General manager Brandon Beane did his job in the NFL Draft and he did it well. He made nine picks and the majority of them were on defense. Three in the secondary and three on the defensive line. The Buffalo Bills have needed defensive help for the longest time and they have addressed some pressing needs.
Buffalo got younger at defensive tackle and cornerback. As they head into 2025 and Sean McDermott prepares for the season, Beane will have to start to look ahead at prospects for next year’s NFL Draft. That’s right, it’s never too early to start looking ahead for future talent.
You can make the argument that the Bills could go into next year’s draft needing another running back (if they don’t extend James Cook), or even drafting some offensive linemen. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if the Bills decided to go with linebacker due to the fact that Matt Milano is more than likely looking at his last season with the Bills in 2025.
Very early 2026 NFL mock draft has Bills taking Matt Milano replacement
Brent Sobleski from Bleacher Report released a very early 2026 mock draft and with the 29th pick in the first round, Sobleski has the Bills drafting Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.
"The Bills front office can hedge its bet at linebacker by bringing in the class' best off-ball option in Texas' Anthony Hill Jr. But he's more than a traditional off-ball option, which makes him even more intriguing for the Bills even if Milano comes back and continues to play a high level."Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report
He’s a young linebacker who is a rising star for the Texas Longhorns. Hill has 13 sacks over the last two seasons and had 100+ total tackles in 2024. He can move sideline-to-sideline quickly and his game looks a little bit like what Matt Milano’s used to early on in his Bills career.
The Bills extended Terrel Bernard to a four-year deal this offseason and have two years left on Dorian Williams’ rookie contract. Milano is more than likely heading out the door after 2025 and while Williams is a great run-stuffer, the Bills need a coverage linebacker and that is Hill.