Bills made shrewd NFL Draft move grabbing SEC edge rusher, earning favorable SI grade

The Buffalo Bills received a high grade for drafting a DE with high upside in Round 3 on Friday

Feb 1, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team defensive lineman Landon Jackson of Arkansas (40) hits American team quarterback Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss (2) during the first half of the 2025 Senior Bowl football game at Hancock Whitney Stadium. / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

He was considered a Top 50 overall prospect by many, and the Buffalo Bills landed Landon Jackson at No. 72 overall at the NFL Draft.

Using the Round 3 pick that came from the Chicago Bears as part of a Round 2 trade-up, the Bills added an Arkansas edge rusher with seemingly high upside. The 6-foot-6 Jackson has produced against Southeastern Conference competition while possessing some elite athletic traits.

Impressed by Jackson's collegiate production, Sports Illustrated awarded the Bills a B+ grade for their third-round pick.

"Jackson has been one of the nation’s more consistent edge rushers for the past few years. In 2023, he was a first-team All-SEC member with 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. In ’24, he was second-team All-SEC, while matching his prior production with 6.5 sacks to go with 9.5 tackles for loss. Jackson started 31 games for the Razorbacks over the past three years as well," said SI national writer Matthew Verderame, who has teamed with Gilberto Manzano to offer instant draft grades for every selection in the first three rounds.

Nov 23, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman Landon Jackson (40) pressures Louisiana Tech Bulldogs quarterback Evan Bullock (7) during the fourth quarter / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Going by general manager Brandon Beane's comments, the Bills think they may have gotten a steal in Round 3.

“After we made the trade up, I was like, okay, we got two defense. We're still just going to stick with the board, and Landon was truly the highest player on our board," said Beane.

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The former LSU transfer made 24 starts for Arkansas over the last two years, totaling 23.0 tackles-for-loss and earning back-to-back All-SEC selections over that period.

“High character DNA, a longer athletic dude, a lot of sacks, went against a lot of premium talent in the SEC and had a lot of production. Obviously, athletically, tested very well," said Beane. "This guy is smart. He knows how to rush. He has feel in there. He's not just an athletic guy."

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