1. Top pass-rush prospects discuss their connections to Buffalo
The Bills have formally met with some of the top pass rushers in the 2020 NFL Draft. Here is what they had to say about their connections to Buffalo and what they know about the team.
LSU DE K'Lavon Chiasson
Chiasson's main tie to the Bills comes from LSU alum Tre'Davious White. Chiasson states that he and White are close friends.
"That would be very special to play with him," Chiasson said. "We both wore 18. He's a tremendous player, I felt like he's a great character person even when we talk outside of football there is something that I learn from every time. He has a great family that I speak to and it is something that I probably want to be around for the rest of my life to serve my LSU alum and just being around a great person like him who can lead the way and show me how the game works."
Asked if Chiasson could work on the Bills defense, he answered:
"I could fit in any system, put a blindfold on me and just throw me in and I'm ready to roll."
Penn State DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Geographically, Gross-Matos played the closest to Buffalo of any top pass rusher.
"I know it's pretty cold up there, I like the way they play defense," Gross-Matos said. "I've watched a lot of their games and Shaq Lawson and those guys dominating and it's a great program."
Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murray
Murray was pleased with his meeting with the Bills.
"We watched some tape and the meeting went really well," Murray said. "Went over the tape with the linebacker coach and it was a formal meeting where I can really see where I'm at on the board and I think I really went in and impressed."
Murray has experience against NFL tackles after practicing against Cody Ford during his time at Oklahoma.
"Yeah that's my big brother," Murray said. "We've had some chats and we went at it in practice when he was at Oklahoma. He's a big body, I'm a big body too so we just went out there and went to work. Iron sharpens iron. It's really fun being able to go against those guys."
2. Who is Buffalo's perfect prospect?
Bleacher Report identified the perfect prospect at the scouting combine for every team. For Buffalo, that means taking Clemson WR Tee Higgins.
The Bills have vertical speed with John Brown and a capable veteran chain-mover from the slot in Cole Beasley. What the team needs now is a lanky red-zone threat capable of bodying up cornerbacks and high-pointing the football.
At 6'4" and 216 pounds, Clemson's Tee Higgins certainly fits that bill. Over his career with the Tigers, he scored 27 touchdowns—tied with DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins for the most in school history.
That's pretty good company.
3. One daring move Bills could make this offseason
Maybe the Bills don't draft a wide receiver in the first round and decide to add their future No. 1 in free agency. ESPN thinks the Bills could make a move for former Bengal A.J. Green this offseason.
Buffalo's $80-plus million in salary-cap space should be more than enough to pay Green.
The concern with Green, 31, is how healthy he will be after missing the entire 2019 season with a severe ankle injury. Even a 90% version of Green is a legit No. 1 receiver who can do a little bit of everything, though.
Green has the size and body control to box out defensive backs to make acrobatic catches while being every bit as fluid and nuanced as the best route runners in the league. Precious few receivers in recent history move as smoothly as Green -- at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds -- does for a player his size. In turn, Green can be that reliable, "always open" presence for Allen to rely on.
The 2021 NFL Scouting Combine is underway in Indianapolis, Indiana. Click through to see photos of current Bills players from when they performed at the Combine.
Jerry Hughes at the 2010 NFL Combine.
Safety Jordan Poyer at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine.
Poyer (Oregon) measured in at 6-0, 191 pounds, with a 31 3/4-inch arm length and 9 3/4-inch hands. He recorded a 11.51 seconds 60 yard shuttle, 118-inch broad jump and a 30.5-inch vertical jump.
Safety Micah Hyde at the 2013 NFL Draft.
Hyde (Iowa) measured in at 6-0, 197 pounds, with a 31.48-inch arm length and 9 3/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.56 40 yard dash, 6.78 3 cone drill and a 33-inch vertical jump.
Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Cornerback Tre'Davious White at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.
White (Louisiana State) measured in at 5-11, 192 pounds, with a 32 1/8-inch arm length and 9 1/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.47 40 yard dash, 32.0-inch vertical jump and 119.0-inch broad jump.
Tackle Dion Dawkins at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.
Dawkins (Temple) measured in at 6-4, 314 pounds, with a 35-inch arm length and 9 7/8-inch hands. He recorded a 7.30 3 cone drill, 26 reps on the bench press and a 106.0-inch broad jump.
Linebacker Matt Milano at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Milano (Boston College) measured in at 6-0, 223 pounds, with a 32-inch arm length and 9 3/8-inch hands. He recorded 24 reps on the bench press, a 126.0-inch broad jump and 35.0-inch vertical jump.
Quarterback Josh Allen at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Allen (Wyoming) measured in at 6-5, 237 pounds, with a hand measurement of 10 1/8 inches. He recorded a 70-yard throw.
Cornerback Taron Johnson at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Johnson (Weber State) measured in at 5-11, 192 pounds, with a 30 7/8-inch arm length and 9 1/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.5 40 yard dash, 33-inch vertical jump and 118-inch broad jump.
Safety Siran Neal at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Neal (Jacksonville State) measured in at 6-0, 206 pounds, with a 31 1/8-inch arm length and 9 7/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.56 40 yard dash, 40.5-inch vertical jump and 122.0-inch broad jump.
Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Edmunds (Virginia Tech) measured in at 6-5, 253 pounds, with a 34 1/2-inch arm length and 9 3/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.54 40 yard dash, 19 reps on the bench press and a 117.0-inch broad jump.
Stanford defensive lineman Harrison Phillips runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 4, 2018, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver does the bench press drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Oklahoma offensive lineman Cody Ford runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Friday, March. 1, 2019. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Florida Alantic running back Devin Singletary runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Mississippi tight end Dawson Knox participates in the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Miami defensive back Jaquan Johnson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Boston College tight end Tommy Sweeney runs a passing drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Saturday, March. 2, 2019. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Central Florida wide receiver Gabriel Davis runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa runs the 40-yard dash during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Pittsburgh defensive back Dane Jackson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Utah running back Zack Moss runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
