Although Buffalo Bills fans didn’t have much to cheer for during the 2018 season (other than the continued development of quarterback Josh Allen), they can take solace in the fact that the team is currently slated to have ten picks in the coming NFL draft. The bevy of extra picks are a result of general manager Brandon Beane’s penchant for wheeling and dealing. Instead of cutting players that weren’t ideal schematic fits, like Reggie Ragland or AJ McCarron, Beane was able to flip them to the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders respectively for decent middle-round picks. Despite some early confusion regarding whether the Bills or the Denver Broncos would be in possession of the ninth pick of the first round, Buffalo’s selections in the 2019 NFL Draft currently stand as follows: Buffalo Bills 2019 NFL Draft selections Round Pick Overall Notes Round Pick Overall Notes 1 9 9 Bills original selection 2 8 40 Bills original selection 3 11 75 Bills original selection 4 10 *** Bills original selection 4 30-32(x) *** Acquired from Chiefs for Reggie Ragland 5 9 *** Bills original selection 5 20 *** Acquired from Steelers via Raiders for AJ McCarron 6 8 *** Bills original selection 7 11 *** Bills original selection 7 14 *** Acquired from Panthers as part of 2017 Kevon Seymour trade Notes: *** Unkown until compensatory picks announced x Unkown until Kansas City eliminated from playoffs When the Chiefs’ season is done, we’ll be able to pinpoint the exact slot of the 4th rounder pick from them. Then we will get the compensatory picks doles out to other teams to get the final exact draft order beyond the third round. With the Bills looking at right around $80 million in cap space for 2019, these 10 draft choices will hopefully help Beane to completely overhaul the woeful Bills offense, giving Josh Allen some much needed support, as well as add a few key pieces to keep the defense dominant going into next season.<doc-sep>There will be no player more hotly debated leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft than quarterback Kyler Murray. The Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winner is expected to pursue football, despite being a first-round draft pick by the Oakland Athletics. If Murray sticks with football, he could change the shape of the first round. Without Murray, there are more teams in the top 15 that need a quarterback than there are good quarterbacks available. But with Murray, that issue is mitigated. 1. Arizona Cardinals: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State The Cardinals controversially hired Kliff Kingsbury, and people quickly proved themselves to be fools thinking he would trade Josh Rosen to take Murray with the first overall pick. That’s not going to happen. What should happen is taking Bosa with the first pick. New defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will know how to unlock Bosa’s potential as a pass rusher and build his defense around the Ohio State star. 2. San Francisco 49ers: Josh Allen, OLB/DE, Kentucky There are a number of free agent pass rushers the 49ers could pursue this offseason, including Frank Clark, Jadeveon Clowney, Trey Flowers, Dee Ford and Demarcus Lawrence. San Francisco’s top priority should be acquiring one of those players. But if none hit the market, getting a player who can pressure the quarterback is the team’s top draft need. 3. New York Jets: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama The Jets could toy with the idea of adding a playmaker on defense, but getting Williams is just the smarter move. The franchise is dependent on the development of quarterback Sam Darnold under new head coach Adam Gase. If Darnold’s development stalls, it could doom not only he and Gase, but also Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan. An improved offensive line, with Williams as the key piece, should help Darnold reach his high potential. 4. Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama The Raiders should be happy if Williams is still around with the No. 4 pick. In 12 months, Williams went from unknown at Alabama to arguably the top player in the draft, following a season of 71 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Oakland needs players who can create pressure on defense, and Williams is a nice fit. 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU Yes, the Buccaneers just took cornerbacks in the second round of the 2018 draft. But do they really have a cornerback capable of covering Mike Thomas of the Saints and Julio Jones of the Falcons twice each per season? Williams has the size at 6’3 and the playmaking ability to match up with the NFL’s best. 6. New York Giants: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State At 38, it’s time for Eli Manning to call it a career, or at least be the bridge quarterback for his successor in 2019. The inclusion of Murray actually helps the Giants. It could lighten quarterback trade market, leaving the Giants to pick between Haskins and Murray. 7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma There is legitimate buzz around Murray, and he could elevate into the top 10 if a couple things happen. Most obviously, he has to commit to football over baseball. If that doesn’t happen, his stock in the draft will drop dramatically. Murray will also have to show teams in meetings he has a good understanding of the game after starting just a season in college. That might be more concerning than his size, which can be schemed around. 8. Detroit Lions: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson The Lions go into the offseason in need to finding at least one high-end pass rusher. Ferrell is arguably the best prospect on the talented Clemson defensive line in this year’s draft. He is experienced and sound technically, so he could help the Lions straight away. 9. Buffalo Bills: Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma Although some would argue Ole Miss left tackle Greg Little over Ford, the Oklahoma blocker might be a better fit for Buffalo. Ford is more natural on the right side, which would allow the Bills to keep 2017 second-round pick Dion Dawkins on the left side. 10. Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri Broncos General Manger John Elway needs to hit on a quarterback this offseason after striking out on a few in the draft and unwisely giving Case Keenum too much money last offseason. Lock is a risk because he has a long way to go in developing, but he has the talent to finally break Elway’s bad streak. 11. Cincinnati Bengals: Devin White, LB, LSU This just seems like one of those picks that will be locked in for much of the draft process the next few months. A linebacker is high on the list of needs for Cincinnati this offseason, and White is the type of player who can set the tone. 12. Green Bay Packers: Jachai Polite, DE/OLB, Florida It’s evident the Packers need to use this pick on the player they consider to be the best pass rusher available. The way this mock plays out, that is Polite, the talented Florida pass rusher who had 11 sacks this season. Want a quick comparison for Polite? His gameplay reminds me of Trey Flowers of the Patriots. 13. Miami Dolphins: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke The Dolphins are a sneaky winner of Murray intending to play football. That means Jones should drop to them at No. 13. There’s even a chance Lock could too. Either way, the Dolphins are in a better position for a first-round quarterback if Murray is in the draft. A pass rusher could be in play for Miami at this spot as well. 14. Atlanta Falcons: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston Like the Devin White to Cincinnati pick, this one seems pretty locked in right now. It really is the perfect combination of need, fit and value. In Oliver, the Falcons would get one of the draft’s more dynamic defensive linemen in draft. He’s a powerful tackle who will displace blockers with ease and pursue the ball carrier. 15. Washington: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma There are like seven positions on Washington you could say is the team’s biggest need in the offseason. A claim could be made about a quarterback, pass rusher and safety. However, Washington has arguably one of the worst wide receiver groups in the NFL. Brown would immediately assume the spot as the team’s lead wide out. 16. Carolina Panthers: Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan Alabama safety Deionte Thompson will be an intriguing option for Carolina in the first round, but Gary’s potential is too great to pass up this late in the first round. Gary is the complete package of size and athleticism for an end. He just never quite lived up to the hype at Michigan. 17. Cleveland Browns: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss The Browns are hiring former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken for the same role in Cleveland. He’s a pass game specialist, but the Browns don’t have a Mike Evans-like receiver on the roster. Metcalf can be that player. He’s a big athlete for the position, and even had a Josh Gordon comparison. 18. Minnesota Vikings: Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss It’s the standing take for the Vikings: Draft the best offensive lineman available with the 18th pick. More than anything, the Vikings need to acquire talent up front and then figure out how it all fits together. Little is the type of talent at tackle that he would push Brian O’Neill into being more of a utility lineman. 19. Tennessee Titans: Brian Burns, DE/OLB, Florida State The Titans lost Brian Orakpo to retirement, and need a good edge player opposite budding star Harold Landry. Burns is a player who profiles similarly to Orakpo. He’s a lengthy edge player with athleticism. Burns doesn’t have the strength Orakpo does, but he can get there. 20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington The Steelers would be overjoyed to see Murphy still available with the No. 20 pick. He’s a natural playmaker on the ball, and is willing to come up and make a tackle against the run. 21. Seattle Seahawks: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State The playoff loss by the Seahawks showed they need to improve the interior of both the offensive and defensive line. From a value standpoint, that’s much easier to do in this draft with a defensive lineman. Simmons is a powerful interior player capable of pushing blockers aside to find the ball. His playing style is somewhat similar to Fletcher Cox of the Eagles. 22. Baltimore Ravens: Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas State If the Ravens are going to fully devote to a heavy run offense with Lamar Jackson, the team has to get better on the interior of the offensive line. Risner should be able to handle left guard for the Ravens, and could even looked at as a center. 23. Houston Texans: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida This pick absolutely needs to be a cornerback or offensive tackle. Finding a blocker for Deshaun Watson should have a priority unless someone like Murphy happens to slip to No. 23. Taylor is a powerful blocker who can drive defenders backward with ease. 24. Oakland Raiders (via Chicago): Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State Adding Williams and Sweat up front with Arden Key would suddenly give the Raiders are dangerous group of players up front on defense. Sweat is a player who is comfortable rushing from the edge either standing up or with his hand down. 25. Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama Maybe this is too reactionary, but the Sunday’s playoff loss to the Saints showed that the Eagles need a true lead running back. Don’t forget that Jay Ajayi, who tore his ACL this season, is a free agent. If there’s a first-round back in the 2019 draft, it is Jacobs. 26. Indianapolis Colts: Christian Wilkins, DL, Clemson A pass rusher and cornerback could be argued as bigger needs for the Colts, but team’s interior defensive linemen still seem more suited for a 3-4 system. Wilkins is a nice fit as an athletic interior defender who can work gaps and get into the backfield. 27. Oakland Raiders (via Dallas): N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State The Raiders need one, or maybe even two wide receivers in the draft this year. Harry would be a nice pickup in the first round. He’s obviously a talent at the position, otherwise he wouldn’t be this high in the draft. But he’s capable of playing in the slot and outside, which would give the Raiders flexibility later in the draft. 28. Los Angeles Chargers: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama At this point of the first round it would be hard to look past Thompson. That’s especially true for the Chargers if they continue to utilize seven defensive backs at a time. Thompson is a rangy coverage safety, but he showed at Alabama last season he’s capable of coming up against the run. 29. New England Patriots: Zach Allen, DE, Boston College Allen will be a player who intrigues Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Allen could be used as a true 4-3 end, but in nickel situation be pushed inside. Allen would also give Belichick some versatility with his roster. If Trey Flowers asks for too much money in free agency, and the Patriots want to use their franchise tag on someone else, a player like Allen could help them move on. 30. Los Angeles Rams: Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware Adderley is the best small-school prospect in the 2019 draft, and the type of player the Rams could target if Lamarcus Joyner departs in free agency. Adderley started four years at Delaware, at both safety and cornerback. 31. Green Bay Packers: (via New Orleans): Noah Fant, TE, Iowa After weeks of scrutiny for mocking Fant’s teammate T.J. Hockenson here, I’ll relent for now. That’s mostly because as of this writing on early Monday morning Hockenson has yet to declare for the draft. Fant is a nice option for the Packers in case Hockenson doesn’t go pro. He can be Green Bay’s version of Zach Ertz. 32. Kansas City Chiefs: Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson Mullen is coming off an excellent national title game for Clemson and could find himself in the first round of the draft. He’s a lengthy cornerback who moves smoothly around the field.<doc-sep>
The Buffalo Bills need to bolster a lot on places on their offense ahead of the 2019 season. Quarterback Josh Allen needs some help. The two biggest spots the Bills have to look to improve at are the offensive line and wide receiver positions. CBS Sports‘ Will Brinson released his first 2019 mock draft last week and he has Buffalo in the trenches. With every wide out and lineman to choose from at No. 9 overall, the Bills go with Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams. Here’s what Brinson wrote about the pick: 9. Buffalo Bills Jonah Williams, OL, Alabama. There might be interest in adding a weapon for Josh Allen here, but if Williams falls to the Bills at nine, they might be hard-pressed to pass up on the draft’s best offensive lineman. In the mock, quarterback Dwayne Haskins is the only player on offense to be taken ahead of Williams, going to the Jaguars at seven. The other seven are all defensive players, including Nick Bosa, the first-overall mocked player to the Cardinals. In regard to wide receiver, the first one isn’t mock drafted until pick No. 21, as DK Metcalf is taken by the Seahawks. Wideout N’Keal Harry is taken a pick later at No. 22 to the Ravens. On the Bills’ pick of Williams, Buffalo would be taking the consensus best offensive lineman in the 2019 draft. For his overall strength and his smarts, Williams, who’s started since his freshman year at Alabama, is slated by many as the top-overall offensive lineman in this year’s draft. If selected, The 6-5, 301-pound junior be the first offensive lineman the Bills took in the first round since taking Eric Wood in 2009. The Bills have center Russell Bodine; guards Vladimir Ducasse, Ike Boettger, and Wyatt Teller; and tackles Connor McDermott and Dion Dawkins under contract for next season, according to Spotrac. Dawkins has the flexibility to play guard or tackle, which gives head coach Sean McDermott & Co. some options on the line. Teller is still a work in progress, while Bodine has performed better than expected in his first season in Buffalo. John Miller and Jordan Mills, starters on the right side of the offensive line, are slated to become free agents. The possibilities for Williams could be endless if Buffalo makes him their pick.