Unexpected late-round selections steal the show during Bills' rookie minicamp

The Buffalo Bills used six of their nine picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on defense. They clearly wanted to shore up that side of the ball, but they still needed more pass-catchers.

While they added Elijah Moore after the draft, they still find themselves thin with outside wide receivers. The good news is that one of their three picks on offense could wind up helping to fill that void.

Seventh-round pick Kaden Prather was built for the boundary at 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds. He was also very productive for Maryland, racking up 98 receptions for 1,290 yards with nine touchdowns in two seasons.

Maryland Terrapins wide receiver Kaden Prather catches a pass against USC. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Now trying to make it in the NFL, Prather stole the show during the team's first rookie minicamp practice. Prather was praised for running great routes and making impressive catches.

A couple of Bills rookie minicamp observations:

- WR Kaden Prather had a great day. Really solid routes. Got open and made some impressive catches
- DE Landon Jackson is a massive dude. Has a presence!
- “Blocking TE” Jackson Hawes was catching passes everywhere
- Really…
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) May 9, 2025

He wasn't alone either. Fifth-round pick Jackson Hawes was "catching passes everywhere, "according to Sal Capaccio. This one is a little more surprising, considering Hawes is seen as a blocking tight end.

During his final collegiate season, Hawes recorded just 16 receptions for 195 yards and had no touchdowns for Georgia Tech. It's still early, but his showing on Friday suggests he could be more of a factor in the passing game than initially thought.

We're still early in the offseason, and these two need to prove they can continue to excel when facing the veterans. That said, the early returns are promising.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tight end Jackson Hawes catches a pass against the North Carolina State Wolfpack. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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