How the Buffalo Bills can win Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft
It’s officially here! NFL Draft Day 2023 is upon us and not a moment too soon! We’ve all seen the multitude of Buffalo Bills mock drafts; I’ve put out a couple and my colleagues here at BuffaLowDown have produced a couple of their own as well. You can check out all of our team’s draft coverage here.
Now that it’s Draft Day, let’s give some thought to how the Buffalo Bills can “win” day one of the NFL Draft. I’ve been giving this some thought and have concluded that it’s simply not possible for the Bills to win the day in the eyes of the fans.
So, trying to look at this from Brandon Beane’s perspective, might be a better way to try to determine how the Bills could get a W today. Ok, I’ve looked at it from this angle as well, and I’m having a hard time reading Beane’s mind, so this isn’t working either.
I guess I’ll just spew some draft thoughts of my own in this case and give you my opinion on how the Bills could win Day One of the NFL Draft. So, here goes.
The Buffalo Bills don’t pick until the 27th overall selection
The Bills will have to wait a while before their pick; however, there could be some decent talent at the 27th overall pick. There could also be a lack of first-round graded players as well. Beane has three options he can stay put, draft the best player available, try to trade up, select one of those high-end players, or trade back, and collect an additional pick or two.
If I were making the call, I’m trading back. Beane could turn that 27th pick into a pick later in the first round, still get a solid player and get an additional pick. If we take a look at the Draft Trade Value Chart, the Bills’ 27th pick is worth 680 points.
If the Bills drop back to say, the 34th overall pick, this will net them a value pick, while addressing a need, such as linebacker, Drew Sanders of Arkansas or linebacker, Jack Campbell from Iowa State and land a third-round pick, around 95 overall.
Some mock drafts have both Sanders and Campbell going later than the 34th pick, so it’s possible The Bills could drop further back than 34 and still select one of those two players.
Additionally, with the 95th pick, you are looking at the likes of interior defensive lineman, Moro Ojomo out of Texas or edge rusher, K.J. Henry from Clemson. Both these players would be solid value picks and address a need for the future.
I’m not sure how well received this move would be from Bills Mafia’s perspective but I know some would be on board, while others would hate it. A lot of fans these days are looking for that flashy pick, move up and grab Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Bijan Robinson but go away from this draft with only four or five players.
Final thoughts on NFL Draft Day
We’ve all seen the big draft day trades over the history of this event. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. Back in 1985, Bill Walsh traded the 49ers’ first, second, and third-round picks for the New England Patriots’ first and third-round selections. He used that first-round pick on Jerry Rice, you may have heard the name.
Similarly, the Buffalo Bills traded their first-round pick in the 2014 draft, ninth overall, to the Cleveland Browns, as well as the Bills’ first and fourth-round picks in the 2015 draft. Buffalo acquired the Browns’ fourth overall pick in that 2014 draft and used it to select Sammy Watkins, who interestingly enough, was being touted to be the next Rice.
The point is this, it doesn’t matter what the Bills do today in the draft. Winning or losing Day One of this draft will not be determined until two or three years down the road. Somewhere along the way, the draft has become finding that immediate impact star, a finished product, and no longer about building your roster and franchise for the future.