The NFL Combine is nearly completed and a handful of players performed very well and will undoubtedly move up several team's draft boards, including the Buffalo Bills. After some of the performances, a few caught my attention as well, in both a good and bad way. Players like Keon Coleman and Kamren Kinchens, both of whom are often mocked to the Bills, did not do well. Both of these guys are off the board for me.
Knowing Brandon Beane the way we do, it's likely we'll see some draft day trades but for this year's draft, I have Beane trading back out of the first round. Players fell perfectly, which allowed the Bills to move out of the first round entirely, and still land a stud early in the second round. We have a couple of other trades that helped the Bills select some much-needed defensive help but also addressed the offensive line for the long term.
All told this mock draft is a five-round draft that features three trades. The Bills place a focus on both the offensive and defensive lines, while still getting that potential number two receiver, that might become the heir apparent to Stefon Diggs down the road. This offseason is an important one for the Buffalo Bills and not only for the 2024 NFL season but more so beyond this year. Buffalo has a few large contracts they need to be able to move on from the coming years and this draft will hopefully make those moves easier down the road.
The Buffalo Bills pull off three big trades in this 5-round mock draft
Buffalo Bills trade out of the first round and still land a future star receiver
R2: pick 33 - Georgia receiver, Ladd McConkey
When the Bills' pick at 28 came up, two receivers were sitting there that I liked, Brian Thomas Jr., and Ladd McConkey. Both ran their 40s in under 4.4 seconds, which is a must as far as I'm concerned. I talked about traits not being everything but it's part of the equation. You simply can't coach up the traits, either a player has them or he doesn't. Both of these guys possess all the traits but it came down to McConkey being the better route runner. He's just a more polished receiver right now and should be able to step right in and start day one.
Some analysts have said McConkey is this year's Puca Nacua. I'm not going to hold my breath on that comp and expect record-breaking numbers from McConkey, but I do think he can produce right away and provide the Bills with not only that deep threat with speed, but he can operate underneath as well. McConkey ran a 4.39 at the NFL Combine, which will help his draft stock, moving him up to the early second-round range, possibly even into the first round.
Buffalo Bills find their answer in the defensive backfield
R2: pick 60 - USC Safety, Calen Bullock
Calen Bullock brings both size and speed to the position. He is 6'2 and weighs 188 pounds. At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.48, official 40-time. Pro Football Focus has him at number 62 on their big board, so getting him here at 60 is solid value and addresses a significant need for the Buffalo Bills. Next Gen Stats gives him a prospect grade of 6.13 on an eight-point grading scale and has the potential to step in as a starter on day one.
There has been talk of the Buffalo Bills addressing this need via free agency, which we will find out when that begins in a couple of weeks. However, even if the Bills decide to bring in a veteran safety, I'd look to doing a one-year deal, and still draft Bullock here with the 60th pick. This would give him a season to learn and get ready to take over as the full-time starter in 2025. The one concern with Bullock is his run defense needs some work. Some analysts see him potentially moving to corner in the NFL. Let me just entertain that for a second. How about Christian Benford to safety and convert Bullock to corner? It could work, just saying.
The Buffalo Bills get massive in the defensive line interior
R3: pick 80 - Texas interior defender, T'Vondre Sweat
T'Vondre Sweat is one of the biggest players in this year's draft class and needs to be a Buffalo Bill. The Bills need to find a way to make it happen and ensure that Sweat is wearing a Bills uniform in 2024. He is listed at 6'4" and weighing over 360 pounds. He is the massive human that Buffalo needs in the middle. To get up to the 80th overall pick to select Sweat here, Brandon Beane had to work some magic and use that draft capital to move up in the third round.
During the last two seasons at Texas, he totaled 49 pressures, including 28 last year. Those are solid numbers but his strength is his size and ability to eat up blocks and not be moved off the line of scrimmage. Re-signing DaQuan Jones this offseason should be one of Buffalo's top priorities; however, getting a guy like Sweat would be a huge, figuratively and literally, piece of the Bills defensive line rotation and a building block beyond the 2024 NFL season. At the NFL Combine, Sweat ran a 5.27-second 40-yard dash. That is a whole lot of man coming at you at a very fast rate of speed.
Buffalo Bills continue to address defensive line, and add future at center
R4: pick 131 - UCLA edge defender, Grayson Murphy
A lot of what happens in the draft I think depends somewhat on what the Bills can do via free agency this year. Both A.J. Epenesa and Leonard Floyd are pending free agents. If Buffalo can re-sign both of them, I don't know that edge will be a priority in this draft. If Buffalo loses both of these players, I can see Brandon Beane shooting higher in the draft for an edge, but regardless, Grayson Murphy here is a solid value. Murphy wasn't invited to the NFL Combine, so we'll have to wait until his pro day to see him run through the respective drills. As a senior at UCLA, he recorded eight sacks and 52 total pressures. In this scenario, the Bills traded back from 129 and secured the 134th pick as well.
R4: pick 134 - Kansas State guard, Cooper Beebe
First things first, no, there is no relation between former Bills wide receiver Don Beebe and Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper. Ok, now that we have that out of the way, I like this pick here. Buffalo's offensive line played well last season, but they can still be better. There were moments last year where it seemed the line was over-matched. Selecting another guard here so the team can develop for the future is vital to the success of this team beyond the 2024 season.
Buffalo Bills find Mitch Morse's future replacement
R5: pick 165 - Michigan center, Drake Nugent
Any offensive line from the run-oriented Michigan Wolverines is a good bet. We know the situation with Mitch Morse, age, and injuries are a concern. He didn't have any issues with the concussions in 2023, which was great, but I think Buffalo needs to look to the future with this pick as well. I know Ryan Bates is still an option, but he's also an option at guard if needed. You can never have too many good offensive linemen, and adding both Beebe and Nugent here just makes sense in the long term.
I used Pro Football Focus to put this mock draft together and I think it turned out pretty well. PFF gave this mock a B+ grade. If things were to fall this way, I would be pleased with the outcome. Two of the main players I'm looking at here are McConkey and Sweat. Those are the two players I'll be pounding the table for until draft day. I don't think it's too outlandish to expect either. Both players could easily fall to the Bills. The one caveat though, McConkey could climb draft boards and end up in the first round.