After coming so close to getting to the Super Bowl in 2024, the Buffalo Bills entered the 2025 NFL Draft knowing they needed to address some key areas to try and help put them over the top, both in 2025 and into the future.
The Bills leaned all the way into drafting defensive players, using their first four selections to improve the side of the ball that ultimately held them back in the playoffs last year. That began with Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston in the first round. The Bills eventually used a pick on an offensive player in the fifth round, and made a concerted effort to add core special teams players on Day Three.
Here’s a rundown of the nine-player draft class, along with some key takeaways when thinking about what it means for the Bills in the big picture.
Best value pick: Landon Jackson, Edge
Although Jackson may not have the crazy speed or bend around the edge that vaulted some other edge prospects up the board, the Bills know exactly what they’re getting out of him — power, a non-stop motor, effort, a good edge-setting run defender and consistent production (6.5 sacks each of the last two years). The 6-foot-6, 264-pound Jackson has all the makings of being a high-floor talent who could eventually start for the Bills as early as 2026. Although he may lack the high-ceiling outcome that some of the other edge rusher prospects could have, Jackson’s consistency and work ethic will go a long way inside the building. In the third round, getting a potential starter in the player’s second year on a Super Bowl-contending roster is excellent value.
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Most surprising pick: Deone Walker, DT
The Bills certainly wanted to get bigger up front on defense, and they did just that by taking Walker (6-foot-7, 331 pounds), moving up 23 spots to draft him. You can see the appeal in Walker, as his movement skills at his size are rare to find, and he has seemingly untapped potential due to on-the-field inconsistency. But there are two main reasons why the pick is surprising.
The first surprising roster reason is due to how many spots they’re committing to the defensive line already. Now, including Walker, they have 12 spots of the 53-man roster eventually owed to their defensive line. There will immediately be five spots to defensive end with Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, Landon Jackson and Javon Solomon, and now five spots at defensive tackle for DaQuan Jones, Ed Oliver, T.J. Sanders, DeWayne Carter and now Walker. That’s not counting defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, who will serve six-game suspensions before counting toward their roster in Week 7. The Bills are likely going to need to get more special teams reps out of their defensive end room than they have previously with all of that roster commitment, seeing as how defensive tackles do not play on any core-four units.
Second, it is fair to wonder where his position will land. If the Bills believe he can become their long-term one-technique defensive tackle, there are certainly some questions standing in the way of that. Because of his height, he can play a bit upright, making it tougher to hold the point of attack against double teams. That’s one of the key responsibilities of becoming a trustworthy one-technique in the Bills system, and the ultimate reason why Jordan Phillips, despite his size at 342 pounds, was not a one-technique in their system. Walker and Phillips are pretty close comparisons. If he’s more of a three-technique, then it makes the pick a bit more confusing when they already have Oliver and Sanders on the team.
Biggest question mark: Can Maxwell Hairston win the 2025 starting job?
The team used their top draft choice on Hairston, hoping that he could be the long-term running mate for top cornerback Christian Benford, who is signed to an extension through the 2029 season. The big question is if Hairston can fulfill that role as early as 2025. The Bills are certainly hoping for it, and Hairston will likely have the inside track to the job as long as he stays healthy during training camp. The other options at cornerback are a bit uninspiring.
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The team let starter Rasul Douglas walk in free agency, and now with five boundary cornerbacks on the team, it appears unlikely that a reunion will be in the works for 2025. Instead, the Bills signed two players they knew extremely well in Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson. White has a long history of starting in the Bills’ scheme and was a star before all his injuries began, but he is not the same player he used to be due to those injuries. White struggled a bit during his stops with the Rams and Ravens in 2024, and may be in the final year or two of his career. He’s best suited as a depth player. The same goes for Jackson, who teams have picked on in the past when he’s had to be a full-game starter. He’s more of a depth and special teams option at this point.
If Hairston doesn’t win the job out of camp, the Bills’ second corner spot could be the weak spot of their defense in 2025. The best-case scenario for them is that Hairston is ahead of schedule and gives them average to above-average play for his rookie season.
Remaining needs: Wide receiver and linebacker
The Bills declined to select a wide receiver until the seventh round, and a pick that late does not usually mean a locked-in spot on the 53-man roster. That development helps free agent-signing Laviska Shenault a great deal, as he likely would have been on the wrong side of the roster bubble had they made a big investment in one. Shenault is also helped by the Bills declining to add a return specialist for special teams, which was part of the team’s draw to signing him. The Bills also could have brought on another linebacker to challenge backup middle linebacker Baylon Spector for a roster spot in the final year of his rookie deal, but the value never lined up with their selections. The Bills could look to add to either position in post-draft free agency ahead of training camp.
Post-draft outlook
While the 2024 offseason and draft was the mini-reset year to help lengthen their Super Bowl window, 2025 was all about putting the missing pieces in place to help get past the Chiefs and everyone else in the AFC to play for their first Super Bowl title in franchise history. The Bills got the memo from what ailed them last season to add answers to their biggest questions — at least conceivably. They couldn’t play man coverage well enough when needed due to their cornerback depth? Check. They couldn’t stop the run at times throughout the season? Check. They couldn’t get to the quarterback quickly or consistently enough in the late stages of the year? Check — on both the edge and the interior.
While the Bills caught many by surprise in 2024 in what was supposed to be a year that featured a minor step back, they won’t be catching anyone off guard in 2025. Their draft class and free agent moves this offseason have addressed major needs. They took away as many questions that could hover over their heads by extending NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen and four key young starters to lucrative contract extensions. There is one collective goal throughout the building: to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history. Given all their moves and Allen coming off the best season of his career in 2024, the table is set for what could be another special season in Orchard Park.
(Top photo of Maxwell Hairston: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
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