Do the Buffalo Bills' recent player releases change their draft outlook? I think it does and here is why. With Ryan Bates being traded and Mitch Morse released, the depth on the Bills offensive line took a significant hit. The team could look to free agency to fill that need but drafting an offensive lineman or two should still be on Brandon Beane's list. Additionally, the team released Deonte Harty and has two other receivers pending free agency Gabe Davis and Trent Sherfield.
Clearly safety and cornerback are areas of need as well, with Tre'Davious White, Jordan Poyer, and Siran Neal released. I also think that linebacker is an area not many are talking about but is a need too. Tyrel Dodson is a free agent and will probably be looking for a starting gig somewhere. I hope the Bills can retain him but wouldn't blame him for leaving to start somewhere else. Lastly, defensive tackle and potentially edge could be big needs too.
Brandon Beane will do his best to fill as many holes as he can through free agency. That's how he works too, using free agency to address needs, so he and the team can focus more on the best player available come draft day. So much of all this will change over the next couple of weeks too. Free agency kicks off later this week and we'll have a clearer picture of the Bills roster, but for now, let's look at what a five-round mock draft might look like after the releases and the confirmation of the comp pick the Bills received this year.
Buffalo Bills 5-round mock draft, includes two huge additions to the receiving corps.
R1:28 - Adonai Mitchell - Wide receiver, Texas
Adonai Mitchell put on a show at the NFL Combine last week. Next Gen Stats scored his athleticism at 91, fourth best among the receivers that were participating at the combine. He is 6'2" and weighs 205 pounds. What's more impressive was the 40-time, clocking an incredible 4.34 seconds. As a senior at Texas, he totaled 55 receptions and 845 yards. He also had an incredible 11 touchdowns. In 2021 and 2022 combined, he only had 38 receptions but added seven touchdowns. He has a nose for getting into the end zone.
One thing that has been brought up on more than one scouting report is "Intensity can fluctuate". This is a trait that is key for the Bills staff. They want guys of love the game and are willing to go to work each and every play and not just on game day. But get this young man on a team with the competitive intensity of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, and Mitchell will quickly figure out what it takes at this level. every
R2:60 - Keon Coleman - Wide receiver, Florida State
Let's be honest, the likelihood of Coleman being available at 60 is slim but in this mock, he falls to the Bills and even though they already added Mitchell, Brandon Beane would be crazy not to double up with the talent of Coleman. If the Bills somehow landed both Mitchell and Coleman in this draft, Bills Mafia would lose their mind, me included. Coleman is 6'4" and weighs 215 pounds.
The possibility of Coleman falling is due to his poor performance at the NFL Combine. He ran a 4.61, 40-time and a vertical of only 38 inches. Next Gen Stats gave him an athleticism score of only 66, which ranked 37th among the combine receivers. In his last season at Florida State, he had 50 receptions, and 658 yards, with a solid 11 touchdowns. Despite the poor showing athletically, he makes plays and gets in the end zone. He'll have a chance at his coming pro day to improve on those numbers.,
R3:99 - Dadrion Taylor-Demerson - Safety, Texas Tech
Given the state of the safety position, I don't know that Brandon Beane will wait until the 99th overall pick to select a safety, but that depends largely on what happens in free agency. But as I said before, if Keon Coleman is there at 60, I think you have to take him. Plus, the way this mock fell, none of the higher projected safeties were available. So, here we are addressing the position with this pick.
Taylor-Demerson is 5'10" and weighs 197 pounds. At the NFL Combine he ran a 4.41, 40-time. He scored an athleticism score of 75 from Next Gen Stats, ranking him 11th among the combine safeties. He has a ton of experience, starting each of the last three seasons and recording more than 40 tackles each year, with ten career interceptions. In 2023, he recorded 53 total tackles and four interceptions.,
R4:129 - Maason Smith - Defensive Interior, LSU
The Buffalo Bills need help in the interior of their defense. DaQuan Jones could be part of that answer but even if the Bills re-sign him, Buffalo will still need to add some depth and a future starting defensive tackle. Maason Smith could be part of that equation. He is 6'5" and weighs 306 yards. He scored a 77 athleticism score from Next Gen Stats, ranking him eighth among defensive tackles at the NFL Combine.
One concern I have with Smith is back-to-back injuries in 2021 and 2022 severely limited his playing time. As a result, he still needs to grow in some areas but can develop into a solid starting defensive tackle. With his limited experience, he struggles with consistency, which is why I think Smith would be a terrific addition if the Bills can re-sign DaQuan Jones. He'll have time to get some snaps in as a rotational piece and develop his game into a starter in a year or two.
R5:159 - Michael Barrett - Linebacker, Michigan
I've talked about this a few times. I think the Bills need linebacker, as well as every other position on the defensive side, but the value was there with Barrett with the 159th pick. This selection addresses a need for depth, and he won't be expected to play any extensive time right away, allowing him to learn the NFL game and develop. He'll have some terrific linebackers to learn from behind Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard, and if we're lucky Tyrel Dodson.
Barrett is 5'11" and weighs 233 pounds. His Next Gen Stats athleticism score of 78 ranked him ninth among all linebackers at the combine. Barrett is a solid tackler and plays with a physical edge. He has all the skills to be an outstanding special teamer as well, which would help him stick on the Bills roster and grow over the next couple of years. His senior year at Michigan he recorded 65 total tackles while adding three sacks too.
R5:162 - Drake Nugent - Center, Michigan
This almost seems like a no brno-brainerainer now that Mitch Morse was released. Connor McGovern will step in as the starting center, but the Buffalo Bills will want to add some depth and may need a backup to McGovern. Nugent may not be someone who becomes a starter down the road, as his lack of size and length for the position is a concern, but the Bills need depth, and Nugent could be that guy.
He performed well at the NFL Combine, scoring athleticism score of 79, ninth among all centers at the combine. He isn't projected with a very high ceiling but he's an athletic center that with the right coaching and development should become an excellent backup. Plus, you never know, scouting reports aren't always spot on, and miss more often than not. Any starting offensive lineman from Michigan will have some talent. The Wolverines front wall was one of the best in the nation and Nugent was a big part of that.