No. 28 – WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Gabe Davis (signed with Jacksonville) and Stefon Diggs (traded to Houston) are gone. Mitchell possesses Diggs-like qualities as an explosive and savvy route runner. The 6-2, 205-pound wideout has ideal size and can make the contested catch. Josh Allen would love this young addition.
No. 28 – WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
With Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs gone, Buffalo gives Josh Allen more firepower. The 6-2, 205-pound Mitchell, who transferred from Georgia to Texas for his final college season, is a fantastic athlete. As expected, he showed out at the combine. His teammate Xavier Worthy may have made the biggest headlines with his 4.21 40, but Mitchell might've been even more impressive. He ran a 4.34 40 with a 1.52 10-yard split. He broad jumped 11-4 and vertical jumped 39 1/2 inches. In 2023, he led Texaswith 11 touchdown grabs and caught 55 passes for 845 yards. Mitchell made himself a lot of money early last season when Texas beat Alabama and he got the better of some of the Crimson Tide's Round 1-bound defenders.
The Coaching Intel
"He's big and physical and has really strong hands. And he can move like a guy 30 pounds lighter."
"He's pretty. You see him in warmups and you're like, 'I can see why he was at Georgia.' He makes things look too easy."
"He adjusts to the ball better than a lot of top-notch receivers. Great red zone weapon. Ridiculous ability to separate. The downside: Consistency. He doesn't always run routes at full speed. He will float through routes at times."
No. 28 – WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Following the Stefon Diggs trade, Buffalo has a clear need at the wide receiver position. Adonai Mitchell is a bit more of a vision than a finished product, but he brings a much-needed explosive element to the Bills offense.
No. 28 – WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
The Bills lost Gabe Davis in free agency and added only short-area receiver Curtis Samuel to the mix. They need a true outside field-stretcher with size, and Thomas remains a sweet early target.
No. 28 – WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
After Wednesday's seismic trade sending Stefon Diggs to the Texans, the Bills are sorely in need of a top target for Josh Allen. A trade up – perhaps to the teens – to secure either Thomas or Mitchell might be the optimal route. If Buffalo stays put, however, McConkey would give the team a high-volume target who can consistently work himself in the intermediate area.
No. 28 – WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
The Bills' glaring weakness at wide receiver became even bigger when Buffalo traded Stefon Diggs to Houston on Wednesday, and I have the Bills flagged as another potential trade-up candidate. But there will also be options available at No. 28 given the class's depth. I'm sure you've heard Worthy ran the fastest 40-yard dash time at the combine since at least 2003 (4.21 seconds), but the game speed he showed on film is just as important as his timed speed. Worthy has excellent tracking skills on vertical passes down the field, too, helping him to 1,014 yards last season. I'm envisioning Josh Allen moon shots thrown to a wide-open Worthy.
No. 28 – WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
Considered one of the best route runners in the class, Ladd McConkey showed he also has elite straight-line speed, running a 4.39 40 time at the Combine and a 3.97 short shuttle at his Pro Day.
That short shuttle time would have been the best mark by anyone at the Combine.
Buffalo to select a wide receiver with their first pick is favored at -105.
No. 28 – WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
The departure of Gabe Davis stings less after the Bills add a faster vertical threat with a higher floor.
No. 28 – DB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
With longtime standouts Tre'Davious White and Jordan Poyer no longer in Buffalo, the Bills will be looking to the draft for reinforcements in their secondary. An excellent value at this late point in the first round, DeJean is a highly versatile and instinctive defender who could play multiple roles.
No. 28 – DT Johnny Newton, Illinois
The Bills have two very solid interior defensive line starters in Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones, but the depth behind them isn't great, and with Jones being on the wrong side of 30 and coming off an injury-plagued season, the team needs to have an insurance plan. Buffalo currently sits at +225 on DraftKings to draft a defensive lineman in the first round.
No. 28 – EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State
The Bills have Greg Rousseau, who has special talents, and they re-upped A.J. Epenesa. But after that, there is a need for some depth, especially now that Von Miller is 35 years old. Robinson may have the highest motor of anyone in this draft class.
No. 28 – WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
The Bills do have bigger targets on the roster, but the team's likely top three options this upcoming season are Stefon Diggs, Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir—all of whom are 6'0" or under.
Texas' Adonai Mitchell provides something completely different.
"The Bills love to draft players who are more ideas than ready-made contributors," Klassen said. "Mitchell is right up their alley.
"A presumed Gabe Davis replacement, Mitchell brings size (6'2", 205 lbs), length, speed (4.34-second 40-yard dash) and flexibility to the position. Mitchell is a fast yet graceful mover for a player his size. His best moments of route-running ability are tantalizing. That said, Mitchell has yet to put all his tools together to create a cohesive product."
Mitchel never eclipsed 1,000 yards at the collegiate level or served as his team's WR1. But his traits are far too tantalizing for the Bills, who need all of the talent they can get on the outside to take advantage of Josh Allen's rare throwing ability.
No. 28 – WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
No. 28 – WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
The Bills could use one more weapon outside after losing Gabe Davis, and they have to start planning for life after Stefon Diggs. Mitchell has length, toughness and vertical ability to be a perfect splash player in Year 1 and a standout down the road.
No. 28 – WR Troy Franklin, Oregon
The Bills let Gabe Davis walk in free agency and 30-year-old Stefon Diggs isn't getting any younger. And while the free-agency addition of Curtis Samuel is exciting, this team still needs guys who can win on the outside. Adding Franklin here is a nice start. The former Ducks star has incredible twitch in the short area, which helps him separate quickly, and he brings take-the-top-off-the-defense speed down the field.
