Bills 7-round 2025 mock draft: Trades, and cornerback moves up the priority list
Certain defensive tackles may not be available for the Bills in round 1.
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At long last, it’s draft week!
Bills general manager Brandon Beane has 10 picks to work with and a plethora of paths to choose from to address the needs of his team. After studying the Bills roster, the draft prospects this year, and when could be the right time to strike for certain need positions, it’s time for one final look at what they could do in the 2025 NFL Draft.
It’s time for one last projection of a Bills-only draft class on what I think they could do this year — my final mock draft of 2025.
The pick at No. 30: Trade!
Giants trade Nos. 34 and 99 to Bills for Nos. 30 and 169
Another year trading out of the first round? In this case, it seems like a pretty solid year to do so. The hunt for quarterbacks in this year’s class past Cam Ward may center around the end of the first rather than the start, and with several quarterback-hungry teams, there should be a decent market. In this case, Beane strikes a deal with his good friend and Giants GM Joe Schoen, helping the Giants land the quarterback of their choice and get the fifth-year option. The Giants have two picks close together at No. 99 and No. 105, so dropping down to No. 169 from No. 99 to lock in a quarterback is a small cost to finally get their quarterback through the draft. And the Bills only have to sweat out three selections to improve a fifth-round pick to a third-round pick. Win-win.
The pick at No. 34 (from NYG): Trey Amos, CB, Mississippi
As the draft intel unfolds, I am less convinced that one of Oregon’s Derrick Harmon or Michigan’s Kenneth Grant will be available at No. 30 as a defensive tackle for the Bills. Without those two available, my mind is shifting to cornerback. Even with the addition of Tre’Davious White to the roster, which I wrote last week is quite likely a depth and insurance move, cornerback should remain an early-round priority. After studying and considering all of the options, I think Amos seems like an ideal fit for the team and someone who will realistically be available when they are on the clock.
Amos stands out from a Bills perspective for several reasons. He passes all the usual thresholds the team looks for from a height-weight-length standpoint at cornerback. He thrives in zone coverage with the instincts and football IQ to make plays on the ball while also offering enough in man coverage to let the Bills be scheme versatile. Amos isn’t a standout run defender, but he has the ‘want to’ and can get off blocks to help his team, which is all the Bills ask of their boundary cornerbacks. Amos can step in and potentially start in Week 1 and could be Christian Benford’s running mate for the next four years — five if they take him in the first round. If the Giants deal wasn’t on the table, I could easily see them sitting at No. 30 and taking Amos without hesitation.
The Athletic’s draft expert, Dane Brugler, in The Beast: “Amos has an appetite for press, but I liked him best in zone (Cover 2, Cover 3, quarters), where he can trust his athletic instincts from depth to read and rally.”
The pick at No. 56: T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina
I was between several defensive tackle prospects at this selection but ultimately went with Sanders due to his strength at the point of attack, his run-defending abilities, his arm length and how he could grow into the one-technique role while maintaining three-down ability as a penetrating pass rusher. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Sanders has an arm length of 33.25 inches and shows an all-around skill set to eventually become the starter in Buffalo. In the meantime, getting him closer to 310 or 315 pounds would make him an ideal solution as the long-term answer after DaQuan Jones.
I was *thisclose* to having this selection be Nebraska’s Ty Robinson, who profiles as someone the Bills staff would absolutely love from an on and off-field standpoint, though some of his measurements fall below the usual one-technique lean. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they overlooked all of it and Robinson was their guy. Florida State’s Joshua Farmer was also a consideration.
Brugler: “He is surprisingly stout at the point of attack and flashes power and hand use to stack and shed against the run. Overall, Sanders is a long, twitchy big man and has the tools to make consistent plays in the backfield with continued technical and awareness improvements.”
The pick at No. 62: Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
Although taking an edge rusher here would be the preference, this draft range will likely yield consistent, high-floor types than ones offering high-ceiling upside with a blend of speed and power. Oluwafemi Oladejo and Nic Scourton would be two to keep an eye on here if available, though my guess is they’ll both be gone. Instead, I had the Bills go with one of the best values that should be available, with a high-ceiling outcome to become a down-the-line impact player in their offense in Jalen Royals.
There’s a lot to like with Royals in his route deceptiveness, explosive skills with the ball in his hand and encouraging potential should he get the right coaching. Royals has the skill set to play all three receiver positions in the Bills offense with a home base at Z receiver, and can win at all three levels. They wouldn’t need to force him into the starting lineup while having the trio of Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Joshua Palmer designated for the top three in 2025, but Royals could easily be No. 4 this season and develop into a long-term starter halfway through his rookie deal.
Brugler: “Royals combines smooth footwork with athletic body control, physical play strength and tracking skills to be a three-level threat as he expands his route tree. He has the talent to emerge as a team’s WR2 within his first few NFL seasons. "
Trade!
Bills trade Nos. 109 and 170 to Vikings for No. 97
The Vikings don’t have many picks, and the Bills have a pick to spare, allowing them to move up for another selection in the third round, giving the Bills five picks in the first three rounds. The move-up prevents every team from recalibrating their board after the third round ends and getting a player they could only hope would make it to No. 109.
The pick at No. 97 (from MIN): Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU
Swinson is the type of high-ceiling edge rusher the Bills could be on the lookout for in this draft. At 6-foot-3, 255 pounds and a 33.375-inch arm length, Swinson passes every threshold the Bills generally look for at the position. In only one year of starting, Swinson provided some excellent moments that showed explosiveness and, more importantly, the ability to bend around the edge. According to Pro Football Focus, Swinson had a pass rush win rate of 22.1 percent in 2024, ranking ninth among edge rushers with at least 200 pass-rushing snaps. To begin his career, he’s likely just a passing-down option while they develop him, but he has future starting potential. He may only be scratching the surface, so a trade-up might be necessary to secure him.
Brugler: “Swinson is a green high-side rusher with the athletic tools to threaten the edge and chase down the football. It might be tough for him to sustain three-down responsibilities until he can set a more firm edge, though.”
The pick at No. 99 (from NYG): Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma
The Bills don’t have an instant need at safety for 2025 with both Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop in-house, but if they can find the right one in the draft at a good value, it should remain completely on their radar. That’s where Bowman enters the equation, who, at 5-foot-10 and 197 pounds, isn’t for every team. However, the Bills are one of those teams that care less about safety measurables and more about their ability to read, anticipate and react. What Bowman lacks in genetics, he makes up for with his mind. He profiles as a potential long-term fit at free safety next to Bishop and an early-career core-four special teams asset.
Brugler: “Bowman falls short in the size and strength categories, but he is among the best safeties in this class in terms of football IQ, movement skills and competitive urgency.”
The pick at No. 132: Bryce Cabeldue, G/T, Kansas
With center Connor McGovern and left guard David Edwards set to become free agents in 2026, the Bills may not be able to keep both after extending four players this offseason. Even with some in-house answers to those starting roles in Alec Anderson and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, replenishing the room with a versatile player should remain a heavy consideration. Cabeldue played right tackle throughout college but is viewed as a potential starter at guard, making him valuable at possibly three positions in the NFL. Bringing him in now allows him to get one year with offensive line coach Aaron Kromer under Cabeldue’s belt, setting up for either a key starting or reserve role in 2026.
Brugler: “Cabeldue is a college tackle who projects best inside at guard, where his competitive edge, foot quickness and hand strength should translate well.”
The pick at No. 173: Brashard Smith, RB, SMU
The value of the running back class is going to appear somewhere in this draft to the Bills, and it arrives in the late fifth round. Smith’s background as a receiver will allow him to be a potential long-term committee back in the Bills system, with a higher ceiling for more, all while offering outstanding kickoff return abilities with his vision and explosive speed. He is also a potential long-term answer at punt returner. The Bills have the flexibility to carry four running backs only if one is a big special teams contributor, and Smith is that and then some.
Brugler: “Smith needs to continue developing his run discipline and tempo, but he runs hard and explosively with terrific control for abrupt cuts. Given his versatility as a runner and receiver, he has the upside of a dynamic role player who can be flexed across the offense and affect the defensive game plan.”
The pick at No. 177: Teddye Buchanan, LB, Cal
This pick came down to tight end CJ Dippre or Buchanan, and I went with Buchanan because of how strong an asset he would be on special teams. The Bills also have options at tight end if they don’t draft one, either through re-signing Quintin Morris, using Reggie Gilliam there or making Zach Davidson their third tight end. Backup middle linebacker Baylon Spector is in the final year of his rookie deal, but the amount of injuries he’s had throughout the last three seasons makes him potentially vulnerable to getting cut this summer. Spector’s struggles when needed to fill in for starter Terrel Bernard don’t help, either. Buchanan projects as a potential long-term backup middle linebacker who can become a core-four special teams player and raise the ceiling of the depth of the linebacker room.
Brugler: “Buchanan’s physical traits are more good than great, but he is scrappy and football smart with strong tackling skills and competitive makeup.”
The pick at No. 206: Alex Mastromanno, P, Florida State
It’s a tradition unlike any other: the final pick of my 2025 Bills mock drafts being used on a punter. The Bills have had pre-draft contact with the nearly 6-foot-2, 243-pound Mastromanno. The Australian-born punter averaged nearly 50 yards per punt, with a net average of 45 yards per punt in 2024. Mastromanno would immediately become the favorite to win the punting job in 2025 but still would have to defeat Jake Camarda in this summer’s gripping #Puntapalooza.
Bills 2025 final mock draft class (4/21)
