The Buffalo Bills have been built up through the NFL Draft ever since Brandon Beane came to town and it’s worked out for the most part. They still have yet to reach the Super Bowl in the Josh Allen era but for the most part, the Bills have become a true powerhouse in the NFL. They are one of few remaining teams left at the end of each season, now it’s just about getting over the hump.
One draft pick under Buffalo’s current regime is someone that didn’t get a whole lot of attention coming out of the 2022 NFL Draft and that was cornerback Christian Benford. Drafted out of Villanova in the 6th round, there weren't a ton of expectations of Benford. However, he impressed early on and once he got his opportunity to shine, he took advantage and has become Buffalo’s CB1 for the future.
He’s been playing near an All-Pro level the last two seasons and Buffalo rewarded him with a four-year extension this past offseason. While the rest of the cornerbacks are going to be finding their footing, Bills fans know that they have a lockdown corner in Benford going into the 2025 season.
Even though Bills Mafia knows just how special Benford is, the rest of the NFL doesn’t think so. NFL executives, coaches, and scouts recently ranked the top cornerbacks going into the 2025 season (per Jeremy Fowler) and Benford wasn’t mentioned once. Not even as a player who got some votes. He was completely left off.
While Taron Johnson did receive some votes, Benford is the better lockdown corner but the rest of the NFL doesn’t seem to think so and they are completely wrong.
Christian Benford is NFL's most underrated (and overlooked) CB1
How are we going to leave a cornerback that allowed just 8.5 yards per reception last season off this list? Not to mention, he’s only allowed 6 total touchdowns the last two seasons. Yet, we are going to put Jets’ cornerback Sauce Gardner in the top five despite giving up over 16 yards per reception according to Pro Football Reference.
Leaving Benford off this list is a joke and it just kind of seems like a popularity contest at this point. Hopefully Benford can shine once again in 2025 and prove to the rest of the NFL that he is one of the best despite not being a “big name” player. Unbelievable.