We're finally in the home stretch heading towards the 2024 NFL Draft. I am excited to see who makes up the Buffalo Bills 2024 draft class and we can start to see what the Bills roster will look like for the coming season. I'm sure Brandon Beane will add a few more free agents, most likely including a wide receiver. But for the most part, I think the Bills roster will be set after the draft. Once the draft is over, we'll critique every pick and hand out draft grades, though meaningless, but still fun.
One question that will be answered on the opening day of the draft is whether Beane will trade up, back, or stay put. History says he will move up, but with ten picks, several position needs, and an exceptionally deep draft, he could stay put or even move back and collect a couple more draft picks. I wouldn't mind seeing a trade back, picking my draft crush. We'll get into my guy here shortly, but there are three guys in this year's draft that I have my eye on and hope the Bills do too.
Two of these players seem to be on the Bills' radar too, with top-30 visits and other meetings. Buffalo still has several top-30 visits left to utilize, so we'll see who they meet with between now and the start of the draft. The nice thing about my three prospects is they can all be selected at various points of the draft. This isn't a list of just the top three players at their respective positions. These are all players the Bills could easily draft between the first and fifth rounds. We also have our podcast on Thursday at 7 pm ET, in which we'll discuss these players a little more, and my co-hosts will share their thoughts and favorites as well. You don't want to miss that.
Three 2024 NFL Draft prospects the Buffalo Bills need.
Ladd McConkey - receiver, Georgia
There seem to be some fans out there who don't believe McConkey can be a number-one receiver because he's not a boundary receiver. He played over 70% of his snaps at Georgia as the outside receiver. Secondly, what exactly is a "number one" receiver? Is it a title limited to only the boundary receiver? The answer to that question is simple, no. Tom Brady made a career and won six Super Bowls with slot receivers and a tight end as his "number one". Patrick Mahomes is doing it right now with Travis Kelce.
Also, when you compare Stefon Diggs' draft scouting report, it is similar to McConkey's. Not an X receiver, not big enough or fast enough, but could carve out a role as a slot receiver. How did that work out for Diggs? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying McConkey is Diggs, just saying that the "prototypical" boundary receiver is, in my opinion, overrated. I'm looking for a receiver that is an elite route runner and can run the entire route tree, and make the catch when targeted. McConkey is that guy. Can he play outside, I see no reason why he can't, which leaves Khalil Shakir in the slot, where he could become Allen's "number one" target.
Khristian Boyd - Northern Iowa, defensive tackle
I've been big on Khristian Boyd for a couple of months now. He's a versatile player, who at nearly 6'3" and 329 pounds, could work in either the one or three-technique roles. But with DaQuan Jones getting a year older, and no one else behind him to take the reins for the long haul, Boyd would make an ideal pick in the fourth round. Boyd was one of the Bills' top-30 visits too so there is interest from the Bills.
Boyd brings a non-stop, relentless motor to the field, which is one of the many reasons I like the kid. Those hard-charging, 100-mile-an-hour, no-brakes kind of players are the guys I want on my favorite team. He showcased this style of play at the Shrine Bowl and began turning heads. Addressing a critical need at defensive interior, Boyd could be a cornerstone for the Bills defense for years to come. I recently wrote an article about some of the biggest draft steals in the Bills' history. You can add Boyd to that list if the Bills selected him in this year's draft.
Luke McCaffrey - wide receiver, Rice
Luke McCaffrey is 6'2" and weighs 200 pounds. He has the size that some fans are looking for in a receiver, but he also has solid speed, recording an official 40-time of 4.46, and an excellent 10-yard split of 1.52. McCaffrey began his collegiate career as a quarterback and moved to receiver in 2022, so he's still very young at the position, and will only get better. His route-running is solid and continues to improve as well.
In his first full season as a receiver for Rice, he recorded 71 receptions, and 992 yards, for a solid 14.0 yards per reception. He also showed a knack for getting open in the red zone, scoring 13 times through the air. He also has over 900 yards rushing, and we know he was a quarterback coming into college. He's a player that the Bills' offensive coordinator Joe Brady can utilize in several ways. Plus, the McCaffreys are a football family. Ed McCaffrey, Luke's father, was a star wide receiver for the Denver Broncos and won three Super Bowls. Christian, of course, is the league's current top running back.