Looking forward to this year’s upcoming 2024 NFL draft, as this time it will be held in the motor city of Detroit, Michigan. It will be held from April 25 to April 27.

The Buffalo Bills will boast 10 draft selections, emphasizing adding more big-play receivers, while increasing their Interior d-line.

They had nine picks but earned an additional compensatory pick from the Chicago Bears, by releasing former LB Tremaine Edmunds in 2023 during free agency.

BUFFALO BILLS: 2024 NFL MOCK DRAFT:

 

First Round No. 28 Overall- Brian Thomas Jr. (WR) – LSU

The Buffalo Bills and the rest of the NFL know that this is a very deep WR draft class in 2024. Rumors are that this could be the best WR draft class since the one in 2014 that featured Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Jarvis Landry, and Allen Robinson.

At 6’4″, 205 lbs., Brian Thomas Jr. is your typical big receiver with great route running and a deep ball catch. His forty-time should be projected to be around 4.45-4.47 which is already just as fast as Stefon Diggs’ 4.46 forty-time back in 2015.

The LSU product is very similar to Diggs; only he is stronger, more powerful, and can make yards after the catch. He is a guy you can motion out from one end of the field to the other.

Second Round No. 60 Overall- T’Vondre Sweat (DT) – Texas

Remember the Ted Washington and Pat Williams days, Bills fans? This next pick wasn’t even born yet to remember.

At 6’4″, 362 lbs., T’Vondre Sweat is a modern-day version of Washington and Williams. A big, hulky defensive tackle with a charged-up motor and attacking size to run through the middle of the defense and clog up the run.

The Buffalo Bills already have big Jordan Phillips at 6’6″, 341 lbs., and also Linval Joseph at 6’4″, 329 lbs. but Joseph is 35 years old and is on a one-year deal. If he should happen to leave, look for Sweat to plug in and play right away.

It’s a good thing they’re playing the 49ers this year, because if Sweat comes to the Buffalo Bills, we will challenge Christian McCaffery by saying, “Hey, try running through our rookie DT.”

Third Round No. 99 Overall- (Compensatory via Chicago Bears) Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. (LB) – Clemson

It only makes sense to select a linebacker with this pick, since the Buffalo Bills received it from the Chicago Bears as a compensatory selection.

They received it by releasing former (LB) Edmunds and signing a four-year, $72 million deal worth $50 million guaranteed.

The 6’4″, 230 lb., beast from Clemson, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., is ready to carve out his own legacy started by his dad Jeremiah Trotter Sr. when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles about a decade and a half ago.

Besides the bloodlines, Trotter Jr. has the physical tools to be a good depth linebacker, and given the injury to Matt Milano and Terrell Bernard at the end of the year, we could use another depth position. Trotter Jr. is speedy off the line and can sack the quarterback while also playing well in coverage.

He also boasts the smarts to call the plays on defense and mature into a vocal and action-based leader.

Fourth Round No. 129 Overall- Jordan Jefferson (DT) – LSU

This would be a steal of a draft pick in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills. Not only is Jordan Jefferson huge at 6’2″, 323 lbs., but he is very athletic with a rare spin move for his size.

Jefferson also has the freak speed for a defensive tackle at his forty-time. He is projected to be around a 4.70 which is intense linebacker speed.

The talented athlete will have to fight hard to make this year’s roster but could find his way into the lineup as a rotational DT depending on who leaves in the offseason. Nevertheless, he is a player with sky-high potential.

Fifth Round No. 159 Overall- Luke McCaffery (WR) – Rice

Sorry Christian, but in this mock draft, your little bro will be going to the Buffalo Bills. He will be playing against your San Francisco 49ers instead of with them.

The youngest of the McCaffery boys, Luke is a smaller but speedy wide receiver who is slippery with the ball in his hands and makes magic after the catch.

The slick wide receiver is also similar to Deebo Samuel or his big bro where you can line him up anywhere on the field including the backfield where he can pound the rock too.

McCaffery is a skilled and versatile player the Buffalo Bills need to add around Josh Allen to give him more game-changing weapons to finally win a Super Bowl next season

Fifth Round No. 162 Overall- Josh Proctor (S) – Ohio State

The first safety off the board for the Bills comes in the fifth round by the name of Josh Proctor from Ohio State. If the Bills want a Rodney Harrison hit-and-tackle style safety, Proctor excels at that as he had 43 tackles in 2023 and laid the boom on anyone who dare try to come his way.

With that being said, he will need to be careful with how hard he hits at the next level, as some of his hits in college could be penalties in the NFL.

He also needs to work on his technique for being in the right position to make an interception.

Other than that, if the Buffalo Bills want a throwback type of safety with tons of talent, Proctor is the way to go.

Sixth Round No. 198 Overall (via the Los Angeles Rams) Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (CB) – Louisville

The Buffalo Bills brass knows when you have big receivers in the league like Mike Evans, that you need big corners to cover them. At 6’0″, 190 lbs., Jarvis Brownlee Jr. is big enough in man coverage and is also fast to return picks into touchdowns.

More importantly, he is versatile enough to play in a nickel slot corner or outside and can make key plays at pivotal moments of the game.

Look for Brownlee Jr. to crack the roster playing special teams and even earn some time at slot corner.

Sixth Round No. 202 Overall (via the Dallas Cowboys) Trey Knox (TE) – South Carolina

Perhaps the fastest tight end in the draft. The Buffalo Bills go deep in the well to grab an extra third tight end to add to the group of Dawson Knox and the game-changing Dalton Kincaid.

Trey Knox ran a 4.48 forty-yard dash and is 6’3″, 239 lbs.

The Bills pick a flyer on a tight end who could be used as a third tight end option in 13 personnel. The speedy tight end can also be used as a guy who can just stretch the field like Kyle Pitts does with the Atlanta Falcons.

Tight ends are more popular than ever before and who knows, maybe the Buffalo Bills hit on another tight end pick two years in a row.

Sixth Round No. 206 Overall- Matt Goncalves (OT) – Pittsburgh

The Buffalo Bill’s offensive line was a huge strength in 2023 in their passing and ground game. It was mainly because of draft picks last year like O’Cyrus Torrence in the second round from Florida.

Torrence was very quiet in the game and physical enough to help Cook open up lanes and run for over 1,000 yards last year.

The Bills go back into this year’s draft and select a big OT in Goncalves. At 6’5″, 332 lbs., Goncalves can play either the left or right tackle position, but more importantly, he adds more depth and a huge body to a unit that was injury-free last year.

He will have time to develop and could be a good depth piece for Spencer Brown who had a great 2023 as a swing tackle.

Seventh Round No. 246 Overall- Jared Wiley (TE) – TCU

With their last pick, the Buffalo Bills selected another tight end mainly used for blocking.  Jared Wiley’s ability as a pure blocker will help him be more NFL-ready than projected.

At 6’6″, 253 lbs., he can also be used as an extra blocker in the run game or even be used to help Allen push the pile when running the “tush push plays”.

Lastly, he could be a replacement for Dawson Knox even though I don’t want it to happen, but in reality, it would free up cap space.

With about two months left to wait until Draft Day, let’s see if I can even get one of my predictions right?

 

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