Bills seven-round mock draft: Finally, Buffalo pairs an electric WR with Stefon Diggs

The Buffalo Bills have continued to chip away at team-building in free agency. They will do the same thing in the NFL Draft, where general manager Brandon Beane has six picks, including their first-rounder at 27th overall. While this draft class isn’t loaded with top-tier pass-catchers — one of the Bills’ top perceived needs — it actually seems likely Buffalo can land one of the top receivers. And that player should be a difference-maker.

The Bills have watched the AFC East get substantially better this offseason, with the Dolphins adding Jalen Ramsey and the Jets likely to add Aaron Rodgers. Buffalo, meanwhile, has quietly added little pieces, remaining confident in what is already on the roster.

The draft could be where the Bills acquire the personnel that helps seal their victory in the AFC East. If they add key contributors during draft weekend, perhaps Josh Allen can finally make his Super Bowl run.

Let’s take a look at which draft prospects could fit.

Round 1, Pick 27: Jalin HyattWR, Tennessee

What a hard decision. Buffalo essentially has to decide who it sees as the fifth-best pass-catcher in this year’s draft, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jordan Addison, Michael Mayer and Quentin Johnston already off the board. So the Bills’ options include Hyatt, tight end Dalton Kincaid and Zay Flowers, among others. Kincaid is drawing comparisons to Zach Ertz, essentially an upgraded version of the team’s current tight end, Dawson Knox. Flowers is an electric slot player. But I’ll take Hyatt, who will be the Bills’ WR2 in 2023.

The wideout was an absolute beast for Tennessee, whether he was playing WR1 or WR2 alongside Cedric Tillman. It didn’t matter when he lost quarterback Hendon Hooker either. Hyatt stood out no matter the circumstances. And he’s freakishly fast (4.4 40 at the combine). Everyone who called for the Bills to sign Odell Beckham Jr. will be pleasantly surprised to see Buffalo add a deep threat in Round 1 instead. Hyatt had 67 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022.

Against Alabama, he had six catches for 207 yards and five touchdowns.

Any questions? Didn’t think so.

Round 2, Pick 59: Know SmithDT, Michigan

I had a really hard time talking myself out of UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet. I’ll get back to why I think the Bills need to add another RB, even after drafting a promising back in James Cook in the second round last year.

But first, they’ll take Smith, who is a physical marvel at 6-foot-3 and 335 pounds. The Bills might feel like it’s easier to trade Ed Oliver (and his $10 million salary in 2023) if they add Smith, who can jump into the middle of Buffalo’s defense and wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Smith has work to do — namely on his initial movements off the snap — but if he can put it together, he has Pro Bowl upside with his rare blend of size and athleticism.

Round 3, Pick 91: Daiyan HenleyLB, Washington State

With Tremaine Edmunds leaving Buffalo for the Bears, the Bills need to add talent at the second level. Last year, they added linebacker Terrel Bernard (also in Round 3), but he didn’t contribute much. So it would help to keep adding bodies at the ILB spot to see who can play alongside Matt Milano.

I love how NFL.com writer Lance Zierlein described Henley: “a rambunctious inside linebacker.” He finished the 2022 season with 106 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. The downside is that he lacks discipline, often playing too much based on instinct. But coach Sean McDermott is the perfect man to teach Henley how to operate in a scheme.

I ran a mock draft simulator to keep my picks honest, but I’m not sure Henley will last into the third round. He’s shooting up boards.

Round 4, Pick 130: Mekhi GarnerCB/S, LSU

Garner is long (6-foot-2), strong (212 pounds) and fast (4.55-second 40). He has unique leaping ability at 38 inches. He seems like the ideal player to match a top-end receiver. He plays well in press coverage and has solid ball skills.

There’s just one problem — because if he’s going in the fourth round there are always problems. It can be easy for receivers to create separation against him once they’re in their routes. So that’s where the Bills would have to work. And if it doesn’t work out, he can always move to safety. At both positions, the team has the depth to allow Garner a year to develop.

Round 5, Pick 137: Luke CleanerTE, Michigan

I’ll admit that I also mocked Schoonmaker to the Dolphins, who more acutely need a tight end than the Bills. But Schoonmaker has shades of Dawson Knox in his game. And white the Bills already have Knox in their offense, they might have a tough decision to make on Knox in 2024. He is due $10 million while having a cap hit of $14.4 million.

It’s likely Buffalo deems that too expensive for a mid-tier tight end. And so they may want someone like Schoonmaker in the system as a potential replacement.

*Round 6, Pick 188: Roschon JohnsonRB, Texas

If there was one late-round flier at RB that I wanted, it was Johnson. So when he fell, I packaged pick No. 205 and a 2024 sixth-rounder to get into a position where I could stop his slide.

If Bijan Robinson is Reggie Bush, Johnson is sort of like Lendale White. (That reference may go over the heads of a younger audience.) Johnson backed up Bijan at Texas, but that doesn’t mean Johnson will be unimportant in the NFL. To the contrary, Johnson’s frame (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) should make him valuable to a team like the Bills, who need a power running back. They have Cook, a speedster. They have Damien Harris, an experienced red-zone threat. But Harris dealt with injuries throughout his career. Johnson could be injury insurance for Harris.

Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @McKennAnalysis.

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