Buffalo Bills mock draft roundup: Wide receiver, wide receiver, wide receiver

Where do some of the media experts have the Bills going in the first round of the draft?

It's been quite the offseason for the Buffalo Bills as the team had to shed plenty of salary. Wide receiver Stefon Digg was traded to the Houston Texans and cornerback Tre'Davious White and wide receiver Gabriel Davis were among the players also not coming back to Buffalo. But it's not quite a rebuild because as long as quarterback Josh Allen is still around, Buffalo will be a contender.

So the question now is where do draft analysts see the Bills going in the first round of the draft Thursday night. Do they take a wide receiver and give Josh Allen a new weapon? Let's dig in and find out.

ESPN: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

ESPN had their NFL Nation mock draft and we see a new speedy weapon for Josh Allen. Speed indeed as we're talking about the player who ran the fastest 40-yard dash ever this year. Xavier Worthy posted a 4.21 in the 40, breaking the previous record of 4.22 set by former Bengals top-10 pick John Ross.

From ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg: "If this is how the board falls, trading back (or up, including to potentially snag LSU's Thomas) would be strong possibilities. Wide receiver is the Bills' biggest -- and most obvious -- need, and moving back into the second round would allow Buffalo to potentially double-dip in a talented class, especially since the Bills do not have a third-round pick. Still, if the Bills went with Worthy, he would bring speed and the run-after-catch ability they need."

LA Times: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

The LA Times' Sam Farmer also has the Bills going wide receiver at 28, but plucking from LSU and taking Brian Thomas Jr.

From Farmer: "With no more Stefon Diggs, the Bills need another top-shelf target for Josh Allen. Thomas fills those requirements."

NFL.com: Brian Thomas Jr. WR, LSU

NFL.com's Charles Davis also believes the Bills will add Thomas as the newest weapon for Allen.

From Davis: "This was a position of need before the trade of Stefon Diggs to Houston. QB Josh Allengets to mentor this intelligent and fast receiver who will draw plenty of attention from other suitors along the way on draft night."

CBS Sports: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

Add Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports to the list of experts thinking Thomas should go to Buffalo.

From Wilson: "Thomas Jr. reminds Rick Spielman, my co-host on the With the First Pick podcast, of George Pickens. And if he's here, this will be the easiest pick the Bills make all weekend. I'm a huge Ladd McConkey fan, and I love the idea of him going to Buffalo, but that typically assumes Thomas Jr. is long gone. My only other hesitation about McConkey to Buffalo is that he's similar in height to Shakir and Samuels, while Thomas Jr. is a looming red-zone threat from just about anywhere on the field."

The Ringer: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

We're starting to sense a theme here with some of the media mock drafts. Danny Kelly of The Ringer makes the call as well to Baton Rouge.

From Kelly: "After losing both Stefon Diggs (to a trade) and Gabriel Davis (to free agency) over the offseason, Buffalo looks to buttress its pass catching corps with a big-time downfield playmaker. Thomas is an elite field stretcher who can get over the top of a defender before they even know it—a trait that should mesh well with the big-armed Josh Allen. Adding Thomas to a group that already includes Dalton Kincaid, Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, and James Cook should give Allen plenty of options in the passing game."

Pro Football Focus: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

Pro Football Focus did a full 257-pick mock with 32 analysts and Andrew Ites made the pick for the Bills. This time, we see a Texas receiver off the board but it's Adonai Mitchell, not Xavier Worthy.

From Ites: "Wide receiver was already a position of need before the Bills traded Stefon Diggs to the Texans, but now it has become an even more obvious target for Buffalo in the first round. InAdonai Mitchell, the Bills get a 6-foot-4 prototypical X receiver to pair with two smaller, shiftier wide receivers in Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir."

The Athletic: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Now it gets fun. Could we see a big move from general manager Brandon Beane Thursday? Bills writer Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic goes all-in for a wide receiver, moving up from No. 28 to No. 7 to select Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. In the deal, Buffalo sent Nos. 28, 60, 133 and 160 this year plus their 2025 first-round pick to the Titans to get Odunze.

From Buscaglia: "General manager Brandon Beane did his best last week to say he doesn’t think wide receiver is a glaring hole, but with onlyKhalil Shakir,Curtis SamuelandMack Hollinsas their top three, logic screams otherwise. Beane stressed last week that he wants receivers who are “smart, selfless and versatile,” and that perfectly sums up Odunze, who has the talent to beJosh Allen’s long-term No. 1 receiver. He also has the leadership the Bills covet and the versatility to start at X receiver but play across the formation. Having Minnesota’s potentially early 2025 second-round pick next year helps Beane justify sending away a major asset like their 2025 first-rounder."