The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine concluded with some stellar performances both on and off the field. The amateur extravaganza has caused some names to rise on draft boards while other players created more questions about their respective futures.
Based on these evaluations, the Bills Wire staff has determined some interesting possibilities for Buffalo’s selections during the upcoming draft. Editor Nick Wojton, along with staff writers Justin DiLoro, McKenna Middlebrook, Kyle Silagyi, and Matt Johnson, have all played the role of Bills general manager Brandon Beane.
Here is Bills Wire’s post-combine, four-round mock draft below:
Round 1: Buffalo Bills | pick No. 22
Nick’s Pick:
WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
This pick is not going to be cemented until the dust has settled after free agency. Do the Bills add some pass-rushing help there? What about a top wideout? That will clearly dictate things but the overlying truth is the Bills have lacked a true wide receiver prospect for the entirety of Sean McDermott and Beane’s time with the club. Zay Jones was a flop. That needs to be addressed and this is the deepest playmaker class the duo is going to see. Jefferson, at 6-foot-1, isn’t the massively large target some Bills observers had in mind. But he’s a great route runner and at the combine, showed he has speed, running a 4.43 40-yard dash time. Oh, and his hands? He had 111 catches, 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns… just last season alone. For what it’s worth, the Bills did meet with Jefferson at the combine as well.
Justin’s Pick:
WR Tee Higgins, Clemson
Let’s not mess around here. The Bills are in need of a playmaker at the wide receiver position, and Higgins looks to be the best fit at this point in the draft. It’s no secret that the draft is deep at the receiver position. However, Buffalo should take the best player who can give quarterback Josh Allen a dynamic playmaker out wide. Higgins, along with incumbents John Brown and Cole Beasley, help create a solid starting trio. Higgins averaged a stellar 19.8 yards per catch this past year. He’s the type of receiver that can aid in Allen finding his mojo with respect to the deep ball. At 6-foot-4, the Clemson product gives the Bills a large target who can complete in contested catches. He has experience at all receiver positions, runs a full route tree, and wins battles against corners. Oh, and Lance Zierlein’s NFL comparison for Higgins? AJ Green. Let’s not overthink this one.
McKenna’s Pick:
EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
The Buffalo Bills have two areas of concern heading into the 2020 draft, wide receiver and edge rusher. With a loaded wide receiver class, the Buffalo Bills can find receiver talent in later rounds. Gross-Matos recorded 18.5 sacks at Penn State, during his three-year career at Penn State. Standing at 6-6-foot-5, he uses his length and speed to reach the opposing quarterback. Gross-Matos also comes from a 4-3 defense in college, so he’ll fit in with McDermott’s dominant defense.
Kyle’s Pick:
DE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
Yes, wide receiver is undeniably Buffalo’s biggest need at this point in time. With that being said, there’s likely not a wideout who is worth selecting at No. 22 if Jerry Jeudy, Ceedee Lamb, and Henry Ruggs are off the board, this due in large part to the depth of this year’s receiving class. Let’s instead allow the Bills to make a luxury pick, this coming in the form of Epenesa. Buffalo is in need of a young and potentially dominant player at defensive end, and Epenesa, the 6-foot-5 pass rusher who tallied 26.5 sacks throughout his collegiate career, certainly fits the bill. He’s a tenacious defender who typically wins with strength, something he did often throughout college. He’d be a tremendous rotational piece in his rookie season, learning from the likes of Jerry Hughes and (potentially) Trent Murphy before taking over as a full-time starter in 2021. His iffy-combine may be a cause of concern for some, but tape typically doesn’t lie. Epenesa has that in his favor.
Matt’s Pick:
EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Rush defense was a flaw that plagued the Bills defense for a majority of the season. Perhaps, even the difference between a home playoff game last season, giving up an average of 4.3 per carry, and many crucial first downs.
This is a good draft for helping to strengthen that aspect of an otherwise solid defense, and where the Bills are picking in this year’s draft, there are a couple of options here to bolster that line. Whether it’s Epenesa, Gross-Matos, or Chaisson, the Bills are in a good slot for a defensive end. Chaisson has good size for the position and is a disruptive force. As a sophomore in 2019, he had 34 tackles and 6.5 sacks, as well as a national title with LSU. Oh, he was first-team All-SEC selection by the way, too.
A young player, ripe for grooming in a culture-based team. I believe that he would be a good fit on this Bills defense, but regardless of who is available at this point on the defensive line, Bills will have some quality athletes to choose from.
