In a draft full of defensive talent,Matt Miller of ESPN believes the Bills got it right early and often.
The Buffalo Bills had a clear plan entering the 2025 NFL Draft. They wanted to improve the defense at every level, to add explosion and size. General manager Brandon Beane did just that early and often, sending the card in for three defensive linemen and a pair of defensive backs in the first five rounds.
The hope is that each of Buffalo’s picks makes an impact, but there are a few who stand a better chance to do so immediately. In a recent article with ESPN, Matt Miller presented his list of the 100 best individual picks of the draft. The rationale Miller used to rank each player wasn’t based solely on talent, with Miller shared that:
“Here, we factored in value (where a player was drafted vs. where he was ranked predraft), scheme fit, how the selection addressed a need, what the prospect brings on the field and whether additional assets were gained or lost in draft-day trades to acquire him.”
Where did the Bills and their draft picks fit in on this list? Two players made the cut, and both were within the top 60 players overall. The player from Buffalo’s draft class to land on the list was defensive end Landon Jackson. Many analysts saw the Bills as the most ideal landing place for Jackson. But Jackson makes Miller’s list as the best pick in Round 3 for more than just his plus measurables and traits. Miller had this to say about a player he saw as holding some of the draft’s best value:
“22. Landon Jackson, Edge, Buffalo Bills (Pick 3-72)
My final overall ranking: No. 48
Jackson is one of this draft’s best value picks, a high-upside edge rusher who joins a Buffalo defense lacking impact players. He’s similar to Bills edge rusher AJ Epenesa, as Jackson is a solid three-down performer. He doesn’t have the sudden moves to get double-digit sacks, but Jackson is a future starter and emblematic of the “meat and potatoes” nature of this class.”
Jackson brings a wide range of defensive end production teams like the Bills covet, adept at disrupting the pass in moments but also squashing a run play. Though the team heavily rotates its defensive linemen, Jackson carries the ability to shine regardless of down and/or situation, similarly to defensive end Greg Rousseau.
In fact, Brett Kollman’s post-draft analysis on Buffalo featured the pick of Landon Jackson. His observation of the Bills having two identities is striking, where they appear fully incapable (or uninterested) in stopping the run in the postseason. He sees Jackson as someone who should help correct Buffalo’s run defense woes. Be sure to check out Kollman’s overall thoughts on Jackson, someone he views as the prospect who could make the biggest impact in 2025 and beyond, at the end of this article via the embedded video.
Further down the list at ESPN, Miller slotted cornerback Maxwell Hairston in at 52. Hairston of course landed with the Bills at pick 30 in Round 1. He brings an explosive skill set unique to Buffalo’s cornerbacks room, and a real knack for grabbing the football. Miller had the following to say about Hairston, who he saw as one of the better values in all of Round 1:
“52. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Buffalo Bills (Pick 1-30)
My final overall ranking: No. 43
The Bills wanted to find impact defensive players who could hold up against AFC rivals like the Chiefs and Ravens. Hairston is a fast (4.28-second 40), feisty corner whose footwork was among the best in the draft. He was widely projected to be picked in the 20s, so getting him at No. 30 was actually solid value.”
It’s pretty clear that Brandon Beane wanted to go back to the draft in an effort to repair what happened with cornerback Kaiir Elam. As a prospect, Elam brought traits to the table that were similar to Hairston — a fast and fluid corner. However, Elam was never able to master zone defense and that rendered him a liability on any given play, either due to a penalty or a completely breakdown in defensive coverage.
Hairston enters One Bills Drive with big shoes to fill, even if Elam didn’t leave him a pair to try on. Instead, Hairston will have to prove that Beane and company finally got it right at cornerback in Round 1. It’s difficult to argue with what Buffalo saw in Hairston (and in passing over Trey Amos) as a cornerback full of potential and equally capable as a man-press or zone-cover corner.