In CBS Sports‘ recent mock draft following the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, the Bills decide to pass on some wide receiver prospects that fall in order to take Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos.
Wideouts Tee Higgins and Justin Jefferson are among the receivers the Bills pass on in favor of the third pass rusher off the board in Gross-Matos.
Here’s how CBS Sports breaks down the pick:
Gross-Matos is a high-upside edge rusher who has yet to scratch the surface on his potential. The Bills have needs at WR too, and they just missed out on Ruggs, but the class is so deep that they can find weapons later in the draft. Also: Jerry Hughes is 31, Shaq Lawson’s contract is up and Trent Murphy’s contract is set to expire after next season.
As mentioned, there will certainly be a place for a first-round pass rusher in the Bills defense. The secondary has carried that side of the ball since head coach Sean McDermott took over in Buffalo, and it’s about time the defensive line caught up. Gross-Matos did not run the 40-yard dash at the combine, but he did have a solid 34-inch vertical jump. Often times many of the first-round prospects don’t want to hurt their draft stock, so they’ll skip an event or two. In that light, his 21 bench press reps for a defensive lineman wasn’t very impressive.
At Penn State last season, he led the team with 9.5 sacks. Gross-Matos is considered one of the more underrated first-round prospects at the upcoming draft. He certainly has the stature for the position at 6-foot-5 and 260-plus pounds.
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