Buffalo Bills NFL Draft 2021: 5 players to target in the first round
In 2020, the Buffalo Bills took a huge stride, reaching the AFC Championship Game. The impressive season was great to see for general manager Brandon Beane, head coach Sean McDermott and the entire Buffalo Bills organization. However, their late-season run has them picking late in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
On April 29, when the 2021 NFL Draft officially opens, the Buffalo Bills will likely have a long, long time until they are able to make their first selection. Overall, that is a great problem to have, especially for an organization that has struggled as much as Buffalo over the years. But it could make finding an impactful player a little more challenging.
After trading their first-rounder a year ago for stellar receiver, Stefon Diggs, the Bills are expected to make a selection this year in the 2021 NFL Draft.
With no real glaring needs on the roster, the Buffalo Bills could go in any direction in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
I would truly expect the Bills to go with the best player available when they come on the clock, so here are five players that I think could be in play when pick 30 rolls around for the Buffalo Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft.
1. Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami
If there is one spot on the Buffalo Bills roster that I believe they need to address in the 2021 NFL Draft, it is the defensive line. Particularly, the defensive end position.
There is no doubt that there is talent on the edge for the Bills already. However, the current starters for Buffalo are getting up there in years and the team may want to bring in some youth to give them a spark and help them develop for the future.
Mario Addison and especially Jerry Hughes have been playing very well over the past couple of seasons for Buffalo. Their solid level of play has helped get the Bills to where they have gotten so far, but I’m not sure they still have enough in the tank to put them over the top.
The Bills drafted an edge defender with their first pick, in the second round, last year with A.J. Epenesa, but he did not have the immediate impact that I’m sure they were hoping for. He very well may develop into a special player, but they should be looking for a long-term pair for him even if he does.
Jaelan Phillips stands out to me as the most intriguing option for the Buffalo Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft. As of late, Phillips has been getting a ton of buzz as the potential top edge defender off the board in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and rightly so.
In his time at Miami and at UCLA, Phillips displayed his NFL potential throughout his college career. Phillips has a desirable blend of length, speed, power, and explosiveness for a defensive end. He has great instincts, outstanding hand usage and has been one of the biggest risers throughout the 2021 NFL Draft process.
Getting a player like Jaelan Phillips in the rotation right away on the defensive front will undoubtedly lead to more pressure on the quarterback, and more consistent play from the end position.
Plus, as a 21-year-old, former five-star recruit, the sky is the limit for Phillips’ future if he can stay on the field. Phillips appears to be one of the most NFL-ready edge prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft, and if he falls to the Buffalo Bills at pick 30, they should be jumping for joy.