ESPN High Level 2025 Draft Analysis

[TheBeaneBandit]

13 hours ago, Virgil said:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/story/_/id/43955223/2025-nfl-draft-class-better-expected-strengths-weaknesses-questions-prospects

 

Key Highlights:

-Running backs could have starters coming out of rounds 5, 6, and 7.  There's quite a few with 2nd round grades that could make big impacts.  

-Tight Ends are solid.  Not 2023 solid, but close.  (Doesn't really help us)

-Defensive Line has 31 of the top 100 overall player rankings.  Could see a big push and benefits teams like the Bills picking at the end of rounds.

 

To me, this works out really well for the Bills and this is what I would like to see:

-Draft one of those RB's as a potential Cook replacement.  I think Cook is great, but we aren't budgeting our roster to pay a RB 12+ mil a year.  If we can trade Cook for a 2nd or 3rd, and then flip that pick into his replacement, I'm good with it.  It's nothing personal and I would love to keep Cook, but I just don't see us having the money for him within our plans of this roster.  

-Our defensive line needs work, even if we do swing a trade for Garrett/Crosby.  Personally, I don't know what kind of money Groot is going to expect, but he disappears too much in big games for me to justify paying him 20+ mil per season.  I'm completely fine letting him play out his 5th year and making that decision next offseason.  With that being said, we need a game changer at DT alongside Oliver, and I could see AJ being a cap casualty along with Von.  With McD's rotation, I could see 2-3 picks on the defensive line in the early rounds.

 

As for other positions based upon draft round grades (super early as the combine isn't done)

-DBs - only 2 DB's have a first round grade, and only 3 have a 2nd round grade.  This is not great for us.  Safety equally has similar players with 1st/2nd round grades.  If we are looking for starters here, we need to hit on a mid round pick or trade up.  

-WR - I personally do not believe that WR is the need that others do.  Even with Cooper not doing much out there, we still had a very prolific offense.  For those interested, there are 11 WR's with 1st/2nd round grades

OG - For those that think Edwards' roster spot is in jeopardy, this is not the draft to replace him.  There's only 3 Gs with 1st/2nd round grades, and then a huge drop off to players with a 6th round grade.  

 

Based on all of this, I would argue that our FA priority should be (aside from resigning some of our own guys)

-Safety, Guard (expensive in FA and assuming Edwards is out), and DB.  

Nice work and this reaffirms my stance on fixing the secondary in free agency and either trade them picks for proven defensive lineman or draft defensive lineman. If the right wide receiver prospect is there somewhere who fits us nicely you still have to be open-minded to that as well. Agree with you 100% on the running back situation as well.

[KOKBILLS]

6 hours ago, OldTimer1960 said:

Savion Williams might do very well at the combine.  What little I have seen of him so far looks interesting, but I fear comes with considerable bust potential.  You can see the athletic ability, but all the different ways they got him the ball worry me that he isn’t really that good at actually being a WR.  For a guy that big, does he have the lateral agility and quickness to get open?  
 

What do you all think of Williams?

 

He's going to be a tough one...

 

He'll probably run low 4.4's and make it even tougher...

 

As a WR he's got all the raw tools, but to say he was not used as a boundary guy in College is an understatement for sure. I think he made big time strides as as WR though in 2024. Just his confidence in plucking the ball... And he does give you ALL the other stuff... I don't think he's going to be a 3-cone killer type. But he did play a lot of RB, so maybe he'll surprise there. He is very tall, but he's got kind of a weird build to him.

 

My philosophy in this Draft for the Bills is just give me the explosive athlete types that can play because we lack those kind of guys on both sides. And Williams fits that. But in reality we really only have one WR position only, and I see that as a field-stretcher-first kind of WR. I think he's fully capable of that. Especially if he's as fast as some people say he is at that size. But there's not much of that on his film besides him running past slower LB's for easy wide-open TD's... 

 

It's tough. I definitely see Williams as a 2nd Round prospect. Pre Combine I have him at #56 Overall because I think if he goes to the right team, like San Fran, he's going to be a serious weapon. It depends on who else is around and where. I will say that due to all of the above I'm a little higher on Jalen Royals. And definitely higher on Matthew Golden. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth. 

[OldTimer1960]

30 minutes ago, KOKBILLS said:

 

 

It's tough. I definitely see Williams as a 2nd Round prospect. Pre Combine I have him at #56 Overall because I think if he goes to the right team, like San Fran, he's going to be a serious weapon. It depends on who else is around and where. I will say that due to all of the above I'm a little higher on Jalen Royals. And definitely higher on Matthew Golden. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth. 

I’m not as sure about Royals as you are.  I like the thickness of his build and he shows some smoothness and cutting ability, but I’m not sure he is as fast as some think he is.  We will see how fast he is this week - if I were a betting man I might bet he will run closer to 4.5 than 4.3.  I admit it is hard to tell from game film, but I did not think he showed dominant speed against the lower level competition he faced.  If he runs low 4.4s, I’ll be happily proven wrong.

 

i do like Golden, but not sure I would pass on the defensive needs for him - maybe.

[KOKBILLS]

7 minutes ago, OldTimer1960 said:

I’m not as sure about Royals as you are.  I like the thickness of his build and he shows some smoothness and cutting ability, but I’m not sure he is as fast as some think he is.  We will see how fast he is this week - if I were a betting man I might bet he will run closer to 4.5 than 4.3.  I admit it is hard to tell from game film, but I did not think he showed dominant speed against the lower level competition he faced.  If he runs low 4.4s, I’ll be happily proven wrong.

 

i do like Golden, but not sure I would pass on the defensive needs for him - maybe.

 

If they don't run fast... I'll pass... 

[OldTimer1960]

1 hour ago, KOKBILLS said:

 

If they don't run fast... I'll pass... 

It isn’t that I think speed is the be-all end-all for WR, but if a guy is touted as blazing fast, but he really isn’t then that’s a concern.  

[KOKBILLS]

24 minutes ago, OldTimer1960 said:

It isn’t that I think speed is the be-all end-all for WR, but if a guy is touted as blazing fast, but he really isn’t then that’s a concern.  

 

I don't think it's a be-all-end-all either... But for the Bills specifically, I think we have enough guys with decent to average speed. I'm looking for some juice...

[OldTimer1960]

6 minutes ago, KOKBILLS said:

 

I don't think it's a be-all-end-all either... But for the Bills specifically, I think we have enough guys with decent to average speed. I'm looking for some juice...

Agree on that!

[KOKBILLS]

1 hour ago, OldTimer1960 said:

I’m not as sure about Royals as you are.  I like the thickness of his build and he shows some smoothness and cutting ability, but I’m not sure he is as fast as some think he is.  We will see how fast he is this week - if I were a betting man I might bet he will run closer to 4.5 than 4.3.  I admit it is hard to tell from game film, but I did not think he showed dominant speed against the lower level competition he faced.  If he runs low 4.4s, I’ll be happily proven wrong.

 

i do like Golden, but not sure I would pass on the defensive needs for him - maybe.

 

I should say too that when I watched Royals the first time he gave me Rashee Rice vibes... Royals is more compact, and I think he's faster...we'll see... But that's the 1st name that popped into my head... And College Rashee Rice not KC Rashee Rice... 

[somnus00]

I want attacking, hungry, d-linemen. So far, I'm liking James Pearce and Omar Norman-Lott in the first 2 rounds. Both seem to get lined up pretty wide, but they get to the QB fast. Lott has no business getting off the line that fast at his size.

 

Apparently there are some character issues with Pearce, so he may fall a bit.

[ngbills]

Bills have drafted a RB in the first 4 rounds four times since 2019. That is crazy. Especially given both the talent you can get in later rounds and how many good free agents are available for cheat at the position. So maybe we dont draft another RB early and trade that pick to move up or for a player that can help. Please dont draft a RB until 6/7th rounds. 

[OldTimer1960]

24 minutes ago, ngbills said:

Bills have drafted a RB in the first 4 rounds four times since 2019. That is crazy. Especially given both the talent you can get in later rounds and how many good free agents are available for cheat at the position. So maybe we dont draft another RB early and trade that pick to move up or for a player that can help. Please dont draft a RB until 6/7th rounds. 

I would call round 4 “later rounds”.  Even late 3rd doesn’t seem egregious to me for drafting a RB.  Lot depends on who you already have, who you expect to lose in FA and what other players are available at the time you pick a RB.  I think the idea that you can easily find a good RB very late in the draft and that RBs don’t matter is a bit overblown.  Just look how much value Cook added - I don’t regret taking him late 2nd.