The Buffalo Bills opened the 2024 NFL Draft by trading out of Thursday’s first round.
They left Friday’s round with three players filling three needs in Florida State WR Keon Coleman, Utah S Cole Bishop and Duke DT DeWayne Carter.
On Thursday, the Bills moved back in a deal to acquire picks No. 32 (Round 1), No. 95 (Round 3) and No. 221 (Round 7) from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for picks No. 28 (Round 1), No. 133 (Round 4) and No. 248 (Round 7). The Bills then traded back once more, acquiring picks No. 33 (Round 2) and No. 141 (Round 5) from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for picks No. 32 (Round 1) and 200 (Round 6).
It left them with improved draft positioning while still holding 10 picks over two days.
It’s a new era in Western New York, considering the sweeping changes on both sides of the ball. Buffalo has parted ways with franchise stalwarts such as Tre’Davious White, Mitch Morse and Jordan Poyer. The team’s offseason, however, has been defined by trading star wide receiver Stefon Diggs. It’s why most expected the Bills to target a new potential No. 1 receiver for quarterback Josh Allen in this draft, which they did with the selection of Coleman.
Keep coming back here throughout the draft for analysis and grades for each Bills pick.
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Round 2
No. 33: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
How he fits
Big, physical and capable of making highlight-reel catches, Keon Coleman ran a 4.61 40 time at the combine, which perhaps knocked him down a few spots. But he’s a quality pickup for Buffalo to open the second round. In one season at Florida State, Coleman (6-3, 213) caught 50 passes for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns (13.2 yards per catch) with only two drops. That came a year after hauling in 58 passes for 798 yards and seven scores at Michigan State. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
“A one-year starter at Florida State, Coleman lined up inside and outside (motion-heavy) in head coach Mike Norvell’s up-tempo scheme. After putting himself on the NFL radar as a two-sport athlete at Michigan State, he transferred to Tallahassee in 2023 and led the Seminoles in receiving — and the nation in acrobatic “He did what?!” catches.
“Thanks to his basketball background, Coleman “big brothers” cornerbacks up and down the field using size, strength and athleticism. But what really separates him as a pass catcher is his dominance with the ball in the air. Not only can he overpower defenders at the catch point, but he also makes leaping acrobatic stabs appear routine with his natural body control and extraordinary catch radius.
“Overall, Coleman must develop more nuance to his route running, but his big-man twitch, physicality and ball-winning adjustment skills allow him to be a difference maker. With continued refinement, he has the talent to be an NFL starter (similar in ways to Courtland Sutton).”
A new target for QB1. @keoncoleman6 | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/c4JFIjabqV
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 26, 2024
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis
Buffalo Bills draft Keon Coleman: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Scott Dochterman’s grade: B+
Draft grades for Rounds 2-3
No. 60: Cole Bishop, S, Utah
How he fits
A big, speedy safety from Utah who made nearly 200 tackles (including 21 ½ for a loss), Bishop played a lot in the box as a nickel defender as well as back deep at safety for the Utes. A very instinctive player, sometimes too aggressive, Bishop is explosive and still just 21. A versatile back-end defender who could be a starter sooner than later. I would’ve preferred Washington State’s Jaden Hicks – but this is a solid choice in an area of need for Buffalo. — Nick Baumgardner
Dane Brugler’s analysis
“A three-year starter at Utah, Bishop was a multidimensional safety in defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley’s hybrid 4-2-5 scheme. Some safeties play fast, and others play controlled — Bishop does both, because of the way he always rallies to the football, regardless of his origin point (would rotate single high to the box to a rolled-up cornerback to a nickel backer, and several other positions in between).
“Growing up as a New England Patriots fan, Bishop models his game after Rodney Harrison, and it shows in his competitive demeanor and the way he wastes zero time getting to the football. Although he has some limitations in man coverage, he can cover tight ends and shows terrific vision in zone to diagnose route combinations and drive on the football.
“Overall, Bishop needs to put more impact plays on tape by setting traps for the quarterback in coverage, but he plays with top-down explosiveness and the football IQ to make plays at all three levels of the field. He has NFL starter-caliber talent and is ideally suited for a robber role.”
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis
Bills draft Cole Bishop: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Nick Baumgardner’s grade: B-
Round 3
No. 95 (via Chiefs): DeWayne Carter, Duke, DT
How he fits
A highly respected three-year starter, Duke DeWayne Carter (6-3, 302) will immediately step into the Bills’ rotation as an impact performer. Buffalo lost a ton of leadership in an offseason purge, but Carter will help fill that void. He’s also a physical, relentless interior defender. A good pickup who fits the Bills’ culture. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
“A three-year starter at Duke, Carter was a three-technique defensive tackle in former head coach Mike Elko’s 4-2-5 base scheme (also saw snaps on the edge). He became the first three-time team captain in Blue Devils history, although his senior season production fell short of what he put on film as a sophomore and junior.
“Carter needs to keep adding moves to his rush attack, but he generates power from his get-off and transfers it to his hands to create initial movement in his pass rush. He displays similar play strength, effort and ball-tracking versus the run, although he will need to be more efficient as a block shedder to be a relevant run defender at the line of scrimmage in the NFL.
“Overall, Carter doesn’t have a true difference-making trait on the field, but he is smart, strong and very active. He might never be a full-time starter, but he will give a team value as a rotational three-technique (even fronts) or five-technique (odd fronts).”
Scott Dochterman’s grade: B-plus
Round 4
No. 128: Ray Davis, RB Kentucky
Dane Brugler’s analysis
“A one-year starter at Kentucky, Davis was the main offensive weapon in offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s gap-focused scheme. His journey is worthy of a Hollywood script, but he is much more than just a feel-good story and played his best football in 2023, becoming the first college football player ever to rush for 1,000-plus yards at three different FBS programs (Temple, Vanderbilt, Kentucky).
“With his quick reads and lateral agility, Davis will juke defenders out of their cleats using dynamic plant-and-go cuts (his performance against Florida in 2023 might be the best running back tape in this class). Though he needs to remedy his issues in pass protection, he is a dependable pass catcher and recorded at least one reception in all 25 games he played the past two seasons.
“Overall, Davis has racked up a lot of miles and lacks explosive long speed, but his vision, cutting skills and competitive toughness are translatable traits. Although he doesn’t offer much on special teams, he can be a productive rotational back for an NFL offense.”
The Bills had a vacancy for a powerful runner in their backfield to be a complementary option to starter James Cook, and that’s exactly what they’re getting in the 211-pound Davis. @dpbrugler said Davis “will drop his pads and attack contact with balance and authority.” https://t.co/ck9EZRVDBf
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) April 27, 2024
GO DEEPER
Ray Davis grew up homeless, now he seeks to be a ‘name you’ll remember forever’
Round 5
No. 141 (via Panthers): Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C, Georgia
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A three-year starter at Georgia, Van Pran-Granger has been a model of consistency at center in offensive coordinator Mike Bobo’s balanced run scheme. After earning the starting job prior to the 2021 season, he started all 44 games the Bulldogs played over the past three seasons and was a key cog for the school’s back-to-back national championship-winning teams.
“Van Pran-Granger is a physical presence in the run game, latching with his hands and finishing with equal parts core strength and aggressive attitude. Though he processes well in pass pro, it won’t be easy for him to consistently recover and overcome his lack of elite movement skills and length vs. NFL talent.
“Overall, Van Pran-Granger has NFL play strength, especially in the run game, and his coaches rave about his leadership and smarts, but he might struggle when caught in any situation that calls for him to play in space. He is equipped to compete for immediate starting reps in the right situation.”
No. 160 (via Packers)
No. 163
Round 6
No. 204
Round 7
No. 221 (via Chiefs)
(Photo: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
