The Buffalo Bills defense is atrocious right now, but there are potential answers out there
The 2024 Buffalo Bills have been a fascinating team to watch. Sitting with an 11-3 overall record, and one of the front runners to potentially win a Super Bowl championship this season, Sean McDermott and his squad are winning in very unique ways. They are led by quarterback Josh Allen, who is putting together a […]
The 2024 Buffalo Bills have been a fascinating team to watch. Sitting with an 11-3 overall record, and one of the front runners to potentially win a Super Bowl championship this season, Sean McDermott and his squad are winning in very unique ways. They are led by quarterback Josh Allen, who is putting together a potential MVP season while leading one of the top offenses in the league. As a unit, they are averaging nearly 32 points per game.
When you typically think about a McDermott squad, defense is usually a strong part of the conversation. It hasn’t been pretty for that side of the football the last couple of weeks, surrendering 44 points to the Los Angeles Rams and 42 points to the Detroit Lions in back-to-back weeks. It’s been ugly for that group, and answers will be needed this offseason.
With an early look ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft class, the Buffalo Bills find those defensive answers in a big way. It would be a tremendous haul for the future.
Round 1, Pick 29: Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss
Umanmielen was a good player at Florida, but he has become an excellent one at Ole Miss. He brings ideal size, length, and athleticism to the table. There aren’t many more physically talented pass rushers in this class overall. He provides some speed rush upside to the table for the Bill defense that could use some.
Round 2, Pick 60: Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State
An early-season injury has made some people forget about Winston, but he very well could be the second-best safety in the 2025 class behind Georgia’s Malaki Starks. A bigger safety at 6-2 and 208 pounds, Winston does a tremendous job tackling in open space. His best work in pass coverage is as a short zone robber and some man upside against tight ends.
Round 2, Pick 61: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
It hasn’t been a great season for Burke, who came into the year with some legitimate first round hype. He is still a very physical player with tremendous zone instincts. Burke just may be a bit more scheme specific than originally anticipated.
Round 4, Pick 110: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Noel is one of the more underrated pass catchers in the entire class. A smaller wide receiver at a hair under 5-10, he will be relegated to the slot on the next level. His combination of smoothness, dependability, and nuance is a huge reason for his massive final season for the Cyclones (72 receptions, 1,077 yards, and seven touchdowns).
Round 4, Pick 130: Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
Durant is a squatty-built defensive tackle but has some outstanding strength. He is also super slippery, and extremely disruptive working from the backside. Not many people talk about Durant, but they should start to.
Round 5, Pick 169: Joshua Gray, IOL, Oregon State
After playing mostly left tackle during his career, Gray transitioned inside to guard this season. That decision has been a godsend for him. Gray has tremendous movement skills, and has nice upside to work in a zone system. He also could project to center as well, possessing outstanding position flexibility.
Round 5, Pick 172: Jake Briningstool, TE, Clemson
Many believed that Briningstool could be one of the best tight ends in the class, but he didn’t quite take the jump this season. He is still a very impressive athlete with receiving upside. Briningstool also has enough effort in the running game to play inline when needed.
Round 5, Pick 177: Jay Joyner, EDGE, Minnesota
Before the season, it appeared that Joyner could be one of the big breakouts in the EDGE class. He didn’t necessarily take that step, but Joyner still brings tremendous upside to the table. Joyner has an outstanding frame (6042v, 256v), length, and good overall athleticism to work with.
Round 6, Pick 205: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, LB, Kentucky
Dumas-Johnson looked like he was going to be a much higher level prospect at one time, but he is still a very solid inside linebacker. He isn’t anywhere near a dynamic mover, but Dumas-Johnson has a nice level of explosiveness getting downhill. His game is pretty reminiscent of current Chicago Bears standout TJ Edwards.
Round 6, Pick 207: Nohl Williams, CB, Cal
Williams has been one of the bigger breakout stars in college football this season. He has hauled in several interceptions, while also recorded 52 total tackles and nine more pass breakups. At 6-1 and 200 pounds, Williams is a bigger cornerback with outstanding ball skills. He’s a bit scheme specific but can be a valuable player in that system.
