The Bears and Bengals have been covered and graded in our draft review series. Up next: the Buffalo Bills. Despite trading out of the first round entirely, they got a good amount of picks in return and made the most of them. Let’s look at their selections.
Round 2, Pick 33: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
The Buffalo Bills finally made their first pick of the draft in the second round. Coleman was a great selection, as he automatically fills the need for a WR1 for a team that lost Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis.
Before the draft, Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir were the top two receivers on the depth chart. Not anymore, as Coleman comes in and becomes Josh Allen‘s likely favorite target. At 6’4″, he’ll be a big target for the quarterback. But, he also brings the ability to break tackles and run past people better than what his 40 time suggests (4.61 seconds).
His personality off the field has been shown recently, as the former Seminole brings humor and charisma. He will be a great teammate and a fan favorite for years to come. Coleman is going to be special, and the fact he slid to the second round is a steal.
Grade: A
Round 2, Pick 60: S Cole Bishop, Utah
Just like at wide receiver, the Buffalo Bills lost two critical players at safety in Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. The versatile safety from Utah comes in to lead the reset at the position.
Bishop brings energy and effort to his play and improved on his tackling in 2023 (despite having a worse PFF grade in 2023 compared to 2022). His coverage grade wasn’t the best this past season (60.9), which is why this could be considered a bit of a reach this early in the draft. But, he has starting potential nonetheless. If he can work on not being too overly aggressive and improve his reads against the pass, he’ll be a long-term starter.
Grade: B-
Round 3, Pick 95: DL DeWayne Carter, Duke
With the defensive line getting older (DaQuan Jones and DeSahwn Williams are older than 30), Carter brings youth to the position. But, that’s not all. He is a solid pass-rusher, as he has a quick first step and great speed to get to the quarterback. It’s why in the past two seasons, he had a total of ten sacks.
Also solid against the run, he is a smart player with moves that will get him past linemen. It’s safe to say he was productive during his time in school, and the Bills hope he replicates that with them.
Grade: B+
Round 4, Pick 128: RB Ray Davis, Kentucky
The former running back from the ACC knows how to accelerate out of the gate. In 2023, he had 12 runs of over 20+ yards.
Davis ran for 1,131 yards and 14 touchdowns last year, all leading to a solid 87.5 PFF grade this past season. He possesses solid vision, is a quick player with the ability to make one cut and go, and is solid enough in the receiving game.
Yes, the team already has James Cook as their RB1. But, adding Davis presents a 1-2 duo that’s worth focusing on if you’re the opposing defense.
Another playmaker is on their way to the Buffalo Bills.
Grade: A-
Round 5, Pick 141: C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
The former Bulldog isn’t going to start right away, especially with Connor McGovern at the center position. But, if called upon, he will do the job just fine. Throughout his time at Georgia, he allowed just one sack in his college career. One.
He brings high IQ to the position and makes up for a lack of athleticism with his experience and physical mentality. Van Pran will need to work on dealing with pass rushers who are more athletic than him more effectively. But, in the end, he will eventually take over as the starter and have a long career.
Grade: B+
Round 5, Pick 160: LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
With a 79.8 PFF grade in 2023, the former Huskie has shown the ability to play great coverage in space and has the ability to match up against running backs and tight ends without much trouble.
Though he struggles with getting off blocks at times and is slow to react on option plays, you can’t question his hard work. He will likely be on special teams to start but is overall a lengthy run-defender.
Grade: C+
Round 5, Pick 168: ED Javon Solomon, Troy
The edge rusher led the entire FBS in sacks last season with 16 of them. Relentless with long arms, it’s not hard to see why he had success for Troy.
Against the run, he is able to slip through blocks and get through gaps to tackle the ball carrier on run plays. Overall, he is an impressive athlete and is explosive off the line. The fact that he also was in wrestling helps him with his play on the field too.
Likely to be a depth piece to start his career, he could carve himself a starting role down the line.
Grade: B
Round 6, Pick 204: T Tylan Grable, UCF
A versatile lineman, he can play both tackle positions and has a history of playing right guard as well. There was also news that he was training to be a center since 2022. Regardless, he is a great piece to have on your team.
As athletic as he is, he will need to continue to develop at the next level before cracking a chance at a starting spot. Luckily, his versatility will impress coaches enough to give him a shot wherever they need him to play if an injury occurs for the Buffalo Bills.
Grade: C+
Round 6, Pick 219: CB Daequan Hardy, Penn State
The speedy corner ran a 4.38 40-yard dash. No wonder on tape it shows him keeping up with opposing wideouts even if he is behind.
As the first cornerback the Buffalo Bills take in this draft, he will mainly play in the slot but brings extreme confidence to the position regardless. He flips his hips quickly, and his vision is solid in off-coverage.
Grade: B-
Round 7, Pick 221: G Travis Clayton, International
From the International Pathway Program, Clayton used to play soccer and rugby. The England native looks to bring an intriguing skillset to Buffalo. A 40-yard time of 4.79 stands out as it is, considering he weighs 307 pounds.
Grade: N/A
OVERALL GRADE: B+
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