Bills' defensive upgrades heavily influence prominent NFL Draft grade

The Bills receive praise for their nine overall selections made in the 2025 NFL Draft

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Kentucky Wildcats cornerback Maxwell Hairston. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Despite having low picks due to their 2024 on-field success, the Buffalo Bills still may have knocked it out of the park at the 2025 NFL Draft.

Buffalo entered the draft with 10 picks and ended with nine selections as they got to make picks in every round. The Bills made two trades in the draft with the Chicago Bears, as Buffalo got to move up in the second round and traded up in the fourth round.

After all the moves and selections made, the overall consensus from CBS Sports is the Bills had a great draft in Green Bay.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Buffalo Bills. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco evaluated all 32 NFL teams' drafts and graded them by looking at the best and worst picks and his overall thoughts. Prisco graded the Bills with a B+.

He started by highlighting his favorite pick, the Bills' first pick, Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston. Prisco believes Buffalo got an instant starter late in round one.

Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Maxwell Hairston (31). | Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I loved their first pick of corner Maxwell Hairston. They had to get an upgrade at that position and he should start as a rookie. He excels as a man-cover player, which means maybe the Bills will play more of it this season."

Hairston was a second-team All-SEC selection in 2023, but missed five games last year with a shoulder injury. He caught the attention of everyone at the NFL Combine when he ran the fastest 40-yard dash, running it in 4.28 seconds.

Prisco felt the Bills' worst pick came in the next round, with South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders. While Prisco likes Sanders, there might have been better options at the position in the second round.

Nov 16, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (90). | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

"Second-round interior D-lineman T.J. Sanders is a good player, but I think there were better options when they took Sanders and they traded up to get him. I would have taken Jamaree Caldwell, who went to the Chargers in the third. "

RELATED: Lukewarm SI draft grade suggests Buffalo Bills reached for Round 2 pick

Sanders played every game for the Gamecocks as he racked up 50 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, and a pass breakup. Next Gen stats had him as the seventh overall best defensive tackle in the NFL Combine, scoring a 75.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Maxwell Hairston. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Prisco's overall view of the Bills' draft was strong, as he liked some of the day-three selections to round out the roster.

"The Bills had to get a corner, a young edge and inside player for their defense. They got all three in the first four rounds. That's good drafting. Hairston will be a star. He plays with an attitude that you love at the position. Third-round edge Landon Jackson is a power player who did some good things against fourth-overall pick Will Campbell when they faced off. Fourth-round defensive tackle Deone Walker could be a steal and he's a monster inside -- if he stays in shape."

Jan 29, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; American team defensive lineman Deone Walker of Kentucky (0). | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

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