NFL Draft: What players make most sense for Bills in first round?
Whom will the Buffalo Bills select with the No. 30 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft?
Or will they even stay put at that position under historically aggressive general manager Brandon Beane?
Draft experts around the country differ on which way the Bills will go, but interestingly almost all point to players with names that are difficult to spell.
That much will become clear as we go along. But for now, let's get this party started.
SI.com's Ryan Roberts is up first: He he has them taking Clemson running back Travis Etienne.
"The Buffalo offense became very one-dimensional down the stretch," he wrote. "Even with Josh Allen playing at an MVP level, improving the run game should be paramount. With one-speed backs such as Zack Moss and Devin Singletary currently shouldering the load, Etienne could bring big-play excitement from out of the backfield."
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah is up next. He reaches for a bat and produces ... Georgia defensive end Azeez Ojulari.
"The Bills' pass rush must be addressed this offseason," he wrote in his latest mock draft. I view Buffalo as the best fit for free agent J.J. Watt, but Ojulari would provide some juice off the edge if the team is still looking for help at the position when the draft gets underway."
Now Walter Cherepinsky, publisher of WalterFootball.com, gets to weigh in. He selects the most difficult name yet, Washington defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike.
Why?
"The Bills thrived against the pass, but their run defense struggled throughout the year," he wrote. "They could add to their defensive line in an attempt to upgrade that area."
Want another difficult name?
How about Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau?
He's the player Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has the Bills taking at No. 30.
"Mario Addison was tied for the team lead with five sacks and while there's also needs at linebacker and along the offensive line, Rousseau had a 15.5-sack season in '19 (he opted out last season) and is just scratching the surface on his ability," Wilson explained.
Finally, we go to The Sporting News and Vinnie Iyer. He has the Bills going for Michigan tackle Jalen Mayfield.
"The Bills need to address offensive line in some form as a high priority with tackle Darryl Williams being the bigger free-agent concern over guards Jon Feliciano and Brian Winters," Iyer wrote, "as Cody Ford returning from injury can shore up one of those spots. Mayfield has stood out on film with his size, length and strength and can develop into a smooth blocker a la the Broncos' Garett Bolles."
Strong arguments can be made for every one of these picks and then some. Because despite going 13-3 and making it to othe AFC Championship Game, the Bills are projected to have a lot of needs, both immediate and long-term.
Their draft plans won't be finalized until they figure out how much space they're going to have under this year's drastically reduced salary cap and how they will attack free agency.
But, yes, they do need linemen on both sides and a running back, not to mention a linebacker or two, a tight end, and perhaps a more solid starter at outside cornerback to plug in opposite Tre'Davious White.
The Bills should be as interesting and fun to watch in this offseason as they were on the field in 2020 because there are so many directions in which they can go.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro.
