Despite waiting until night number two to make their first selection, the Buffalo Bills finally landed their wide receiver. General manager Brandon Beane moved down from pick 28 to 32 in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, who leaped up to select Texas speedster Xavier Worthy. Along with this, the longtime executive was then traded out of the first round after the Carolina Panthers jumped up one spot to take Xavier Legette. Ultimately landing on Keon Coleman, the Bills choose the Florida State product 33rd overall. They will hope he can be an instant contributor for Josh Allen following the departures of Gabriel Davis and Stefon Diggs. Rounding out their draft haul with ten more selections, the most picks in a single draft class in the Beane/Sean McDermott era, here are my grades for the four-time defending AFC East champions.
Round 2, Pick 33: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
After maneuvering down the draft board during the first round, the Bills finally landed their guy with the selection of Coleman to kick off night two. Thought of as a first-round prospect for most of the pre-draft process, the 20-year-old ran a 4.61 40-yard dash at the NFL Draft combine, which saw his stock begin to slip. Nonetheless, the Louisianna native possesses the ideal build for a prototypical receiver at 6'4, 213lbs. He uses that length to fight through press coverage at the line of scrimmage while also creating space at the top of his route. Furthermore, the one-time First-team All-ACC member has excellent ball skills, allowing him to go up in the air and high point the pass to wrestle it away from opposing defensive backs.
Grade: B+
Round 2, Pick 60: Cole Bishop, SAF, Utah
For the first time under the tenure of McDermott, Buffalo will feature a new look on the back end. Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are gone after seven seasons in Western New York. Enter Cole Bishop. A three-year starter, he was the quarterback of the Utes defense while aligning all over the field. The 21-year-old lined up in the slot and against opposing tight ends. He also has the speed, instincts, and range to play center field. A downhill defender who does an excellent job of running the alleyway in the ground game, Bishop is a strong tackler who takes excellent angles and initiates contact with the opposing ball carrier. Furthermore, the former team captain is a willing blitzer, tallying 7.5 sacks during his time at Utah.
Grade: A-
Round 3, Pick 95: DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke
Buffalo brought back Daquan Jones on a two-year deal worth up to $16 million. Shining alongside Ed Oliver before suffering a pectoral injury in week 5, the 32-year-old recorded ten tackles and 2.5 sacks. The Bills also locked up former second-round pick Austin Johnson. Nonetheless, with many expiring contracts at the defensive tackle spot, Tim Settle and Poona Ford departed in free agency. Needing to add depth and younger cost-controlled talent at the position, Carter is a high-motor run-stopper who can provide interior push. As a three-time captain, Carter's leadership will also be a welcomed addition to the locker room. He started every game in 2023 while posting 41 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and one sack en route to First-team All-ACC honors.
Grade: B+
Round 4, Pick 95: Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky
Dazzling in his second season in Western New York, James Cook took a notable leap in year 2. He posted 237 carries for 1,122 yards and two touchdowns. Furthermore, Cook also hauled in 44 passes for 445 yards and five more scores. With a weak depth chart past the former second-round pick, the Bills must find a long-term complementary option to handle short-yardage situations. One of the oldest prospects in the draft at 24, Davis is a punishing player who has a natural low center of gravity. He runs hard and behind his pads while not being afraid to lower his shoulder and drive through opposing defenders. Additionally, the Kentucky product has excellent vision and a feel for space, allowing him to quickly identify and hit the hole.
Grade: B-
Round 5, Pick 141: Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C, Georgia
The Bills cut Mitch Morse in a salary cap-shedding move. A cornerstone of Buffalo's offensive line over the last four seasons, he allowed just one sack on 1,128 snaps in 2023. With Connor McGovern expected to slide over to the pivot spot, Van-Pran Granger could develop into the team's long-term option at center while providing depth at all three interior positions. A three-year starter at Georgia, the one-time First-team All-SEC member made 44 consecutive starts to conclude his college career. He can work both the A gaps in pass pro, preventing penetration from defenders. Additionally, Van-Pran Granger has the football IQ to identify and pass off twists and stunts effectively.
Grade: A-
Round 5, Pick 160: Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington
Decimated at the linebacker position a year ago, the Bills lost Matt Milano to a season-ending pectoral injury in week five. Furthermore, the team was also without second-year man Terel Bernard in their Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He suffered a high ankle sprain against the Pittsburgh Steelers when tackling wide receiver George Pickens. Forced to turn to veteran A.J. Klein and Tyrel Dodson, Ulofoshio will provide Buffalo with depth in the middle of the field. A six-year player and a three-year starter for the Washington Huskies, he led the program with 94 tackles, eight for loss, and seven sacks en route to First-team All-Pac-12 honors. Strong in coverage, Ulofoshio has excellent speed that allows him to cover tight ends on vertical passing concepts.
Grade: B-
Round 5, Pick 168: Javon Solomon, EDGE, Troy
One of the most productive players in the nation during his time at Troy, Solomon's draft stock began to rise after a strong performance for the National team at the Senior Bowl in February. Possessing unique tools to be an impact pass rusher at the NFL level, he recorded 33 sacks over four years with the Trojans, including an FBS-high 16 in 2023. While Buffalo is coming off a season in which they finished fourth in the NFL with 54 sacks, the franchise saw Leonard Floyd depart for the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. Furthermore, after appearing in just 12 games in 2023, the Bills will likely move on from Von Miller in 2025, leaving a hole at the edge spot.
Grade: B
Round 6, Pick 204: Tylan Grable, T, UCF
Formerly a quarterback in high school, Grable missed his entire senior campaign due to a broken foot. As a result, the 24-year-old was forced to walk on at Jacksonville State after failing to receive any D1 offers. Choosing to switch to the offensive line, the one-time Third-team All-AAC member transferred to UCF for his final two seasons while becoming the Knight's full-time starter at left tackle. An outstanding athlete who gets on top of opposing defenders quickly, he earned the highest run-blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus. Furthermore, the Georgia native put on a show at the NFL Scouting Combine following his 4.95 40-yard dash time with a 1.69 10-yard split.
Grade: B
Round 6, Pick 219: Daequan Hardy, CB, PSU
A one-year starter at Penn State, Hardy handled the nickel spot for the Nittany Lions. The Pittsburgh native ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He has the long speed and twitchiness to stay in the hip pocket of opposing wide receivers on vertical routes. The 22-year-old has the vision and awareness to break and make plays on the football in zone coverage. Ultra-productive despite his smaller size and frame, the senior led the team in both interceptions (2) and pass breakups (7) in 2023. Moreover, Hardy is also an accomplished returner. Operating as the full-time punt returner for Penn State in 2023, he averaged 14.6 yards per return while running back two for touchdowns.
Grade: A-
Round 7, Pick 221: Travis Clayton, G, International Player Pathway
One of 16 players to be selected in the NFL's International Player Pathway program (IPP), the IPP is the NFL’s current international program designed to help the sport of American football grow on the worldwide stage by providing athletes an opportunity to play professional football with the NFL. Clayton is from Basingstoke, UK. Hailing from a rugby background, he played center for Basingstoke in London 3 South West. A completely raw developmental offensive line prospect, the 23-year-old stands tall at 6'7 and 303 pounds. Along with this, he also has quick feet after clocking in at 4.79 seconds in the 40-yard dash, the fastest time by an offensive line prospect over the last decade.
Grade: C+
Summary
While Buffalo did not move up for a pass catcher like many fans were hoping for, Beane landed a big play wide receiver in Coleman at the top of round 2. He will provide Allen with a big target who can make defenders miss in the open field and go up and win 50-50 balls in the air. Additionally, after losing Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, Bishop will provide leadership and consistency in the back end of McDermott's defense. Carter should impact the team's pass rush playing next to Ed Oliver. His 114 pressures since 2022 are the second-most among Power Five defensive tackles. Lastly, Davis is a violent runner who can also make plays in the passing game, making him the perfect compliment to Cook.
Overall Grade: B+
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