Buffalo Bills mock draft roundup: Mel Kiper Jr., others weigh in following Stefon Diggs trade

Wide receiver seems like a wise decision, no?

The past couple of weeks when looking at mock drafts for the Buffalo Bills there were some prognosticators who had the team picking a wide receiver. However, there were also more than a few who had Buffalo trying to beef up their defensive line or the secondary.

Now, following the team’s decision to trade wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, it would seem pretty clear that the Bills will be targeting a wide receiver in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The question becomes which one?

Will the team stay put at pick 28 and select someone largely graded among the second tier of prospects? Perhaps general manager Brandon Beane will push all his chips into the middle and try trading up for one of the “Big Three” receivers. Those would be Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers, and Romeo Odunze.

We’re just a few short weeks from learning what the Buffalo Bills do with their first draft pick. For now, we’ll turn to those draft gurus who make a living this time of year by continuously feeding us mock drafts. With that, here are the latest projections for the Bills in Round 1 by some of the more prominent outlets.

Mel Kiper, Jr. ESPN: WR Brian Thomas, Jr. at pick No. 28

“What, exactly, is the Bills’ plan at wide receiver? They just traded Stefon Diggs, and they let Gabe Davis walk in free agency. Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins top their depth chart at the position. Could Buffalo be a team to watch for a trade up into the top 10 for either Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers? I wouldn’t rule it out, but it would be costly, likely forcing the franchise to sacrifice its 2025 first-rounder.

In this scenario, though, a talented wideout could fall into the Bills’ lap. Thomas was an incredible vertical threat for Jayden Daniels last season, leading the country in touchdown catches with 17, 10 of which came on go routes or fades. He ran a stellar 4.33-second 40 at the combine. He could be a legit No. 1 WR, which quarterback Josh Allen now needs.”

Joe Buscaglia The Athletic: WR Brian Thomas, Jr. (Trade Up)

Tennessee Titans trade Nos. 7, 182 to Bills for Nos. 28, 60, 133 and 2025 1st

The pick at No. 7: Bills – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

“Is Nabers worth this type of move? In a more standard draft year, Nabers would easily be the best receiver prospect by a wide margin and likely one of the first players selected. He is outrageously talented and smooth, with the explosiveness to win however the Bills ask him to. The separation is effortless whether he’s at X, Z or slot and he gets the defender to bite at his breakdown constantly. He can win with physicality or speed and will eat cushion from off-defenders alive. Nabers has excellent, crisp footwork, and his contested catch concentration is simply outstanding. On top of it all, he can be a monster with yards after the catch, either using physicality to drag defenders or his 4.35 speed to blow up a play. Nabers has all the potential to be a star in the NFL, and with one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Allen, it increases that likelihood by a large margin. Nabers is worth the hype.”

Chris Trapasso CBS: projected trade with Carolina Panthers

Trapasso has the Bills trading out of Round 1, allowing the Carolina Panthers to draft wide receiver Xavier Worthy at pick 28. As a result of this trade, Buffalo goes back in line until the top of Round 2. With the 33rd pick, the Bills choose wide receiver Ladd McConkey.

Trapasso notes the Panthers send “No. 33 overall and No. 101 to Buffalo for (their) selection and a seventh-round pick (No. 248).”

Nate Davis USA Today: WR Adonai Mitchell (Trade Up)

“19. Buffalo Bills [PROJECTED TRADE with Los Angeles Rams]: WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

After divorcing themselves from Diggs, the Bills may have to get a bit aggressive in Round 1 in order to find a potential replacement at WR1 – and that could be a move for Mitchell, who has Velcro hands and postseason bona fides. He’s plenty big (6-2, 205) and exceptionally fast (4.34 40 time), a combo that should dovetail with Allen, who like to go deep but can benefit from a larger catch radius on intermediate throws. A Georgia transfer, Mitchell found the end zone 11 times during his only season with the Longhorns.”

Garrett Podell CBS: WR Keon Coleman

“Keon Coleman is the bigger-bodied target (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) at wide receiver that Josh Allen now desperately needs with Stefon Diggs now on the Houston Texans. Coleman can line up all over the formation, and he is a slick route-runner with great knowledge of how to best utilize his body to maintain leverage against defenders. Keon Coleman has an argument for being the best contested catcher in this class. He’s a great athlete, and he can be a red-zone monster in the NFL as teams fight to guard him and Dalton Kincaid near the end zone.”

Max Chadwick Pro Football Focus: WR Adonai Mitchell

“The Bills desperately need to add viable pass catchers after trading Stefon Diggs to the Texans. Adonai Mitchell has a high ceiling as one of the most athletic receivers in the draft, though he has some work to do to reach his ceiling. There may be no better quarterback to help him do so than Josh Allen.”

Bleacher Report Scouting Department: WR Keon Coleman

“With Stefon Diggs now gone in a trade to the Houston Texans, the Buffalo Bills’ need to add another weapon grew exponentially.

Florida State’s Keon Coleman may not be the fastest target. Detractors will almost certainly point toward his underwhelming 4.61-second effort in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.

In doing so, they’ll overlook what the 6’3”, 213-pound target immediately provides to the Bills offense.

“Coleman offers a blend of size and contested-catch skills that are missing in Buffalo right now,” Klassen said. “Though Coleman offers just average speed and hit-or-miss route-running ability, he is great at the catch point. That was especially true in 2022 at Michigan State.

“Additionally, Coleman is a powerful, explosive YAC threat, so much so that he returned punts for Florida State in 2023.”

Josh Allen needs weapons since Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins are currently his top targets. Coleman helps create a larger margin for error as a downfield target with a ridiculous catch radius.”

Diante Lee 33rd Team: WR Brian Thomas Jr.

“Fit: Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis are out the door, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Buffalo Bills spend their early picks on offense. Brian Thomas Jr. would give them a big-bodied speed threat to push the ball downfield with.

Thomas’ speed and ball tracking make him an interesting development project, but I don’t know if he will walk right into the league with a carved-out role in an NFL offense. Josh Allen’s arm talent means the Bills can use him vertically and open up space for Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid to work underneath. This roster pivot will take two offseasons to complete, so it’s OK to take a long view in Round 1.”

Rhett Lewis NFL.com: DB Cooper DeJean

“Could the Bills try and trade up to secure Brian Thomas Jr.? Sure, but there will be plenty of WR talent available in the second round. Here, at No. 28, Buffalo fills another huge need by selecting DeJean, the best corner the Big Ten had to offer this season. He also possesses top-end return ability.”

As you can see, almost every mock listed above has the Bills taking a wide receiver. Just one, Rhett Lewis, decided to stick with defense for Buffalo’s top pick. Yes, this wide receiver class is deep and I’m sure there are stars who are going to be drafted on Day 2. However, there are a lot of receivers who are as close to the real thing as you can get, and teams will have to commit to drafting them in the first round. If you’re running personnel decisions for the Buffalo Bills, you have to find a way to draft one of them.