These players are tied to the Bills either through select mock drafts, or visits during the senior bowl, combine, pro days, etc. The summaries come from NFL.com.
RB Trey Benson: 6', 216
2023: 2nd All-ACC, 156car/906yds/14TDs, 20rec/227yds/1TD
strengths: Above-average and lateral-cut agility for a big back. Lowers his pads & balances through contact to stay up and running. Slides, dips & cuts to find smaller openings that are developing. Capable receiver on wheels, screens & underneath routes.
weaknesses: Leaves yards on the field due to bouts of indecisiveness. Lacks vision & burst to scare defenses with big-play potential. Needs to improve at setting up would-be tacklers into blockers.
grade: 6.23 (Will eventually become an average starter)
RB Jaden Shirden: Monmouth 5'8", 187
combine: 4.45s 40, 34.5"vert, 9'9"broad jump
2023: 1st FCS All-American, 221car/1,478yds/10TDs, 20rec/123yds/1TD
strengths: Takes very little time to process the front and make his moves. Runs with sudden feet and non-stop bounce to dart & dash. Features quality spin moves and jump-cuts to slip tackle tries. More viable as a pass catcher.
weaknesses: Can become too cut-happy, allowing defenders time to rally to him. Unable to crash through contact and consistently fall forward. Too much leg-driving in his blitz pickup.
grade: 5.81 (Average backup/Special teamer)
WR Devontez "Tez" Walker: North Carolina 6' 1 1/2", 193
combine: 4.36s 40, 40.5"vert, 11'2"broad jump
2023: 3rd All-ACC, 41rec/699yds/7TDs, 3car/23yds
strengths: Booming build-up speed to gobble up cushion to separate vertically. Ability to stack coverage & save catch space on go routes. Squares pads & bodies up CBs on slants. Leaping and full-body extension turn would-be overthrows into catches.
weaknesses: Route running features dull cuts and excessive drifting. Tends to wait on stop-route throws rather than working back. Average catch strength to secure of-target throws. Inconsistent tracking & adjusting to deep balls.
grade: 6.19 (Good backup with the potential to develop as a starter)
comp: Alec Pierce
EDGE Marshawn Kneeland: Western Michigan 6'3", 267
combine: 4.75s 40, 35.5"vert, 9'11"broad jump
2023: 2nd All-MAC, 57tot tckls, 4.5scks, 2FFs
strengths: Runs well and possesses agility to fluidly change directions. Plays with very heavy hands and makes his 1st hit count. Sifts though moving bodies & latches into the RB with a good wrap. Generates consistent pocket push with his bull rush.
weaknesses: Needs to diversify his rush attack and add a little more finesse. Struggles to consistently hold the point when playing with his hand down. Room for improvement with his hands stacking & controlling TEs. Gets pads turned and can be washed away against zone blocks.
grade: 6.16 (Good backup with potential to develop as a starter)
EDGE Javon Solomon: Troy 6'1", 246
combine: 4.72s 40, 37"vert, 9'11"broad jump, 23reps
2023: 1st All-Sun Belt, 56tckls/18TFLs, 16scks, 3FFs
strengths: Powerful hips and relentless effort help propel him around the block. Quick to read and beat reach blocks to maintain contain positioning. Shows ability to bend the edge and flatten to the QB. Weaponizes counter moves to pry upon inside path to the pocket.
weaknesses: Can be widened out by a centered block and a wide base, Short-strider in his take-off to the top of the rush. Has trouble separating form long-armed tackles who cinch him up.
grade: 6.13 (Good backup with the potential to develop as a starter)
comp: James Houston
LB Edefuan Ulofoshio: Washington 6'0 1/2", 236
combine: 4.56s 40, 39.5"vert, 10'8"broad jump
2023: 1st All-PAC 12, 94tot tckls, 3scks, 1FF, 1INT/3PDs, 1TD
strengths: Steps downhill and meets blockers with a jarring punch. Physical at the top of the route when covering TEs. Runs through tackler with the force of a sack of bricks.
weaknesses: Doesn't show enough feel for play development. Gets eager and bounces out of position during diagnosis. Below-average range as a tackler & in man coverage.
grade: 5.85 (Average backup/Special teamer)
WR Ryan Flournoy: Southeastern Missouri St. 6'1", 202
combine: 4.44s 40, 39.5"vert, 11' broad jump, 19reps
2023: 57rec/839yds/6TDs, 6car/49yds/1TD
strengths: Commitment to vertical push in drive phase of the route. Catches with sudden, sticky hands and has a feel for congestion around him. Elusive & physical with the ball in his hands. Head coach raves about his coachability and team-first mentality.
weaknesses: Hit-or-miss eluding physical press coverage in his release. Routes tend to be unfocused at times. Lacks knee bend & suddenness to create consistent separation.
grade: 5.96 (Average backup/Special teamer)
S Kitan Oladopo: Oregon St. 6'2", 216
combine: 4.58s 40, 36"vert, 9'9"broad jump, 15reps
2023: 2nd All-PAC 12, 74tckls/3TFLs, 1sck, 1FF, 2INTs/8PDs
strengths: Team captain who gets the back end situated pre-snap. Swoops in using proper angles to clean up leaky edges in run support. Stays in balance to tackle while driving downhill toward the play. Adequate ball skills to attack the throw and create incompletions.
weaknesses: Bumpy transitions out of backpedal and struggles to change direction in big space. Gets overtaken by long speed when situated as a deep safety. Can be indecisive diagnosing mesh point on zone read & RPOs.
grade: 6.17 (Good backup with the potential to develop as a starter)
comp: Jaquiski Jartt
EDGE Adisa Isaac: Penn St. 6'4', 247
combine: 4.74s 40, 34.5"vert, 10'3"broad jump
2023: 2nd All-BIG 10, 37tckls/16TFLs, 7.5scks, 1FF
strengths: Ultra decisive with good pre-snap awareness of formation and play potential. Quick hand strike allows him to separate and chase the play. Hustles on efficient angles to short-circuit run plays from the back side. Able to hit a sudden side step to beat the tackle inside.
weaknesses: Average contact balance; pinballs around when working the edges. Too committed to the outside rush track and will overrun the arc. Speed-to-power rush challenges might not be enough to beat NFL tackles.
grade: 6.23 (Will eventually become an average starter)
comp: Chase Winovich
RB Audric Estimé: Notre Dame 5'11", 221
combine: 4.71s 40, 38"vert, 10'5"broad jump, 23reps
2023: 2nd All-American, 210car/1,341yds/18TDs, 17rec/142yds
strengths: Can make sudden reactive cuts to elude a closing tackler. Has a knack for finding late-developing lanes as an inside/outside runner. Drops his pads and drives forward to shred poor tackle technique. Capable receiver catching everything thrown his way in college.
weaknesses: Can get bogged down when processing interior block development. Average burst allows defenders an opportunity to take their shots. Running style forces him to work harder for what he gets.
grade: 5.99 (Average backup/Special teamer)
comp: Jamaal Williams
LB Payton Wilson: North Carolina St 6'4", 233
combine: 4.43s 40, 34.5"vert, 9'11"broad jump
2023: Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, ACC DPOY, 1st All-ACC/1st All-American, 138tckls/17.5TFLs, 6scks, 3INTs/6PDs, 1FF, 1TD
strengths: Rangy to find his way into a high number of tackle opportunities. Adequate football intelligence and blocking-scheme recognition. Has the hands & eyes to dart into passing lanes and take the ball away. Burst & lateral agility create blitzing potential for gaming fronts.
weaknesses: Can be too willing to side-step a block rather than play off of it. Plays too upright and gets knocked off balance too frequently. Has an injury history. Lacks play strength and take-on technique to consistently leverage his gap.
grade: 6.32 (Will eventually become a plus starter)
