Buffalo Bills draft recap

Round 1 

Pick 9 - DT Ed Oliver (Houston)

The “horse whisperer” himself has come to the Queen City. Oliver comes in after tearing up offensive lines in college with 192 tackles and 13.5 sacks over three seasons at Houston. Oliver posted impressive numbers in the NFL combine, recording a 120-foot broad jump, the highest of any defensemen. 

“I don’t think I found my home, I think my home found me,” Oliver said.

Round 2 

Pick 38 - T Cody Ford (Oklahoma)

Cody Ford brings offensive versatility and a mean beard with him to Buffalo. 

Ford, who can play guard and tackle, comes in at 6 feet 4 inches and 330 pounds. He is known for his off-field accomplishments, being named to the Academic All-Big 12 second team. Ford is an elite run protector, having a 91% run block success rate in college.

Round 3

Pick 74 - RB Devin Singletary (Florida Atlantic)

Devin Singletary ran for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Buffalo Bulls in 2017. Now he returns to break tackles in Western New York. 

Singletary, who goes by the name “Motor,” rushed for 1,920 yards in a season and for 4,289 yards in his collegiate career. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes that he’s the second-best running back in the 2019 class.

"He can make you miss, he does a great job in tight quarters," Jeremiah said. "He can be in a hallway and you can’t get a finger on him. Just real loose, nice little nifty jump cut that he uses and I don’t know if he has that big-time top speed but we saw some of those same comments made about LeSean [McCoy] when he was coming out in the draft and we know how that worked out."

Pick 96 - TE Dawson Knox (Ole Miss)

Dawson Knox is a physical monster and comes in after posting impressive numbers in his combine. Knox was a walk on at Ole Miss, earning his spot after growing into his 6-foot-4, 258-pound frame. Knox posted an 18.9-yards-per-catch stat line last year and was a former quarterback in high school.

Round 5 

Pick 147 - LB Vosean Joseph (Florida)

Vosean Joseph looks to add awareness and tackle production to the Bills defense. Joseph, labeled a “true ball-hawking linebacker” by Bleacher Reports Chris Simms, has been praised for his in-game IQ. Joseph had 93 tackles last season and has been touted as pass stopper.

Round 6 

Pick 181 - S Jaquan Johnson (Miami)

Jaquan Johnson was a four-time All-Dade First Team selection in high school. Chris Trapasso, a CBS sports analyst, wrote that the pick was an “-A,” calling him a great line stopper and praising his positioning in pass coverage. Past coaches have touted him as a defensive playmaker and a steal in the sixth round.

Round 7 

Pick 225 - DE Darryl Johnson (North Carolina A&T)

Darryl Johnson dominated the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for three seasons and was rewarded by being a seventh-round pick of the Buffalo Bills. 

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein lists Johnson’s strengths as he is long-limbed frame set to take on more muscle, he has a massive wingspan, he has voracious work ethic, durability and is a high-energy performer. Johnson claims he has already added an additional 20 pounds to his body since the NFL combine.

Pick 228 - TE Tommy Sweeney (Boston College)

Tommy Sweeney went from a reserve to first team All-ACC honors as a senior at Boston College. Sweeney is mainly a blocking tight end but ESPN analyst Todd McShay knows he can be an asset in the passing game as well.

“He knows how to run routes, he knows how to get open underneath, never going to be a vertical guy, but I would argue his ball skills are good as any tight end in this class,” McShay said.

Sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com.