The NFL mock draft boards have lit up recently due to the range of impressive and surprising showings at the combine in Indianapolis. For example, Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston posted the electrifying 4.28 40-yard dash. Then, there is a wide variety of positional players who tossed up well north of 30 reps of bench press with 225lb on the bar. The display of elite athleticism is awe-inspiring, and now, scout teams and NFL mock draft managers are scrambling to get the diamond in the rough prospect. A player who can help solve problems and alleviate a team’s weaknesses.
With the NFL draft quickly approaching, it’s time to focus on what a team might need for the coming season. One effective way of addressing this is to evaluate some of the more informed NFL mock draft boards. Stadium Rant recently collaborated with the innovative and increasingly popular NFL Draft Simulator application, which is readily available for fans to get their draft board up and running at draftprofessor.com.
For the AFC East Champion Buffalo Bills, the mock draft simulator has highlighted the immediate need for speed and skill in the defensive secondary. The combine revealed an abundance of prospects that could make their way onto NFL rosters for 2025. Here is how the first three rounds are projected to pan out based on mock draft boards.
Given that they pick rather late at number 30, the Bills Mafia faithful should still feel safe in knowing that some game-ready impact players will be available. Will these picks eventually boost the Bills’ defensive rankings and make them a more balanced, unstoppable force in the AFC?
It might be a toss-up between Morrison and Texas CB Jahdae Barron. With a 4.39 40-yard dash posting, Morrison has the unique size and speed combination that allows him to play both outside and slot configurations. A hip injury early on this past season may have dropped Morrison’s stock, but he appears to have recovered nicely. A late first-round pick for the star Notre Dame corner would seem like a steal.
The Bills absolutely need a skilled edge rusher and defensive end who will put pressure on opposing offenses and shut down a run game. It would seem that the only reason Green would be taken past the first round is his lack of exposure to elite competition. The 6’4”, 250lb former high school wrestling champ set a Sunbelt Conference record with 17 sacks and grabbed at least one tackle for loss in 12 of Marshall’s 13 games in 2024.
The freakishly athletic Umanmielen transferred from Florida, only to elevate his game substantially with Mississippi’s wide-9 defensive alignment. He was the standout defensive end and anchor of a defense that ranked tops in the nation in stopping the run. He is another 6’4” 250-ish pass rusher with the naturally fierce competitive instincts that the Buffalo Bills desperately need on the defensive side of the ball.
NFL Mock Drafts have historically offered fans a lens into a team’s most pressing area of need. Bills Mafia, despite having to wait until the later stages of each round, should start to get excited about the elite prospects that could still remain available. The ultimate goal should be to boost the average-at-best Bills defensive secondary towards becoming one of the better coverage teams in the league. They are so close to hoisting their first Lombardi trophy. If they are able to draft and sign the types of prospects that this NFL mock draft has revealed, then they should be one step closer to their goal.
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