Bills 2024 NFL Draft big board: Ranking best fits for Buffalo by tiers

The 2024 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, and following the trade of top receiver Stefon Diggs, the attention on the Buffalo Bills’ top pick is as intense as ever. The team holds the 28th pick, which means draft night could play out in several ways.

And considering general manager Brandon Beane has opted to trade up in the first round several times since 2018, let’s take a deep dive into a Bills-centric first-round big board — with a twist.

With the release of “The Beast” earlier this week, the yearly draft guide written by The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler featuring over 400 in-depth scouting reports, we looked hard at his top 100 to see what makes the most sense. From there, we separated some prospects of potential Bills interest into four tiers combined with the players’ pre-draft values, and we provided a brief explanation of why each prospect ranks in the tier he is in.

You’ll notice there aren’t any quarterbacks, running backs or tight ends, and that’s because of a total lack of team need in the first round.

On to this Bills big board inspired by “The Beast!”

*Listing in tiers is not in order of preference

Tier 1

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State (No. 2 in Brugler’s Top 100)

The likelihood that the Bills will draft Harrison Jr., even in a massive trade up the board, does not look promising. Harrison Jr. has a great chance to be the first non-quarterback selected, either at No. 4 or No. 5 — both of which are just a tad too high of a reach for a potential Bills trade up. But if something unexpected happens, Harrison Jr. checks every box for the Bills.

Wide receiver Malik Nabers, LSU (No. 3)

In most years, Nabers would be the first receiver off the board and likely a top-five pick. This year, he’s likely to be the second or third receiver off the board in the back half of the top 10. Nabers has superstar potential, boasting a versatile skill set to line up wherever he’s needed and a knack for YAC (yards after catch). That is everything the Bills are looking for in a potential new top target for Josh Allen.

Wide receiver Rome Odunze, Washington (No. 6)

Like Nabers, Odunze would be the clear top receiver in most draft classes. He would be the prototypical X receiver the Bills lack, but he isn’t quite as gifted in yards after the catch as Nabers. Regardless, Odunze can potentially be Allen’s long-term top target. There is a compelling case for the Bills moving up the board into the back half of the top 10 for either Nabers or Odunze and taking advantage of the circumstances of a strong receiver draft class.

Tier 2

Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., LSU (No. 15)

Thomas Jr., with his outstanding size and speed combination, has humongous potential. However, he is a less refined route runner than the top three in the class, which drops him down a tier. Thomas Jr. is a potential target in a move up into the 11 to 20 range for the Bills, where they likely would not need to sacrifice a 2025 first-round pick.

Wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, Texas (No. 33)

Mitchell is a good fit on paper if the Bills are looking for a long-range prototypical player who could play X receiver. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds with long arms, his speed and fluidity for that body type tease big-time potential. He can make highlight-reel catches in the process and is a noted blocker, which will speak well to the Bills. However, part of his profile is a slight concern. The concerns include contested catch situations despite his size, providing little run after catch and having a low yards per route run average in college compared to his draft peers. Regardless, the potential is tantalizing and can get teams to overlook some of the holes in his profile. He could be in play for the Bills at No. 28, but most likely in a move up the board. I was torn between Tier 2 and 3, but opted for 2 as the draft buzz around Mitchell has gotten louder.

Offensive tackle Joe Alt, Notre Dame (No. 5)

The Bills will not move into the Top 10 to select an offensive tackle, but Alt is among the top tier of talents at potential positions of need, so he gets this listing. Depending on their plans for contract year right tackle Spencer Brown, the position remains a slight need.

Edge rusher Dallas Turner, Alabama (No. 14)

Based on their depth chart, the Bills seem unlikely to move up to select the top edge rusher on the board, but stranger things have happened. Turner would be an instant fit for their starting lineup.

Tier 3

Wide receiver Xavier Worthy, Texas (No. 50)

Worthy might be a bit of a projection based on his draft area and with Brugler having him at No. 50, but something about the potential pairing between Worthy and the Bills makes a lot of sense. The team is looking for explosiveness before and after the catch. Worthy brings both of those things to the table. He’s an excellent route runner who gains ample separation, and using that with his speed would be an asset to Allen. The only question is, would they see him in the X receiver role if the Bills did invest in Worthy? For what it’s worth, the Bills occasionally used Deonte Harty (5-foot-6) in that role, who is much smaller than Worthy (5-11). In a new NFL where smaller receivers win much more than in the past, pairing Allen’s arm with Worthy’s speed would be fascinating.

Offensive lineman Troy Fautanu, Washington (No. 9)

The Bills are unlikely to move up where they’d need to get to select a talent like Fautanu. Still, his overall athleticism and potential ability to slot in at all five offensive line positions make him extremely valuable. He’d be someone to watch if he starts falling down the board, as unlikely as that seems.

Offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, Penn State (No. 12)

Fashanu is in a tier above in terms of talent, though the likelihood the Bills would take him over anyone else in Tier 2 is suspect. This is an unlikely pairing for the Bills, but he stays on the board just in case.

Center Graham Barton, Duke (No. 18)

Barton is an intriguing name for the Bills if all else fails in the first round. He’s super athletic and an excellent fit for their athletically motivated blocking scheme. Barton would be close to a Day 1 starter, but with Connor McGovern and David Edwards on the team, the Bills would have the time to bring Barton along in his transition from three-year college starter at left tackle to center. Fun fact: He’s from the same town (Brentwood, Tenn.) as Bills tight end Dawson Knox.

Center Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon (No. 23)

A one-year starter at center at Oregon, Powers-Johnson looks like an excellent fit for the Bills scheme, bringing more power than the Bills had with Mitch Morse. Powers-Johnson might be closer to the bottom of the list of this tier, but center is a safe fallback positional option at No. 28 no matter what.

Edge rusher Jared Verse, Florida State (No. 20)

Verse is the first edge rusher who could conceivably make it to the Bills’ original pick in the first round. While a big move up isn’t likely for an edge rusher this year, taking one at No. 28 certainly is on the table.

Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, Texas (No. 16)

Considering the long-term investment in Ed Oliver, a substantial move up the board to select Murphy II when he’s likely to go doesn’t make sense. But should he fall a bit and start sticking out from the pack, his ability to start next to Oliver in the long term would be appealing.

Cornerback/safety Cooper DeJean, Iowa (No. 25)

If there’s an under-the-radar name the Bills may be in on for pick No. 28 or in a slight move up, it’s DeJean — if he lasts that long. DeJean has the ideal skill set the Bills look for at cornerback and safety, which would give the Bills options. They could immediately start DeJean at safety and figure out the future at cornerback once Rasul Douglas becomes a free agent, with DeJean as a staple at safety. They could also start DeJean at safety in the interim and move him to cornerback in 2025 if necessary. Or they could see who their best bet at cornerback this summer is between DeJean and Christian Benford and have the other go to safety. The first two options seem the most likely, but DeJean has the instincts and ball skills the Bills love at both spots.

Cornerback Terrion Arnold, Alabama (No. 10)

Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo (No. 11)

Both players are in this tier due to talent, but the cost of doing business to select one of these players in the top 20 doesn’t match the need at cornerback. If either are available at the Bills pick at No. 28, that prospect could be in play for the team, but that does not seem likely in either case.

Tier 4

Wide receiver Ladd McConkey, Georgia (No. 31)

Wide receiver Keon Coleman, Florida State (No. 37)

Wide receiver Troy Franklin, Oregon (No. 58)

Wide receiver Xavier Legette, South Carolina (No. 76)

McConkey is a highly talented route technician who could be a starter immediately. However, one thing that could hold them back is if there is too much talent duplication between the skill sets of McConkey, Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel, with all three likely being at their best at Z receiver if not at slot. If they have a plan for that, McConkey could be on their radar. Franklin may fall under the same dilemma, though his speed could be considered at X receiver. Coleman is the more prototypical fit of a bigger-bodied X receiver, and he’s a better mover than his size would indicate. But there are concerns about his ability to separate, and the Bills have drifted away from that type of receiver since 2019. Legette has some eye-popping run-after-catch plays on tape, along with an excellent size-speed combination but seems to be a bit raw. The Bills could likely talk themselves into any of these three depending on what they’re after, but a trade down from No. 28 to select one could wind up being the play.

Offensive tackle JC Latham, Alabama (No. 13)

Offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State (No. 17)

Offensive tackle Amarius Mims, Georgia (No. 19)

Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma (No. 27)

We lumped these players together because most will be gone before all the Tier 3 players. Even if one is on the board at No. 28, considering their depth chart at the position, the Bills might be better served by using an offensive tackle’s presence on the board to move down and turn a Day 3 pick into a Day 2 pick. But Brown’s contract status means the Bills should never say never at offensive tackle in the first round.

Center Zach Frazier, West Virginia (No. 34)

Frazier might not be as athletic as Powers-Johnson, but he makes up for that with experience at center. Much to Sean McDermott’s delight, Frazier has a background in wrestling as a highly decorated wrestler in high school.

Edge rusher Laiatu Latu, UCLA (No. 22)

Edge rusher Chop Robinson, Penn State (No. 26)

Edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan (No. 32)

Edge rusher Darius Robinson, Missouri (No. 35)

If they can’t get access to a wide receiver worth No. 28, defensive end is on the short list of positions they’ll use the pick on — and likely more than one of these players will be available. Latu has great talent with some medical concerns, and if the Bills are good with the injury history, he could even be a Tier 3 guy. Chop Robinson is a slightly unrefined speedster off the edge with gobs of potential. Kneeland lacks college sack production but makes up for it with similarly great NFL potential. And Darius Robinson can be the Swiss army knife along the defensive front the Bills have gravitated toward in the past. All of these players are likely on the Bills’ radar.

Defensive tackle Johnny Newton, Illinois (No. 28)

Newton projects more as a three-technique defensive tackle, so it wouldn’t be the cleanest fit with Oliver locked in for the long term. But if the Bills believe Newton could eventually start as the one-technique next to Oliver or are looking for a late-down pass-rushing specialist to pair with Oliver for the long term, he becomes a much more attractive option at No. 28.

Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama (No. 30)

In cornerbacks, the Bills generally gravitate toward instinctive players with long arms, and if they’re strong tacklers, that’s the icing on the cake. McKinstry has all three of those in his game, and although there may not be an immediate starting spot for him, he could be too good to pass up if everything else doesn’t go their way in the first round.

Safety Jaden Hicks, Washington State (No. 39)

Safety Javon Bullard, Georgia (No. 53)

Safety Tyler Nubin, Minnesota (No. 68)

The three safeties atop Brugler’s big board, albeit all in the second-round range. The positional value only makes the most sense to target at No. 28 if it were a potential outlier at the position ideally suited to their scheme, like DeJean. Even he has the potential to start at cornerback if they need him to, making him a more valuable option. They’d likely be better off waiting on a safety until a later pick, capitalizing on better positional value.

(Top photos of Dallas Turner, Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers: Ryan Kang, Steph Chambers and Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)