The 2024 NFL Draft is now in the rearview mirror. After a flurry of selections from April 25 to April 27, 257 players were selected to join the NFL.
With that, we give you our full recap of the Buffalo Bills‘ draft, with analysis on every selection the team made during the weekend and an in-depth look at their top pick.
For more information on the players your favorite team drafted, it’s not too late to get the 2024 NFL Draft Guide, which includes expanded scouting reports, draft grades, offseason reports, unique advanced data, PFF grades and much more.
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2024 Draft Picks
- 2 (33): WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
- 2 (60): S Cole Bishop, Utah
- 3 (95): DI DeWayne Carter, Duke
- 4 (128): RB Ray Davis, Kentucky
- 5 (141): C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
- 5 (160): LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
- 5 (168): ED Javon Solomon, Troy
- 6 (204): T Tylan Grable, UCF
- 6 (219): CB Daequan Hardy, Penn State
- 7 (221): G Travis Clayton, International Pathway Program
Coleman — Coleman was the fourth-best wide receiver remaining on the PFF big board, but he fills a clear need for a Bills team that lost Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis this offseason. Coleman boasts prototypical “X” receiver size and athleticism. There are some concerns with his production profile — he earned a 42nd-percentile receiving grade in 2023 — but he’ll have one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.
Bishop — The Bills select Bishop in the second round, hoping that he can fill the void left by Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer‘s departure. Bishop is a high-effort player who peaked with a 75.5 overall PFF grade in 2022 and improved his tackling in 2023. This may be a bit of a reach, but Bishop is a high-floor player who can help Buffalo’s rebuilding secondary.
Carter — The Bills draft an ultra-productive defensive tackle, as Carter’s 114 pressures since 2022 are the second-most among Power Five defensive tackles. While Carter isn’t an elite athlete, he’s smart, versatile and capable of playing the run and the pass equally well. Possessing a deep bag of pass-rush moves, Carter will be a handful for offensive linemen in the NFL if he improves his get-off speed and quickness.
Davis — Davis possesses a versatile skill set that will fit perfectly with Josh Allen and Buffalo’s pass-happy offense. In 2023, Davis ranked ninth in the FBS with a 91.4 PFF rushing grade, while his seven receiving touchdowns led all players at the position. Davis can be a home-run hitter, having racked up 12 rushes of 20-plus yards in 2023, good for 13th among FBS backs last year.
Van Pran — A potential Day 2 target for teams needing a high-floor player on the interior, Van Pran allowed just one sack on more than 1,400 pass-blocking snaps at Georgia. He slots in as a “first man off the bench” type at all three interior positions for Buffalo.
Ulofoshio — Ulofoshio played over 300 defensive snaps for the first time in his career this past season at Washington. He was impressive, too, earning a 79.8 overall grade and a 90.4 coverage grade. Here, Buffalo bets on the upside of a prospect with good length and a strong athletic profile.
Solomon — Buffalo adds depth to the edge here. Solomon made PFF’s top 100 prospects due to his overall grading profile, as he earned an 88.2 PFF grade since 2022 to rank sixth at the position. His 32 sacks since 2021 rank first among all draft-eligible edge rushers.
Grable — Grable started his career at Jacksonville State before transferring to UCF and playing his final two seasons for the Knights at left tackle. Grable is an athletic, developmental option for the Bills late on Day 3. He ranks in the 60th percentile of qualifying college tackles in pass-blocking grade over the past two seasons.
Hardy — The Bills grab a cornerback for the first time in this draft, with Hardy coming off a season in which he played a career-high 419 snaps. He earned a 63.9 PFF coverage grade, allowing 318 yards and a pair of touchdowns from 240 coverage snaps.
Clayton — Clayton is a product of the International Pathway Program. He comes from England and brings elite size and athleticism. His background is in rugby and boxing.
DRAFT GRADE: B-
Rookie Spotlight: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
Scouting Summary
Coleman originally committed to Michigan State as a two-sport athlete and transferred to Florida State in 2023. His evaluation is a test of how much scouts prefer contested-catch receivers to athletic separators. He is an impressive 6-foot-4, 215-pound athlete who enjoys getting physical with cornerbacks, as he constantly catches passes through contact.
While that yields jaw-dropping feats of strength, his lack of separation ability is concerning for the next level—there just aren't many guys who make a living as consistent contested-catch receivers, and the ones who do are often some of the best receivers in the league.
Wins above average
WAA represents the number of wins a player is worth over an average college football player and is a metric that evaluators can utilize to assess performance. It combines how well a player performed in each facet of play (using PFF grades) and how valuable each facet is to winning football games. The result is a first-of-its-kind metric that allows for cross-positional valuation and predicts future value at the player and team levels.
How Coleman ranks in the stable metrics
Coleman had his most successful season in 2022 when he hauled in 62.5% of his contested targets. Although this number is not stable year over year, the FSU product uses his big frame very well in contested situations.
He also has a career 4.1% drop rate, which ranks in the 92nd percentile among all receivers over that time.
The bottom line
Coleman is a top-tier athlete for the position from an explosiveness standpoint. His burst, top speed and leaping ability are All-Pro caliber.
However, the lack of agility in his game limits his route tree and ability to separate from defensive backs. Those who love above-the-rim, alpha-type receivers will be big fans, but his inability to consistently separate means he won't be for everyone.
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