The 2023 NFL Draft is officially here with the first round set to kick off tomorrow from Kansas City. This is a pivotal draft for general manager Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills after they saw their season end in a disappointing fashion to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Unfortunately for the Bills, the conference is still just as competitive but the AFC East has gotten much tougher with the New York Jets trading for Aaron Rodgers. This team is still the best in the division but it is no longer a foregone conclusion that they will win another AFC East title.
The Buffalo Bills enter this year’s draft with only six draft picks, beginning with the 27th overall pick but Brandon Beane has been a general manager that is not afraid to make a trade or two over the three day event. With that in mind, this is the final mock draft before the 2023 NFL Draft and what I believe could happen for the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo Bills 2023 Final Mock Draft: Josh Allen gets WR this offense needs
This year there is no consensus number one wide receiver although it has seemed that Jaxon Smith-Njigba has pulled slightly ahead of the rest of the group recently. However, the wide receiver that I believe is the best fit is Jordan Addison, who falls to the Bills in this mock draft and their patience is rewarded.
Jordan Addison is an excellent route runner that is able to create separation from defenders and is a player that can play in the slot but also plays outside. This versatility is one of the reasons that I believe he is the wide receiver the Buffalo Bills need to get with questions about whether or not Gabe Davis will be with the team past the 2023 season.
Addison would fit in seamlessly into this offense as it is currently constructed and make an impact immediately as a rookie. However, he also would be an excellent complement to Stefon Diggs as he develops in the NFL as a number two wide receiver.
The Buffalo Bills remain patient in the first but in the second make a jump and swing a trade with the Seattle Seahawks to move up seven spots which costs them a fourth and sixth round pick to draft their future starting middle linebacker.
The Buffalo Bills lost Tremaine Edmunds this offseason in free agency after he was the starter for the past five seasons. The front office has done a good job of creating competition with A.J. Klein, Tyrel Dodson, Terrel Bernard and Baylon Spector but none possess the upside of Drew Sanders out of the University of Arkansas.
He had only one season as a starter after playing the previous two years with the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Buffalo Bills may need to be patient as Sanders learns the position more but have given themselves that luxury with the depth they already have on the roster.
However, the ceiling is very evident from what he showed last year with the Razorbacks, especially with how he was able to pressure the quarterback. One thing that does stand out about Sanders, and is comparable to Edmunds, is his size as he is 6’4″ and 235 pounds while Edmunds was 6’5″ and 250 pounds.
A linebacker of Sanders’ size creates problems for opposing offenses, particularly in the passing game as they have to try and throw over him which can result in throws being off-target or high. While it did cost two picks to move up to select Drew Sanders, the Buffalo Bills have addressed two key needs early in this mock draft.
In the third round, and their second pick on Day 2, the Buffalo Bills remain on the defensive side of the ball to select defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy out of LSU. Roy played in 31 games over three seasons for LSU and had 97 total tackles, four sacks, and 13.5 tackles for a loss.
The Bills reportedly have had an interest in Roy dating back to the NFL Combine when they set up a Top 30 visit with him, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The interest certainly makes sense as defensive tackle could be an issue down the road for this team with all four primary players at the position last year set to be free agents after this season.
If the Buffalo Bills were to draft Jaquelin Roy, he likely would be more of a replacement for Ed Oliver as a three-tech on this defense. He is a balanced defensive tackle as he does a good job against both the run and pass but isn’t necessarily great in either area, based on this scouting report on The Draft Network.
The Bills won’t completely fix the long-term concerns with just one pick but adding Jaquelin Roy would be a great first step.
The Buffalo Bills have only one pick left in this mock draft after making the trade in the second round. With this final pick, general manager Brandon Beane could go a number of different directions from adding another defensive tackle, a pass rusher, or adding to the offensive line and potentially finding a long-term replacement for Mitch Morse.
However, the final pick he goes back to the offensive side of the ball and adds a tight end that can complement Dawson Knox and give the offense a chance to run more two-tight end sets this upcoming season.
The Buffalo Bills could use depth at the position with Tommy Sweeney leaving in free agency and Quintin Morris more of a receiving threat than an inline tight end. Luke Schoonmaker is someone that could help right away as a blocker on the edge with the potential of some room to grow as a receiver.
During his time in Michigan, he didn’t have big receiving numbers and this past season was his best with 35 receptions, 418 receiving yards and three touchdowns. However, he is very athletic with a Relative Athletic Score of 9.68 and this is an area he could develop with coaching.
The addition of Luke Schoonmaker gives the position more balance and opens the playbook a bit for Ken Dorsey.