Bills' latest draft class stands out on initial 53-man roster

The Buffalo Bills trimmed their roster from 90 to 53 players on Tuesday, and eight of Buffalo's nine 2025 draft picks survived cut down day.

Buffalo's first round selection Maxwell Hairston is still with the team but is currently on short-term IR to start the year, meaning he'll miss at least four games with his LCL sprain. Brandon Beane's seventh round selection, WR Kaden Prather out of Maryland, was waived with an injury designation and reverted to season-ending IR.

Beane's selections seven selections in Rounds 2-6 all made the cut, including TJ Sanders, Landon Jackson, Deone Walker, Jordan Hancock, Jackson Hawes, Dorian Strong, and Chase Lundt.

TJ Sanders and Deone Walker — Bills rookie tackles T.J. Sanders, right, and Deone Walker lock up during drills at St. John Fisher University Wednesday, July 23, 2025 in Pittsford. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Defensive tackles Sanders and Walker shined during the preseason, with the former showing off his pass rush skills, and the latter utilizing his 6-foot-7, 331 pound frame to make plenty of splash plays along the line of scrimmage. They'll rotate with projected starters Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones, and have likely surpassed 2024 third round pick DeWayne Carter on the depth chart.

Some mock drafts included Jackson going at the tail end of the first round, but the Arkansas Razorback slipped into the third round. While he had a rollercoaster of a preseason, including several nice reps paired with plays where he lost contain on the edge, it's far too early to give up on a player with a high pass rush ceiling. He'll likely compete with Javon Solomon for a jersey on game days, and a roster spot once Michael Hoecht returns from suspension.

Hancock and Strong both showed encouraging signs during the preseason. Hancock's versatility to play both nickel and safety makes him a valuable asset for Bobby Babich to work with, and Strong could be the latest late-round gem at CB that the Bills draft and develop into a starting caliber player.

Buffalo Bills Jordan Hancock sprints during voluntary workouts at their practice facility on May 27, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jackson Hawes was touted as the best blocking tight end in the class, making him the perfect TE3 behind Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. He can elevate Buffalo's run game and be used in place of Alec Anderson in jumbo sets if the Bills needed the lineman to fill in for an injured starter.

Chase Lundt was on the roster bubble, and likely doesn't make the team if not for Tylan Grable being placed on short-term IR. Anderson, Grable, Ryan Van Demark, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, and Lundt provide promising depth at all five offensive line spots for Aaron Kromer to develop, but the Bills might not have room to keep 10 linemen once Grable is healthy.

Following the conclusion of the preseason and roster cut downs, Buffalo's 2025 draft class looks like it could provide major contributions to a Bills team that was already just a game away from reaching the Super Bowl.

Chase Lundt and Tylan Grable — Bills offensive lineman Chase Lundt blocks Tylan Grable during line drills at St. John Fisher University Thursday, July 31, 2025 in Pittsford, NY. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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