Bills general manager Brandon Beane is loaded with ten selections entering this week's NFL draft. But after drafting ten players in 2024, I would expect him to use some of those picks to trade up and down the board.
The team is looking for starting caliber players on the defensive side of the ball, especially at cornerback and defensive tackle — and without spoiling anything, those positions are addressed in a big way throughout this mock. With defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi and Michael Hoecht facing six-game suspensions, and recently signed cornerbacks Tre'Davious White and Dane Jackson slated as the team's potential second starter, Beane decides to be aggressive in the early rounds of this draft.
As the Bills continue to build a championship roster for MVP quarterback Josh Allen, they also take swings on offensive playmakers in the mid to late rounds, while addressing potential needs for the 2026 roster.
Round 1, No. 30: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
While their familiar with the Bills defensive system, White and Jackson won't be quality starting options this season. So, the Bills address arguably their most glaring need with their first pick by drafting the uber-athletic Maxwell Hairston.
The former Wildcat exploded onto the scene in 2023 when he led the NCAA's Southeastern Conference (SEC) with five interceptions and two pick-sixes. After running a 4.28s 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, Hairston has dramatically risen up draft boards and he would become the Bills most athletically gifted defender during the Beane era.
He is a twitchy defender with good instincts who can play in-phase during man coverage reps and close down throwing windows while playing zone. Outside of Will Johnson, Jahdae Barron and Travis Hunter, I believe that Hairston has the highest ceiling of the remaining cornerbacks in this years class — and could become the difference maker that Buffalo's defense has been searching for.
Not to mention, Hairston was invited to Buffalo as one of their top-30 visits, according to his Instagram.
#Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston is making a pre-draft visit with the #Bills, per his Instagram.#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/7JZV2fDDBH
— Ryan Talbot (@RyanTalbotBills) April 14, 2025
TRADE — Round 2, No. 41: DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
I would be shocked if Derrick Harmon were still on the board this far into the second round, but crazier things have happened and in this case, Beane decides to swing for the former Duck who has huge upside as an interior pass rusher.
The Bills trade picks 56 (Round 2), 109 (Round 4, via Chicago) and 169 (Round 5) in exchange for the 41st overall pick from the Chicago Bears, moving up 15 selections in the second round.
At 6'4", 313 pounds and with 34 inch arms, Harmon is big enough to play the 1-tech position alongside Ed Oliver while having the skillset of a pass-rushing 3-tech defensive tackle. While Harmon isn't the greatest interior run defender in this class, his 17.6% pass-rush win rate ranked 4th best amongst this year's defensive tackle group.
After a disappointing 2024 from DaQuan Jones — and his contract set to expire after next season — the Bills are due for an upgrade at the 1-tech position. Unless Dewayne Carter drastically improves after being selected in the third round last year, Buffalo needs to find a new running mate for Oliver, and Harmon could fill that role on day one.
TRADE — Round 3, No. 68: S Andrew Mukuba, Texas
At the back end of the second round, with much of the second tier of pass rushers off the board, Beane moves back six spots to add another fourth round pick after giving one to Chicago — and he selects a ball-hawking safety from the Longhorns. The Bills trade pick 62 to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for picks 68 (Round 3) and 108 (Round 4).
With their only third round selection, Buffalo drafts another ball-hawking defensive back who stole Hairston's crown by leading the SEC with 5 interceptions in 2024. The Bills don't have a glaring need at safety, but Mukuba's ball production is hard to pass up, especially for a position group that is looking to replace the playmaking abilities of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.
Originally born in Zimbabwe, Mukuba is an athletic defender that can develop into an effective starter under McDermott and his defensive staff. The Bills considered taking a wide receiver with players like Jalen Royals and Jaylin Noel still on the board, but defense is the focus of this year's draft and there were some 'toolsy' pass-catchers remaining on day three.
Round 4, No. 108: WR Kyle Williams, Washington State
After passing on the position in round three, Buffalo finally adds to their receiver room, taking the former Cougar who exploded for 1,198 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 2024.
Williams has been making waves in the draft community since his season ended at Washington State because of his diverse release package, good seperation skills, and highlight-reel touchdown against Travis Hunter — this year's top prospect.
Last season, the Bills offense faced more man coverage than anybody else in football because their pass catchers struggled to separate from one-on-one coverage. Adding Josh Palmer should help, but that doesn't mean the Bills should stop there. If Williams is available in the fourth round, which might be unlikely, he would be a great selection.
And his versatile skillset makes him a weapon in both the slot and outside the numbers.
Round 4, No. 132: CB Zy Alexander, LSU
The first double dip of the draft comes at cornerback when the Bills select Zy Alexander towards the end of round four.
At 23 years old, Alexander is an experienced player who can be effective in both man and zone coverage, while also supporting against the run, which is something the Bills have valued in their cornerbacks.
He's not the most athletic, running just a 4.56s 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, but he relies on his instincts and length to stay in-phase and could be developed into a depth boundary corner in the case Benford were to get injured. With White — another former LSU Tiger — returning to the Bills, Alexander can learn first-hand from a disciple of McDermotts defensive scheme.
Round 5, No. 170: WR Dont'e Thornton Jr., Tennessee
Thornton Jr. is one of the greatest athletic freaks in this year's draft. Despite standing at 6'5", he was able to run a 4.30s 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He's unpolished as a route runner, but there's no denying his vertical speed, something the Bills have been missing at receiver for quite some time.
In 2024, the Bills deep passing game struggled and it had residual effects on their short and intermediate passing attack. Even if Thornton only made a handful of deep catches per season, his value would lie in posing a vertical threat to the defense which makes life easier for players like Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid.
Playing in an RPO heavy offense, Thornton only recorded ten deep targets last season. However, he made the most of his opportunities, catching seven of those targets for 376 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
In a more traditional style offense, Thornton will be given an opportunity to run more traditional routes and could reach his full potential. But again, his presence alone could have ripples through Buffalo's entire offense — and that's worth a fifth round selection.
Round 5, No. 173: G Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
The Bills offensive line has been elite in recent seasons, but with Connor McGovern and David Edwards both on expiring contracts, they bolster their depth on the interior by adding the former Bulldog who played more than 99% of his snaps at left guard in 2024.
Fairchild was amongst the best pass-blocking guards last season, allowing just nine pressures and one sack. While his run blocking needs improvement, the Bills offensive line allowed most of their pressures from the interior and upgrading their pass-blocking prowess on the inside could help.
At just 21 years old, Fairchild had already finished four seasons at Georgia before declaring for the NFL draft, so there's potential for him to become a future starter in Buffalo — or at the very least, a valuable depth piece.
Also, Fairchild is a former state champion wrestler which is sure to catch the eyes of McDermott.
Round 6, No. 177: LB Cody Simon, Ohio State
After spending four seasons as a starting linebacker at Ohio State, Simon's decorated career with the Buckeyes culminated in a National Championship in 2024 — and he was a huge contributor on the defensive side of the ball.
Simon was one of the most productive stand-up linebackers in college football last season, racking up 112 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks. In fact, he's one of those linebackers who loves to tackle which is a pretty important trait for his position.
His motor is constantly running hot and while he takes poor angles at times, he is underrated in coverage and was productive as a pass-rusher. As mentioned, he racked up seven sacks on just 87 pass-rush snaps in 2024. For comparison's sake, Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker, who will likely be drafted in the first ten picks, recorded 6.5 sacks on 195 pass-rush snaps last season.
With Matt Milano restructuring his contract to become a free agent next offseason, the Bills need to start re-bolstering their linebacker room.
Round 6, No. 206: TE CJ Dippre
With their final pick of the 2025 NFL draft, Buffalo takes the former Crimson Tide tight end who tested well at the combine for his 6,5", 256 pound frame.
Dippre is a willing blocker who can play in-line and provide some receiving upside to the team who drafts him. With the Bills deciding not to re-sign Quintin Morris, they will need to draft competition for Zach Davidson who hasn't been able to make the gameday roster in recent seasons.
The Bills usually dress three tight ends on gameday, so I'd expect them to find someone in this draft who can dress on Sundays this season — and Dippre has the tools to become that guy.
Final Thoughts
Each mock draft is supposed to be a thought provoking exercise that highlights team needs and the players who can potentially fill those needs. In this case, Buffalo addresses multiple needs with high upside players who can immediately start, particularly at cornerback and defensive tackle.
Beane probably would have liked to add an EDGE rusher in this mock draft, but the elite tier of pass-rushers were gone by the 30th overall pick, and the same can be said about the second tier of pass-rushers when the Bills selected Mukuba in round three.
Or at least I wasn't a huge fan of the remaining names and decided to add value, as opposed to reaching to fill another need.
After retooling their roster last offseason, the Bills continue to add youth on both sides of the ball, ensuring their success for the entirety of Allen's tenure at quarterback. I believe this draft plans for both next season and the future in a big way. But we'll see what Beane and the Bills think on Thursday night.