The Buffalo Bills had one of the better NFL Drafts this offseason.
General manager Brandon Beane filled some team needs while also finding some of the better players at those positions to do so.
From Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston in the first round to Maryland wideout Kaden Prather with the No. 240 overall pick in the seventh round, Beane had nine picks total and per CBS Sports, did quite well with is selections.
Pete Prisco gave the Bills a “B+” for those nine picks.
Buffalo Bills: B+
Best Pick: I loved their first pick of corner Maxwell Hairston. They had to get an upgrade at that position and he should start as a rookie. He excels as a man-cover player, which means maybe the Bills will play more of it this season.
Worst Pick: Second-round interior D-lineman T.J. Sanders is a good player, but I think there were better options when they took Sanders and they traded up to get him. I would have taken Jamaree Caldwell, who went to the Chargers in the third.
The Skinny: The Bills had to get a corner, a young edge and inside player for their defense. They got all three in the first four rounds. That’s good drafting. Hairston will be a star. He plays with an attitude that you love at the position. Third-round edge Landon Jackson is a power player who did some good things against fourth-overall pick Will Campbell when they faced off. Fourth-round defensive tackle Deone Walker could be a steal and he’s a monster inside — if he stays in shape.
It’s realistic to think that possibly three of Beane’s picks will be Day 1 starters, and another five to six could develop into useful tools for the Bills. That’s a pretty good draft.