The Buffalo Bills had a wildly successful season in 2020, making it all the way to the AFC Championship Game. After a solid free agency period, the Buffalo Bills need to absolutely nail their draft picks if they want it make it to the big game. In this mock draft, the Buffalo Bills use the picks remaining to address the short-term and long-term needs of the roster.
Note: This Bills mock draft was performed using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine
Buffalo Bills Seven Round Mock Draft: Post-Free Agency Edition
First Round (30th Overall) – Jayson Oweh, EDGE
Even though the Buffalo Bills are coming off their most successful season in recent memory, the defense actually took a step back last year. Jerry Hughes isn’t getting any younger, and Buffalo could use some youth along the defensive line. Drafting from the back of the first means that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a player capable of making an immediate impact with superstar potential. Jayson Oweh is incredibly raw, but he has the talent to be one of the best players in this draft. If Buffalo can coach up his game, then this pick could go down as the biggest steal in the draft.
[pickup_prop id=”3783″]
Second Round (61st Overall) – Brevin Jordan, TE
Buffalo’s offense is one of the best in the league, but they’ll need a new tight end with Tyler Kroft off in New York. Brevin Jordan is a solid prospect, capable of making plays in the passing game from all over the formation. His blocking does leave something to be desired, but that shouldn’t be too big of a deal for a pass-happy team like the Bills. He’s a more natural pass-catcher than Dawson Knox and could do some real damage as the fourth option in this passing attack.
Third Round (93rd Overall) – Keith Taylor Jr., CB
Tre’Davious White is one of the best cornerbacks in football, but Levi Wallace is nothing more than a serviceable starter. With passing being more important than ever, the Bills could certainly use more depth at the position. At 6’-2” and 191 pounds, Keith Taylor has the size required to play on the outside, and also has some experience shifting into the slot. He’d be the ideal CB3 in the short term with the potential to eventually replace Wallace as a starting-caliber cornerback.
Fifth Round (161st Overall) – Rashad Weaver, EDGE
The Bills already drafted an edge defender in this mock draft, but the fifth round and beyond is all about selecting the best player available. Because of this, Buffalo double-dips at the position and selects Rashad Weaver. Weaver is a technically sound player that is competent against both the run and the pass. While his lack of athleticism probably means he’ll never turn into a full-time starter, he’s a solid rotational piece that will help keep the rest of the line fresh and at their best.
Fifth Round (174th Overall) – Shi Smith, WR
Shi Smith will have a hard time finding the field in the short-term, but there is no such thing as too many good wide receivers. Cole Beasley is a crucial part of this offense, but he is entering his age-32 season and the Bills could save over $6 million in cap space by parting ways with him after the 2021 season comes to a close. Shi Smith projects as a slot receiver and could be the heir to Beasley’s throne with a year of development.
Sixth Round (213th Overall) – Jaret Patterson, RB
Devin Singletary and Zack Moss are fine running backs, but the position could use some more competition. Jaret Patterson is not a special talent, and he’d probably need to make a living on special teams early in his career. However, he proved that he knows how to read blocks and break tackles, so he should be able to fill in should injury strike Singletary and Moss.
Seventh Round (236th Overall) – Damar Hamlin, S
Closing out this Bills mock draft is Damar Hamlin from Pittsburgh. The safety is a good athlete with special teams experience, and should be able to earn a roster spot for his work in the third phase of the game. He’ll definitely need some time before he’s ready to see meaningful snaps on defense, but he could turn into a rotational box safety if he adds on some mass and shores up his fundamentals.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
