Buffalo Bills 2025 NFL Draft options: Should the Bills select a first-round wide receiver in back-to-back years?
With the Bills turning their eyes to the 2025 NFL Draft, the fan base is doing the same. Sitting with the 30th pick, Bills Mafia will be discussing what they think the best plan for Brandon Beane is for several months. There's one conversation that I'm seeing a lot — should Buffalo go after another wide […]
With the Bills turning their eyes to the 2025 NFL Draft, the fan base is doing the same. Sitting with the 30th pick, Bills Mafia will be discussing what they think the best plan for Brandon Beane is for several months.
There's one conversation that I'm seeing a lot — should Buffalo go after another wide receiver in the first round a year after drafting Keon Coleman? It's not as crazy as it may sound.
First off, Buffalo drafting another wide receiver in the first round would be predicated on a couple of circumstances, most notably the team not re-signing veteran Amari Cooper. Beane gave up a third-round pick to get him before the deadline, and his veteran presence on the team was certainly felt, but due to injuries and adapting to a new playbook, Cooper's production was minimal in Buffalo. Still, there's a decent chance Beane wants Cooper back in the building. If Coop is back, it's hard to imagine a first round wide receiver being the play.
If the Bills head towards the NFL Draft with no Amari Cooper, and their top two wide receivers on the roster are Khalil Shakir and Coleman, then wide receiver could work. If they go for wide receiver, there's one trait above all else that they should cover: separation.
Coleman struggles to separate. It was all over his evaluation, but what he lacks in the ability to separate, he makes up for in ball skills and ability after the catch. To me, he has always profiled more as a power inside receiver, not a perimeter field stretcher due to his lack of top-end speed and his struggles with creating separation down the field.
If Buffalo wants to go for a wide receiver that they think can take the top off the defense, and move Coleman primarily to the Z receiver spot, then that becomes a very interesting proposition. The Z receiver lines up off the line of scrimmage, giving them more time and space before potentially having a defender get their hands on them. The Z can also be schemed into more free releases, slants, overs, and the type of routes that would scheme Coleman open instead of relying as much on his ability to generate the separation.
Obviously, how the draft plays out will go a long way in determining if Buffalo ends up selecting another wide receiver. The team has plenty of other needs, including edge, defensive tackle, cornerback, and safety, so there's no need to force a receiver with their first pick. However, taking Coleman from the boundary and putting him into more space is certainly an intriguing option if they have an option with more separation ability ready to take over on the outside. The Bills have plenty of options to consider. Some names to watch: Tre Harris, Isaiah Bond, and a player that could rise over the next few months, Matthew Golden.
Follow along all year for more Buffalo Bills coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on Bluesky @jonhelmkamp.bsky.social, and make sure to follow our main page @AtoZSports.bsky.social for all the latest news.
