You can certainly count on the Buffalo Bills to draft one, if not multiple defensive backs in next month’s NFL Draft. It’s not even just the fact that the Bills have a huge weakness at cornerback, but ever since Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane arrived in Buffalo, the Bills have always drafted a defensive back.
Even though the Bills could make the argument to draft other positions sooner rather than later, they must make sure to get a cornerback in their first three picks. They have three picks in the first two rounds so there should be no excuse as to why they don’t grab a corner then.
As it stands, the Bills have ten picks to utilize. Will they use all ten picks, I highly doubt it seeing as how Brandon Beane is not afraid to be aggressive and move up. However, no matter which route Beane takes, he has to do a solid job at hitting on the picks.
Up to this point, Buffalo’s 2022 draft class is Beane’s best. In that draft, he acquired James Cook, Terrel Bernard, Khalil Shakir, and Christian Benford. Both Bernard and Shakir got contract extensions. Now it’s just a waiting game for the status of an extension for both Cook and Benford.
Now Beane needs to find a way to have that same kind of success in this draft. There is an argument to be made that while it’s important to get a solid prospect in the first round, it’s just as important to get the later round picks right. That’s where you can find diamonds in the rough and get a steal.
Bills have an opportunity to get a big time steal with an Ohio State cornerback
Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke more than likely isn’t going in the first, or even the second round. There’s a chance he may even be a day-three pick. Assuming that Buffalo uses its three picks without trading up or down, they will have seven day-three picks.
Standing at 5’11”, Burke is above average height for a cornerback who specializes in zone coverage, which is what Bobby Babich and Sean McDermott like to run on defense.
Burke has experience of being part of a winning culture with the Buckeyes, and it also helps that he can play in the cold. As a four-year player for Ohio State, there’s no question about experience and had career-highs in tackles and interceptions in 2024.
Burke is the perfect later round prospect that the Bills could steal, and can help develop him into an eventual starter. They managed to do it with Christian Benford, so it’s not out of the question that Burke can have that similar path.