Going into the 2025 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills find themselves having holes on their defense that they have no choice but to address in less than two weeks. Most notably, they have to find depth on the defensive line that can eventually develop into a starter, and they also need some major help in the secondary.
The good news? The Bills managed to extend their lockdown cornerback Christian Benford to a four-year deal to keep him in Orchard Park for the next five years. The bad news? They don’t have much after Benford. The Bills brought back Dane Jackson on a one-year deal, but there’s a reason why the Bills let him go to Carolina for last season. Buffalo also traded away Kaiir Elam to the Dallas Cowboys because of his lack of production.
Long story short, no one should be surprised if the Bills decide to spend their first round pick on a cornerback. Now the question would be, which cornerback could be available at No. 30 for the Bills?
Bills solidify cornerback position for the future in latest NFL mock draft
Josh Edwards from CBS Sports dropped an NFL mock draft and has the Bills taking a player that fans should become very familiar with; Cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. from East Carolina.
"Buffalo loves big, long cornerbacks and Shavon Revel checks that box. The franchise will almost certainly use its first-round pick to address the defense."Josh Edwards, CBS Sports
Had it not been for a torn ACL early last season, Revel might be a much earlier first-round prospect. He is a big corner who is lengthy and can play fantastic all-around coverage, whether it’s zone or man coverage. In 2023, Revel had 12 pass breakups, which not only led the team but also helped him earn Second-team All-American Athletic Conference honors.
According to Tom Pelissero from NFL Network, Revel’s surgeon told teams that Revel “will be cleared for all strength and conditioning activities in the off-season program including strength training, powerlifting, and position-specific running and cutting.”
Revel’s surgeon, Dr. Daniel Cooper, told teams in a recent letter: “After the NFL draft, he will be cleared for all strength and conditioning activities in the off-season program including strength training, powerlifting, and position-specific running and cutting.”
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 7, 2025
It is risky taking a player in the first round who is coming off of a torn ACL. However, it shouldn’t set him back because he is young and Revel has the physical attributes to become a solidified starter for any team in the NFL. Pairing Revel with Benford give the Bills their starting cornerback duo for the next four years, and then it’s just a matter of building depth around them.