 at left tackle.
No. 25 – IOL Zion Johnson, Boston College
One of the very few issues that Buffalo has is at guard where Rodger Saffold is due to start at right guard this year at age 34 and the undrafted Ryan Bates is the likely left guard. To me, Johnson's the perfect call here because even if Saffold and Bates turn out great in 2022, it seems a short-term fix. In five college seasons—two years at Davidson, one at BC after transferring—Johnson started 49 games. Give me a guy with 36 starts at guard and 13 at left tackle (in the ACC). Give me a guy who was a two-year captain after transferring. Give me a guy who never missed a game in five college seasons due to injury (58 games played in all). He's a likely interior lineman, which lessens his value slightly. But his intelligence, football acumen and experience gives NFL GMs confidence Johnson can be a starter in 2022.
No. 25 – LB Devin Lloyd, Utah
We typically have the Bills targeting the secondary in recent mocks but it may be hard to pass on a player of Lloyd's talents here. Every linebacker not named Matt Milano has just one year left on their contracts -- including Tremaine Edmunds -- and while Buffalo could choose to re-up some of them, Lloyd has a chance to be special.
No. 25 – CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
The Bills get another bargain corner in McDuffie, just as they did when snapping upTre'Davious White at No. 27 in 2017. Even though the former Washington star does not have the typical length and speed most teams prefer at the position, he's too talented to fall out of the first round.
No. 25 – RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
I'm sticking with this Buffalo-Hall pairing from my first mock. The Bills have everything on offense but a consistent running back. Void: FILLED.
