The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. The Buffalo Bills committed their assets heavily toward the defense, using their first five picks on that side of the ball and seven of their nine picks.
NFL analysts and experts provided their thoughts on Buffalo's 2025 draft class, highlighting several players that could make an impact on their rookie season and who could be late-round bloomers.
"Sometimes, it isn't just the positional fit that warrants a high grade but the specific prospect chosen. I love Buffalo's bet on the speed and playmaking of cornerback Maxwell Hairston, as the Bills needed more game-breaking ability on the defensive side of the ball. GM Brandon Beane could have stuck to the "same old" Bills formula of drafting good, physical players, but Hairston is a gamble that could be the finishing touch needed for a Super Bowl run.
Following the early investment made in Hairston — the fastest player at the Combine this year — the Bills returned to the "black-and-blue" strategies of prior drafts, dedicating their first five picks on defenders, including a trio of former SEC tough guys on the defensive line in T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson and Deone Walker.
The blue-collar mentality remained a focal point deep into Day 3, even as the Bills went to tight end and cornerback with Jackson Hawes and Dorian Strong, each of whom will be adding some grit and physicality to their respective position rooms in Buffalo." — Rob Rang
"Hairston's speed and feisty coverage skills should bolster the Bills' secondary. Jackson was also a good value. He possesses the ideal build for Buffalo's scheme. Sanders has a chance to be an interior presence but will need to be a more consistent threat for the team's trade up for his services to pay off.
Walker is a massive body in the middle but trading up a second time for a defensive tackle didn't maximize the team's draft capital, in my opinion. Buffalo added corners with the versatile Hancock and tall, experienced Strong. Hawes can contribute in two tight end sets and Prather made enough downfield plays at Maryland to provide value." — Chad Reuter
Bills get great value on Day 3
The Bills spent their first five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on the defensive side of the ball. DB Jordan Hancock was the No. 151 player on the PFF Big Board, making this a strong value pick. He earned an 82.2 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons.
The Bills draft the best run-blocking tight end in this class with Jackson Hawes. After three seasons at Yale, Hawes played one year of FBS football and finished the season with a 74.7 run-blocking grade last year.
CB Dorian Strong is an excellent fit for the Bills' zone scheme. He earned a 73.3 PFF coverage grade in zone and allowed just 46.6% of balls into his coverage to be completed last year.
OT Chase Lundt excelled in Connecticut's zone-blocking scheme, earning an 88.2 grade on zone runs. He also surrendered just one quarterback hit and no sacks in pass protection in 2024.
"I loved their first pick of corner Maxwell Hairston. They had to get an upgrade at that position and he should start as a rookie. He excels as a man-cover player, which means maybe the Bills will play more of it this season.
The Bills had to get a corner, a young edge and inside player for their defense. They got all three in the first four rounds. That's good drafting. Hairston will be a star. He plays with an attitude that you love at the position. Third-round edge Landon Jackson is a power player who did some good things against fourth-overall pick Will Campbell when they faced off. Fourth-round defensive tackle Deone Walker could be a steal and he's a monster inside -- if he stays in shape.
It's realistic to think that possibly three of Beane's picks will be Day 1 starters, and another five to six could develop into useful tools for the Bills. That's a pretty good draft." — Pete Prisco
"The Bills ranked just 19th in yards allowed per carry last season. That's a big reason why adding prospects like Landon Jackson and Deone Walker to the defensive front in the middle rounds was logical.
Overall, this was a defensive draft for the Bills, which was largely expected. While Buffalo may still lack a true No. 1 receiver, it can coax enough offense out of Josh Allen, James Cook and a good collection of complementary pass-catchers. Ideally, it'll now have a chance to finally stop Patrick Mahomes and the rival Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason." — Kristopher Knox
"The Bills absolutely needed help in the secondary and Hairston, a very competitive and physical corner at 5-11, 183, is fast enough and competitive enough to hold up on the outside or in the slot in Buffalo. Hairston is an absolute burner who ran a 4.28 at the combine and despite his smallish weight, is a very long corner with near 32-inch arms. This is a quality pick and right about where I figured Hairston would go." — Nick Baumgardner
The Athletic: Team Summary
Favorite pick: Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas
"Had the Bills drafted Jackson in Round 1, I don't think anyone would have batted an eye. Despite being high cut and stiff, Jackson's combination of explosiveness and raw power will keep him in the league for a long time. His play style and motor fit the mold of what Buffalo wants on its defensive line, and he could be a future starter with Joey Bosa and AJ Epenesa set to be free agents after the 2025 season." — Dane Brugler
Day 3 pick who could surprise: Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
The Bills whiffed at cornerback in the first round of the 2022 draft (Kaiir Elam) but hit a home run in the sixth (Christian Benford). Though I don't think Maxwell Hairston will be a bust, it wouldn't be a shock if history repeated itself with this year's sixth-round corner outplaying expectations. At 6-1, 185, Strong is a smooth cover man and posted one of the best three-cone times (6.56) in the entire class." — Dane Brugler
"Buffalo had one of the league's top offenses last year behind MVP quarterback Josh Allen. However, the defense has struggled for years in the postseason to get key stops. General manager Brandon Beane aggressively attacked that side of the ball with Hairston in the first round, followed by three defensive linemen in Rounds 2–4. Hairston will start alongside Christian Benford and Taron Johnson, while Walker and Sanders will form a nice rotation next to Ed Oliver." — Matt Verderame
"Walker was looked at as a potential first-round selection entering the season. But his up-and-down play combined with a back injury kept him on the board all the way until Day 3 of the draft. Walker is a mountain of a man whose game is more finesse-based (he aligned more as a 3-4 DE in college than nose tackle) than you'd expect for a player of his size.
Day 2 may have been rich, but Round 4 is worth a stab on a player with this size and with real high-end flashes. With the Bills having depth at defensive tackle, Walker and the Bills coaches can continue to hone his game and help make his snaps as impactful as possible." — Nate Tice & Charles McDonald
