With every head coaching position now filled and the Senior Bowl in the rear view mirror, it is time to start diving into some of the prospects the Buffalo Bills could look to take with the 25th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. This also includes some other NFL prospects that could fall to the later rounds of this April's draft.
We start with a name many Bills fans may have heard this college season in Ohio State University wide receiver Chris Olave.
Olave finished his career with the Buckeyes with 175 receptions, 2,702 yards and 35 touchdowns.
However, one may be asking, don’t the Bills have more dire needs on the roster than at wide receiver? Gabriel Davis just had a historic playoff game in the AFC Divisional Round, while Stefon Diggs has been an All-Pro/Pro Bowl player the moment he arrived at One Bills Drive.
The problem lies after those two options, where the list starts to get thin.
Emmanuel Sanders was only signed to a one-year deal last spring as a free agent. Cole Beasley is 32-years-old and could be cut to save $6 million on the salary cap. Isaiah McKenzie is a pending free agent, who could be set to have a nice pay day following a strong second half to the 2021 season.
If drafted by the Bills, Olave would come into this Buffalo offense and immediately add a pop factor many Bills fans have been looking for. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Olave is projected to run the 40-yard dash in the 4.4 range, but rumors have been swirling that he could run even faster. That should be something that will likely get Bills general manager Brandon Beane excited.
Olave is also one of the smoothest route runners in this draft class, and one could argue he is the best route runner. His first step and release is devastatingly quick, and in a Bills offense that is predicated on good route running, there may not be a receiver that the Bills like more.
The 21-year-old wideout is also one of the most pro-ready players in this class. A four-year contributor on an elite Ohio State squad has made Olave a hot name for over two years.
How open are you #BillsMafia to pulling the trigger on a WR Rd1 of Chris Olave is on the board.
— Air Raid | Off-Season (@TheBillsGuys) February 5, 2022
Won’t find a more polished RR in the class. Inside/Outside versatility. pic.twitter.com/01mwn0bT1L
The addition of Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator and Joe Brady as quarterbacks coach also plays into this. The fears of the Bills becoming a more run-oriented team have been all but squashed, and adding another weapon early in the draft not only gives fans the confidence that this team will continue to attack through the air, but also give Bills quarterback Josh Allen another piece to work with.
There are more "boom or bust" guys in this draft, and we will get to them as we get closer to April 28. But at pick No. 25, the Bills' best bet may just be taking the most polished wide receiver on the board, and a guy Pro Football Focus labels as the most pro-ready.
For a team that's in a win now mode, it's a no-brainer to get the guy who helps you win now.
Olave could absolutely be taken before the Bills pick at 25th overall, but the major reason he could fall to the end of the first round has to do with the receivers above him having truly elite physical traits.
Garrett Wilson, a fellow Ohio State receiver, just moves differently to every other receiver in this class. Every movement feels deliberate, and nothing is wasted with Wilson.
University of Alabama wideout Jameson Williams has truly elite speed, but injury concerns could see him drop.
Meanwhile, USC’s Drake London is 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, and led the country this season with 19 contested catches.
Olave also deals with the problem of too much talent and not enough teams. Teams may need a wide receiver but can afford to wait, because the talent pool over the past few years has been unbelievable.
The Bills could wait, but why should they? Get even younger at wide receiver, grab the best route runner in the class, and add someone who can help Buffalo get over the hump as soon as 2022.
Losi and Gangi
