Buffalo Bills address the major glaring holes on their roster coming into the NFL Draft. They selected nine new Bills players to the team. But which one of their nine draft picks were the best ones and worst ones. Let’s grade each Bills draft pick and then give out the overall grade of their entire draft.
Maxwell Hairston, cornerback, Kentucky – First round, 30th overall pick
The Bills first draft pick is the speedy cornerback Maxwell Hairston out of Kentucky. Hairston is a versatile player that finds well in a Buffalo defensive scheme. He led the SEC with five interceptions back in 2023 and tied a record in Kentucky for three career record interceptions returned for a touchdown. He adds more depth to the cornerback room that was very thin on the roster before the draft. Hairston is the long term answer for the Bills as an co-star cornerback to their star cornerback Christian Benford foreseeable future.
Final Grade: A –
TJ Sanders, defensive tackle, South Carolina – Second round, 41st overall pick (via trade with CHI)
Going into the second round of the draft, Buffalo trades up with Chicago at the 41st overall pick and selected TJ Sanders the defensive tackle out of South Carolina. Sanders is a three-tech defensive tackle that the Bills has been looking for years now. He can explosive off his first step and snap to allow him to consistently win in the open gap. In 2024, Sanders had an total of four sacks, seven tackles for a loss and 50 tackles for South Carolina. He would be a great pair with star defensive tackle Ed Oliver to help him feed off offensive guards, get after the quarterback and making his life more easier.
Final Grade: A
Landon Jackson, defensive end, Arkansas – Third round, 72nd overall pick
Buffalo enters the third round of the draft, taking Landon Jackson the defensive end out of Arkansas. Jackson brings an disturbance as a pass rusher for the Bills defensive line. He’s very dominant at stopping the run, which is the kryptonite for Buffalo’s defense. Jackson played 42 games at Arkansas while totaling 116 tackles, 16 sacks and 28 tackles for a loss. He was named second all-SEC in 2024 finishing the season with 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for a loss. This draft pick looks more like an steal for the Bills because they got an pass rusher who can get after the run and has an high ceiling as a player.
Final Grade: A +
Deone Walker, defensive tackle, Kentucky – Fourth round, 109th overall pick (via trade with CHI)
Bills take another defensive tackle in the fourth round of the draft, trading up with Chicago yet again and selecting Deone Walker out of Kentucky. Walker has an tremendous athleticism for an defensive tackle. In 2023, the film on him was picture perfect showing his talents as an defensive tackle, which caught the eye of Brandon Beane who did some film last year in the offseason. But in 2024, Walker was dealing with back injury that made inconsistent at times on the field. The hope for Buffalo is that Walker returns to his 2023 production at Kentucky and be that dominant an defensive tackle again for their defensive line, like he was with the Wildcats.
Final Grade: B –
Jordan Hancock, cornerback, Ohio State – Fifth round, 170th overall pick
Bills heads into the fifth round of the draft taking another cornerback being Jordan Hancock out of Ohio State. Hancock is an aggressive cornerback especially against the run. He has great timing by being an blitzer at the ball. Hancock played four years at Ohio State and finish his college career as a National Champion and played in 42 games with totaling of 98 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, fourteen passes defensed and four forced fumbles. He can play nickel and safety, which Buffalo might put him in the safety position since that’s their biggest weakest on the roster.
Final Grade: C +
Jackson Hawes, tight end, Georgia Tech – Fifth round, 173th overall pick
Bills finally takes an offensive player in the draft after the first five selections were defensive players and they pick tight end Jackson Hawes put of Georgia Tech. Hawes is a blocking tight end that can help the Bills in their run game since Mack Hollins isn’t on the team no more and joined their division rival, the New England Patriots. He has sure hands and rarely drops the ball and has an surprise ability after the catch.
Final Grade: C –
Dorian Strong, cornerback, Virginia Tech – Fifth round, 177th overall pick
Buffalo goes right to back defense and taking another cornerback of the draft and selecting Dorian Strong out of Virginia Tech. Strong is an efficient tackler and comfortable with in press man coverage. He played five seasons at Virginia Tech total up with 112 career tackles, two tackles for a loss, seven interceptions and 28 passes defensed. In 2024, Strong recorded an career high of 32 tackles with six pass breakups and two interceptions. Strong is a diamond in the rough for the Bills as he could an potential starter in the league for them.
Final Grade: B –
Chase Lundt, offensive tackle, UConn – Sixth round, 206th overall pick
With closing in the final two picks of the Bills draft, they take an offensive tackle in the sixth round of the draft Chase Lundt out of UConn. Lundt anchor the Huskies offensive line that allowed only twelve sacks, the ninth lowest in the nation back in 2023. He led the offensive line in helping their running game that produce 2,590 rushing yards, the second most in UConn’s school history. Lundt is an depth piece to an already great Buffalo offensive line, that gave up the fewest sacks in 2024 with only fourteen sacks given.
Final Grade: C
Kaden Prather, wide receiver, Maryland – Seventh round, 240th overall pick
Bills made their last pick of the draft in the seventh round taking wide receiver Kaden Prather out of Maryland. Prather is an vertical route receiver that could open up Joe Brady’s playbook on offense. He could be the fifth wide receiver on the roster, depending how he in competing for that spot with the other receivers on the team, with likes of Elijah Moore, Tyrell Shavers, KJ Hamler, Laviska Shenault Jr, and Jalen Virgil. He’s the first Bills draft receiver taken in the seventh round since Stevie Johnson back in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Final Grade: C –
Final Grade for the Buffalo Bills 2025 NFL Draft
The task for the Buffalo Bills going into the NFL Draft was pretty simple, they had to revamp the defense and fill in those needs. They prove it with their first five selections of the draft taking an defensive player with grabbing three cornerbacks, two defensive tackles, and one defensive end. While only taking three offensive players of an wide receiver, tight end and offensive tackle throughout the draft. This was an overall great draft for them as they set out to do on what folks in the national media say they were going to do during the draft and even what the good folks in Western New York thought they were going to do as well too.
Final Overall Grade: A –
