The Buffalo Bills exceeded expectations this year by reaching the AFC championship. They were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs and now they’ll transition to the off-season where they will need to focus on adding players who can help them stay atop the AFC. With Josh Allen developing into a franchise quarterback, their offense is playing extremely well. With the defense in mind, here is a 2021 Buffalo Bills mock draft.
2021 Buffalo Bills Mock Draft
Round 1 – Greg Newsome II – Northwestern
Buffalo has had trouble finding a consistent cornerback to pair opposite of Tre’ White. Levi Wallace has been the man for the job the last few seasons since emerging as an incredible un-drafted free agent signing. Wallace has moments of greatness, but his inconsistency has led Buffalo to try other options such as Kevin Johnson and Josh Norman. Neither option managed to stick so Buffalo could always go the route that landed them White in the first place by drafting a cornerback in the late first round. Newsome II is a solid cornerback who played well at Northwestern and should fit Buffalo’s zone-heavy scheme well.
Round 2 – Carlos Basham Jr – Wake Forest
Basham Jr is a rising prospect who has a lot of talent rushing the passer. Basham Jr recorded 15 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in his last two seasons at Wake Forest. Buffalo’s need for a pass rush is obvious and ended up being a huge factor in their AFC championship loss to Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes had all day against Buffalo’s defense and was able to dissect the Bills’ coverage resulting in the loss. While other aspects of Buffalo’s roster need a fix as well, pass rush might be the biggest need to fill in this 2021 Buffalo Bills mock draft. Especially when considering how they can get past the Chiefs and their high-powered offense.
Round 3 – Hunter Long – TE – Boston College
Buffalo continues to fill needs with a tight end in round three. Long is a receiving threat from Boston College. Long caught 57 passes for roughly 700 yards and five touchdowns in his final season which helped elevate his stock into a late day two pick. Long could help bolster Buffalo’s tight end situation which is currently just Dawson Knox and Reggie Gilliam heading into free agency. It will be interesting to see if Buffalo acquires a veteran tight end this off-season to mentor Knox and any tight end they possibly draft in 2021.
Round 5 – LaBryan Ray – DL – Alabama
Buffalo is low on cap space and many of their potential cap casualties are on their defensive line. If these cuts are forced onto Buffalo, they will need to replace that lost depth in the draft. Ray would be a great addition to help lessen the potential blow of these cuts. Ray played four seasons with Alabama so he is a well-developed player who played with a top college organization. He could be a huge value pick if Buffalo can provide him with the right tools and opportunities to succeed at the NFL level.
Round 5 – Malcolm Koonce – EDGE – Buffalo
Buffalo takes a chance on a University of Buffalo prospect. Koonce is another edge rusher which Buffalo needs several of. Koonce only played six games this season for Buffalo, but in those six games, he managed to have five sacks. This put him on pace for a career-high 10 sacks which shows he continued to develop even in his senior season. That potential development is promising in a day-three prospect and Buffalo is a fan of drafting college seniors with their later selections. Koonce could benefit a lot from staying in the city of Buffalo and the Bills could benefit from another potential solution to their pass-rushing woes.
Round 6 – Jermar Jefferson – RB – Oregon State
Buffalo had manor struggles with their rushing offense in 2020 and taking another chance on a young running back could be a smart move. This would be Buffalo’s third consecutive draft selecting a running back, but Jefferson could be a fantastic committee running back in the NFL alongside Devin Singletary and Zack Moss. He even has the potential to become the go-to guy in the rotation after a successful career at Oregon State. It is important to remember that Jefferson had an outstanding season with over 1,500 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns in 2018.
Round 7 – DJ Daniel – CB – Georgia
Buffalo’s last selection in this 2021 Buffalo Bills mock draft is another cornerback to add more depth to a position with multiple starters. Similar to wide receiver or offensive line, you can never have too many cornerbacks on the roster. Daniel played a big role on a Georgia defense that was considered one of the best in college football for several seasons while Daniel played there. Daniel is a tall cornerback at 6-foot-1 and should have a good shot at developing into a solid depth cornerback for Buffalo’s defense.
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