Throughout the year and leading up to the 2021 NFL draft, we will update our Buffalo Bills Mock Draft Roundup showing picks for the Buffalo Bills from several prominent sites and draft analysts.
The Bills ranked middle of the league in team sacks (38, T-15th), but no player had more than five sacks in 2020. In addition, starting defensive ends Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison are both on the wrong side of 30. While the Bills drafted A.J. Epenesa in the second round last year, taking a swing on the immense upside of Oweh at the back of Round 1 makes sense.
Despite his lack of production (zero sacks in 2020 after posting five in 2019), Oweh has rare traits. As Bruce Feldman noted in his annual Freaks list, Oweh is "the most explosive one of the bunch" (of athletic freaks). The 257-pound defender ran a 4.36 forty with a 39.5-inch vertical at Penn State's Pro Day.
The top two running backs are off the board, and it's a little early for Javonte Williams (North Carolina). So why not inject some life into a middle-of-the-road pass rush instead -- especially with Jerry Hughes turning 33 before the season. Phillips had 8.0 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in 2020.
Rousseau might have the biggest range of outcomes among potential first-round picks, with some evaluators placing him at the top of the edge class and others rating him as a Day 2 selection. Buffalo needs to give its pass rush a shot in the arm after not getting much from its edge rushers outside of Jerry Hughes last season.
While I don't personally subscribe to taking a running back in the first round, one or more always seem to be taken. With the Bills bringing back their entire offensive line from 2020, they could use a homerun threat at the position as Devin Singletary and Zach Moss, who were their two top RBs last year, combined for only seven runs of 20 yards or more. Compare that to Derrick Henry, who had 16 such runs on his own last season. Etienne confirmed his home run speed at his recent pro day, clocking a 4.41 40 while weighing in at 215 pounds. That would add another dynamic to an already-potent Bills offense.
Offensive tackle Daryl Williams was resigned, but the Bills still need to address the interior. Mayfield features the versatility and athleticism to thrive in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's system.
The Bills re-signed cornerback Levi Wallace to a one-year deal, but they likely won't shy away from continuing to prioritize the position. Newsome is an ideal pick in that regard, as he has excellent length and high-end ball skills. He could excel opposite Tre'Davious White.
Jerry Hughes turns 33 in August and Mario Addison will be 34 in September, so the Bills could use youth in their pass-rush alongside 2020 second-rounder A.J. Epenesa. Joseph Ossai is great at getting to the quarterback both as a stand-up linebacker and as a traditional defensive end, and what he lacks in polish, he makes up for in athleticism and relentlessness.
