A look back at Bills' draft history with No. 30 overall selection

The Buffalo Bills don't have a long history of drafting at No. 30 overall

Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano (58) and defensive end Greg Rousseau (50) celebrate a sack during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills will make a young player's dream come true when they make the No. 30 overall selection at the NFL Draft.

At least, as of right now, the Bills are set to pick late in Round 1, but general manager Brandon Beane has a reputation for trading up and down the board.

He's done it multiple times throughout his tenure with the Bills, including last season, when they pulled off a now-infamous trade with the Chiefs, moving out of the first round. Either way, let's assume they stay put with the 30th pick and make their selection.

Any guess how many times the Bills have selected at No. 30?

It's happened only twice since the Bills' inception in 1960.

DE Gregory Rousseau — 2021

Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau (50) sacks Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph (11). | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Bills grabbed Rousseau in the 2021 draft and recently awarded him with a new contract extension through 2029, and the new deal is worth $80 million. Through Rousseau's first four seasons with the Bills, he's tallied 25 sacks, 182 tackles, and 46 tackles for a loss. 2024 was his best season, with eight sacks and 63 total pressures.

Rousseau has also become one of the top run defenders in the NFL, and earned an overall PFF grade of 83.1 in 2024, ranking him 12th among the 211 qualifying edge defenders. 2025 could be a big year for Rousseau, and the Bills will be counting on him to be a major part of their pass rush and defense.

QB Dennis Shaw — 1970

Buffalo Bills quarterback Dennis Shaw (16) in action against the Chicago Bears during a pre-season game at Soldier Field. | Dick Raphael-Imagn Images

In Shaw's days, the 30th pick was considered part of the second round of the draft, and Shaw was the fourth pick of the second round. Shaw started 14 games in his rookie year and was named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, beating out fellow rookie quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who finished fourth in voting, and was the 1970 top pick in the draft..

Shaw threw for 2,507 yards and ten touchdowns, with 20 interceptions in 12 starts in his rookie year. He played for the Bills from 1970 until 1973, and joined the St Louis Cardinals in 1974. He remained with the Cardinals for two seasons, until retiring from the NFL following the 1975 season.

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