“The Bills will play the board and see who is falling, but with the No. 27 selection, it’s very possible general manager Brandon Beane gets anxious and moves up for an interior offensive lineman or offensive skill player,” Miller wrote in an article published Friday.
Owning just six 2023 selections, Miller points out that Buffalo would likely have to dip into future draft capital to trade up.
While Miller believes that Beane could target an interior offensive lineman, the Bills have already addressed the need this offseason. They signed a pair of guards in free agency, including former Cowboy Connor McGovern (three-year, $22.4M deal) and ex-Ram David Edwards (one-year, $1.8M contract).
Unless Beane can land a tackle, such as Tennessee Volunteer Darnell Wright, bolstering the offensive line in the middle rounds would be a wiser and more cost-effective use of assets.
It’s worth noting that Buffalo is the favorite to draft Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs, according to Oddschecker. However, considering Buffalo brought in Damien Harris and spent a 2022 second-round pick on James Cook, selecting Gibbs seems like a waste of a pick. Adding to the receiver corps would likely be Beane’s best move.
Buffalo needs a reliable pass-catcher to complement Stefon Diggs since wideout Gabe Davis didn’t build on his record-breaking four-touchdown performance in the 2021-22 Divisional Round as the team hoped. Davis recorded a respectable 836 yards and seven touchdowns last season but dropped the most passes in the league (seven).
Among potential first-round receiver targets for Buffalo could be TCU’s Quentin Johnston or a pair of Biletnikoff Award winners in USC’s Jordan Addison and Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt.
In his article, Miller names Hyatt as the prospect he predicts will get drafted earlier than many expect. Last season, Hyatt caught 67 passes for 1,267 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns. The 21-year-old has blazing speed, which he demonstrated at the NFL Scouting Combine by running a 4.40-second 40-yard dash, the sixth-fastest at his position.
Quarterback Josh Allen’s health might have limited Buffalo’s potential last season, but other weaknesses became apparent, showing it still needs to improve. As the AFC field, particularly that of the AFC East, continues to tighten, Beane should be aggressive on draft day to ensure Buffalo finally achieves its Super Bowl aspirations.
The 2023 NFL Draft, hosted in Kansas City, kicks off on April 27.
