A mere few plays away from the AFC Championship Game, the Buffalo Bills enter the 2022 NFL Draft with a few picks that could help their cause in 2022 and beyond. Buffalo has few needs but can attack with gusto in the first two days before relying on their back-half slate of picks to build their roster. Here, we take a look at the haul of picks made by the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Buffalo Bills draft picks in 2022
- Round 1 | Pick 25
Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida - Round 2 | Pick 63 (from CIN)
James Cook, RB, Georgia - Round 3 | Pick 89
Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor - Round 5 | Pick 148 (from HOU via CHI)
Khalil Shakir, WR, Boise State - Round 6 | Pick 180 (from JAX via TB)
Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State - Round 6 | Pick 185 (from CAR)
Christian Benford, CB, Villanova - Round 6 | Pick 209 (from CIN)
Luke Tenuta, OT, Virginia Tech - Round 7 | Pick 231 (from ATL)
Baylon Spector, LB, Clemson
One of the rare teams with a myriad of picks that still belong to them, the Bills entered the draft with just two additional draft picks: pick No. 203 from the Carolina Panthers and No. 231 from the Atlanta Falcons. With but a few needs, the Bills were set to be precise and decisive with their picks in 2022.
Buffalo stood pat at No. 25 and drafted Florida CB Kaiir Elam. A legacy NFL player, Elam is sticky in coverage and can play in a variety of schemes. His ball skills are among the best we’ve seen in some time.
Buffalo Bills 2022 NFL Draft Team Needs
Talk about filling a big need. The Buffalo Bills signing Von Miller showcased how solid they believe their roster is after drafting edge defenders with their first picks of the previous two drafts. Miller’s veteran presence should go a long way in the development of Gregory Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa. It also adds a future Hall of Famer to a defense needing a spark.
Drafting a cornerback at the end of Round 1 that is an instant contributor could be tricky, depending on whether there is a run on the position early on. There’s no doubting the Bills need a starter opposite of superstar Tre’Davius White. However, adding a receiving weapon in the backfield is also a massive need after losing out on J.D. McKissic in free agency. — Dalton Miller
- Cornerback
- Running Back
- Defensive Tackle
- Tight End
- Offensive Tackle