NFL Mock Draft: Bills make big splash

The 2024 NFL Draft is nearly upon us, and it’s annually one of the favorite parts of the calendar for many fans and observers.

The Bills appear to be in the midst of a bit of a reset to get younger and cheaper while trying to remain competitive after they jettisoned the likes of veteran stalwarts Stefon Diggs, Mitch Morse, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer and Tre’Davious White this offseason.

Who should the Bills take with their 1st round pick? Will General Manager Brandon Beane show once again he’s aggressive and trade up for a wide receiver, stay put at No. 28 or trade back and acquire more picks in a deep pool of playmakers? What position groups or players should the Bills target in the early stages of the draft outside of wideout? These are just a few of the looming questions heading into draft night on April 25.

Let’s give it a shot with a mock draft for the entire NFL in the 1st round along with the Bills picks the rest of the way. I’ll only include trades if they involve the Bills for this exercise. Remember: this is just for fun.

Buffalo has 10 picks in 2024:

• 1st Round: No. 28
• 2nd Round: No. 60
• 4th Round: Nos. 128, 133
• 5th Round: Nos. 144 (from CHI), 160 (from GB), 163
• 6th Round: Nos. 200 (from DAL), 204
• 7th Round: No. 248

1st Round

1. Chicago Bears — Caleb Williams, QB, USC

2. Washington Commanders — Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

3. New England Patriots — Drake Maye, QB, UNC 

4. Arizona Cardinals — Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio St.

5. Los Angeles Chargers — Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

6. New York Giants — J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

7. Tennessee Titans — Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame 

8. Atlanta Falcons — Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama

9. Buffalo Bills (trade with CHI) — Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Beane makes a blockbuster deal for one of the top wide receivers in this year’s talent-laden class. It costs him a pretty penny — Buffalo sends pick No. 28, No. 128 in the 4th round and their 2025 1st round pick to the Bears in exchange for No. 9 overall. Beane has shown he is willing to wheel and deal in the past, and Odunze is too good to pass up as a replacement for Stefon Diggs. He can become the Bills’ long-term answer at No. 1 receiver, and give QB Josh Allen a top-flight threat for at least the next five years. Odunze steps in immediately to round out a receiver room that now includes the newly-acquired Curtis Samuel and ascending slot wideout Khalil Shakir to go with the TE duo of Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox.

10. New York Jets — Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

11. Minnesota Vikings — Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida St.

12. Denver Broncos — Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

13. Las Vegas Raiders — Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn St. 

14. New Orleans Saints — Taliese Fuaga, OL, Oregon

15. Indianapolis Colts — Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

16. Seattle Seahawks — Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington

17. Jacksonville Jaguars — Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU 

18. Cincinnati Bengals — Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas

19. Los Angeles Rams — Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

20. Pittsburgh Steelers — Amarius Mims, OT, Alabama

21. Miami Dolphins — Jackson Powers-Johnson, OL, Oregon 

22. Philadelphia Eagles — Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

23. Minnesota Vikings — Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

24. Dallas Cowboys — Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

25. Green Bay Packers — Graham Barton, OL, Duke 

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn St.

27. Arizona Cardinals — Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

28. Chicago Bears (from BUF) — Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

29. Detroit Lions — Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson 

30. Baltimore Ravens — Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

31. San Francisco 49ers — Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

32. Kansas City Chiefs — Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

2nd Round

60. Buffalo Bills — Marshawn Kneeland, EDGE, Western Michigan

4th Round

133. Buffalo Bills — Cole Bishop, S, Utah

5th Round

144. Buffalo Bills — Caedan Wallace, T, Penn St.

160. Buffalo Bills — Decamerion Richardson, CB, Mississippi St.

163. Buffalo Bills — Steele Chambers, LB, Ohio St

6th Round

200. Buffalo Bills — Myles Murphy, DL, UNC

204. Buffalo Bills — Jordan Jefferson, DL, LSU

7th Round

248. Buffalo Bills — Miyan Williams, RB, Ohio St.