Team Needs: Cornerback, Quarterback, Offensive Line, Linebacker

Bills’ Selections

Round 2- 50th overall

Round 3- 81st overall

Round 5- 155th overall

Round 6- 188th overall

Round 6- 194th overall

Round 7- 234th overall

Good fits early:

Benardrick McKinney:

The Buffalo Bills are not short of pass-rushers and defensive linemen, but they are lacking at inside linebacker. Benardrick McKinney is your class run and hit linebacker who is a bully against the run. McKinney stacks and sheds at the point of attack and when he hits a running back, they go down. McKinney struggles a lot in pass coverage, but he would give the Bills a great base linebacker who would improve their run defense.

Carl Davis:

With the Bills switching to a 3-4 defense, they don’t really have many players who fit in as a 5-technique defensive end in this scheme. Carl Davis is familiar with two-gapping and he could slide in their and make an impact. Furthermore in nickel, Davis could slide down to the under tackle position and be a consistent threat as a pass-rusher. Head coach Rex Ryan loves to mix and match his and Davis would be a great chess piece for Ryan through the season.

Bryce Petty:

The Bills don’t have an established quarterback on the roster; therefore, they will likely look for a quarterback they can develop and Bryce Petty could be their guy. He doesn’t have the upside of a Brent Hundley, but Petty has an impressive personality and a fantastic arm. When he is allows to hit his first progression, there aren’t any quarterbacks who sling it better than Petty. The problem is when he can’t hit his first read and it is something the Bills would have to work diligently at.

Don’t Be Surprised If…

The Bills trade back in the second round to gain more picks in the middle rounds. Because of the Sammy Watkins trade the Bills only have six picks in this draft. This could lead to them making a couple minor trade backs to gain more resources to add players in the middle to late rounds in the draft.

Potential late-round targets:

Arie Kounadjio:

The Bills have a very weak interior offensive line; therefore, Arie Kounadjio could be a good option on day three of the draft. Koundadjio is limited in space and he has subpar athleticism for an offensive lineman. However, he is very strong and he works well in a gap running scheme. He is everything you want from a size perspective and he is someone who could be developed into a very guard and fit in next to his brother with the Bills.

James Sample:

The Bills don’t have much in the way of capable safeties so they may look to improve that position in this draft. If they wait until day three, James Sample would be a fantastic option. Sample is a sound tackler who makes all the fundamental plays. While Gerod Holliman got all the publicity, Sample made the consistent plays that Holliman often misses out on for the Louisville defense. Sample would be a welcome addition to the Bills defense and give them a productive safety for Ryan’s defense.

MyCole Pruitt:

A quarterback’s best friend is a reliable tight end and that is one position the Bills should look to improve in the NFL draft. MyCole Pruitt was an extremely productive tight end in college and he would be a welcome addition to the Bills. He has great hands and he has the athleticism to be a mismatch for linebackers. He’s not a very good pass protector, but his ability as a receiver can’t be denied.

What Would Be A Good Draft:

The Bills are hamstrung by the Watkins trade from last year, so it will be hard for them to have a fantastic drive. However, if they can find two starters or instant impact players out of their six picks it will be a very good draft for them. If they can find an inside linebacker who can make an impact versus the run, the defense will transition much better to Ryan’s defense.