Buffalo Bills Consensus Draft Grades

[gonzo1105]

I’m somewhere between an A- and a B+.  Favorite pick: TJ Sanders Least: Deone Walker 

[Logic]

8 hours ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

I agree with your post but ask you to state which receiver you would have liked the Bills to pick at which spot

 

Thanks!

 

In terms of who was actually on the board at WR when we made picks:

I liked Jaylin Noel (though his skillset may have been a little redundant with Shakir as our locked in slot WR) in round 3. 

I liked Jalen Royals in round 4, and he could've been had without even needing trade up like they did for Deone Walker.

With small trade-ups (the likes of which they deemed worth executing for the DTs), they also could've been in position for Dont'e Thornton or Kyle Williams.

Alas, I'm not suggesting any of these guys would be THE difference or would be WR1s or anything like that. All of them would've simply added nice tools to the toolkit. 

[MJS]

A-. My only critique is that they could have traded up more and picked fewer players late. We had 9 draft picks and I doubt they will all make the roster.

 

Beane nailed the first three picks, and those are the important ones.

[Sierra Foothills]

37 minutes ago, Logic said:

In terms of who was actually on the board at WR when we made picks:

I liked Jaylin Noel (though his skillset may have been a little redundant with Shakir as our locked in slot WR) in round 3. 

I liked Jalen Royals in round 4, and he could've been had without even needing trade up like they did for Deone Walker.

With small trade-ups (the likes of which they deemed worth executing for the DTs), they also could've been in position for Dont'e Thornton or Kyle Williams.

Alas, I'm not suggesting any of these guys would be THE difference or would be WR1s or anything like that. All of them would've simply added nice tools to the toolkit. 

 

I'm in the majority that wishes we'd gotten the field stretching deep threat though I still love our draft and gave it an A.

 

The thing is I wouldn't change our first 4 picks/trades. I was definitely getting excited in the 4th when D'onte Thornton was still there... but he was taken the pick before we took Deone Walker at 109.

 

Then I was disappointed when KC took Jalen Royals at 133. Post-Walker trade, we would have had to trade 3 of our last 5 picks (probably including two of our 5th rounders) to move up and take him ... but like you said had we not traded up for Walker we could have had Royals at 132, assuming KC or another team didn't trade ahead of us.

 

Another interesting feature of the draft is that the Bills took Jordan Hancock at 170 with Chris Paul Jr. still on the board. I wonder if they were hoping to get Paul on their next pick but the Rams took him at 172 just before we took Jackson Hawes at 173.

 

Regardless, I really like the Deone Walker pick and I'm generally content with the draft... largely because I'm expecting the defense to be excellent this year.

 

[Ralonzo]

For giggles, charting the Bills' actual pick against Chris Trapasso's "interesting" pre-draft rankings.

 

#30 Maxwell Hairston (CT #17, CB4)

#41 TJ Sanders (CT #34, DT3)

#72 Landon Jackson (CT #98)

#109 Deone Walker (CT #71)

#170 Jordan Hancock (CT #105)

#173 Jackson Hawes (CT #272)

#177 Dorian Strong (CT #130)

#206 Chase Lundt (CT #258)

#240 Kaden Prather (CT unlisted)

 

UDFA:

Wande Owens (CT #235)

 

Edited yesterday at 02:30 AM by Ralonzo

[GASabresIUFan]

Bills Picks vs the non-Kiper guys at ESPN - Yates, Reid & Miller (in that order)

30 - Hairston - 22, 38, 43

41 - Sanders - 63, 46, 91

72 - Jackson - 57, 59, 48

109 - Walker - 146, 93, 143

170 - Hancock - 196, 126, 218

173 - Hawes - 172, 201, 194

177 - Strong - 129, 164, 158

206 - Lundt - 195, 110, 149

240 - Prather - xxx, 202, xxx

 

From these boards the best value picks were Jackson, Strong and Lundt.  

[BigDingus]

14 hours ago, gonzo1105 said:

I’m somewhere between an A- and a B+.  Favorite pick: TJ Sanders Least: Deone Walker 

 

Pretty much how I feel, though I think Landon Jackson is my slight favorite, hoping he can really make use of that size on the edge.

 

Deone Walker would've been better had they taken him later in the draft. I don't think he's very good (yet), though admittedly I only began reading/watching everything I could on him after we already drafted him.

[Spun]

I have seen very little to nothing of all the draftees.  This draft was a statement on the desire for an improved defense.  Theoretically, a strong/elite defense gets Josh and the offense on the field more often.

 

My impression of both lines in the playoffs, against the Ravens and the Chiefs, was that they wilted at the end of both games.

 

We can agree that a stronger pass rush would be nice.  More time for Josh and a more productive and consistent running game would be special.  Dial it down James Cook, your services are needed.

 

i wasn’t impressed with the overuse of the tush push.  More imaginative  play calling and execution is needed near the goal line.

 

The Bills receivers are fairly young.  I expect them to improve in the upcoming season.

 

In a more perfect world, would bringing back Amari Cooper be feasible, reasonable and possible?  His window is closing.  What is most important to him?  A final infusion of money (Dallas) or a contract with a team that is within pecking distance of winning a Super Bowl?  In a change of direction, would the Bills consider bringing Cooper back?  A healthy Cooper and a full training camp could help him be more productive.  
 

Three months until training camp.

 

Tick tick tick…

 

 

 

 

[Luka]

Defense wins championships. 

 

I am going with a B grade. Did not address the weakest position group (safety) and the blocking tight end pick was frankly a throw away pick. Seemed early to make that kind of choice, would've been nice to see that pick made last and a receiver in the 5th. 

 

Other than that? Can't argue with overhauling the very weak defensive line. 

[BearNorth]

Yesterday Ryan Wilson of CBS gave the Bills a surprising A+ grade, praising the Hairston, Walker and Hawes Picks.

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/ranking-each-teams-2025-nfl-draft-class-bills-raiders-49ers-come-up-aces-browns-bengals-raise-questions/

 

Maybe we are underrating this group.

[Ralonzo]

Hawes, it depends on the scouts. Some saw no upside at all as a receiver, others attribute it to the way Yale/GT offenses utilize the position, similar to the argument about Dont'e Thornton and Tennessee. Others think he can be a chain mover at least, but his metrics say he's not a 25-yard seam guy pretty clearly.

[GASabresIUFan]

47 minutes ago, Ralonzo said:

Hawes, it depends on the scouts. Some saw no upside at all as a receiver, others attribute it to the way Yale/GT offenses utilize the position, similar to the argument about Dont'e Thornton and Tennessee. Others think he can be a chain mover at least, but his metrics say he's not a 25-yard seam guy pretty clearly.

I watched Hawes constantly get open against a good UGA defense.  He made 4 catches that day and was always open.  We obviously see a lot of Tech games in Atlanta.  Hawes is an excellent blocker, but there is much more to his catch ability than advertised.  

Edited 4 hours ago by GASabresIUFan

[nosejob]

On 4/26/2025 at 8:20 PM, stevestojan said:

Solid B. A weird reach in round 2 with T.J. Sanders. 
 

edit: I see a lot of disagreement. Just seemed to me he might have been there without giving up capital. But as I mentioned later in this thread, I don’t know 💩. 

The question is should we have moved and drafted Tyliek?....the best and last and found a 3rd another way...or possibly the same as what he did ?

[Doc Brown]

My draft grade is the same result as most of the throws made this in the Super Bowl.  Incomplete.

[nosejob]

I'm Happy overall. I had the feeling they loved Sanders. Then to get LJ and Walker where they did. Strong will be another Benford, no shade on Max. Hopefully he'll give us Tre white play. The above will all contribute this year  and that's exactly what we need.

[SoonerBillsFan]

I think its been a damn good defensive upgrade this offseason.. Coach them up and lets start getting to the QB taking them down and off the Damn field on 3rd downs. That right there makes this team much better.