The Buffalo Bills won the AFC East for the fifth consecutive season, but the 2024 NFL season still felt like a failure for Josh Allen and company who fell short in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.
It was another thriller with the Chiefs, but coming up short once again left a sour taste in the mouth of the Bills who will now look to tweak their team to get over the hump. The defensive side of the ball should be the focus as the Bills had a hard time stopping Patrick Mahomes when it counted. Whether through free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft, Buffalo will look to add another impact player along the defensive line and in the secondary.
Offensively, the Bills were a more balanced team with James Cook breaking out as a lead back, but they could use another playmaking receiver to add to Allen’s arsenal. Selecting No. 30 in the 2025 NFL Draft, there should be some players on either side of the ball who can come in an contribute to the Bills’ 2025 aspirations to get to the Super Bowl.
Buffalo Bills 2024 NFL season
2024 NFL season record: 13-4 1st in the AFC East
Team offense: Rank 10th (361.2 yards per game)
Team defense: Rank 16th (340.7 yards per game)
Playoffs: Lost to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Championship
2025 NFL Draft position: No. 30
Top positional needs: DL, CB, EDGE
2025 NFL Draft outlook
The Bills will look to build on defense and tweak their offense as they look to finally get over the hump and get to the Super Bowl in 2025. Help along the defensive line and defensive backfield will be key priorities for the Bills. Among edge rushers that may be available late in the first round or early Day 2 are Ohio State duo Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, Michigan’s Josaiah Stewart, Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton and Ole Miss product Princely Umanmielen.
As far as interior lineman, Toledo’s Darius Alexander is a player to watch late on Day 1 along with Maryland’s Jordan Phillips, Tennesee’s Omar Norman-Lott, South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders and Oregon’s Derrick Harmon. Any player in that group will look good in the middle of the Bills defensive line.
Other areas of need for the Bills include cornerback and another wide receiver for Allen to get the ball to. Here is a look at what General Manager Brandon Beane and the Bills will do in this three-round NFL Mock Draft.
2025 NFL Mock Draft (Three-round)
The Bills address the defensive line on Day 1 with the selection of Toledo prospect Darius Alexander. At 6-foot-4, 305 pounds, Alexander has the size and mobility to be a disrupter in the middle of the line. He doesn’t stand out among the top defensive lineman in the draft, but he is explosive off the snap and at No. 30 could be the best available player at the position when the Bills select. After putting on a show at the Senior Bowl and impressing at the 2025 NFL Combine, Alexander could be a steal for Buffalo late in the first round.
Josh Allen gets another weapon in Iowa State product Jayden Higgins. Whether they can bring back Amari Cooper or not, the Bills will still look to add to their receiver group and Higgins is a prospect Allen will love immediately. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and 9 touchdowns during his final season with the Cyclones and helped his draft stock rise at the NFL Combine by running a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash. He also displayed a 39-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-9 broad jump that showed off his combination of speed and athleticism for a big receiver. He would look good in the Bills’ offense catching the ball from Allen.
The Bills would love to address cornerback on Day 1, but the depth in this draft at the position will allow them to select a solid prospect in Azareye’h Thomas out of Florida State. At 6-foot-1, 197 pounds, Thomas has ideal footwork for a defensive back and with his combination of length and athleticism can be an asset against bigger receivers. Although he didn’t participate in the 40-yard dash, Thomas did impresses at the 2025 NFL Combine in positional drills. The speed of Thomas is a question mark, but his overall savviness as a secondary defender and his special teams experience will makes him a solid Day 2 target for the Bills.