A pass rusher couldn’t really be on the docket for the Buffalo Bills with an early selection at the NFL draft again, could it?
CBS Sports doesn’t shy away from doing just that in a recent 2023 draft mock. The player sent to Buffalo is defensive end Will McDonald IV from Iowa State.
In the breakdown, it’s acknowledged that the Bills have gone this route in the recent past. But the case is still made for McDonald to Buffalo:
I know they have drafted a bunch of players at this spot, and they have Von Miller, but Miller isn’t a kid anymore and the pass rush still isn’t good enough. So why not add another young, talented edge player?
A 6-foot-4 and 239 pound defender, McDonald had 34 career sacks in 48 games for Iowa State. In 2022, his numbers dipped, but McDonald had two seasons prior to that in the double-digit sack totals.
McDonald could be on Buffalo’s radar, but a first-round value on him would be surprising. The Draft Network praises McDonald’s motor as a defensive end, but grades him out as a mid-round selection as well. That area for a pass rusher makes much more sense for the Bills.
As CBS Sports even admits, Buffalo has used a lot of capital, especially at the draft, on top pass rushers. Greg Rousseau, AJ Epenesa, and Boogie Basham were all selected in the first two rounds by the team.
Considering their youth, giving them another year to develop would be a fair idea by the Bills rather than adding to that bunch.
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