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Following a successful 13-3 season that saw them reaching the AFC Championship game, the Buffalo Bills drafted lower than usual in 2021. General manager Brandon Beane and the Bills’ front office had to work harder to identify players who can help the team reach it’s ultimate goal. Here is a summary of the choices they made:

Round 1 – Gregory Rousseau (Edge, Miami, FL) – a long, lanky pass rusher with loads of potential, he opted out of the 2020 college season so he joins the team as somewhat of an unknown. Still, at pick 30, he could be a steal as he’s capable of top 10 production. At 6’5 with a long wingspan, he could be effective at disrupting passing lanes.

Round 2 – Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr. (Edge, Wake Forest) – Buffalo doubled down on one of it’s biggest needs, pass rushers. Some scouts think he may be more ready to make an immediate impact than Rousseau. The Bills have 2 30+ starters on the edges now so both of their top picks project to be future starters.

Round 3 – Spencer Brown (OT, Northern Iowa) – after addressing the defensive front in the first 2 rounds, the Bills added beef to the offensive line with this choice. He is 6’8 and 311 pounds and very athletic for his size. He’s a top candidate for the swing tackle spot in 2021 and possibly a future starting right tackle.

Round 5 – Tommy Doyle (OT, Miami, OH) – After doubling down on pass rushers early, the Bills do the same on the O-line with this pick. Doyle played hockey growing up so he has athletic ability. His strong suit is pass blocking, so he’s a good fit for Buffalo’s offense.

Round 6A – Marquez Stevenson (WR, Houston) – a speedster, his skill set closely matches the departed John Brown. That, combined with kick return ability, gives him a great shot at cracking an already deep receiving corps.

Round 6B – Damar Hamlin (S, Pittsburgh) – safety depth is thin entering this year’s training camp, so Hamlin has a good chance of making the final roster, especially since he comes with a reputation of being a top special teams performer.

Round 6C – Rachad Wildgoose (CB, Wisconsin) – his name alone will make him a fan favorite, but his ability to play both on the boundary and in the slot will make him popular with the coaches, who value position versatility. Like all of the late round picks, his willingness to contribute on the bomb squads will go a long way in his chance to stick.

Round 7 – Jack Anderson (OG, Texas Tech) – the Bills appear to have tried to add some meanness and physicality to the their O-line in this draft, and Anderson’s Junk Yard Dog mentality will help him in his long shot bid to survive. Also, the fact that he can also slide over from guard into the center position will make sure the coaches give him a long look.

As for undrafted free agents, the Bills inked a few intriguing players, but with their deep roster it’ll be hard for these guys to make the final 53. The Bills lost Lee Smith and Tyler Kroft from last year’s roster so tight end Quinton Morris from Bowling Green has a legitimate shot. Buffalo didn’t add a veteran cornerback for depth purposes for the first time in years, so 2 undrafted prospects, Nick McCloud from Notre Dame and USC’s Olaijah Griffin (rapper Warren G’s son) could sneak onto at least the practice squad. San Diego State safety Tariq Thompson tested unimpressively at his pro day, but was an extremely productive ball hawk in college. Backup safety is definitely a spot where an undrafted rookie can make his mark.

The long wait is over! The seven round mock drafts for the Buffalo Bills for 2021, compiled by the expert staff at Rayonsports.com, are ready to be revealed. Here are the predicted choices for Buffalo made by Connor Pohlman, Josh Pohlman, Scott Prelewicz and Ray Prelewicz. I’ve added some comments to show why the picks would be justified:

Round 1, Pick #30

Connor Pohlman – Caleb Farley (CB, Virginia Tech) – a young corner to man the spot opposite Tre White is a popular pick among draft experts. Farley would be a top 10 prospect without injury concerns and there’s a chance he falls to this pick.

Josh Pohlman –  Caleb Farley (CB, Virginia Tech) – see above.

Scott Prelewicz – Joe Tryon (Edge, Washington) – scouting reports list his best position as an outside 3-4 linebacker but he has the versatility to play in any system. He opted out of the 2020 season so there’s hesitation to pick him by some clubs high in the first round.

Ray Prelewicz – Landon Dickerson (OL, Alabama) – a surprise pick with a long term goal of Dickerson eventually replacing Mitch Morse at center. He has played all 5 positions on the offensive line and the Bills value versatility highly.

Round 2, Pick #61

Connor Pohlman – Quinn Meinerz (G, Wisconsin-Whitewater) – a small college diamond in the rough, he opened eyes at the Senior Bowl and catapulted up draft boards. Not very athletic but makes up for it with exceptional strength and good technique.

Josh Pohlman – Pat Freiermuth (TE, Penn State) – the Bills are a little light at the tight end position on the current roster so a good prospect like Freiermuth makes sense here. He’s an excellent receiver with good hands and an adequate blocker in the run game.

Scott Prelewicz – Pat Freiermuth (TE, Penn State) – see above.

Ray Prelewicz – Asante Samuel Jr. (CB, Florida State) – there will be a number of good CB prospects available at this pick, but most are slot corners. Samuel has the ability to play on the boundary and with good NFL bloodlines, should be able to handle starting on day one.

Round 3, Pick #93

Connor Pohlman – Hamsah Nasirildeen (S, Florida State) – the Bills have a pair of solid starting safeties, but with both over 30 they need to plan for the future. One description of Nasirildeen has to appeal to the Bills considering the teams they face in the AFC – “tight end neutralizer”.

Josh Pohlman – Deonte Brown (G, Alabama) – at 6’3 and 364 lbs. he is an imposing road grader who could help the Bills improve their run game. Brown is a good pass protector and excels at neutralizing inside pressure.

Scott Prelewicz – Trey Smith (G, Tennessee) – very high character player who has encountered some medical issues with blood clots that may drop him down some teams’ draft boards. His best asset is power run blocking, which the Bills could use an infusion of.

Ray Prelewicz – Alim McNeil (DT, North Carolina State) – the Bills need to toughen up the inside of their defensive line, with the uncertainty of Star Lotulelei returning in shape from opting out in 2020. McNeil is an excellent DT1 prospect. He’s a top notch run stuffer with potential to develop as an inside pass rusher.

Round 5A, Pick #161

Connor Pohlman – Demetric Felton (WR, UCLA) – small, quick slot receiver who also lined up as a running back for the Bruins. His best NFL fit is as a gadget player in an offense that uses multiple receiver sets, which makes him ideal for Brian Daboll’s offense.

Josh Pohlman – Jonathon Cooper (Edge, Ohio State) – he mostly projects as a designated passing down edge rusher, but the Bills rotate their defensive linemen a lot so he could be a fit. He’s not the prospect that other Buckeye players like Chase Young or the Bosa brothers were, but he’s good enough to play in the NFL.

Scott Prelewicz – Anthony Schwartz (WR, Auburn) – a small but fast deep threat, he is a track guy but also a real football player. The loss of John Brown to the Bills could open up a spot for a home run hitter like Schwartz.

Ray Prelewicz – Elerson Smith (Edge, Northern Iowa) – definitely a developmental project who would need to get stronger to survive in the NFL but has very high potential. He is similar to Darryl Johnson, another later round gem uncovered by the Bills’ scouts.

Round 5B, Pick #174

Connor Pohlman – Tommy Kraemer (G, Notre Dame) – he’s a four-year starter for a major college program so his experience alone will help him in his quest to play in the NFL. He could be valuable O-line depth for the Bills but doesn’t project to being a starter.

Josh Pohlman – Josh Imatorbhebhe (WR, Illinois) – a big, athletic wide receiver whose lack of real production will drop him into the later rounds of the draft. He has enormous potential, however, and the Bills could afford to develop him on the practice squad as a future contributor.

Scott Prelewicz – Malcolm Koonce (Edge, Buffalo) – a local prospect that the Bills should have a good scouting report on. He’s a long, rangy pass rusher whose weakness is getting overpowered against the run. He’ll need development time but could become a solid pro.

Ray Prelewicz –  Malcolm Koonce (Edge, Buffalo) – see above.

Round 6, Pick #213

Connor Pohlman – Chris Rumph II (Edge, Duke) – he’s small but as a coach’s son understands the game well and plays with good technique. He may have to carve out a role as a versatile specialty defensive player with a role on special teams.

Josh Pohlman –  Malcolm Koonce (Edge, Buffalo) – see round 5B picks above.

Scott Prelewicz – Rachad Wildgoose Jr. (CB, Wisconsin) – here’s a guy who you hope makes it in the NFL for his name alone. A shoulder injury left him without much game tape for scouts to analyze but he can play either on the boundary or the slot.

Ray Prelewicz – Drake Jackson (C-G, Kentucky) – at only 290 lbs. his only spot in the NFL may be at center, unless he adds weight and strength. His best trait is experience, as he was a four-year starter in college.

Round 7, Pick #236

Connor Pohlman –  Rachad Wildgoose Jr. (CB, Wisconsin) – see round 6 pick above.

Josh Pohlman – Jaret Patterson (RB, Buffalo) – after the stellar season he had for the Bulls, including an eight touchdown performance, this would be an excellent final round pick for Brandon Beane. There is way too much high-end potential to pass up.

Scott Prelewicz – Damar Hamlin (S, Pitt) – he is a willing tackler and has adequate ball skills but can be susceptible to double moves in the pass game. A long shot prospect, as most seventh rounders are, who would have to make an impact on special teams.

Ray Prelewicz –  Jaelon Darden (WR, North Texas) – wide receiver is a very deep position group again this year, and some good prospects will fall into the late rounds. Darden is a small but fast option who would be good as a gadget player for Brian Daboll and also a possibility to boost the kick return production.