After a 2020 NFL season that was near perfect for the Buffalo Bills, this 2021 7-Round NFL Mock Draft highlights the areas they could look to improve in the 2021 NFL Draft. After allowing the Kansas City Chiefs to score 38 points in the AFC Championship Game, do the Bills focus entirely on defense or add more weapons around Josh Allen?
Bills Post-Free Agency 7-Round Mock Draft
- Round 1, Pick 30: Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
- Round 2, Pick 61: Elijah Molden, CB/S, Washington
- Round 3, Pick 93: Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa
- Round 5, Pick 161: Milton Williams, DT, Louisiana Tech
- Round 5, Pick 174: Camryn Bynum, CB, California
- Round 6, Pick 213: K.J. Britt, LB, Auburn
- Round 7, Pick 236: Tommy Kraemer, OG, Notre Dame
Bills 2021 NFL Mock Draft pick-by-pick analysis
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
Putting more talent around Allen has to be a consideration for the Bills early in this year’s draft. With a strong group of receivers already, Buffalo could look to upgrade their running back situation. Either Najee Harris or Travis Etienne may be available at the back end of the first round. With an unconvincing RB situation, both could be in contention for the Bills’ first pick.
However, in this 2021 7-Round NFL Mock Draft, the Bills start by taking Pat Freiermuth. Drafting Freiermuth would immediately upgrade the Bills’ tight end position significantly. In fact, when you look across the roster, there is arguably no position group that would benefit more from an upgrade than tight end.
After falling short in the AFC Championship Game, the Bills have an immediate chance to challenge again in 202. Still, their offense has to be able to keep up with the high-scoring Chiefs.
Adding a player like Freiermuth would be ideal for that. However, the one concern for the Bills could be Freiermuth’s blocking. Nevertheless, his potential as a pass catcher could outweigh those concerns if the Bills feel they can work with him to improve that aspect of his game.
Elijah Molden, CB/S, Washington
On defense, the Bills have an intriguing group of players. Those 38 points they allowed to the Chiefs, however, highlights the need to keep improving.
The Bills have two excellent safeties in Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. Both are now over 30, though, and the Bills need to consider depth and a potential successor to both of them. That is where a player like Elijah Molden comes in, one who could both contribute immediately and be a succession plan.
Molden has the ability to drop down and line up as a slot cornerback early in his NFL career. The Bills have solid options to do that in Taron Johnson and Levi Wallace, but Molden could prove to be an upgrade. He is a well-rounded player who is strong in coverage. One concern as a slot defender early in his career is that Molden is not always a stout tackler. That could be a hindrance to him seeing significant playing time as a rookie.
Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa
In the Super Bowl, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed that you do not need to always go toe-to-toe with the Chiefs offensively. The Buccaneers beat Kansas City thanks largely to a pass rush that overwhelmed the Kansas City offensive line. Meanwhile, in the AFC Championship Game, the Bills could only manage 1 sack and 3 pressures. That was an issue that plagued the Bills during the season, as they ranked 23rd in pressure percentage.
Therefore, the Bills could potentially use an early-round pick to address this concern. However, there are a lot of question marks surrounding those prospects at the bottom end of the first round. Meanwhile, the Bills have the opportunity in the third round to select an intriguing prospect in Elerson Smith, as they have in this 7-Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft.
In his scouting report, Pro Football Network’s Chiefs Draft Analyst and NFL Insider Tony Pauline described Smith as an athletic pass rusher developing into a defensive end in a four-person defensive line. Additionally, Pauline comments that Smith has the potential to be an immediate contributor as a pass-rush specialist with the potential to develop into a starter.
Milton Williams, DT, Louisiana Tech
It is looking more and more likely that Milton Williams may not make it into the fifth round. In the final days of March, Williams was seen as a prospect who ranked around 200th for many instead of being a top-100 prospect. Buffalo’s system could be perfect for Williams, who may very well be better suited to playing in a 4-3 defense.
Williams put in an impressive performance at Louisiana Tech’s Pro Day and has seen his stock soar as a result. Nevertheless, in Williams’ scouting report, Pauline highlighted the need to improve his play strength.
If he slides into the fifth round, he could be an ideal candidate for the Bills to trade up and draft. Adding Williams to a group that includes Ed Oliver, Vernon Butler, and Star Lotulelei could make an intriguing rotation up the middle in Buffalo.
The benefit of adding Williams in 2021 is that he can be a useful role player immediately. Additionally, with both Butler and Lotulelei potentially leaving in 2022, Williams has an opportunity to step up and start. Getting experience behind three former first-round selections is an extremely valuable opportunity for a rookie.
Camryn Bynum, CB, California
At the back end of the fifth round in this Bills 7-Round Mock Draft, Buffalo could potentially get great value in Camryn Bynum. His value right now appears to sit somewhere around the fifth or sixth round. In Pro Football Network’s 7-Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft released March 6, Bynum was selected by the New York Giants at pick 198.
Pauline sees Bynum as a potential Day 2 player. Not only that, but he views him as a value at the back end of Day 2. As of April 4, Bynum ranks 101st on Pauline’s big board.
In Bynum’s scouting report, Pauline highlights concerns surrounding his deep speed and performance against larger pass catchers. On the contrary, Pauline also highlights his toughness, instincts, and smarts. Bynum heads into the NFL as a four-year starter at Cal and a two-time captain. Both of those should earn him plenty of respect in an NFL locker room.
K.J. Britt, LB, Auburn
The Bills do not have an immediate need for a starting linebacker. However, behind their trio of Matt Milano, A.J. Klein, and Tremaine Edmunds, the Bills’ depth chart lacks high-end backups. In this 2021 mock draft, K.J. Britt potentially fills that role for the Bills as a sixth-round pick.
In Britt’s scouting report, Pauline highlights how he “is a hard-working linebacker with a terrific head for the game.” Pauline also highlights, however, Britt’s average game speed and lack of ability in pursuit.
Britt projects as a role player at inside linebacker, and he could develop behind a strong trio in Buffalo. If he develops over the next two seasons, he could offer the Bills an immediate replacement for Klein. If not, Britt can at least be a high-caliber backup linebacker for the Bills in 2021 and beyond.
Tommy Kraemer, OG, Notre Dame
The final pick of the Bills 2021 7-Round NFL Mock Draft sees Buffalo address the one element of their offensive line that could be a weakness. Yes, the Bills did re-sign Daryl Williams to create a strong group with Dion Dawkins, Jon Feliciano, and Mitch Morse. Meanwhile, Cody Ford looks ready to be the other starting guard, but there is a potential opportunity for someone to come in and compete.
Tommy Kraemer comes out of a highly respected program in Notre Dame. Even though he has some struggles in the run game, his strengths lie primarily in his pass-blocking ability.
In his scouting report, Pauline did highlight a lack of agility as a key concern. Pauline identifies Kraemer as a potential asset in a power-blocking scheme, which is the scheme the Bills could look to use more in 2021 after struggling with the running game in a zone-blocking scheme last season. If that is the plan, Kraemer could provide a useful option as a backup guard to Ford and Feliciano.
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