Buffalo Bills Draft: Brandon Beane’s Day 2 haul was a home run

Leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills had a few clear needs that had to be addressed. However, the board doesn’t always fall the way you need it to fall.

Drafting for need rather than talent can be dangerous. It’s the age-old question of whether a team should take the best player available, regardless of position. During the second and third rounds of the draft, though, Brandon Beane was able to have the best of both worlds.

In Round 2, the Bills were able to land a player who had been mocked to Buffalo many times, only in the first round. Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence would have been worthy of a first-round selection, but somehow fell to the Bills all the way down at pick no. 28 of the second.

In the third round, Buffalo was able to land Tulane linebacker Dorian Williams at the same spot, no. 28.

O’Cyrus Torrence and Dorian Williams are exactly what the Buffalo Bills needed on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft

We have said, many times, that the Bills should be looking at an interior lineman early in the draft. Finding competition, or a replacement, for Ryan Bates was a must. Torrence does exactly that, as he’ll come in and start in Bates’ place.

The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Torrence is a wide, broad, and strong interior lineman who will be an enormous help in the run game. But, because of his size, he’s able to take on and engulf pass rushers at a high level, too.

Torrence could have very well been a first rounder, but the Bills got incredibly fortunate to land him where they did.

Meanwhile, Williams comes in and can be the Tremaine Edmunds replacement that many Bills fans were still wondering about. Tyrel Dodson was the de facto replacement up until now, but with Williams’ arrival, that changes.

Williams is an ultra-athletic, quick linebacker who moves like a safety. He can get sideline to sideline in a hurry, and has a lot of experience in coverage. Last season, Williams tallied an unbelievable 132 total tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, seven passes defended and two picks.

If ever there was an Edmunds replacement, at that point in the draft, this was it.

Beane knocked Day 2 out of the park, and fans should feel a whole lot better about those two positions being solidified going forward. It’s rare that you’re able to draft for need and value at the same time, but somehow, Beane did just that.