Chiefs, and even Jets, top lackluster Bills in SI's AFC draft rankings

The Buffalo Bills did what they had to do in the NFL Draft, but some outside evaluators aren't impressed.

The Bills' heavy-on-defense approach has earned mixed reviews with Sports Illustrated ranking Buffalo's draft results in the lower middle of section of the AFC.

SI "looked at the 16 AFC draft classes and took our best shot at ranking them from worst to best," placing the Bills at No. 10 in the order. The Pittsburgh Steelers' draft haul topped the conference rankings while the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs somewhat surprisingly landed in the No. 4 spot.

The Bills rank third when compared to other AFC East teams and their draft hauls. The New England Patriots stand at No. 2 overall with the New York Jets in the No. 5 spot. The Miami Dolphins wound up at No. 14.

National writer Matthew Verderame provided the analysis beneath Buffalo's ranking.

Max Hairsto — Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Maxwell Hairston speaks in a press conference after being selected by the Buffalo Bills as the number 30 pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Buffalo needed to shore up its defense in the draft and did exactly that, with general manager Brandon Beane taking a defensive player with its first five choices. All told, the Bills added six players on that side of the ball, including good values in [cornerback Maxwell] Hairston and [defensive end Landon] Jackson. Hairston is slated to be an immediate starter, while Jackson should rotate in with Joey Bosa, Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa," said Verderame.

The Bills, who earned a B grade from SI, are being knocked by multiple experts for trading up and "reaching" for defensive tackles TJ Sanders and Deone Walker while waiting until Round 7 to add a wide receiver.

Although the WR criticism has some validity, Buffalo aggressively addressed significant defensive needs in the NFL Draft, and that may not be enough to earn solid early reviews, but it was likely the proper approach for a team on the cusp of Super Bowl contention.

Jan 29, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; American team defensive lineman Deone Walker of Kentucky (0) works in a drill during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

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