2022 NFL Draft: Buffalo Bills select James Cook 60th overall

After trading up to select Kaiir Elam 22nd overall in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills traded down from No. 57 to 60— as well as pick No. 180. However, the trading didn’t end there, as they then traded down with the Bengals at pick No. 60 to receive picks No. 63 and 209.

Now, the Bills found themselves picking later in the second round, though not much later than their original second-round pick, where most of the top-name guys have been taken already. Not that 63rd is that late at all in the draft, per se, but this is where the household names get separated from the less known.

The Buffalo Bills select James Cook with the 63rd overall pick

And with that 63rd pick, the Bills beefed up their running backs by selecting James Cook— yes, Dalvin Cook’s brother— from Georgia. Being able to pair up with Devin Singletary and Zack Moss could help their introduction into the NFL from college. That being said, one of those two running backs could see their time in Buffalo come to an end soon.

So far, with Elam and Cook, Brandon Beane can hold his head up high knowing he’s put up a solid draft thus far, and he’s added some back-end talent by trading down a few picks.

Sure, missing out on Breece Hall was tough, but being able to get James Cook is not as bad as it seems. His ability to be utilized in the passing game makes him a very strong member of this offense.

At Georgia, James Cook made a name for themselves as a reliable mix-in running back alongside Zamir White. There’s a need for improvement in areas, as most second-round selections do, but all-in-all, the Buffalo Bills have gotten better after their first two selections, that’s for sure.

With the strength of the AFC, the Bills are going to need to make any and all improvements they can make, especially with the three home-run selections for the New York Jets in the first round. Considering their lack of attention in the AFC East for many years, they could be a team that tries to rain on the parade of the Buffalo Bills.

However, hopefully, with the selection of James Cook, the Bills remain one of the top AFC contenders. Adding Cook should only increase those odds.