A stand-out season from James Cook along with an uptick in production from Khalil Shakir made Buffalo’s offense look better than it is. General manager Brandon Beane shouldn’t let this distract from the clear need to add weapons on offense.
It’s no question that Josh Allen would benefit from having a new, true WR1. At the very least, they’ll need another young player to develop alongside Shakir and Keon Coleman. Being strapped for cash, expect Buffalo to add talent through the draft.
Ideal WR prospects coming into the NFL Draft to help Josh Allen take the next step forward
Travis Hunter - Colorado
A top-five pick at receiver or at cornerback, Travis Hunter is the enigma of the class. Unfortunately for Bills fans, he’ll be be long gone before #30, and a trade-up is tremendously unlikely. Presently, I think Hunter is the best receiver in the class, but he won’t be a Bill.
Tetairoa McMillan - Arizona
Tetairoa McMillan is one prospect falling on some boards as we approach the draft, but he most certainly has a 1st-round floor given that he is a 6’5” 212 lbs WR running in the 4.4s. With the frame and the athleticism becoming of a #1 wide receiver, it is only reasonable to expect to hear McMillan’s name called well before the Bills come to pick at #30.
As rumors swirl, there may be hope that this hyper-talented player falls into trade-up territory for Buffalo, but seeing as he sits at #3 overall on Pro Football Focus’s Big Board, McMillan may just simply be outside of Brandon Beane’s, and therefore Josh Allen’s, reach.
Matthew Golden - Texas
Watching the Texas Longhorns come down to the final whistle against the Arizona State Sun Devils, it was hard not to wonder why we hadn’t heard Golden’s name more often with respect to the first round of the NFL Draft. Certainly ASU’s Skattebo thrilled, but every single time Texas needed a play they called Golden’s number.
The fluidity, route running, sure-handedness, and confidence were all there, what was missing? Turns out the athleticism is also very much present, as Golden ran a 4.29 second 40-yard-dash in Indianapolis. Before the combine, there was a strong chance Golden would be on the board at #30 for Beane to scoop up, but as we near the draft that possibility seems fleeting.
Luther Burden III - Missouri
Luther Burden III should absolutely not be available for Buffalo at #30, but if he is they should sprint the card to the Commissioner as quickly as possible. The 6’ 206 lbs receiver struggled last fall relative to his 2023 campaign, but his film still jumps off the screen. The first thing you will notice is elite contact balance and lower-half strength.
This is the same thing that showed up on tape with Zay Flowers when he was at Boston College, and Burden is a notably larger prospect. Even with the production decline, Burden is likely to be a variable weapon for whichever team claims him on day one, and Josh Allen would most certainly benefit.
Emeka Egbuka - Ohio State
Egbuka was the veteran in Brian Hartline’s loaded Ohio State receiver room. While many thought he would declare last year, he opted for one more season with the Buckeyes, landing himself a national championship in the process. Some posited that Egbuka hung back due to the particular strength of the 2024 WR class, but whether or not that was the case does not change the fact that 2025 remains awfully top-heavy.
All that said, Egbuka is the draft selection to make if a team wants a low-risk, safe addition to the receiver room. Given Golden’s late rise, and some damage done to Egbuka’s production by the sensational true freshman Jeremiah Smith, there is a world where this prospect is available at #30, and Buffalo would be wise to pounce.