Would the Bills really draft a back in Round 1? If Devin Singletary walks in free agency, maybe. This offense needs another outlet, and Robinson is one of the top playmakers in this class, a spectacular all-around talent worthy of going much higher.
The Buffalo Bills' season stalled out in the divisional round after scoring a lowly 10 points at home against the Cincinnati Bengals after pass protection issues slowed Josh Allen down. Cody Mauch resembles so much of what we've seen the Bills prefer in prospects. A converted tight end, Mauch became an impact starter at North Dakota State at left tackle where his athleticism, tenacity, and power shined. He could stabilize the left guard spot in Buffalo.
Like last year, it's not like Buffalo desperately needs anything. It has to get a guard, and another wide receiver would be a plus, but those areas can be dealt with later. Branch is a versatile tough guy of a safety who would step right into an already good situation.
Drafting a running back in the first round elicits plenty of reactions, but the Bills are looking for one of those missing pieces, and Robinson is certainly worth it the way he does just about everything at an elite level.
If Dallas isn't going to get in on the mock draft fun, then Buffalo will. Putting Bijan Robinson next to Josh Allen wouldn't seem fair, but it's hardly an impossible outcome. Robinson's playmaking ability is undeniable. It's as good as it gets at running back in this draft.
After the Bills lost to the Bengals in the Divisional Round, the questions about whether their window had closed surfaced.
That still seems a year or two off, but the Bills need to regroup after a tough end to a season that was filled with expectations. One of their more pressing needs entering 2023 is solidifying the interior of the offensive line. Torrence is a physical, imposing force in the run game — something that the Bills could certainly benefit from — and anchors well against power moves in the interior while in pass protection. There is room for improvement, and opinions on him are varied, but he is a solid option for Buffalo at this point in the first round.
The Bills don't have a lot of needs -- and safety, interior offensive line, or even running back (if, say, Bijan Robinson is still sitting there) could be options here. But cornerback could be a target, as well. Cam Smith is a first-round talent who can be a Day 1 contributor.
Look, I know you've seen this one before, but it's too much fun not to manifest. Robinson has been one of the top playmakers in football over the past two seasons. He finished 2022 with a 95.2 overall grade (rushing and receiving) and more than 1,000 yards after contact. He also recorded an incredible .040 missed tackles forced per attempt, which was the fourth-highest rate in the country and the highest among any back with at least 200 carries. His presence would alleviate the need for quarterback Josh Allen to rush as much as he does, highly impact the Bills' rushing attack and improve their passing game.
The Bills have one of the league's best rosters, but they could lose a few defenders in free agency, including Jordan Poyer, Tremaine Edmunds and Shaq Lawson. They need to restock in this draft. And even though Buffalo has used first- or second-round picks on Greg Rousseau, Boogie Basham and AJ Epenesa in the past three drafts, its depth on the edge has to get better. That's why I see Hall, who had 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons, as a stellar fit on Day 1. He could turn into a steal here.
On the other side of the ball, I almost went with offensive tackle Cody Mauch (North Dakota State), who could play guard early in his career before becoming the team's long-term left tackle. Guard O'Cyrus Torrence (Florida) could be another option.
