- Upgrading the secondary with a high-level athlete: The Bills needed a high-caliber cornerback opposite Christian Benford, and Maxwell Hairston provides that potential due to his solid tackling ability and good length at the position.
- Building up the defensive front: Landon Jackson is a fundamentally sound player with alluring length and surprising cornering ability for a player of his size.
- Final chance to claim 25% off PFF+: Use code DRAFT25 and unlock access to player grades, fantasy tools and the 2025 Draft Guide.
Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Bills knocked on the door of a Super Bowl berth this past season but ultimately fell short, due in large part to a subpar defensive performance. With that in mind, general manager Brandon Beane attacked the void by selecting three defenders ranked among the class’ top 55 prospects, and six in total, earning Buffalo a high mark in PFF’s draft grades.
Buffalo Bills 2025 NFL Draft Class:
1 (30): CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
2 (41): DI T.J. Sanders, South Carolina
3 (72): ED Landon Jackson, Arkansas
4 (109): DI Deone Walker, Kentucky
5 (170): S Jordan Hancock, Ohio State
5 (173): TE Jackson Hawes, Georgia Tech
6 (177): CB Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech
6 (206): T Chase Lundt, Connecticut
7 (240): WR Kaden Prather, Maryland
A combine standout to boost the secondary in Round 1: Maxwell Hairston recorded an 81.8 PFF overall grade in 2023 and looked poised for a leap in 2024, but he missed most of the season due to injury. The Bills needed a high-caliber cornerback opposite Christian Benford, and Hairston provides that potential due to his solid tackling ability and good length at the position. He profiles well as a zone-heavy cornerback with high-level athleticism.
Adding juice to the interior pass rush in Round 2: The Bills secured a 3-technique who can shoot gaps with an explosive first step and lateral quickness. T.J. Sanders improved his PFF pass-rushing grade in each of the past three seasons at South Carolina, culminating in an 81.9 mark in 2024 and 33 quarterback pressures. He’ll fit nicely into a Bills defense that relies on its front four to get home.
Rookie to watch: ED Landon Jackson, Arkansas
Jackson is a fundamentally sound player with alluring length and surprising cornering ability for a player of his size. His pass-rush win rate was low throughout his college career, but his run-defense ability profiles exceptionally well (88.8 PFF run-defense grade), which presents him as a high-floor, versatile defensive end who holds potential as a starting-caliber edge defender.
Position/role battle to watch: S Jordan Hancock vs. S Cam Lewis
The Bills made numerous additions to the secondary after ranking 31st in PFF coverage grade (37.7), including Hancock, a key contributor to Ohio State’s championship run. Hancock profiles best as a nickel defender — having earned a 75.3 PFF grade when lined up in the slot and the box last season — with versatility to play on the back end. Cam Lewis lacked consistency in the role this past season and could find himself battling for his roster spot in camp.
Draft grade: A-
This news was originally published on this post .
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