After the first wave of free agency, ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has changed his pick for the Buffalo Bills once again.
Early in the frenzy of player movement last week, few teams made as much noise as the Bills. Buffalo didn’t have the most salary cap space entering March, but general manager Brandon Beane found enough to land a huge fish in the pond in Von Miller.
Miller was just the start of several signings along the defensive line by the Bills. In reaction to that, Kiper changed his selection for Buffalo from a defensive player to someone on offense.
The pick is Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson.
Here’s the breakdown:
25. Buffalo Bills
Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn StateBuffalo released Cole Beasley and brought in Jamison Crowder as an option out of the slot, but Crowder isn’t likely to be part of the Bills’ long-term plans. Dotson would be. Where would he help most? The Bills ranked last in the league in average yards after the catch (4.3) last season. Dotson is an explosive playmaker who is a threat to score on every touch. He had 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021.
The Bills have had a great offseason so far, so this is a luxury pick. Dotson, though, could help as a rookie.
A “luxury pick” is something the Bills have had the chance at making under Beane a lot. Always one to want to fill his “need” areas on the roster before the draft, the GM has mostly been successful doing that every offseason and it happened again.
In selecting Dotson in Kiper’s mock, the analyst changes his pick to the playmaker after slating two defensive draft prospects to Buffalo in earlier mock drafts. In one of his first of the offseason, Kiper sent Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Bills. Then Georgia defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt was the move in a March mock draft.
Dotson is a 5-foot-11, 184-pound receiver. He’s also something the Bills would love: Versatile. Sure he can play in the slot, but he can be moved around the offense as well.
Dotson also makes sense for Buffalo after the 2022 combine–The Bills met with the receiver at the event.
Finally NFL.com had a worthwhile note on Dotson’s draft profile. Who was his game compared to?
Emmanuel Sanders, a player Buffalo will likely be losing to retirement this offseason.
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