BUFFALO, N.Y. — With the NFL Draft now less than two weeks away, more and more mock drafts are starting to focus on each team's needs.
Before the NFL Scouting Combine began in February, WGRZ Bills/NFL Insider Vic Carucci said logic strongly suggested that the Buffalo Bills, who have the 27th overall pick, would be looking closely at five positions.
- offensive tackles O’Cyrus Torrence of Florida and Dewand Jones of Ohio State;
- edge rushers Drew Sanders of Arkansas and Keion White of Georgia Tech;
- safeties Antonio Johnson of Texas A&M and Jordan Battle of Alabama;
- wide receivers Jalin Hyatt of Tennessee and Zay Flowers of Boston College; and
- running backs Bijan Robinson of Texas and Jahmyr Gibbs of Alabama.
Now that we're closer to the draft, who are the names some NFL reporters nationwide have pegged for the Bills at No. 27?
Let's start with ESPN's Matt Miller, who on April 23 released a mock draft five days before it gets underway. He believes the Bills will add to the offense to help Josh Allen and gave them TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston. He also says it's plausible the Bills will trade down to get more picks.
"If Buffalo doesn't trade, though, this is a great spot for a WR2 to complement Diggs. Gabe Davis enters a contract year and will likely price himself out of the team's long-term plans. Johnston, a 6-3 target with downfield speed and the hands to excel in 50-50 situations, could give Allen another vertical target," Miller said.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., who on March 21 had the Bills taking Bijan Robinson, who is considered the top running back in this draft.
Kiper has since called an audible. In a two-round mock draft published April 11, he has the Bills selecting Clemson linebacker Trent Simpson at No. 27.
"I don't love drafting strictly for need, but that's exactly what great teams can do when they don't have many holes. Buffalo let middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds leave in free agency, and this could be a selection to fill that void," Kiper said in explaining the pick.
Kiper added that Simpson is "a really good three-down linebacker who has some coverage traits in the pass game and is a strong blitzer."
Kiper has the Bills taking North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs in the second round, with the No. 59 overall pick.
Kiper's co-worker at ESPN, Todd McShay, on April 4 had the Bills selecting USC wide receiver Jordan Addison.
"He can make tough catches down the field. And while Stefon Diggs is here to stay for a bit, the Bills need to find more pass-catchers. Gabe Davis is under contract for only one more year, and the depth chart beyond those two is lackluster," McShay said.
Most recently, Kiper and McShay teamed up for a three-round mock draft, where they gave the Bills Clemson linebacker Trent Simpson in the first round, north Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs in the second round, then Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson in the third round.
Over at CBS Sports, six mock drafts were all over the board when it came to the Bills, with two people going with Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders. The other four picks were split among Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell, Boston College receiver Zay Flowers, North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs, and Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.
The Ringer seemed to think the Bills might be looking at a receiver as well, going with Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt.
"Hyatt is a premiere deep threat and big-play creator, making him a great fit with the big-armed, aggressive Josh Allen," The Ringer said.