ORCHARD PARK, NY. (WKBW) — If you had the Buffalo Bills trading back not once, but twice in the 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft then play the lottery or bet on the future Super Bowl winner.
WATCH: Buffalo Bills trade twice, moving out of the first round of the NFL Draft
However, Bills Mafia shouldn't panic because here's a list of the picks Buffalo has starting on day two: 33, 60, 95, 128, 141, 144, 160, 163, 204, 221.
So with that being said let's look at offensive players available and start with the position the fan base wanted in the first place, wide receiver.
Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
The first guy we'll talk about is wide receiver Adonai Mitchell from Texas who could have very easily been the Bills pick had they kept the 28th overall pick in round one. Mitchell is both a speedy and vertical threat that could compliment Josh Allen and the rest of the Bills offense. One criticism per CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso is that he struggles with yards after the catch. The hope is that the very important YAC (yards after catch) stat turns around in an NFL organization, so why not get your "X" receiver at a bargain in the second round?
“There are some weaknesses to his profile,” Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic added. “His yards per route run is one of the worst in the class and that’s usually a pretty big determiner of success. So, do you think he can be an outlier and move above that, or based on the talent he was just underutilized?”
Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
So as much as AD Mitchell makes sense with the Bills 33rd overall pick you could make a strong argument that wide receiver Ladd McConkey out of Georgia brings the same elements that could help Buffalo's offense thrive.
"The bottom line is if you look at Ladd compared to AD Mitchell or Brian Thomas Jr., different body types for sure," Field Yates from ESPN told 7 Sports. "I think Ladd probably ends up going late first or early to mid-second will be the range for Ladd. So, if Buffalo does not feel the need for size is as important as I believe it is right now, then Ladd would be a logical late-round-one target.”
6'0" is by no means "small" for a wide receiver but McConkey looks undersized compared to the other wide receivers in this class as Field Yates pointed out. But as Khalil Shakir has shown us, especially last season, the ability to be a crisp route-runner will serve McConkey well in the NFL.
"Ladd’s a sick route runner," Yates added. "This guy is unbelievable, his nuance, his quickness, his shiftiness, his ability to set things up, it’s terrific.”
Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
One last wide receiver before we head to defense and we'll park the train with Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman. If the Bills make this selection then the 6'4" wideout will be just an inch shorter than his future QB Josh Allen. Size is a nice commodity for Buffalo to have now with the absence of Gabe Davis.
Coleman's NFL Combine scared some draft analysts and sent the wide receiver's draft stock down to a "second-round prospect." But his ability to win one-on-one battles makes him a valuable selection somewhere in the second round.
“He has what we call that dog in him, where it’s his ball and nobody else’s. He plays bully ball out there. And if you go back and watch the LSU game and other opponents how he bullied some of these defensive backs, at the point of attack and off the line of scrimmage," says CBS Sports HQ draft analyst Emory Hunt. "When the ball is in the air you can’t bump him off the route, he’s going to be physical to fight through that contact and he’s going to go up and get the football.”
Now let's talk defense!
Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
Cooper DeJean out of Iowa is perhaps the most baffling non-first-round pick and could fall into the Bills lap and it's hard to deny his worth even if it's not the offensive playmaker Bills Mafia craves.
DeJean is a top-5 cornerback in this year's draft and it's certainly a position of need for Buffalo and the overview from NFL.com is something that checks a lot of those boxes.
Highly competitive defensive back with plus ball skills and noteworthy special teams value. DeJean is big and bundled for a cornerback, with muscular arms and tight hips. He has fantastic interception production, but his movements are more linear than fluid, and he doesn’t have the easy change of direction needed in man coverage on the next level. His best football is played with his eyes forward, using his instincts to challenge quarterbacks and his big downhill burst to smack whatever needs smacking. He would seem to be a no-brainer as a punt returner and gunner in Year 1. DeJean should be a big athletic tester, which will help get the hype train going, but finding the proper schematic fit will be important in unlocking his best football as a zone corner or interchangeable safety.
Should they pick DeJean in this spot, then I'd expect his impact on defense to be immediately felt this upcoming season.
Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
Much like we just talked about with DeJean, Jer'Zhan Newton out of Illinois is another shocking non-first-round selection. It feels like the Bills won't take a defensive tackle at pick 33 and he probably won't be there at pick 60 but of course, things can change in an instant as we've seen already.
Newton racked up multiple accolades this past year, earning a First-team Associated Press All-American nod, Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and First-team All-Big Ten selection.
At 6'2" his size won't pop off the chart but he made a living his senior year of college "out-smarting" pass blockers with his high-tier athleticism and skill. More on Newton from NFL.com
Active interior defender with the potential to build on his disruptive production in college. Newton’s size and length don’t stand out, but he has shown a consistent ability to gain extension and set edges against bigger opponents. Newton is clever in setting up blockers and then beating them with sudden hand usage and foot quickness as both a run defender and a pass rusher. He’s strong enough to hold the point, but he’s not going to overwhelm NFL guards with force or power. His skill level and athleticism should create additional playmaking opportunities for him as a three-down 3-technique with early starting potential.
So be sure to tune back into WKBW at 7 p.m. Friday as, for now, the Bills will go on the clock immediately to start the second round in Detroit.
