The Buffalo Bills have significant roster holes that they need to address heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. Buffalo has the 30th overall pick in the first round of the draft; they have many scenarios and decisions to make for their first-round pick, with their needs such as defensive tackle, safety, and cornerback. But which NFL Draft prospect will be available at the time it reaches the Bills draft pick. Let’s discuss the possible players that could be available for the Buffalo Bills late in the first round of the draft.
Trey Amos, cornerback, Ole Miss
The Bills pay their star cornerback Christian Benford during the offseason on a four-year contract extension. But they let his co-star Rasual Douglas walk in free agency, and the cornerback room is very thin at the moment with him, Taron Johnson, Cam Lewis, and the returning Dane Jackson. Trey Amos has been the number one cornerback that Bills fans want on the roster. Amos has tremendous physicality with his strength, size, and athleticism. He can match up perfectly with bigger wideouts with his strong press technique. Amos can play in a man-press coverage with quick footwork and sound hand technique off the line of scrimmage, and can play off zone coverage too. He can potentially be one of the Bills first draft choices, if he falls all the way down towards the end of the first round.
Nick Emmanwori, safety, South Carolina
This is one of the biggest needs that the Buffalo Bills have to address in the draft: the safety position. Buffalo had the best safety tandem in the league with Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde for seven seasons, it was the backbone of their defense. But once Poyer took his talents to South Beach and Hyde walked out the door, the Bills secondary was the weakest link of their defense, and it showed throughout the 2024 NFL Season. The safety unit of Damar Hamlin, Taylor Rapp, and Cole Bishop was very hard to watch at home or in the stadium. Hamlin has a great story, but isn’t a true starting safety. Rapp had plenty of injuries throughout the season, and Bishop wasn’t ready yet. It’s that clear Buffalo needs to take a safety in the draft, and it could be Nick Emmanwori out of South Carolina. Emmanwori is an elite safety prospect with excellent speed and size, who undoubtedly has the assets and tools at an NFL level. He can grapple with receivers and is most effective as a box/slot defender, matching up well with tight ends, where his tools work perfectly to his advantage. Emmanwori can run down any running back in the running game. Buffalo could go with Emmanwori as their first draft choice, being that the safety position is the biggest hole on the roster.
Kenneth Grant, defensive tackle, Michigan
The Bills did a good job of addressing their defensive line during free agency, but it’s still a major need for them. The most popular draft prospect that has been mocked to be the Bills first draft pick has been the Michigan star defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. Grant is the best defensive tackle prospect in the draft, and any team would be lucky enough to have him on their roster. He possesses quickness for his rare size, but flashes in pure pass-rush situations while shooting the gaps on the defensive line. Grant’s hand speed can match his lower body quickness, but it doesn’t always. He plays with aggression and a force to be reckoned with. Grant would be the ideal draft pick for Buffalo, if he’s available at the time around the #30 overall pick.
Derrick Harmon, defensive tackle, Oregon
If Kenneth Grant is gone by the time the end of the first round, then the Bills could go for another defensive tackle from another big school in Derrick Harmon. Harmon has one year of production at his position, but he has shown his high IQ as a football player at the NFL level. Harmon has consistent competitiveness with his quickness at his first quick step, with quick hands into his body, and the ability to dictate contact. He can get low and maintain motion of a low pad level in a four-point stance. He puts his long arms with the upper-tier hand speed to make initial contact and execute a pass-rush move. Harmon finishes his gap-shooting and cross-face moves with a rip to get clean. This would be the perfect plan B for the Bills with drafting a player like Derrick Harmon late in the first round, who has a tremendous high IQ for a player, and a lot of quickness for his position.
