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Far too early mock bill for 2025 – Buffalo FAMbase — #BillsMafia

FanSpeak Bills Mock #1. Credit: Dean Kindig, www.BuffaloFAMBase.com

I started a long discussion on the needs of the 2025 bill on Twitter. I used the results to drive my selections from the BuffaloFAMBase Big Board to make a “way too early” mock draft for 2025.

The top consensuses from our discussions on Xwitter were EDGE, CB, and DT1T..

The top schools visited by Bills recruiters in 2023 were Ohio State and Michigan – so the front office agrees with you. Additionally, I predict that 7 EDGE rushers will be drafted in RD1. Here the Bills get one of the best EDGEs in JT Tuimoloau, which was a game destroyer. He has power, burst, length, agility and 34 sacks + TFL pressures in 37 games, as AJ Epenesa did. It’s just that JT is faster and more agile, useful for setting up plays with the interior D-Line. I think the Bills expected JT to declare for the 2024 draft, but he came back with about 8 of his Buckeye buddies. Imagine Beane’s pleasure when he dominates DT1T Kenneth Grant from Michigan is here for the first of his two RD2 picks. Grant is sure to be a RD1 next April, so getting two defensive diamonds from the Bills’ top two scouted schools is a major win.

This is a great class for corners in 2025, and Ohio State could see three of its corners drafted in the first and second rounds. None of them would be excluded from the bills, even in RD1. You have Denzel Burke and darling portal Davison Igbinosun as a first-round talent, with a starting nickel Jordan Hancock there at #60, the Bills’ second RD2. Hancock can learn behind Taron Johnson. Cam Lewis suffered a lower-body injury in October, and the other potential heirs to the slot corner spot are two UDFAs: Syracuse’s Trill Williams (the issues will be positioning and angles) and my best bet , Te’Cory Couch of Miami. Couch led the team in PBUs three years in a row and had an unofficial score of 4.3. Te’Cory has been reliable for the Hurricanes (he played in all 61 games over five seasons) and will surprise in training camp, but I would expect the Bills to still be active at slot corner next time draft. Hancock was 6th in Top Breakout CBs in 2023 ranked by In-Game Athleticism (IGA) rating – four of those 6 were drafted high last month.

The second level of position needs was for OT, WR, SAF and yet another EDGE.

The Bills will likely provide some competition for Right Tackle Spencer Brown, whose contract expires after this season. Cox Brands transferred from N.Illinois (5 seasons), and started in 34 of 36 career games and gave up only 3 sacks per 1000 snaps. Another EDGE, you say? The more I watch it, I’ll take A&M Nicholas Scourton on Jeremiah Alexander as it says here. I actually have Scourton #21 on our BuffaloFAMBase board, so a good backup plan would be Trey Moore from Texas. Scourton and Moore piled on the pressure. Alexander hasn’t done it yet.

Next, we should look at speed on offense. Coleman vs. Worthy wasn’t about speed; it was about downfield blocking and physical dominance at the catch point. KJ Hamler (5-9, 178, 4.36) and Andy Isabella (5-9, 188, 4.45) are water bugs behind the more proportionate Curtis Samuel (5-11, 195, 4.31) . Barion Brown is Hamler’s size (6-1, 173, 4.37) and may not fit the backup role better than Hamler, so Beane might opt ​​for the next Samuel instead. I like J. Michael Sturdivant here, but he was gone.

Now, SAF’s depth in the 2025 draft would allow Beane to wait to exploit the rich vein of safeties between RD4 and early RD6, and six of them catch my eye: Andrew Mukuba (PFN’s #1 security), Sebastian Castro (him and RD1-2 Xavier Nwankpa played with Bishop), Billy Bowman (Fortieth fastest among all safeties, also KR, but weaker in zone), Lathan’s Ransom (most sought after security in 2023), Bryce Anderson (a terror in 3 games spotted by Bills), and Aubrey Burks (One of the top four safeties in man coverage and one of the highest career solos per game, but not scouted in 2023).

The third level of positional needs it’s really repetition and deep filler. Some will put RB, a 3-tech IDL, a Punter, competition at LG, and even a swing at developmental QB in these final 3 picks. Others would like to trade their picks for next year (not a bad strategy; Beane did it last month). Beane always hits a special teams ace in the late rounds, so no position is ruled out for this skill.

At #171, I would be tempted to draft DT3T-EDGEAaron Graves outside of Iowa. Graves is a WRESTLER. On a D-Line filled with veteran talent, Graves recorded 16 total tackles (in zero starts) as a freshman. Of those 16, six were TFLs and 3 were sacks. Graves also plays basketball and is a track and field athlete. Expect it to catch fire this season. Yes, also Cole Bishop School. Finally, I left with Jordan Travis, a high-upside OT who is PFF’s highest-rated FCS offensive player. Although Travis still needs technical development, he learns quickly. He’s at Princeton. He’s currently my No. 2 right tackle behind Ajani Cornelius, so I’m excited to have him there at No. 171.

Eight picks later, at No. 179, Beane will have some great options. CB Jadhae Barron is the only active Big 12 DB with zero career red zone passing TDs allowed in coverage. WR Kaden Prather (6-3, 211, 4.54) from Maryland, Stef Diggs’ school, was an available option, as was WR Noah Thomas (6-5, 200, 4.46). A Bills scout was present at the game where Thomas had four catches for 38 receiving yards and a Miami score. Either has the potential to stand out this year as a proven “X” receiving option.

I went with Barron, and Thomas was still available at #204, while Prather had been taken away.

Editor’s message board: It’s never too early for Dean Kindig’s 2025 project analysis. We are grateful for Dean’s many contributions to our blog. You can also find Dean on Xwitter @TCBILLS_Astro.

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