Bills' Top 2023 NFL Draft Targets
The Buffalo Bills enter this weekend's draft looking to gain ground in the AFC, where the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals have established themselves as the top two teams.
Buffalo did an admirable job of mitigating losses in free agency, restructuring contracts and re-signing the likes of Jordan Poyer, Shaq Lawson, David Quessenberry and Sam Martin. The Bills also signed Connor McGovern to replace Rodger Saffold and Damien Harris to replace Devin Singletary.
After losing linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and wideout Isaiah McKenzie, however, it's hard to argue that the Bills are a better team than they were in 2022—a team that was embarrassed by the Bengals in the divisional round. For that to change, general manager Brandon Beane must have a successful draft.
Hitting on the 27th overall pick will be critical, as the Bills have just six selections this year. With this in mind, let's examine three premier prospects who should be high atop Buffalo's wish list at No. 27.
Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
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The 27th pick might be a bit high for Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson, who is the 35th overall prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's draft board. It's not excessively so, however, and the Bills may be out of prospects it views as Round 1 worthy by then anyway.
Whether it's viewed as a slight reach or not, Simpson is a prospect who could immediately help replace Edmunds in the defensive lineup. He can be a solid contributor against the run, but his biggest assets are his coverage ability and his ability to create splash plays.
"Simpson's athleticism shines through when he plays man coverage. He's fluid and sinks his hips well to cover running backs and tight ends on shorter routes, and he has the speed to carry if they go deep," Matt Holder of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.
Last season with the Tigers, Simpson tallied 72 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and three passes defended and two forced fumbles.
Though he's a somewhat lighter linebacker at 6'2" and 235 pounds, Simpson would be largely free to roam before Buffalo's four-man front in nickel packages—a formation the defense used 95 percent of the time last season, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson
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The Bills defense recorded 40 sacks during the 2022 regular season, but after Von Miller was lost to a torn ACL, Buffalo's pass rush floundered. Against the Bengals in the playoffs, the defense only got to Joe Burrow once.
The hope is that Miler will be available sooner than later in 2023.
"Sitting here at month four, I feel great. I haven't started doing football stuff and rip moves and all that stuff, but I feel great, and I feel positive that I'll be ready to go early in the season for sure," Miller said, per Grace Heidinger of the team's official website.
This shouldn't prevent the Bills from snagging a pass-rusher like Clemson's Myles Murphy if one is available at No. 27. Murphy, who had 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons, would be an ideal fit, given Buffalo's typical reliance on a four-man front. At 6'5" and 258 pounds, he would be great in a rotation with Lawson, Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham at defensive end.
Other pass-rushers like LSU's BJ Ojulari and Georgia Tech's Keion White should warrant some consideration here, but Murphy should be a top target and perhaps one Buffalo is willing to trade up to get.
Jordan Addison, WR, USC
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If the Bills can't contain quarterbacks like Burrow and Patrick Mahomes, perhaps they can out-score them. This was an issue in 2022, as the Bills lacked reliable receiver depth behind Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis—even before the loss of McKenzie.
USC's Jordan Addison is the third-ranked receiver on the B/R board and a prospect that might realistically be available at No. 27. He's also the prospect the B/R Scouting Department paired with Buffalo in its latest mock draft.
"Addison gives the Bills the second 'just get open' threat that they desperately lacked last season," Derrik Klassen of the B/R Scouting Department said. "Though Addison is undersized (5'11", 173 lbs) and his athletic testing underwhelmed, his film is the best of any receiver in the class.
Addison was hampered by an ankle injury and only had 875 and eight touchdowns this past season. The previous season at Pitt, though, he exploded for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns on 100 receptions.
Snagging Addison would give Josh Allen a reliable third wideout to go with Diggs, Davis and tight end Dawson Knox. The 21-year-old is ranked behind Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba and TCU's Quentin Johnston on the B/R board, and Buffalo would probably be thrilled to land one of those two if either happened to fall to No. 27.
*College statistics from Sports Reference.
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