Bills Related Draft News & Discussion

[finn]

9 hours ago, wppete said:

I really like Revel. Then go DT in the 2nd and 4th round. 

Beane doesn't take chances on injured players in the draft, or at least I can't recall him ever doing so. For example, he passed on the highly rated Trey Smith, who fell to the sixth round because of health concerns. Smith of course was chosen by KC and went to the Pro Bowl last year. I would be both thrilled and surprised if he picked Revel. 

Edited Friday at 12:17 PM by finn

[MrEpsYtown]

My problem with Revel is he is coming off a torn ACL. As currently constructed we need a guy who can come in a start day 1 and that's not really him. So I think I am out on him.

 

It seems like the plug-and-play guys with zone acumen who will likely be available at the Bills pick are Hairston and Amos. I suppose the question is are you getting value taking them at 30? Who knows? 

[HappyDays]

1 hour ago, MrEpsYtown said:

My problem with Revel is he is coming off a torn ACL. As currently constructed we need a guy who can come in a start day 1 and that's not really him. So I think I am out on him.

 

I hope this isn't Beane's mindset though. We aren't drafting a 1st round player for day one, it's for the next 5 years and hopefully beyond. Revel usually would be a top 20ish player that we have the opportunity to draft at 30 only because of the ACL. So that is a risk I'd be very willing to take, even knowing that he might not be able to start until the middle of the season. If it was like Benjamin Morrison's injury I'd be more concerned but recovery from ACLs for young players is pretty clean these days and there is low risk of re-injury. JMO

[MrEpsYtown]

32 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

I hope this isn't Beane's mindset though. We aren't drafting a 1st round player for day one, it's for the next 5 years and hopefully beyond. Revel usually would be a top 20ish player that we have the opportunity to draft at 30 only because of the ACL. So that is a risk I'd be very willing to take, even knowing that he might not be able to start until the middle of the season. If it was like Benjamin Morrison's injury I'd be more concerned but recovery from ACLs for young players is pretty clean these days and there is low risk of re-injury. JMO

 

I agree! But I think that with a championship-caliber team here and 1 starting corner on the roster, that is a tough risk to take. If they signed a guy like Asante Samuel or even a Gilmore type to a 1 year deal and drafted Revel to be the replacement next year, then I think it makes a ton of sense. 

[HappyDays]

This is usually around the time I would create the NFL draft rumors thread. This year I'll just use this thread though.

 

Here are a few that I consider relevant to the Bills from ESPN insiders:

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/insider/story/_/id/44507247/2025-nfl-draft-latest-buzz-rumors-news-hunter-trades-mocks-sleepers

 

Quote

The lack of true first-round grades in this class is notable. On average, most teams usually have 15 to 20 prospects who are considered true first-round talents. Two high-level NFL executives told me this week that neither of their teams reached that number. What does that mean? Expect to hear unlikely names in Round 1. Because of the lack of high-end talent, many teams are equating the quality of players in the middle of the first round to prospects in the middle of Round 2.

 

Quote

After speaking with multiple scouts this week, Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku is a player teams are hot after in this loaded edge rusher group. He had a breakout senior season with the second-most sacks in the FBS (16.5), and he followed that up with a standout Senior Bowl performance. Viewed as an early Day 2 prospect in January, Ezeiruaku could now be picked as high as No. 15 to the Falcons or No. 18 to the Seahawks.

 

Quote

Everybody sees a different level of value in pro days, but it's important to remember these workouts might be the only live exposure evaluators get with top prospects. Coaches and general managers simply can't go to as many (or any) games during the season, while more and more prospects opt out of on-field work at the combine. One pro day that was incredible, per multiple scouts in attendance, was the one for Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. He did not work out at the combine, but he showed how special he is in Oxford.

 

Quote

We've talked at length about the wide draft range of players in this class, and injuries are becoming a prominent influence on rankings near the top of the board. Notable injuries include: Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell (shoulder), Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons (patellar tendon), East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. (ACL) and Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison (hip). I think Campbell, Simmons and Revel are first-round locks at full strength, but scouts are having a harder time specifying a precise range because of their health concerns.

 

[BillsFanForever19]

43 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

This is usually around the time I would create the NFL draft rumors thread. This year I'll just use this thread though.

 

Here are a few that I consider relevant to the Bills from ESPN insiders:

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/insider/story/_/id/44507247/2025-nfl-draft-latest-buzz-rumors-news-hunter-trades-mocks-sleepers

 

Shavon Revel Jr.'s ACL tear makes for an interesting situation.

 

He tore it on 9/18/24. Which would make Week 1 just about 1 full year from injury. So he should be ready to play by then. But will he be able to do anything in Training Camp or the Pre-Season? And would McDermott start a Rookie who hasn't played Football in a year and is making the leap from College to the Pro's on top of that - especially if he's limited or a no go in the Offseason?

 

I think talent wise, if he were to fall to 30 or within striking range - you have to heavily consider him the pick. Though I do worry about McDermott's conservative nature when it comes to his contributions in Year 1. I'd say start Dane Jackson for a little while, easing Revel in and replacing Jackson as soon as possible. But as we saw with Bishop's injury last year and Hamlin starting in his place - I could see a scenario where if he started Jackson it would just be Jackson's job all year with a focus on Revel in Year 2. 

[Bill from NYC]

52 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

This is usually around the time I would create the NFL draft rumors thread. This year I'll just use this thread though.

 

Here are a few that I consider relevant to the Bills from ESPN insiders:

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/insider/story/_/id/44507247/2025-nfl-draft-latest-buzz-rumors-news-hunter-trades-mocks-sleepers

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know how others feel but I cannot remember a draft class that I thought was weaker than this one, and I'm not sure why. 

 

NIL? Transfer Portal? I don't have an answer.

[Low Positive]

3 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

I don't know how others feel but I cannot remember a draft class that I thought was weaker than this one, and I'm not sure why. 

 

NIL? Transfer Portal? I don't have an answer.

It's not only weak, but also boring. It's weak at the fun positions like QB and WR, and stronger at the positions that are less fun like DB and DT. The best players in this draft are likely to be an undersized EDGE and a two-way player that will primarily play DB at the NFL level. Hense the lower level of intensity to these pre-draft weeks. 

[mjt328]

On 4/1/2025 at 6:18 PM, OldTimer1960 said:

I’m not conceding that they HAVE to take a CB at 30, but rather it’s a big problem if they don’t - unless they have a credible if aging vet lined up to sign if they don’t take a CB at 30.  I’ll admit that part of my hang up is that I would not want to part with pick 62 to move up far enough to take a CB by mid-2nd.  If they go DT first the candidates that seem to have any potential to start this year will likely be gone by 56.  If they go CB first, I am pretty confident that there will still be a decent 1T prospect at 56 or 62.

 

As many have mentioned, Brandon Beane typically leaves one glaring hole in the starting lineup every single year going into the draft.

 

This year his biggest free agent acquisitions were Joey Bosa at DE (replacing Von Miller) and Josh Palmer at WR (replacing Amari Cooper/Mack Hollins).  At CB, he's basically replaced Rasul Douglas with Dane Jackson... who he was always trying to upgrade during his last stint with the team.  Plus he finally gave up on Kaiir Elam, leaving another depth hole at the position.

 

We are almost certainly going CB with our first pick.  Whether he's the BPA or not.

 

[OldTimer1960]

6 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

 

As many have mentioned, Brandon Beane typically leaves one glaring hole in the starting lineup every single year going into the draft.

 

This year his biggest free agent acquisitions were Joey Bosa at DE (replacing Von Miller) and Josh Palmer at WR (replacing Amari Cooper/Mack Hollins).  At CB, he's basically replaced Rasul Douglas with Dane Jackson... who he was always trying to upgrade during his last stint with the team.  Plus he finally gave up on Kaiir Elam, leaving another depth hole at the position.

 

We are almost certainly going CB with our first pick.  Whether he's the BPA or not.

 

I think you are right- I hope that their pick won’t be a major reach.  I think a lot of the favorites that have been talked about here will be gone before 30 anyway.  Some of the luster seems to be wearing off of the Grant evaluations.  He might make it to 30 and they still might take Amos, Revel or even Thomas.  

[jahnyc]

If there are not a lot of first round grades on players in the draft, this may be the year to use one of our second round picks to move up to get a player that has a first round grade and can make an immediate contribution.  

[The Jokeman]

48 minutes ago, jahnyc said:

If there are not a lot of first round grades on players in the draft, this may be the year to use one of our second round picks to move up to get a player that has a first round grade and can make an immediate contribution.  

Yes the higher you draft a player the more likely they can make a difference but you can get impact anywhere as this article shows: https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-rookie-rankings-jayden-daniels-goes-wire-to-wire-as-no-1-brian-thomas-jr-tops-wr-hierarchy

[HappyDays]

 

[MrEpsYtown]

14 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

He checks a lot of boxes. 

[SoonerBillsFan]

39 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

I like this one.

[gonzo1105]

Amos and Revel are about as perfect a fit as you can get for the Bills and their scheme 

[Richard Noggin]

7 hours ago, mjt328 said:

 

As many have mentioned, Brandon Beane typically leaves one glaring hole in the starting lineup every single year going into the draft.

 

This year his biggest free agent acquisitions were Joey Bosa at DE (replacing Von Miller) and Josh Palmer at WR (replacing Amari Cooper/Mack Hollins).  At CB, he's basically replaced Rasul Douglas with Dane Jackson... who he was always trying to upgrade during his last stint with the team.  Plus he finally gave up on Kaiir Elam, leaving another depth hole at the position.

 

We are almost certainly going CB with our first pick.  Whether he's the BPA or not.

 

 

I'm reminded of the Panthers' 2016 draft, wherein they grabbed THREE CBs in rounds 2, 3, and 5: James Bradberry, Darryl Worley, and then Zack Sanchez? They had lost Norman to FA, and decided to retool that position via the draft. Those 2nd and 3rd round rookies both played more than 70% of snaps in year one. 

 

It did not work out well, as both CBs had more than their shares of growing pains throughout the season. I actually recall it being a talking point that came up league-wide, how much those rookies were taking lumps. Also, Charles Johnson had as many sacks (4) as Star Lotulelei. Lots of post-SB regression. Common narrative for teams that get to the big game and fall short tbh. They also had 2017 Bills-level WR talent deficits, including their #1 WR Benjamin who they traded to Buffalo the following October. 

 

At least for Buffalo in 2025, we have a CB1 in place long term, and a solid NCB, so we only need a CB2 and depth. Jackson and Ingram offer some replacement-level ability at boundary CB, but neither is an ideal CB2. So a day two or day three pick could easily fill that hole, given the past relative successes of UDFA Wallace, 7th rounder Jackson (back on the roster), 6th rounder Benford, and platoon FAs like Johnson and Gaines and even Norman lol. 

[The Firebaugh Kid]

11 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

Tory Amos? I remember when she covered Slayer on her piano, that was weird.

 

Can we possibly wait until around two to scoop this guy up or is that not a possibility? I’m not familiar with where he is game ranks.

[OldTimer1960]

8 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

 

I'm reminded of the Panthers' 2016 draft, wherein they grabbed THREE CBs in rounds 2, 3, and 5: James Bradberry, Darryl Worley, and then Zack Sanchez? They had lost Norman to FA, and decided to retool that position via the draft. Those 2nd and 3rd round rookies both played more than 70% of snaps in year one. 

 

It did not work out well, as both CBs had more than their shares of growing pains throughout the season. I actually recall it being a talking point that came up league-wide, how much those rookies were taking lumps. Also, Charles Johnson had as many sacks (4) as Star Lotulelei. Lots of post-SB regression. Common narrative for teams that get to the big game and fall short tbh. They also had 2017 Bills-level WR talent deficits, including their #1 WR Benjamin who they traded to Buffalo the following October. 

 

At least for Buffalo in 2025, we have a CB1 in place long term, and a solid NCB, so we only need a CB2 and depth. Jackson and Ingram offer some replacement-level ability at boundary CB, but neither is an ideal CB2. So a day two or day three pick could easily fill that hole, given the past relative successes of UDFA Wallace, 7th rounder Jackson (back on the roster), 6th rounder Benford, and platoon FAs like Johnson and Gaines and even Norman lol. 

Except that it’s not a particularly strong CB class - and as we are seeing in the TSW mock, no guarantee that even an overage under-experienced prospect like Porter is available in round 2.

[TheBeaneBandit]

48 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

Yeah I hear that. But he’s a starter level guy despite that and the longer he stays out there the cheaper he gets. They always put these things out there and then contradict themselves. My point is if they sign an actual respectable starter they can go into the draft and take BPA. Samuel is one, Gilmore is another. There isn’t much more out there right now. As we are seeing with the mock draft we are doing, if they are forced to draft for need it won’t likely go as well as it could. But your point is true, I just don’t believe them. 

That's why I'm pulling so hard for Gilmore and a one-year deal. We could go into the draft and not have to tip our hat. Sure you could still go first round corner, or you could go wait a little while and grab a developmental guy, or you just pretty much completely wait until next year. Obviously they're going to take a mid late round corner no matter what, but bringing in a guy like Gilmore would just make everything so much less stressful.