5 choices that could meet your needs

Will the Buffalo Bills take a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft?

Conventional wisdom says it will, after general manager Brandon Beane made the Stefon Diggs trade. But what would Diggs’ replacement look like and how might the Bills go about finding that player?

It would have to be someone who complements Buffalo’s four wide receivers on its active roster: Curtis Samuel, Kahlil Shakir, Mack Hollins and Justin Shorter. Other pass catchers include tight ends Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and running back James Cook.

The Bills can’t expect to find a plug-and-play fit in Diggs, a bonafide star with more than 1,000 receiving yards in each of his four seasons, plus four Pro Bowl appearances.

Beane knows this, and he also has nine other picks to explore. The Bills have other needs, after all, and there’s no guarantee they’ll target a receiver with their No. 28 first-round pick.

Here’s a look at five players the Bills could select in the 2024 NFL Draft to fill important roles.

DeJean is probably a dream player unless Buffalo targets him in the first round, but the Bills could do just that. DeJean visited Buffalo. He is one of the highest-rated defensive backs in the draft and could play safety or cornerback. The 6-foot, 203-pound prospect ranked No. 3 overall among DBs at the NFL Combine. His three interceptions returned for TDs tied for the FBS lead last season.

2. Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

The Bills could take Franklin as a receiver, or maybe they’ll pick two, who knows? Franklin spent one of his 30 pre-draft team visits in Buffalo. He’s not as big as Mitchell and there are questions about his strength against physical defensive backs. But Franklin was the seventh-fastest receiver at the NFL Combine, running a 4.41 40-yard dash. He is tied for third in the FBS with a single-season school record of 14 receiving touchdowns and set the Oregon single-season school record with 1,383 receiving yards.

More: Why the Bills need to draft a wide receiver in the first or second round

3. Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, West Michigan

Getting over the Kansas City Chiefs hump means catching the elusive Patrick Mahomes. Kneeland, a former high school tight end, is agile. He finished with 4.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and eight quarterback hurries last season.

Beane alluded to looking for a big receiver who can catch 50/50 balls but also rack up yards after the catch. Mitchell is in that mold. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound prospect has a 39.5-inch vertical and a knack for snatching passes at their peak. He caught three passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns against Alabama last season, totaling 26 yards per catch against a Crimson Tide defensive backfield loaded with NFL talent.

More: University at Albany coach and staff mourn death of NFL Draft prospect Amitral ‘AJ’ Simon

5. Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson

Orhorhoro chose the Bills as one of his preliminary visits. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound tackle had 25 tackles, 8 TFLs and five sacks as a Clemson senior. His athleticism rating of 89 ranked first in the NFL among defensive tackles. Orhorhoro is polished, so the Bills could potentially plug him immediately.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Buffalo Bills 2024 Draft Picks: 5 First-Round Options That Fit Needs