The Bills put the finishing touches on their 2025 draft class on Saturday afternoon, but their main aim was readily apparent from the very beginning.
1 – Defense Rules
It was widely anticipated that defense would be the focus and a consistent theme throughout the three days in which Buffalo made their draft selections this weekend and that proved to be the case. Each of the Bills' first five picks were on the defensive side of the ball, marking the first time that's happened since the Bills' 2006 draft.
GM Brandon Beane anticipated there would be more defensive selections based on the quality of the class on that side of the ball.
"I thought it was stronger with more depth on the defensive side of this draft," he said. "We talked about that even before the draft, the D-line, and there were some (positions) in the secondary. So, it truly comes down to where (the value) is when you're drafting or you're like, 'Man, I really like this guy. He can help us. Let's go up and get him.' We did that a couple times."
It wasn't until the Bills took Georgia Tech TE Jackson Hawes in the fifth round that the streak of defensive player selections was interrupted. Buffalo went right back to the defensive side of the ball in round six taking CB Dorian Strong out of Virginia Tech to make it six total defensive players in a nine-player draft class.
2 – SEC carries the weekend
Bills GM Brandon Beane has leaned toward the SEC conference with his selections in the past. But at the front end of the 2025 draft class, he was fully committed. Each of his first four selections were players who spent their college careers in the SEC.
"How can you not respect the SEC and their track record," asked Beane after his first three picks all came from the Southeastern Conference. "Every year, every draft, a lot of premium players. It's not the only league, but it's a pretty loaded conference."
Beane would then take Kentucky DT Deone Walker at the start of day three to make it four straight. It brings the total of SEC picks for the Bills since 2017 to 15, which is second only to the 17 players drafted from the ACC conference with the day three additions of Georgia Tech TE Spencer Hawes and Virginia Tech CB Dorian Strong added to the Atlantic Coast Conference tally over the last nine drafts.
3 – D-line redefined
Coach McDermott says time and again that it starts up front. And after ranking in the lower third in the league in pass defense (24th), sack rate (23rd) and third down defense (29th) the Bills made the vast majority of the front end of their draft class defensive linemen, with three in their first four picks.
T.J. Sanders and Landon Jackson, both selected on night two of the draft will bring instant impact to Buffalo's pass rush. Sanders can collapse the pocket with his explosion and power off the snap, while Jackson has a menu of pass rush moves and counters to generate pressure off the edge. Jackson's length will also prove valuable in setting the edge in the run front.
The day three addition of 6-7, 345-pound behemoth DT Deone Walker as a two-gap space eater provides depth behind veteran one-technique DaQuan Jones.
These three players will push the incumbents on the roster for playing time right out of the chute knowing Buffalo will be without free agent signee DT Larry Ogunjobi and edge Michael Hoecht on six-game suspensions.
"I think that's going to be a fun battle when we get to St. John Fisher and put the pads on," said Beane. "I mean the spring is the spring and we'll get the reps, but that's obviously a position that you can only evaluate so much until the helmets and pads are on. But I think there's going to be a lot of competition there. We've obviously infused a lot of youth, but we've got veterans in there as well. I'm excited."
Sanders is expected to begin as Ed Oliver's rotational backup, but Jackson could push for a starting role as a base defensive end before giving way to veteran Joey Bosa on passing downs.
"I feel like I'm going to go in and play instantly and show them that I'm a great pick for them," said Jackson. "I love the way they have me schemed up. They've got me playing true D-end, five-technique, all the way to wide-nine. So, man, I'm just excited to get out there and ready to ball."
Combining the three defensive linemen taken in the 2025 class with DT DeWayne Carter and DE Javon Solomon from the 2024 class, Buffalo's defensive line ranks have also become considerably younger than the one that took the field at season's end.
The average age of the Bills defensive line last January was almost 29 years old (28.8). Now it's four years younger (24.7).
"We did feel we needed to get younger in some areas on defense," said Beane. "So, we hoped to do that. I felt going in, just the way our board was set, we'd be able to get that on defense."
4 – Trade partner
Armed with 10 picks at the outset, Brandon Beane felt he was equipped to maneuver around the board as opportunities presented themselves. The first opportunity came on day two when Buffalo moved 15 spots up the board from 56 to 41 to take South Carolina DT T.J. Sanders in a trade with the Chicago Bears.
The Bills gave up both of their second-round picks (56, 62) and one of their fourth-round selections (109) for pick 41, a third-round pick (72) and a seventh (240).
After taking DE Landon Jackson in round three to end their day two haul, Buffalo came back up the board and reclaimed pick 109 in round four on Saturday in a second trade with the Bears to select mammoth DT Deone Walker from Kentucky.
The two pick swaps with Chicago made the Bears a trade partner with Buffalo in four of their last eight trades over the last two offseasons counting their trade of G Ryan Bates to the Bears last spring.
Beane felt compelled to move up for both of his defensive tackle selections in this draft. He had a higher grade on both Sanders and Walker than where they sat on the board. And when it came to Walker specifically, Beane felt the defensive tackle's back injury that compromised his production in 2024 also affected his draft stock.
"I had a very good grade on him before he ever played a game this year, based off his 2023 film," said Beane. "His 2024 film was a little inconsistent. The more research you do, you find out he's dealing with a back situation. This is a young, moldable player who is not anywhere near his ceiling. He's a guy you want to get your hands on to see if you can grow and develop this guy. And I believe if he had come out a year ago, he would have been in the first round."
5 – Speed for the secondary
Head coach Sean McDermott did stipulate earlier in the offseason that they did want to add speed to their defense, and the focus in this year's draft was squarely on the secondary.
The selection of Hairston, the fastest player at the NFL Combine with a 4.28 40 time, obviously adds blazing speed to the defensive backfield.
"What you do love is his recovery speed," said Beane of Hairston. "We do feel adding him gives us something that we don't have in that room currently, with the speed that he runs."
Buffalo added more speed to the secondary on day three with the addition of versatile defensive back Jordan Hancock. The Ohio State product has lined up outside, in the slot and at safety in his college career. He also clocked a 4.45 40 time at his pro day.
Hairston and Hancock come to the Bills defensive backfield with the first and third fastest 40 times of any Buffalo secondary player who took the field last season.
Beane said Hancock would begin by lining up at safety and nickel.
6 - Bills bluegrass
Penn State currently has the most players on Buffalo's roster with four counting last year's practice squad players K.J. Hamler and Daequan Hardy along with regular roster players DaQuan Jones and Connor McGovern. But the University of Kentucky is now tied with the University at Buffalo and the University of Georgia for the second most players on the Bills roster with three after the selections of CB Max Hairston and DT Deone Walker. They join former college teammate, RB Ray Davis, who was a fourth-round pick last year.
"I know Max told me as soon as he got drafted, he was standing on the table for me (to be picked by the Bills too)," said Walker. "Max and Ray are like my brothers. A band of brothers who stick together… can't nobody stop you. So, it's just great to be back (to being) teammates with those guys."
Hairston was asked by the media about possibly adding his defensive teammate the day before round four took place.
"If we add Deone (Walker)? Woooo," said Hairston. "If we do that, we're definitely getting the ball back for our offense because Deone's going to be getting in the quarterback's face."
Hairston also shared that he already told Ray Davis he's moving in with him here in Buffalo.
7 – Captain acquisition continues
Beane and his personnel department have qualities they look for in prospects that they classify as 'Bills DNA.' Players who for character reasons fit the type of profile they covet on their roster. Since 2017, the Bills have gravitated to prospects who also served their college teams as team captains.
Buffalo added three more team captains in their 2025 draft class. Landon Jackson, Deone Walker and Dorian Strong were all team captains for their respective programs, and both served in those roles for two seasons.
The Bills have now drafted at least three captains in four of their last five draft classes.
