Making the case for the Buffalo Bills to draft Nakobe Dean in the first round

With the 2022 NFL Draft less than a week away, it’s time to hone in on whom the Buffalo Bills could draft with their 25th pick. 

Who are the Buffalo Bills selecting with the 25th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft?

And with wide receivers being a focal point of this year’s draft, some non-receiver players could drop because of that. Considering the Bills’ current receiving core, there’s not a glaring need to attack that position in the first round.

Now, it’s not certain that the Buffalo Bills won’t also draft a receiver, but since that position is lower on the totem pole in terms of what the Bills need, it’s likely that they go a different route with their 25th pick.

Obviously, anything can– and likely will– happen in the NFL Draft; it always does. But, with that, who is likely to be around at pick No. 25 and also fits the Buffalo Bills’ need?

While there could be a compelling argument made for plenty of players, my prediction is that Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills select … Nakobe Dean, linebacker, University of Georgia

While the Buffalo Bills have a good defense, their linebackers could use something. Tremaine Edmunds is obviously a good linebacker in the middle of the field, but having Nakobe Dean paired with Edmunds could be a pairing that lasts together for a long, long time.

That is if the Buffalo Bills and Tremaine Edmunds come to an agreement on contract details. Edmunds is about to go into his contract year, and while Bills fans would likely want him back, there hasn’t been much info surrounding whether the Bills are bringing him back or not.

Even if Edmunds doesn’t come back, a pairing of Nakobe Dean and Matt Milano would be no pairing to look down upon.

Coming from one of the LBUs (linebacker universities) in the University of Georgia, Dean comes into the NFL more polished than most players at this 25 spot, or at least the hypothetical 25th spot here. Now, with a pec strain causing Dean to not participate in Georgia’s Pro Day, there are still some question marks with Dean’s game.

And is Nakobe Dean the best player to take at pick No. 25?

Players like Tyler Linderbaum, Kaiir Elam, Roger McCreary, Breece Hall, and others could be available at this pick; and they could absolutely be selected with the 25th pick. However, Nakobe Dean would give the Buffalo Bills the best value at the 25th pick, given the talent around the 25th pick.

He’s arguably one of the best non-edge rusher linebackers in this draft, and with all the buzz around wide receivers, Dean could find himself dropping to pick No. 25 into the hands of the Buffalo Bills.

It might not be a “pretty” pick, but it’s a pick that adds immediate value to the Bills’ defense, which has certainly struggled more than their offense as of late. And that doesn’t even mean the Bills’ defense is bad; their offense is just that good.

So, with fewer needs on offense, I predict that the Buffalo Bills select Nakobe Dean at pick No. 25 in the 2022 NFL Draft.