The Buffalo Bills need to rebuild their wide receiver corps in 2024. I'm not concerned about Stefon Diggs just yet and the only other wide receiver on the roster that I'm fully confident in is Khalil Shakir. We don't know what we have with Justin Shorter, and I don't think Deonte Harty, Gabe Davis, or Trent Sherfield will return in 2024. There are a few receivers currently on the practice squad too but I'm not banking on any of them either.
With the NFL Combine coming up in a couple of weeks, the Bills will undoubtedly have some boots on the ground in Indianapolis scouting all the prospects, paying particular attention to the class of receivers. This year's class looks to be very talented and deep. I don't expect the Bills to be in the running for the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, or Malik Nabers, but with the 28th pick in the draft, Buffalo will have some options.
Whoever winds up with the Bills, I would have to imagine is being brought in as the Diggs heir apparent. Diggs is 30 years old, and many are speculating that he's no longer the elite receiver he was previously. Statistically, he had a good year but the significant drop off in production and dropped passes has been a big topic of conversation. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not yet concerned about Diggs. I don't think the drop-off had anything to do with his age. Regardless, there will be a drop off at some point due to age and the Bills need to be ready.
I've selected five receivers that were invited to the NFL Combine and these are the receivers that Bills fans should be keeping an eye on to see how they perform. Any one of these receivers could end up on the Bills roster in 2024. Keep in mind, not all these guys are necessarily first or second-round prospects either. I wanted to get some on this list that could be selected in the later rounds as well but with significant upside. I've already talked about some of the quarterbacks that will be at the combine, now let's get into the receivers.
Keon Coleman - FSU
Keon Coleman is a fan favorite and has been mocked to the Buffalo Bills in multiple drafts already. He's the most physically imposing of the five I listed here. He is 6'4" and weighs 215 pounds. Rumor has it he runs a 4.45, 40 but with the NFL Combine coming up, he'll have an opportunity to prove he can run that fast, or maybe faster. Coleman's blend of size and speed makes him a highly coveted player and may not be available for the Bills at 28 but Brandon Beane might have the draft assets to move up.
NFLDraftbuzz.com has Coleman as their fourth-best wide receiver and 24th overall player and earned an overall rating of 87.5. Pro Football Focus doesn't think as highly of him. PFF has him rated as the seventh-best receiver and 37th overall and earned a PFF grade of 70.3. In 2023, Coleman recorded 50 receptions, 658 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Troy Franklin - Oregon
Troy Franklin is another that has come up a lot in Bills circles. He's certainly a fan favorite as well. He possesses good size at 6'3" and 187 pounds. He runs a 4.35, 40. Franklin is another one that may not be available at 28 and if the Bills want him, they may have to move up to get him. I'm higher on Franklin than I am on Coleman and would be thrilled to have him on the Bills roster in 2024.
NFLDraftbuzz.com has him rated as their fifth-best receiver and tied with Coleman at 24th overall, with a rating of 87.5. Pro Football Focus ranks him 5th among receivers and 26th overall, with a grade of 84.9. In 2023, Franklin recorded 81 receptions, 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's rated close to the same by both PFF and NFLDraftbuzz.com, which is a good sign to me, and he has the production to go with it.
Roman Wilson - Michigan
Romas Wilson is shorter than Coleman and Franklin but he brings excellent speed with a 4.37. He's only 6 foot and weighs 192 pounds. One thing you can expect to get from Wilson as well, is solid blocking skills. You don't play for Michigan and not learn to be a good run-blocker. NFLDraftbuzz.com has him projected as a third-round prospect. If Buffalo wanted to double up at the position, drafting in the first round and coming back in the third for Wilson, I would not have a problem with that.
NFLDraftbuzz gives him an 84.4 rating, ranking him 19th at the position and 81st overall. PFF graded him an 81.5, ranking him 15th among receivers and 73 overall. Last season with Michigan, Wilson recorded 45 receptions, 735 yards, and 12 touchdowns. The scoring production is good but he didn't put up big numbers. That can likely be attributed to Michigan's run-first philosophy.
Luke McCaffrey - Rice
Luke McCaffrey, being the younger brother of Christian McCaffrey, makes him appealing. His dad, Ed, was a terrific receiver for the Denver Broncos back in the day. Luke is projected to go in the fifth round, so taking a shot on the name is more than worth the risk. Luke is 6'1" and weighs 202 pounds. Decent size and speed too, running a 4,46.
NFLDraftbuzz.com has him as their 24 ranked receiver, and 139th overall, with an 81.5 rating. PFF graded him at an 80.1. They ranked him their 30th overall receiver and 162nd overall prospect. Quite a difference between the two sites but in 2023, McCaffrey totaled 71 receptions, 992 yards, and 13 touchdowns. Solid production but from a smaller school against weaker competition. Still, in the fifth round, you are drafting someone with a lot of upside with little risk.
Javon Baker - UCF
Javon Baker is another of my favorites but I don't think he last into the sixth round, which is where some sites have him projected. He's 6'1" and weighs 208 pounds. He's an example of why this year's draft class is so incredibly deep at the receiver position. He has a reported 40-time of 4.48. Have you noticed a theme with these five receivers yet? Every one of them runs a sub-4.5 40 and that is what the Bills need on the 2024 roster.
NFLDraftbuzz.com lists him as their 26th-best wide receiver and 180th overall, with a rating of 79.4. PFF sees him differently though, grading him an 82.9, ranking 23rd among receivers and 112th overall. A significant difference between the two sites but from what I've seen so far, I think he will do very well at the NFL level and hope he ends up in Buffalo.