Longtime ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper. Jr. has released his second mock ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.
The position is the same as the first. The player is not.
Selecting at the No. 28 overall slot, the Bills take a popular player for them in terms of mocks as of late: LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
That selection is switched from Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
In Kiper’s mock, Thomas is the fifth receiver selected. Mitchell is no longer in his Round 1 consideration.
In any scenario the Bills select a wideout, Gabe Davis has likely signed elsewhere during free agency. Considering his goodbye message to Buffalo before he even hits the open market? Davis seems likely to depart.
Thomas could be the exact type of player to replace him.
Davis is a big-body target, as is Thomas. But Davis never really rounded out his game. Thomas, a 6-foot-4 receiver, had an impressive breakout 2023 at LSU with 68 catches for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns.
But according to The Draft Network, he might profile similar to Davis. His deep-ball ability is praised but his route tree is not. However, Thomas is raw, could the Bills see a player they can help improve more than Davis did in that area?
Below is Kiper’s breakdown on Thomas to Buffalo along with highlights of his career at LSU:
With Gabe Davis likely to sign elsewhere in free agency, the Bills have to find a No. 2 wideout this offseason. The draft might be their best opportunity to do that. There might be six or seven receivers taken in Round 1 in April. Thomas, who played mostly outside receiver for the Tigers, caught 68 passes for 1,177 yards and led the FBS with 17 touchdowns in 2023. At 6-4, he has a stellar combo of size and speed. He also has great hands. The best way to take Buffalo’s offense to a new level is with an upgrade on the other side of Stefon Diggs.