Buffalo Bills Rookie Forecast 2025

Bills Rookie Forecast 2025

Solid Starter

T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina – Round 2

The Bills have a quick interior disruptor in veteran Ed Oliver, but Sanders was too good a defender for Buffalo to pass on in the second round. The 6-foot-4, 297-pound Sanders is a gap-penetrating problem for offenses with his ability to break into the backfield. In Sean McDermott’s scheme, Sanders is a great fit to be a three-technique and make plays in the backfield.

As a pro starter, Sanders is a versatile and well-balanced defender at the point of attack. He has the speed to get upfield and put heat on the quarterback. Sanders is strong at shedding blocks using his active hands and length. When Sanders gets on the edge of a guard, they are in real trouble as he has a burst to close and collapse the pocket quickly. For the NFL, he will need to improve on his variety of pass-rushing moves.

In the ground game, Sanders is generally stout at the point of attack. He shows the length and strength in his base to stonewall downhill runs coming straight at him. With nice vision, Sanders will work off blocks and pursue out of his gap to get in on tackles. He can get pushed back when he stands up too high, so playing with proper leverage all of the time will be important.

With Sanders and Oliver, the Bills can rotate the pair and maintain a fresh three technique. Over time, Sanders could develop into a starter next to Oliver. However, if Oliver has a decline in play and is not worthy of his large contract, Sanders could be the replacement if Oliver becomes a cap casualty. In a year or two, I think Sanders will emerge as a solid starter for Buffalo.

2024: Cole Bishop, S
2023: O’Cyrus Torrence, G
2022: James Cook, RB
2021: Spencer Brown, OT
2020: A.J. Epenesa, DE
2019: Cody Ford, OT
2018: Harrison Phillips, DT
2017: Dion Dawkins, OT/G
2016: Reggie Ragland, LB
2015: John Miller, G
2014: Cyrus Kouandjio, OT
2013: Robert Woods, WR

Most Likely To Bust

Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky – Round 4

The Bills made three solid picks on the first two days of the draft, and I did not see a player with true bust potential until they hit round four. Walker was a difficult evaluation for the NFL because he was a completely different player over his final two seasons of college football. In 2023, he showed loose hips with surprising quick twitch movement ability for a 6-foot-6, 348-pound defender. He had surprising speed and agility for such a large interior defensive lineman. However, in 2024, offensive linemen were ready, and Walker showed no power moves. He played too high and was unable to use his size to his advantage. Walker was not powerful, physical, or showed the strength to shed blocks or bull offensive linemen down the pocket. Walker played finesse football, like he thought he was an undersized speed rusher, and the results were not ugly. Unless Walker gets stronger and becomes much more violent, I think Walker will be a bust in the NFL.

2024: DeWayne Carter, DT
2023: Dorian Williams, LB
2022: Terrel Bernard, LB
2021: Gregory Rousseau, DE
2020: Gabriel Davis, WR
2019: Dawson Knox, TE
2018: Josh Allen, QB
2017: Tre’Davious White, CB
2016: Cardale Jones, QB
2015: Karlos Williams, RB
2014: Ross Cockrell, CB
2013: E.J. Manuel, QB

Potential Boom Pick

Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky – Round 1

Three years ago, the Bills took a bust in the first round with cornerback Kaiir Elam. However, that same draft, they landed a sixth-round steal in Christian Benford, so those two picks equaled each other out. While Buffalo brought back Tre White, they needed more youth and long-term starting talent to go with Benford. Hairston is a great scheme fit for Sean McDermott, as evidenced by his 66-tackle season in 2023. Hairsont had a tremendous season that year with five interceptions and played well in 2024 while missing action with a shoulder injury. After the season, Hairston performed well at the Senior Bowl and was outstanding at the NFL Scouting Combine, highlighted by an electric 40-yard dash time of 4.28 seconds.

Based on his 2023 performance in particular, Hairston’s game has some definite strengths. He is a good athlete, a smooth mover, and has a good twitch. In addition to his athleticism, Hairston has loose hips to turn and run without taking extra steps. Hairston really excelled in zone coverage, as he has quality instincts and used those to get in good position while reading routes in zone coverage. Perhaps his best trait is his ball skills. Hairston really attacks the football, and he has good hands to grab an interception or slap passes away. Hairston’s zone coverage and ball skills make him a nice fit for zone-based defenses and teams that like to run Tampa 2 coverage.

Hairston is better in other techniques, but he has the ability to play some off-man coverage. He showed the speed to carry verticals and has enough twitch to be smooth through the route. Hairston is not a good fit to play press man coverage given his lack of size and strength, but Hairston is very fast and will be an asset for matching up against elite speed receivers in the NFL.

Hairston looks like a plug-and-play competitor for the Bills. While he has veterans that can help him early on, I think Hairston has the potential to be the No.1 corner in the Buffalo defense, and he has pro bowl potential. Of the Bills 2025 draft picks, I think Hairston has the biggest boom pick potential.

2024: Keon Coleman, WR
2023: Dalton Kincaid, TE
2022: Kaiir Elam, CB
2021: Carlos Basham, DE
2020: Zack Moss, RB
2019: Ed Oliver, DT
2018: Tremaine Edmunds, LB
2017: Zay Jones, WR
2016: Adolphus Washington, DT
2015: Ronald Darby, CB
2014: Sammy Watkins, WR
2013: Marquise Goodwin, WR

Future Depth Player

Landon Jackson, DE, Arkansas – Round 3

I had the Bills taking Landon Jackson on day two in my final mock draft, and Buffalo proved me prophetic with that projection. Jackson just made too much sense for the Bills as he is a tough base end that is physical at the point of attack. He has a lot of similarities to other ends this regime has drafted in Buffalo, and Jackson is a great scheme fit for the Bills.

In the pass rush, Jackson flashes the ability to get after the quarterback. He has a strong bull rush and can ride tackles straight back into the signal caller. With his strong hands, Jackson is also dangerous to grab hold of the tackle and then toss them to the side to get free of his blocker. Once he gets free, Jackson has a burst to close on the signal caller.

However, Jackson has serious limitations as a pass rusher. He is a big lineman who has some serious stiffness and a lack of agility. That leads to him having some issues with redirecting towards the quarterback and getting turned to the quarterback after his quickness allows him to get upfield. Jackson is unable to sink his hips to dip underneath tackles, and that can lead to him getting pushed around the pocket by NFL edge blockers. Jackson is going to have to beat pro blockers mainly based on his power and physicality.

Jackson has good size and strength to hold his ground as a run defender. He has a strong build with length to set a tough edge at the point of attack, and maintain his gap integirty. Jackson gets in trouble when he stands up too high. When he loses leverage offensive linemen can control him, so maintaining consistent leverage is an area for Jackson to improve.

I think the limitations as a pass rusher could keep Jackson from becoming a three-down starter, but I think he is a safe pick to be a good rotational end and solid depth player for Buffalo.

2024: Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C
2023: Nick Broeker, G/C
2022: Khalil Shakir, WR
2021: Marquez Stevenson, WR
2020: Jake Fromm, QB
2019: Jaquan Johnson, S
2018: Siran Neal, S
2017: Nathan Peterman, QB
2016: Jonathan Williams, RB
2015: Nick O’Leary, TE
2014: Seantrel Henderson, OT
2013: Duke Williams, S