Fitting the Bills: Bills Draft review

Bills Select Mad Max Hairston with 1st Pick

The Bills entered the draft with one glaring hole, a desire to upgrade the pass rush and to add speed and youth to the team on cost effective rookie contracts. The glaring hole at Corner, opposite Christian Benford, was filled with the first pick, bringing in a dynamic Corner, with elite speed, athleticism and instincts for the position, in Max Hairston. They then did some maneuvering to package their two second round picks to move up, but also gain a high 3rd rounder. They were able to address the desire to add both an inside pass rusher in TJ Sanders and outside with Landon Jackson. Day 3 they will continue to look to add speed and depth, with the roster still lacking a fast outside receiver, speed depth and competition at safety, a big nose tackle for the D-line and depth across the rest of the roster. The first 2 days, the Bills went back to the Beane era trend of drafting elite athletes of high football character.

Round 1 Pick 30

Maxwell Hairston CB Kentucky Hgt 5112 Wt 183 40:4.28 10yd:9.63 Ceiling: 92 Floor 70

🔒Lock Down Coverage 😺 Cat Like Instincts🐆Speed to burn 🩹Undersized/ Injury risk

Hairston is an instinctive corner with elite ball skills, recording 6 INTs (3 pick-sixes) over 2023-24, though his slight frame and tackling inconsistencies need work; he suffered a shoulder injury in 2024, limiting him to seven games. Hairston’s speed, quickness and coverage instincts add the kind of ability the Bills desperately needed on the back end of their D. His blazing speed, fastest at this year's combine, will help him stick with the Tyrek Hills and Xavier Worthy's in the league. His big play, turnover ability hopefully turn up come playoff time, where McDermott and Babich's low risk Zone based 4-3 defense have struggled time after time. His lack of size, and some poor angles, do make him a liability in run support, but he isn't afraid to stick his nose in, and at least is a willing tackler. Adding some bulk, once he enters in the Bills training program, will help both his ability to man up and his durability. Another key trait evident and noted by scouts, was his ability to mirror, stick and recover, all without grabbing as so many young defenders do on Saturdays, that translate into flags on Sundays. A year after passing on bringing in the fastest man in the draft class, they grab this year's defensive version. A reported allegation was vetted by the Bills and they believe the accusations were unfounded. He has the kind of energy, team and family first character hat will blend right into the Bills locker-room culture. Hairston was my projected pick to the Bills in my official mock. He was my 21 ranked prospect and 3 ranked CB overall.

Round 2 Pick 41

T.J. Sanders DT S Carolina Hgt: 6037 Wt: 305 40: 4.95 RAS 9.38 88/75

🏋️‍♂️Elite PLay Strength 🔨Hits like hammer🧠High Football IQ💥Explosive Burst 🦥Work Ethic ?

Powerful defensive tackle with good leverage and run-stuffing ability. Has an explosive first step and plays with power, leverag and burst. Needs to develop a broader pass-rush plan.

3 Tech to rotate with Oliver and provide some pass rush and run stuffing juice. Fits the mold of D-lineman the Bills target, preferring gap shooting/ disruptive athletes to bigger, lane clogging people eaters in the middle. They stil have a whole behind DaQuan at 1 Tech, but may be addressed on day 3 or a post draft FA. As Brandon Beane explained in his Draft press conference, its easier and more cost effective to find 2 down run stuffers, than inside pass rushers of Sanders caliber and potential. Some scouts, as reported in Bob McGinn's draft series, question his work ethic, but all believe his ceiling is unlimited if he ever gets that fire lit.

Round 3 Pick 72

Landon Jackson Edge Arkansas Ht 6060 Wt264 40: 4.68 RAS 9.78 Ceiling 88 Floor 75

🏋️‍♂️Elite PLay Strength🔨Hits like a hammer🚂Non stop engine👹Freakish athleticism 🎢Up and Down Tape

Versatile defensive lineman with size, power, and a high motor. Has length and a rare athletic profile, as proven by his RAS of 9.78. Pass-rush creativity remains underdeveloped. Victor Zsasz. Bills 30 Visitor

Bills traded up for Sanders, by trading down with their later 2nd rounder. If they had stayed, there is a high likelihood that Jackson would have been taken there. Jackson is a natural weak side pass rusher, something that didn't currently have.

All reports are he is a leader and checks every high character box. He doesn't always play with leverage or use the athleticism that he tested at, but he flashed enough (See tape vs Pats 1st Rnd Pick Will Campbell) to think he has an unlimited upside when he puts it all together. Bills have done well betting on high character, commitment prospects with elite athleticism in the past, and he is worth the investment, and may pay off huge dividends down the road.

Round 4 Pick 109

Deone Walker DT Kentucky Ht 6074 Wt 328 40: 5.35 RAS 3.74

💪Massive Strength🌎Planet Theory 🥩Raw 🏋️‍♂️Elite PLay Strength🩹Injury History (Back)

Massive interior defender with elite size and raw power. Pass-rush moves and agility need development. He was another Bills 30 visitor, SEC and Senior Bowl attendee.

Walker was my 84th ranked prospect, and one of my favorites for the Bills. Filling, quite literally a huge need for both short and long term. He won't be shooting through gaps to get to the QB, but he has the kind of raw power that will clog lanes, and withstand double teams at the point of attack to free up Oliver and TJ, and keep Milano and Bernard clean on the second level. I have been pounding the table for years for the Bills to draft a big man of Walker's profile.

He needs to play with better leverage, and medicals at the combine reportedly detected a back injury that he played with last year, which could explain why his 2023 tape was better than '24.

	Jordan Hancock	DB	Ohio State	6-0	195	4.45	9.82	88/77
Rnd 5 Pick 170	🥇Elite Athleticism 👨‍✈️Leader 🧠High Football IQ 🛠 Jack of all Trades	Well built corner with elite athleticism. Best suited as a Nickel but offers positional versatility. Has a good punch and keeps plays in front of him and attacks in Zone. Started all 16 games and was a leader and described as the glue of a talented secondary that wonr the National Champions totalling 48 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, INT, 8 PBUs, 2 FFs. Has positional flexibility, outside, Nickel or potential as a Safety. Has incredible upside potential but at the least offers solid depth.	Will compete for a role as Taron Johnson's understudy but may be a candidate to shift to Safety. Could become a valuable asset as a core four special teamer, and depth for all 5 secondary positions.	Quality Depth at all 5 DB positions. Potential to start as a Nickel or FS.
	Jackson Hawes	TE	Georgia Tech	6-5	260	4.82	7.23	82/75
Rnd 5 Pick 175	🦍Beast Mode🏋️‍♂️Great Play Strength🙌 Great Hands 🏈Better Football Player than Athlete🤷‍♂️ Physically just a guy	An old school in line TE who may be the best blocking TE in this class. Physically dominant as a blocker, with big soft hands as a reciever. Pedestrian as a recieving threat and his value on a roster will come as a blocker and special teams contributor.	Slots in as the heir to Quintin Morris's Role as TE 3. 30 Visitor	Blocking TE and Core 4 ST Y
	Dorian Strong	CB	Virginia Tech	6-0	185	4.50	8.33	80/70
Rnd 6 Pick 177	🛠 Jack of all Trades🔨Hits like a Hammer📉Limited Upside	A physical instinctive corner who competes at all levels. His physical traits may limit him at the next level, but offers positional flexibility and could stick as a core 4 special teamer and quality depth.	Will have to make the team on Special teams, and could provide depth at Nickel with the potential to be flex depth at multiple Secondary positions.	Nickel Depth or Core 4 ST
	Chase Lundt	OT	UCONN	6-8	304	5.40	6.45	75/65
Rnd 6 Pick 206	🦶Smooth Footwork ⚖ Elite Balance 🏈Better Football Player than Athlete👴Older Prospect 🐊Short Arms	A dancing bear, with quick feet. Didnt allow a sack in over 200 snaps. Sub 33" arms and level of competition likely caused him to drop to the bottom of the 6th round, but he has potential to make the roster and become quality affordable depth.	Will compete for a swing Tackle spot with Guard potential, making him a valuable flex for the Bills roster.	Swing T w/ Potential to also back up inside at G.
	Kaden Prather	WR	Maryland	6-3	215	4.46	7.68	75/60
Rnd 7Pick 240	🙌Great Hands 🐴Size/Speed 🧮RAC🎼One Note/ Strictly Outside	Long striding outside WR with good combo of size/ speed. Log strider, and can eat up ground when he hits top stride. Size and speed causes mismatches down field and can be used to stretch and open things up underneath. USes size well to shield defende. Has good RAC ability on screens. Offers little other value as a Receiver, with stiffness and a lack of explosive burst.	Fits the need for an outside WR with size and speed. Will compete for that final WR roster spot and will have to excell on ST to make the roster.	Outside Speed Reciever with ST potential.