Only two recent drafts eclipse the Bills’ Josh Allen-led 2018 class

Thirty-five years after the Buffalo Bills made a franchise-defining draft pick, they finally did it again.

Moving up to No. 7 overall to select Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, the Bills struck gold and found their field general of the future – a task they’ve been trying to accomplish since Jim Kelly was cut after the 1996 season. With Allen as the headliner, Buffalo built a 2018 draft class that will arguably go down as the best in organization history.

Ranking the top eight NFL draft classes over the past 10 years, Bleacher Report editor Brent Sobleski placed the Bills’ 2018 draft pick at No. 3 overall. Only the Baltimore Ravens’ 2018 class and the New Orleans Saints’ 2017 class were viewed more favorably than Buffalo’s masterpiece.

Allen, arguably the crown jewel of Buffalo’s 2018 draft class, is on a trajectory from the Fan Hall of Fame to the most demanding position in sports. The Bills, however, discovered much more than an elite starting quarterback in April 2018.

Buffalo grabbed nine picks from linebacker Tremaine Edmunds after Allen. He gave the Bills five years of good service and the team got a compensatory draft pick when he left in free agency. All-Pro nickel cornerback Taron Johnson, who remains a staple of Buffalo’s defense, was drafted 121st overall that year.

Fifth-round defensive back Siran Neal was a special teams ace for the Bills during his first six seasons as a professional before signing as a free agent with the New York Giants. Buffalo also selected guard Wyatt Teller in the fifth round and the Day 3 pick became an All-Pro following a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Third-round defensive tackle Harrison Phillips made 34 consecutive starts for the Minnesota Vikings after playing out his rookie contract with the Bills.

RELATED: Former Bills rival calls quarterback Josh Allen ‘best 3 player’

From Launderer’s Report:

“The current core of the Buffalo Bills started with the 2018 NFL Draft class. … Allen single-handedly changed everything for the Bills. But he wasn’t their only major success in the 2018 class.”

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