The news this week that the Buffalo Bills could be looking to trade up in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft isn’t overly surprising. General manager Brandon Beane has had a history of moving up when there is a player they believe in and want to ensure they have the opportunity to select.
This year, it seemed like a trade up was unlikely considering the Bills only have six draft picks but it would appear Brandon Beane has a specific player in mind and it may not be one that many expect.
The report by ESPN’s Matt Miller noted the Bills were looking for an offensive skill player or interior offensive lineman and these are four players that fit in that category that may be a surprise.
4 surprising picks the Buffalo Bills could trade up for in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft
Peter Skoronski
There are not many interior offensive linemen that would make sense to trade up for in the first round. The obvious choice might be O’Cyrus Torrence but he doesn’t fit the typical offensive linemen the Buffalo Bills target as he has average athleticism.
One interesting trade up candidate would be Peter Skoronski out of Northwestern. He is often discussed as an offensive tackle prospect but his best position could be inside at guard. The scouting report on NFL.com has this quote from an executive with an NFC team:
"“He’s a Pro Bowler at guard but just an average tackle if a team keeps him there.”"
The concern with Skoronski is that he doesn’t have great arm length which could create a challenge defending edge rushers out wide. However, inside at guard he has less area to cover and the arm length is not an issue.
Skoronski also has incredible athleticism and fits the profile more for what the Buffalo Bills look for. He has a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.30 out of 10 and elite composite explosion grade.
Peter Skoronski is expected to go somewhere in the middle of the first round and that is possibly why the Bills could be looking to trade up.
Zay Flowers
The wide receiver position is one of the most interesting in the 2023 NFL Draft because there is no clear cut top prospect at the position. There is a group of four or five that certainly could make a case for having his name heard first in the 2023 NFL Draft at the position.
One of those players is Zay Flowers, who has really improved his stock over the past few weeks and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that his stock is “surging”, according to Bleacher Report. This could be one of the reasons the Bills would have to trade up if this is the player they believe they need for the offense.
If the Buffalo Bills were to draft Zay Flowers, he would likely fit in as the starting slot receiver as he is smaller at 5’10” and 177 pounds. However, he was very productive with Boston College this past season with 78 receptions, 1,077 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns.
The biggest concern with Zay Flowers, and why I believe he may not be a great fit, is that he struggled with drops in college. According to Mike Renner with Pro Football Focus, Flowers had a career drop rate of 10.8% and is one of only six wide receivers with a rate over 10%.
Last year, drops were a pretty consistent storyline for the Buffalo Bills wide receivers and it doesn’t make a lot of sense to add another wide receiver with a similar issue.
Jalin Hyatt
One wide receiver that would be really a surprise for the Buffalo Bills to trade up in the first round would be Jalin Hyatt out of Tennessee. However, when diving in a little deeper it is a player that makes a lot of sense for this offense.
Jalin Hyatt is one of the best deep-threat wide receivers in this year’s class and last season with the Volunteers had an average of 18.9 yards per reception and 15 receiving touchdowns. This was something the Buffalo Bills really missed last season as they didn’t have a wide receiver who could challenge defenses deep with their speed.
Hyatt also is a sure-handed wide receiver as Matt Miller with ESPN tweeted with only eight career drops over three seasons at Tennessee and has a drop rate that is half of Zay Flowers.
He is a wide receiver that gives the team some long-term insurance as he could step in as a slot receiver this year and move outside in 2024 if the team doesn’t re-sign Gabe Davis, who is set to be a free agent after this season.
Darnell Washington
If the Buffalo Bills were to trade up in the first round for tight end Darnell Washington it would certainly be a surprise because he seems like a candidate that could be available when the Bills are picking at 27. However, it also would be hard to blame Brandon Beane for moving up because there is no tight end like Darnell Washington.
At the Scouting Combine, Darnell Washington described himself as the ‘most unique’ tight end and it is hard to argue against that claim. He has incredible size for the position at 6’7″ and 264 pounds with unbelievable athleticism. NFL.com gave him an athleticism score of 91, which ranked second among the tight ends at the NFL Combine.
So why would the Buffalo Bills trade up for Darnell Washington? The reason is that he could impact this offense in a number of ways. The size he possesses essentially makes him a sixth offensive lineman out there and he comes from a run-heavy offense at Georgia. He would make an immediate impact on the run game, which is something the Bills continue to try and improve.
However, he is more than just a run-blocking tight end and has room to grow as a receiver which alongside Dawson Knox unlocks a lot of the playbook and what Ken Dorsey can do with the players he has. If the Bills trade up for Darnell Washington it would be surprising but it would be a great addition.