Buffalo Bills 2021 NFL Draft: Ranking the best cornerback fits

Oct 27, 2018; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Justyn Ross (8) misses a pass for a touchdown as Florida State Seminoles defensive back Asante Samuel Jr. (26) defends during the first half at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 27, 2018; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Justyn Ross (8) misses a pass for a touchdown as Florida State Seminoles defensive back Asante Samuel Jr. (26) defends during the first half at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
1 of 4
Buffalo Bills
Nov 24, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; General view of a Buffalo Bills helmet on the field prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Based on the Buffalo Bills roster, it would stand to reason that the cornerback position is one the team has taken a close look at. Depending on how the draft progresses, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bills use one of their first two picks on the position.

The cornerback position opposite Tre’Davious White is unsettled but the team does have options in Levi Wallace and Dane Jackson. However, this year’s draft class is very deep at the position and team’s are going to be able to find starting caliber corners, possibly all the way into the third round.

For the Buffalo Bills, the focus for them should be finding players that excel in zone coverage and also have good size to matchup on the outside with some of the bigger wide receivers in the league. These are the four cornerbacks that the Buffalo Bills should have high on their draft board as they could be a good fit for what they are looking for.

4. Asante Samuel Jr.

The Florida State University cornerback is someone the Bills have reportedly met with twice and they appear to be very interested in. This is interesting on the surface because his height at 5’10” and in college he played mostly man coverage, as noted in his scouting report on The Draft Network, while the Bills defense tends to lean more to zone.

However, when watching him on the field the height isn’t an issue based on the way he plays. He is not afraid to make a tackle and be physical. It doesn’t seem like he is a player who will regularly be outmatched physically when lining up against wide receivers on the outside.

As for the balance between man and zone, the fact that he excels more in man could be a good thing for the Buffalo Bills. If they want to disguise their coverage more and switch between man and zone, a player like Samuel Jr. could be an asset here.

Even though he is number four on this list, Asante Samuel Jr. would be a good pick and could start as a rookie for this team.

Schedule