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Fernando’s Bills Mock Draft 1.0: Senior Bowl Edition

Erik Turner
01/29/2020
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The 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl is in the books and some of the most promising young men in the country took advantage of the opportunity to raise their stocks for the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft. The Cover 1 team was there and brought all the information about the top senior prospects available.

With that in mind, here is my first mock draft of the year. The Bills own nine picks and, for this first exercise, I didn’t do any trades. I utilized thedraftnetwork.com’s mock draft machine and adapted on the fly as the seven-round simulation played out. Here it is, Bills fans:

Round 1, Pick 22: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

I was surprised to see the arguably second-best pass rusher in this draft fall to pick 22 and couldn’t resist, even though I wanted a premium wide receiver badly. A three-year starter, the former Hawkeye piled up numbers in his successful college career, with 101 tackles, 26.5 sacks (11.5 in 2019), eight forced fumbles, and eight passes defended. At 6’6″ and 280 pounds, he has the strength and technique to be a dominant NFL defensive end for a long time.

With Jerry Hughes on the wrong side of 30, Trent Murphy’s ups and downs, and Shaq Lawson probably testing free agency, it was a no-brainer to select Epenesa. He could become the next great Bills defensive end.

Round 2, Pick 54: Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU

Reagor still being available here shows why not passing on Espenesa was the right decision in round one. We`re talking about a potential first-round pick who fell to the second round due to being part of a stellar wide receiver class in 2020.

The former Horned Frog had an outstanding 2018 season with 72 receptions for 1,061 yards and nine touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production in 2019 wasn’t the same, mostly because of poor QB play, and he finished his junior year with a 43-611-5 stat line.

He isn’t the most polished route-runner out there, nor is he the biggest guy, standing at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds. However, oh boy, he’s fast. Reagor can perfectly take over Isiah McKenzie’s starting role and be a tangible upgrade there. He has experience being used on jet motions, screens, slants, and crossing routes, and with his speed, he’s obviously another threat downfield. Long-term, Reagor has WR1 potential and can replace John Brown there.

Round 3, Pick 86: Tyler Biadasz, IOL, Wisconsin

Another guy who I was surprised to see still on the board, Biadasz is arguably the best center in the country. The Bills are well-served there with Mitch Morse, but the former Badger can start his career as a guard and be a nice option down the line with his versatility inside.

At 6’3″ and 318 pounds, he’s a powerful player who rarely misses games (starting 41 consecutive games in college). A former team captain and leader, he looks very “processy” to me and can be a day-one starter inside, especially in case Buffalo can’t retain free-agent guard Quinton Spain’s services.

Round 4, Pick 118: Michael Pittman Jr., WR, USC

I have no doubts in my mind that it is a two-WR draft for the Bills. It’s a huge need, and there’s too much value to be overlooked in the middle and late rounds. Pittman available in round four is case-in-point.

At 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, here is our big-bodied WR. Despite not being a “burner” like Reagor, he possesses some surprising speed, is physical, and can win some contested catches. He’s dangerous after the catch and will be a day-one contributor on special teams, where he made a lot of plays in his collegiate career at Southern Cal.

Pittman was a team captain and is another guy who perfectly fits the Bills’ culture. If Reagor can put McKenzie’s spot on the roster in question, the same can be said about Pittman and Duke Williams.

Round 5, Pick 137: Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton

One of the biggest winners of the Senior Bowl week, the 6’5″ and 251-pound TE offers huge value in round five. A former basketball player, he can move very well for his size and box out defenders, giving Allen another big target to work with inside. 

Trautman isn’t polished as an inline blocker yet and needs development there to become an every-down option. However, he adds another dimension in the Bills’ passing attack.

Round 5, Pick 149: Lamar Jackson, CB, Nebraska

At 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds, Jackson offers great size to play outside. He tackles very well and can get his hands on balls (12 passes defended in 2019), looking like a perfect fit for the Bills’ zone-based schemes. He can come in as a good backup outside and challenge Levi Wallace sooner rather than later.

https://twitter.com/BillyM_91/status/1219798264561782786?s=19

Round 6, Pick 168: A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College

I’m a huge believer in Devin Singletary’s capability of becoming a true bell-cow for the Bills, given his workload in FAU. That’s why I was comfortable waiting for the late rounds to address this need.

Dillon looks like a perfect complement for “Motor”, in my opinion. He’s a big back (6’0”, 250 pounds) who excels running between the tackles, a nightmare for opposing defenders trying to tackle him. A great option in short-yardage situations, Dillon isn’t really viable in the passing game, but that’s Singletary’s role anyway.

Round 6, Pick 181: Jon Runyan Jr., OT, Michigan

Another experienced senior (two-year starter) coming from a well-known program, Runyan has the size (6’5″, 321 pounds) and pass blocking ability to develop into a nice option at both tackle positions.

Round 6, Pick 187: Jordan Mack, LB, Virginia

With good size (6’2″, 230 pounds) and great productivity (289 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles in four years), Mack is a nice prospect to add to the linebacker competition behind Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano. Lorenzo Alexander isn’t there anymore, and someone will need to step up to fill this limited role. Mack could be an option in the near future.

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Erik Turner

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