Round 1, Pick 30 — CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

The Bills had several needs, mostly on defense, coming into the 2025 NFL Draft. They needed to bring in cornerbacks and defensive tackles above all else, with pass rusher another area of need.

With the way the draft unfolded this year, the big-bodied DTs were off the board at pick No. 30, as were the high-end edge rushers. That left cornerback, and the Bills went with the fastest one in the class with Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston.

In our live Round 1 draft grades, I wrote, “The ball-hawking speedster is an excellent pick by the Bills, who need to cover better and create more turnovers. The only downside here is that Will Johnson, the Michigan cornerback who may have been a top-10 pick if not for a foot injury, was still on the board, and the Bills passed on him for a corner who is much less physically imposing.”

With some time to reflect—and learn more about Johnson’s bleak medical outlook—I like this pick even more, as the Bills got a true playmaker who could help take the defense to the next level.

On draft night, the Bills’ NFL draft grade was a B+, but that should get bumped up one notch higher.

GRADE: A-

Round 2, Pick 41 — DT T.J. Sanders, South Carolina

It seemed as though Beane had learned his lesson about not trading up and letting the draft come to him after trading his 2022 first-round bust Kaiir Elam this offseason. However, in the second round, that lesson went out the window and Beane traded both second-round selections to move up and take T.J. Sanders.

“Defensive tackle was a major need for the Bills, as they need a run-stuffer to play in the middle of the D next to dynamic but undersized Ed Oliver,” I wrote Friday night. “In T.J. Sanders, they get a sub-300-pound DT who can rush the passer like Oliver and is a little stronger against the run. It’s not a terrible pick, but it’s not exactly what they need and Brandon Beane traded a lot of draft capital to come up and make this selection.”

The pick, coupled with the big trade up, earned a C+ in the moment.

While reflecting on this one, not much has changed.

Sanders has the chance to be a good player, and the Bills’ opponents are in passing situations more often than running ones. Plus, his penetrating style could improve the rush defense as well.

Still, the process was bad and the pick was questionable, so there is no reason to adjust this initial grade.

GRADE: C+

Round 3, Pick 72 — DE Landon Jackson, Arkansas

To paraphrase Dumb & Dumber, Beane did what he always does in Round 2, but in Round 3… he totally redeemed himself!

Landon Jackson is an odd-looking defensive end, and his style is unorthodox, but you can’t argue with his 16.0 sacks in three seasons at Arkansas. The NFL doesn’t like prospects who don’t look like what they know, and we haven’t seen a DE who looks quite like Jackson since “The Mad Stork,” Ted Hendricks.

Jackson might not end up in the Hall of Fame like Hendricks, but with his long arms and unique styles he may give opposing offensive lines the same type of headaches.

As it is, I put Jackson as one of my top-five steals of the 2025 NFL Draft, so this has to get a high mark.

GRADE: A

Round 4, Pick 108 — DT Deone Walker, Kentucky

Deon Walker was on my Bills sleeper picks list heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, and after they picked him, he has to get high grades.

Walker is raw, and his technique needs to get much better. He needs to play lower and anchor better, but the former Kentucky Wildcat has one thing you can’t teach: A 6-foot-7, 331-pound body.

Walker is the mountain of a man that the Bills need in the middle, and snapping him up in Round 4 is a great piece of business.

GRADE: A

Round 5, Pick 170 — CB Jordan Hancock, Ohio State

Defensive back was still a major area of need heading into Round 5, so the Bills doubled-down on cornerback and took Ohio State’s Jordan Hancock.

The value here is that the 6-foot, 195-pound DB offers versatility at the back end of the defense. With the Buckeyes, he played outside corner, nickel, and safety. That kind of range will almost certainly help him earn a spot on the Bills Week 1 roster.

GRADE: B

Round 5, Pick 173 — TE Jackson Hawes, Georgia Tech

The Bills play with six offensive linemen more than any other team in the NFL. What if they could replace that sixth lineman with a tight end who played like a lineman?

Jackson Hawes was the best blocking tight end in the 2025 NFL Draft and fits the Bills perfectly as their blocking TE 3. This isn’t the sexiest pick, but it could be one that gives offensive coordinator Joe Brady even more flexibility.

GRADE: B

Round 6, Pick 177 — CB Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech

Beane decided to triple-dip into the CB pool in Round 6, picking up the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Dorian Strong from Virginia Tech.

The biggest knock on Strong is that he is a scheme-dependent prospect who will probably only flourish in a zone-based system. Well, that’s what Sean McDermott wants, so this is a great value.

GRADE: B+

Round 6, Pick 206 — OT Chase Lundt, UConn

Chase Lundt was a three-year starter for the Huskies and has some solid traits. At 6-foot-8, 304 pounds, he has some deficiencies, but will remind Bills Mafia of Spencer Brown, which is a pretty good comp for a sixth-round developmental tackle.

GRADE: B

Round 7, Pick 240 — WR Kaden Prather, Maryland

Buffalo got one more big target for Josh Allen in the 6-foot-4, 204-pound Kaden Prather. He has some upside, but most Bills fans would probably like to have seen a true deep threat at some point in the 2025 NFL Draft, so the pick is a little disappointing.