No. 27 – OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
Buffalo continues to fortify the offensive line. Wright provides immediate competition for Spencer Brown at right tackle.
No. 27 – EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
I know they have drafted a bunch of players at this spot, and they have Von Miller, but Miller isn't a kid anymore and the pass rush still isn't good enough. So why not add another young, talented edge player?
No. 27 – OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
Getting former Cowboy Connor McGovern isn't enough to upgrade the power interior run blocking. The Bills need to restore some nastiness up front for James Cook and new signee Damien Harris. Torrence can provide just that.
TRADE – No. 27 and No. 137 to LIONS for No. 48, No. 55, No. 183 and No. 194
No. 48 – LB Jack Cambell, Iowa
With only six picks and needs that don't have clear options at 27, the Bills' opportunity to add a second-round pick (No. 55) was too good to pass up. And with two extra sixth-round picks (183 and 194), GM Brandon Beane can package them to move back into the fifth round. In Campbell, the Bills would be getting a potential home run middle linebacker of the present and future. Campbell is a natural fit with the size to be an issue for opponents in coverage. He's also the type of leader they look for at the position, and Sean McDermott loves players from the Iowa program. — Joe Buscaglia
No. 27 – WR Jordan Addison, USC
At 5-11 and 173 pounds, you'd like him to have better than 4.49 speed. However he was highly productive at Pitt (100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 TDs in 2021) before transferring to the Trojans and leading them with 59 grabs for 875 yards and eight scores last year despite missing time with an ankle injury. Addison's ability to play wide or in the slot is appealing, and he could make an immediate difference for Buffalo, earning a lot of targets against man coverage for a team that doesn't have an established wideout behind Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis.
No. 27 – LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
Campbell has Tremaine Edmunds size and awesome coverage chops. Immediate Edmunds replacement for Buffalo.
No. 27 – RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
Bijan Robinson is special, and while he is probably one of the best players in this class, he could still be around late in Round 1 because he's a running back. And yes, we know, the Bills used a second-round pick on James Cook a year ago. But Cook isn't an every-down back, and more than that, Nyheim Hines is the only other RB currently on the roster ahead of free agency. Adding a Saquon Barkley-type talent to this offense? There are worse things.
No. 27 – RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
I keep coming back to Robinson being perfect for this Bills offense. He could be a security blanket for Josh Allen in the pass game, and he can rip off chunk plays as a ball carrier. He breaks a ton of tackles and has tremendous vision. He's the most complete back in this class. As I've written before, Robinson is a top-10 prospect on my board, but his positional value means he's going to drop into the 20s. I know Buffalo hasJames Cook and just added Damien Harris on a one-year deal, but Robinson is on another level. This is a team that can afford to target a luxury position in Round 1.
No. 27 – WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
Opinions vary quite a bit from team to team when it comes to the wide receivers in this year's class. Johnston could be the first one taken or slide down to the bottom of the first round. He would give Josh Allen a big, explosive weapon to complement Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
No. 27 – WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
Hyatt is a premiere deep threat and a big-play creator, making him a great fit with the big-named, aggressive Josh Allen. Along with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, the Biletnikoff winner will make things tough for opposing defenses, who will have to pick their poison when it comes to coverage.
No. 27 – IOL O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
The Bills fortify their protection around Josh Allen by selecting the top guard prospect in this class. O'Cyrus Torrence is a plug-and-play talent.
No. 27 – CB Clark Phillips III, Utah
Last season, Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White missed all but six games, and while he was pretty much the same guy as before when he was on the field, when a 28-year-old cornerback starts missing time, you start to worry. The combination of Taron Johnson, Kaiir Elam, Christian Benford, and Dane Jackson did a good job in White's stead, and all those guys are back for 2023, but the Bills play more nickel than any other team on an every-year basis, so they need more cornerbacks than some other teams. That's the math. The Bills have done well with smaller cornerbacks, and Phillips, at 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, is an assignment-correct, scheme-transcendent defender whose size might get in the way of some things, but last season, he allowed 41 catches on 66 targets for 511 yards, 286 yards after the catch, four touchdowns, six interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 68.4.
If you want to know how Phillips did against top competition, go turn on his game against USC's Jordan Addison, who went 12th overall in this mock draft. Phillips didn't shy away from anything, and he was just fine on the outside.
No. 27 – IOL John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
Buffalo might not have an immediate need in the interior of their offensive line but it would be wise to add youthful talent to develop and build for the future. John Michael Schmitz is a very talented center that offers outstanding IQ, power, and balance.
