The Buffalo Bills are entering the 2023 NFL Draft likely looking to add a wide receiver or two over the three days. The Bills have a glaring question at slot receiver after releasing Isaiah McKenzie but could also be looking past the 2023 season and may draft a player who could replace Gabe Davis if he were to leave in free agency.
The good news is that there should be plenty of options in each round that the Buffalo Bills could draft to address this key position. These are the ideal wide receiver to target in all seven rounds.
Buffalo Bills Ideal WR in Round 1 of NFL Draft: Jordan Addison (USC)
There will be plenty of options in the first round for the Buffalo Bills if they want to address the wide receiver position. While players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zay Flowers could be the selection, the ideal pick in this round would be Jordan Addison.
The reason that Addison is the best among this group is that he brings versatility to the position and gives the Buffalo Bills options this year and after. He is probably the one wide receiver in this group that has the skill set to play both inside and outside.
For the Buffalo Bills, this gives them options as he could play in the slot as a rookie and remain there in 2024 or move outside and replace Gabe Davis if he were to leave in free agency.
While not the same wide receiver, Jordan Addison is similar to Stefon Diggs in that he is not the biggest wide receiver but does an excellent job in route running that helps him create that separation. He is a player that would be an excellent receiver to pair with Stefon Diggs that has the upside to eventually be the number one wide receiver in this offense.
Buffalo Bills Ideal WR in Round 2 of NFL Draft: Jalin Hyatt (Tennessee)
In the second round the best wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills would be Jalin Hyatt out of Tennessee. It might be wishful thinking he would be available when the Bills are on the clock towards the end of the second and they may have to trade up to select Hyatt.
However, a trade-up would certainly be worth it as Jalin Hyatt could be a great receiver to pair with Stefon Diggs as he has tremendous speed that really isn’t currently at the position. This past season Hyatt had a breakout season with 67 receptions, 1,267 receiving yards, and 15 receiving touchdowns with an impressive average of 18.9 yards per reception.
The addition of Jalin Hyatt to this offense would force defenses to play further back and respect the deep ball with Josh Allen’s arm strength and Hyatt’s speed. If the Bills can do this it would open the middle of the field and underneath routes for players like Diggs and Dawson Knox.
Buffalo Bills Ideal WR in Round 3 of NFL Draft: Marvin Mims (Oklahoma)
In the third round the Buffalo Bills could look to target Marvin Mims out of Oklahoma, who similar to Hyatt has the speed to make big plays down the field.
In three seasons with the Sooners, Mims didn’t see a high volume of receptions (123 career receptions in 37 games) but made the most of those catches with an average of close to 20 yards per reception. In total he had 2,398 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns during his time with Oklahoma.
Marvin Mims is not a big wide receiver at only 5’11” and 183 pounds and probably will play most of his career out of the slot.
However, the Buffalo Bills could utilize him similarly to how Isaiah McKenzie has been and moved around the formation to try and give him free releases that allow him to use that explosiveness to his advantage.
Buffalo Bills Ideal WR in Round 4 of NFL Draft: Parker Washington (Penn State)
If the Buffalo Bills want to wait until the end of Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft to address the wide receiver position then Parker Washington out of Penn State would be a good option for general maanger Brandon Beane.
Washington is another wide receiver that probably is suited best for slot receiver but has a little more physicality and is more compact at 5’10” and 204 pounds. He won’t beat anyone with pure speed but has good elusiveness and enough quickness to generate yards after the catch.
In three seasons at Penn State, Washington had 146 receptions, 611 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns. He was also a sure-handed wide receiver and according to Matt Jones at FantasyPros had a career drop rate of just over 5%.
The Buffalo Bills definitely missed a reliable pass catcher in the slot and Parker Washington should be able to step in right away as a rookie in the slot.
Buffalo Bills Ideal WR in Round 5 of NFL Draft: Michael Wilson (Stanford)
This is a great year to need a slot receiver as a majority of the receivers in this year’s class are smaller and will fit that role well. However, if the Buffalo Bills want to add some size to the position, and potentially draft a player to replace Gabe Davis on the outside, Michael Wilson out of Stanford could be a great selection in this round.
However, Wilson is not limited to just outside and could also play inside as a bigger slot. He drew a comparison to Mack Hollins in his scouting report on NFL.com who is coming off an excellent season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
In five seasons at Stanford, Wilson had 134 receptions, 1,662 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. However, he hasn’t played a full season since 2019 and over the past three seasons has played only 14 total games due to injuries.
The talent is certainly there with Michael Wilson and at this point in the NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills may be willing to overlook the injury history in hopes of finding a steal on Day 3 if Wilson can stay healthy.
Buffalo Bills Ideal WR in Round 6 of NFL Draft: Justin Shorter (Florida)
In the sixth round Justin Shorter out of Florida would be the ideal wide receiver to target for the Buffalo Bills in the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a bigger wide receiver at 6’4″ and 229 pounds and likely wouldn’t contribute much as a rookie but has the tools to develop into a starter.
Shorter played two seasons at Penn State in 2018 and 2019 before transferring to the University of Florida for the past three years. In 2021, he had the most receptions in college with 41 but this past season he had a career-high with 577 receiving yards.
He was able to do this in only nine games, as he dealt with a hamstring injury, but was able to set the career high with an average of 19.9 yards per reception.
The Buffalo Bills really don’t have a wide receiver with the size that Justin Shorter possesses and he could be a good option at the end of the depth chart and utilized in certain situations as a rookie as he develops.
Buffalo Bills Ideal WR in Round 7 of NFL Draft: Justin Marshall (Buffalo)
While the Buffalo Bills don’t presently have a seventh round pick they very easily could end up with one by the end of the 2023 NFL Draft with how much general manager Brandon Beane trades during the seven rounds.
If the Bills do add a seventh round pick then Justin Marshall would be the ideal wide receiver in the final round of the NFL Draft. Marshall began at Louisville and played three seasons there before transferring to the University of Buffalo this past year.
Marshall had an excellent season for the Bulls and finished with 64 receptions, 837 receiving yards, and nine receiving touchdowns.
He is a similar wide receiver to Shorter in that he is a bigger wide receiver at 6’3″ and would need time to develop. However, if he can contribute on special teams he might have a path to a spot on the 53-man roster as a rookie.