Buffalo Bills 2023 NFL Draft: Prospects and games to watch in Week 9
Game of the Week: #9 Oklahoma State @ #22 Kansas State, 3:30PM
Oklahoma State Prospects: DT Tyler Lacy, EDGE Brock Martin, EDGE Trace Ford, QB Spencer Sanders, OG Hunter Woodard, S Jason Taylor II,
Kansas State Prospects: EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, OG Cooper Beebe, RB Deuce Vaughn, OLB Daniel Green, CB Julius Brents, CB Ekow Boye-Doe
Both are ranked, both most recent loss to #7 TCU, and both with plenty of draft prospects the Bills could be interested in.
The main prospects to watch are RB Deuce Vaughn of Kansas State and DT Tyler Lacy of Oklahoma State. Running Back is potentially a position of need for the Buffalo Bills while on the other side defensive tackle is currently one of the team’s strengths. Either way, both players have really strong skill sets that the Bills could be interested in.
Vaughn is incredibly gifted but also slightly limited. Vaughn is really small, think like Darren Sproles is small. While the Bills may be looking for more of a workhorse back there may not be one in this draft that makes sense for them. In that case, a player like Vaughn could be on intrigue. Vaughn is an elite playmaker both as a runner and a pass catcher.
We often see gadget receivers in the NFL but think of Vaughn as a gadget running back who can make plays from anywhere. Vaughn is a little limited in the fact that he is not really the guy you want around the goalline or short-yardage situations and while he is an elite pass catcher his size limits his ability to pass block.
Although the Bills are a little stacked on the defensive line you can never have enough prospects. I really like Tyler Lacy as a prospect and the main reason is his versatility. Lacy has lined up at nearly every single position across the defensive line for Oklahoma State this season. Lacy has what I like to call situational versatility where he can play multiple positions based on in-game situations. So, in theory, Lacy never has to come off the field because of his skill set. Obviously, you need to rotate the defensive line it is the sort of versatility we have seen the Bills have a little intrigue with in Boogie Basham. As a prospect Lacy is really well-rounded. Violent hands, is quick off the snap, has solid pass-rushing moves, and can leverage gaps really well in the run game.
In terms of the other prospects playing I really like the offensive guard for Kansas State Cooper Beebe, he could be one of the best five guard prospects in the draft. Beebe has great strength and consistently controls the line of scrimmage. He lacks skills in space or the second level but has the physical tools you want to see in an interior offensive lineman.
There are a few edge rushers to watch in this game, Brock Martin and Trace Ford are a solid tandem for Oklahoma State who could garner some late round interest. For Kansas State Felix Anudike-Uzomah is an edge rusher who could jump to the end of the first round potentially. He has good hand placement and is an impressive counter-rusher who can take advantage of missteps by offensive tackles.
Overall there are a lot of positions and prospects here that the Bills could be intrigued with. This is a ranked matchup in a wild Big 12 conference that has produced some of the most intense games all college football season.
