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Buffalo Bills: Ranking the best second round picks since 2000

By Brandon Croce

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 30: Jairus Byrd #31 of the Buffalo Bills returns a punt during NFL game action against the Washington Redskins at Rogers Centre on October 30, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario. The Bills won 23-0. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 30: Jairus Byrd #31 of the Buffalo Bills returns a punt during NFL game action against the Washington Redskins at Rogers Centre on October 30, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario. The Bills won 23-0. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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ORCHARD PARK, NY – NOVEMBER 17: Jairus Byrd #31 of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball during NFL game action against the New York Jets at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 17, 2013 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – NOVEMBER 17: Jairus Byrd #31 of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball during NFL game action against the New York Jets at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 17, 2013 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

1. Jairus Byrd

The best second round pick made by the Buffalo Bills over the past twenty years has to be safety Jairus Byrd. He was part of the impressive 2009 draft class that included Andy Levirtre and Eric Woods but Byrd was a breakout star at safety for this franchise.

Byrd came out of college as a cornerback but shifted to safety almost immediately. He got his first start midway through his rookie season and didn’t look back. He spent five years with the Bills and during that span had 22 interceptions, which ranks 10th in franchise history, and made the Pro Bowl in three of those years.

The Bills tried to keep Byrd by using the franchise tag before the 2013 season but couldn’t work out a long term deal. He ended up leaving in free agency and signed with the New Orleans Saints, where he played three years. Byrd went on to play one season with the Carolina Panthers in 2017 and that was the last time he played in the NFL.

He may not have had the longevity of Aaron Schobel but when Jairus Byrd was with the Buffalo Bills he was one of the best safeties in the NFL and that is why he ends up as the best second round pick by the Bills.

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