Even though the Buffalo Bills made a trade for Stefon Diggs last month, really solidifying their top-three wideouts, there’s still some work to be done at the position further down the depth chart. After Diggs, John Brown, and Cole Beasley, there are plenty of question marks. Robert Foster, Duke Williams, and Isaiah McKenzie are just some of the names who will be battling for the No. 4 spot, and there’s plenty of room to add more competition. Especially a solid, young player on a cheap, rookie contract.
This wide receiver draft class is considered to be one of the best all-time, both in terms of top-end talent and depth. That means there could be several enticing players still on the board when the Bills are scheduled to make their first selection with the 54th overall pick in the second round.
If Beane were to add, yet, another wideout with that pick Friday night, here are a few names that could fit the Bills:
- Bryan Edwards - South Carolina
Production and consistency. Two words that defined Edwards’ career at South Carolina. After a nice freshman season in Columbia, where he caught 44 balls for 590 yards over the next three seasons, he caught no fewer than 55 passes for no fewer than 793 yards. He’s a four-year college player with 48 games under his belt against some of the best competition in the country, so he’s seasoned and ready to play in the NFL. He’s on the bigger-side of the wideouts in the class at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and is mainly an outside receiver, but can play the slot position, too. He was also frequently used to catch screen passes, had 22 rushes over four seasons, and returned punts his junior and senior seasons. He's accustomed to getting the ball in his hands in a variety of ways. Edwards isn’t going to separate at the line of scrimmage and run past defenders down the field very often, but he’s physical and can work the middle of the field, be a tough matchup for smaller NFL cornerbacks, and can win his share of contested catches. Edwards suffered a broken foot prior to the NFL Combine in February, so medical evaluations will be key for him.
- Brandon Aiyuk - Arizona State
If Edwards’ words are “production” and “consistency,” Aiyuk’s is “explosiveness.” He was a big-play playmaker for the Sun Devils last season, really gaining a lot of national attention. So much so he was named a Third-Team AP All-American and First-Team All-Pac-12. He only played two seasons in Tempe after transferring from Sierra College, where he spent two seasons, gaining 2,499 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns and being named a Junior College All-American. The 6-foot, 201-pound Aiyuk did everything for the Sun Devils, leading the Pac-12 in both yards per-punt and kick return last season, finishing third in the nation in punt return average (16.1) and fifth in the country in kick returns (31.9). His All-American spot was as an “All-Purpose Player.” Aiyuk is terrific with the ball in his hands, whether that’s on returns or running after the cash. Of his eight receiving touchdowns in 2019, six went for more than 30 yards and two were for at least 80 yards. He underwent core muscle surgery in early April, but is expected to make a full recovery in plenty of time before training camps begin. The Bills want speed, explosiveness, and playmakers. Aiyuk is all of that.
- Tyler Johnson - Minnesota
Johnson’s production was off the charts his last two years in Minnesota. He considered entering the NFL Draft after 2018, but came back to school, earned a degree in Business and Marketing Education, and dominated on the field to the tune of 86 catches for 1,318 yards and 13 touchdowns. That, plus another 78 catches 1,169 yards and 12 touchdowns his junior year and what he did his first two years on campus all totaled for whopping career numbers of 213 catches for 3,305 yards and 33 touchdowns, putting him in the top-10 in all three categories in the history of the Big Ten. His school records are numerous and impressive. Johnson was an exceptional quarterback and basketball player at Minneapolis North High School, leading the basketball team to a state title and the football team to an appearance in the state championship game. As a college wide receiver, he was the opposite of Aiyuk in a lot of ways, lacking real explosiveness and burst, but playing a lot bigger than his 6-foot-2 frame, able to win contested catches and show great body control. He won’t be gaining separation much off the line of scrimmage, but finds ways to get open and catch the ball. Once the ball is in his hands, he’s not going to run away from many defenders, but finds areas to get to to gain the extra yardage needed. He might be best as a big slot receiver in the NFL.
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