With the 2024 Draft just days away, let’s take a look at what could lie ahead for the Buffalo Bills. The following is based on what I think the Bills could realistically do, trying to use concepts that the Bills have seemed to draft with.
In the early rounds I drafted for need, while once we get into the latter rounds, we draft based on traits. I used the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator to give us a semi-realistic look at how the draft would fall for the other 31 teams. Obviously, I would love to pick Marvin Harrison Jr. at 28, but that’s unrealistic and would void this of any credibility.
Pick 28: Trade with the Arizona Cardinals
Starting off strong, the Bills trade back with the Arizona Cardinals. Buffalo gives up pick 28 and pick 144; in return, they get picks 35 and 66. This trade lets Buffalo jump into the third round and get another top-100 pick. For those interested, the Cardinals picked up Kool-Aid McKinstry, cornerback out of Alabama, filling one of their draft needs.
Pick 35: Ladd McKonkey, WR, Georgia
The 6'0", 185 lbs receiver will be the first wide receiver taken by the Bills in the first two rounds of the draft since they picked Zay Jones in 2017. Ladd is a yards-after-catch monster with good speed. He logged a 4.39 40-yard dash.
That speed also gives him good downfield ability on top of being used in backfield plays like screens, flea flickers, and jet sweeps. One major point that I feel isn’t looked at enough is that Ladd McKonkey was on a Georgia team that had a strong tight end as its main passing option.
Ladd would be stepping into a similar situation with the Bills with Tight End Dalton Kincaid looking like the number one option since the exit of Stefon Diggs. With his injury history, it is reasonable that he falls to the early second round.