Texas' Andrew Mukuba in Round 1: Mukuba showcased outstanding instincts in coverage in 2024, posting a 25% forced incompletion rate. He allowed just 11 receptions on 24 targets while recording six interceptions and surrendering only 77 yards.
- Help for the secondary in Round 2: Opposing quarterbacks avoided Darien Porter in 2024, targeting him just 18 times across 202 coverage snaps. When tested, he allowed only five receptions while recording three interceptions and five forced incompletions.
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The Buffalo Bills enter the offseason with two glaring priorities: upgrading their coverage unit and revamping their receiving corps.
Despite another deep playoff run, Buffalo’s defensive struggles in the secondary were evident, finishing with a 48.3 PFF team coverage grade — the second-worst in the NFL. Outside of Christian Benford, the Bills lacked reliable, sticky coverage personnel. Linebacker play in coverage was an even bigger issue, as the unit combined for a league-worst 29.1 PFF coverage grade.
On the other side of the ball, Buffalo’s passing attack needs reinforcements. For much of the year, the focus was on Josh Allen’s lack of reliable targets, and the Bills' season fittingly ended on a dropped pass. A midseason trade for Amari Cooper didn’t provide the boost the team had hoped for, and among the four Bills receivers with at least 50 targets, only Khalil Shakir cracked the top 55 in PFF grade.
With limited cap space — roughly $14 million over the limit — general manager Brandon Beane must be strategic in free agency. That makes the 2025 NFL Draft a crucial opportunity to fortify the defense and give Allen the necessary weapons.
Round 1, Pick 30: S Andrew Mukuba, Texas
Mukuba showcased outstanding instincts in coverage in 2024, posting a 25% forced incompletion rate. He allowed just 11 receptions on 24 targets while recording six interceptions and surrendering only 77 yards all season.
Round 2, Pick 56: CB Darien Porter, Iowa State
Opposing quarterbacks avoided Porter in 2024, targeting him just 18 times across 202 coverage snaps. When tested, he allowed only five receptions while recording three interceptions and five forced incompletions.
Round 2, Pick 62: DI Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee
Norman-Lott dominated as an interior pass rusher in 2024, posting a 30.8% win rate on true pass sets — the highest among defensive tackles in this draft class with at least 100 pass-rush snaps.
Round 4, Pick 107: Edge Ashton Gillotte, Louisville
Gillotte showed steady improvement as a pass rusher, increasing his win rate from an impressive 18.5% in 2023 to 21.5% in 2024. Over his final two seasons at Louisville, he racked up 15 sacks and 131 total pressures.
Round 4, Pick 130: WR Kyle Williams, Washington State
Williams was a tough assignment for defenders in 2024, breaking 20 tackles and gaining 389 of his 1,204 receiving yards after first contact.
Round 5, Pick 170: T Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
The Bills will hope Cornelius can return to his 2023 form, in which he allowed just 12 pressures in pass protection — surrendering no sacks and only one quarterback hit.
Round 5, Pick 173: G Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
On 379 pass-blocking snaps for Sacramento State in 2024, Slater allowed just four total pressures—none resulting in a hit or a sack.
Round 5, Pick 176: CB Jason Marshall Jr., Florida
A shoulder injury in Week 8 against Kentucky cut Marshall’s senior season at Florida short, but his production in 2022 and 2023 speaks for itself. Over those two seasons, he allowed just 44 receptions on 92 targets while forcing 20 incompletions.
Round 6, Pick 203: S Alijah Clark, Syracuse
Clark brings significant special teams value, having logged an impressive 365 special teams snaps during his college career. Despite being a three-year starting safety at Syracuse after transferring from Rutgers in 2022, he remained a key contributor in the game’s third phase, making him a strong candidate for an immediate special teams role in the NFL.
Round 6, Pick 205: WR Tai Felton, Maryland
Felton matched Williams in after-the-catch production, gaining 343 of his 1,135 yards in 2024 after initial contact. His elusiveness was on full display as he forced an impressive 28 missed tackles.
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