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ESPN ranked the Buffalo Bills 2020 draft class as the ninth-most productive in the NFL this year. The rankings once again revealed general manager Brandon Beane’s draft acumen, as the Bills had a fruitful draft even without the benefit of a first-round pick.
While Buffalo didn’t have a rookie who hit superstar status, the Bills’ collective productivity put them on the map for having one of the best rookie groups.
The rankings, which used Pro Football Focus’ Wins Above Replacement as its central measure, placed the Bills as the most productive class in the AFC East. Buffalo slotted in as the fifth-best rookie class among AFC playoff teams.
Buffalo’s ranking benefited from late-round picks performing well. In particular, third-round pick Zach Moss, fourth-round choice Gabriel Davis, and sixth-round selection Dane Jackson, performed “well above expectation relative to their respective draft slots.”
PFF highlighted that Davis earned the best value for the Bills:
While Davis produced inconsistently from game to game, there were a handful of times this season where the fourth-rounder looked like anything but a Day 3 selection. He had three single-game grades above 84.0, joining Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson as the only first-year receivers to accomplish that feat. Davis also ranked in the top three among rookies in 20-plus yard receptions (11).
Buffalo’s top pick this year, defensive end AJ Epenesa, did not impress the analytical organization. highlighting that his WAR was “below expectation.” They added:
Buffalo’s ranking benefited from late-round picks performing well. In particular, third-round pick Zach Moss, fourth-round choice Gabriel Davis, and seventh-round selection Dane Jackson, performed “well above expectation relative to their respective draft slots.”
Epenesa struggled in run defense, posting a poor 50.4 grade across 130 such snaps. His pass-rushing output also left a lot to be desired. He recorded a 67.1 pass-rushing grade in 2020, with half of his 20 pressures being charted as unblocked or cleanup.
Buffalo also received a solid season from rookie kicker Tyler Bass, going 28-of-34 on field goals, including a long of 58 yards. Bass added 57 extra points on 59 attempts.
In regard to the conference and division, Buffalo was labeled the fifth-best rookie class in the AFC. No other AFC East team made it into the top-10 overall, as the New England Patriots were the closest rival at No. 13. The New Jets and Miami Dolphins rounded out the divisional at 15 and 28, respectively.
The Bills pick 30th in this year’s upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.
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