3 Buffalo Bills rookies projected to make 2024 All-Rookie Team

The Buffalo Bills may have had themselves an impactful draft that no one is talking about. Instead of the fresh and young talent that Brandon Beane drafted, there is still a lot of focus on what the Bills lost this offseason during the start of free agency. It’s time to move on and look at who the Bills have going into 2024 and beyond. The Bills did not make a first round selection in this year’s NFL Draft after trading back not once, but twice to the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers. Despite not having a rookie who has a fifth-year option on their contract, Beane still managed to put together a draft where pressing needs were addressed.

NFL Draft Analyst Chad Reuter released his 2024 All-Rookie Team projections and three Bills made an appearance, one for all three phases of the game. The belief that the Bills have three potential stars in the making should make Bills fans excited for what these young players can bring to the Bills next season and going into the future.

RB Ray Davis

The Bills drafted Davis in the fourth round and added him to a room that features James Cook and Ty Johnson, a duo that became x-factors down the stretch for the Bills last season. The addition of Davis will take pressure off of Cook and Josh Allen in the redzone. Buffalo cannot keep having Allen running it himself in the redzone and risk an unnecessary injury so Davis will be able to step in and earn himself some easy touchdowns. Not only can Davis run in between the tackles in short yardage situations, but he has a pass catching ability that will be extremely important for the passing game. 

Reuter placing Davis on this projection list shows that Buffalo may have acquired themselves an impactful player who can help elevate the Bills’ rushing attack.

S Cole Bishop

It was obvious that the Bills were going to need to draft a safety with the departure of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer this offseason. Buffalo did re-sign Taylor Rapp to a three-year deal and also brought in Mike Edwards from the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year deal, but Beane needed to draft a safety for the future. He did just that late in the second round by drafting Dalton Kincaid’s college teammate in Cole Bishop. 

Reuter went on to discuss how Bishop provides a lot of value with his run-stop ability and can be a blitzing safety to put pressure on quarterbacks. Since Sean McDermott took over in 2017, the Bills have always had one of the best safety rooms in the league and Bishop could easily become the next big player for the Buffalo defense next season and beyond.

CB/RS Daequan Hardy

Not only did the Bills draft depth in secondary with Hardy, but they also acquired the leader in punt returns for a touchdown last season. Adding a young player who can return punts and/or kickoffs can help benefit the offense as far as where they start their possession. The Bills’ return team last season was nothing special, but there was one major highlight by Deonte Harty where he returned a punt for a touchdown in Week 18 against the Miami Dolphins that was the turning point of the game that led to a Bills victory.

Hardy coming in as a sixth round draft selection should not be discouraging, but more so exciting to see what he can bring to this Buffalo special teams unit.