Buffalo Bills 2025 NFL draft preview: Here's what you need to know
Here's everything you need to know for the 2025 NFL draft.
(43) updates to this series since Updated
The Buffalo Bills are lucky to have two do-everything linebackers in Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard. That drastically reduces the likelihood of drafting a player at the position early in the NFL draft later this month, but shouldn鈥檛 rule it out entirely.
This year鈥檚 cornerback draft class presents an interesting challenge. There are nine or 10 cornerbacks who could land in the top 60 on some NFL teams鈥 boards. But not many of them could be considered A-plus tacklers.
The Bills could still use another receiver 鈥 even if general manager Brandon Beane doesn鈥檛 necessarily agree with that.
It鈥檚 an excellent class of tight ends for the 2025 NFL draft, and that could help shake things up in the league next season. The Buffalo Bills are no strangers to using 12 personnel, and the value on the position from offensive coordinator Joe Brady could give the Bills reason to draft with the future in mind.
Nick Emmanwori played at South Carolina, but his connection to Buffalo is via UB coach Pete Lembo, who was on the Gamecocks' staff that recruited聽Emmanwori.
Ah, running backs. The position presents a larger question. There is a deep draft class this year, but the NFL has devalued drafting running backs. Can this year鈥檚 set of prospects buck the league鈥檚 trend?
The Bills have no need for an offensive tackle this year, so an early run at the position will be helpful, before the Bills pick at No. 30 overall and by the time their picks in the second round come 鈥 at Nos. 56 and 62.
The Bills are all set at quarterback. This year, other teams around the league are hoping to find the next Josh Allen.
The Bills want the edge rushers to be strong edge setters in the running game. Undersized, one-dimensional pass rushers who only play on passing downs usually are not valued highly on the Buffalo board.
The good news for the Bills is if they want to wait to the second round, or even later, there are beefy defensive tackles to be had on Day 2 of the draft or even early on Day 3, in the fourth round.
The Michigan native was a two-year starter at Kentucky, and now he鈥檚 a popular mock draft selection for the Buffalo Bills at pick No. 30.
A look at Texas receiver Isaiah Bond, who could be on the Bills' radar after the first round.
The 6-foot-6, 264-pounder has the elite size teams love in a defensive end. He鈥檚 a power player. He has intriguing explosiveness, with a vertical jump of 40.5 inches, second best among all defensive ends in the draft. He has the kind make-up and character 鈥 all football, all the time 鈥 that teams will love to bring into their locker room.
Grant鈥檚 rare size and ability to dominate the middle of the line of scrimmage makes him a first-round prospect in the 2025 NFL draft and a possibility for the Buffalo Bills with the No. 30 overall pick.
The Bills don鈥檛 have a primary backup to DaQuan Jones at the 1-technique defensive tackle position (opposite the shoulder of the center). And Jones is entering the last year of his contract.
An average of 5.5 first-round picks over the last 10 years have been traded before the draft. This year, none have been moved yet.
Defensive linemen constitute nine of the top 30 players and 14 of the top 45 in a composite ranking of 2025 NFL draft prospects. That should be good news for the Buffalo Bills, who enter the draft with picks at Nos. 30, 56 and 62.
Josh Allen鈥檚 journey from highly-questioned prospect to reigning NFL MVP is well documented. His trajectory has also changed the way some Buffalo Bills fans now approach the draft.
After months of speculation, analysis of 40-yard times and scouring of every available scouting report, the NFL draft begins Thursday in Green Bay. The Buffalo Bills will have a long wait in the first round, holding the No. 30 overall selection. That is, of course, unless general manager Brandon Beane gets impatient and moves up the draft board. Here is The Buffalo News鈥 third and final mock draft before the real thing begins when the Tennessee Titans go on the clock with the No. 1 pick.
Four writers. Five questions. It's time for a Buffalo News Bills Roundtable heading into the draft.
When the NFL draft gets underway Thursday, Shane Costa will be checking in with people from coast to coast to see how they鈥檙e doing. A Buffalo-based agent with Generation Sports Group, Costa knows the emotional toll waiting can take on players and their families.
Revel has exceptionally long arms 鈥 32鈪 inches 鈥 a trait that the Bills love. (Bills 2017 top pick Tre鈥橠avious White has 32鈪-inch arms.) That gives him an edge against big receivers outside the numbers, the kind of wideouts the Bills need to defend better.
Here is The Buffalo News' second mock draft of the season, with our projection of how the first round will play out for the Bills.
Edge rusher is just behind cornerback on the Bills鈥 needs list, but Buffalo鈥檚 playoff exits the past five years have shown they need as much pass rush as they can get against the best competition. Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku could be a consideration for Buffalo with the No. 30 overall pick.
The Bills are one of three teams in this month's draft with three picks in the top 62.
The Bills and other teams are in the top-30 visit section of their predraft prep. O'Halloran asks: Is it a tell?
Two weeks out of the NFL draft, Mark Gaughan and Katherine Fitzgerald discuss pretty much every position on the Bills roster, except for quarterback, in this episode of the Play Action podcast.
Here is a closer look at the Buffalo Bills鈥 needs entering the 2025 NFL draft.
An immediate, top-flight cornerback is a top need for the Bills in this week's draft.
A look at NFL draft hopefuls from UB and from local high schools, and the advice former UB NFL players give them.
Bills Mailbag, NFL draft edition: Should Brandon Beane swing a trade to move up in the second round?
Welcome to a special midweek edition of the Bills Mailbag on the eve of the first round of the NFL draft.
Two-time Pro Bowl running back James Cook is not at One Bills Drive for the start of the team鈥檚 voluntary offseason program, general manager Brandon Beane said Tuesday.
Using a draft simulator, we came up with a pool of players who could be available when the Bills make their first-round selection 鈥 assuming, of course, that general manager Brandon Beane stays put rather than trading up or down. We then asked members of our coverage team to play general manager and make their selections for the Bills at No. 30.聽
The Buffalo Bills would like to bring the NFL draft to Orchard Park and surrounding areas in Western New York in 2028 or 2029, and like Green Bay, which is hosting the event this year, Buffalo is one of the smallest markets in the NFL. So, there will be plenty for the Bills to learn from this year's event.
Here are The Buffalo News鈥 rankings of the top 10 players at each position available in the 2025 NFL draft.聽
News Bills writers Jay Skurski and Mark Gaughan issue their meter reading on their preferences for 12 prospects who could be on the board when the Buffalo Bills make their first-round draft pick. A couple of second-round picks are included. The higher the number, the more they like the player is a fit for the Bills.
Look around the internet, and there are thousands of mock drafts. The time on task behind those varies, but a sampling of national analysts still shows a trend for the Buffalo Bills: defense reigns.
Each day brings a new surprise for Matt Jaworski as he prepares for an opportunity to play in the NFL. The former St. Francis standout聽is one of a handful of local football players who could be drafted by NFL teams or sign with teams as an undrafted free agent.
Quarterback drama spices up the pre-draft coverage. Combine 鈥 who throws? Pro Day 鈥 who shines? Top-30 visits 鈥 who is going where? And private workouts 鈥 which teams are digging in on these prospects? Next year will be fun.
Waiting on 2025 draft grades for the Bills? Take a look at Brandon Beane's 2022 class, 3 years later
It takes years to properly judge what a team gets from its draft class. With that in mind, it is a fair time to look back at what general manager Brandon Beane鈥檚 2022 class has given the Buffalo Bills.
Looking at this realistically, Hairston at the least brings an injection of talent and sticky-coverage ability to the cornerback room.
The Buffalo Bills addressed their biggest positional need聽during the first round of the 2025 NFL draft聽Thursday night 鈥 and they added some serious speed to their defense in the process.
The Buffalo Bills chose Kentucky鈥檚 Maxwell Hairston with their first-round draft pick Thursday night, No. 30 overall.聽Here are five things to know about the team鈥檚 newest cornerback.
Ups and downs from the first round of the NFL draft.