The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft has concluded, and Bills general manager Brandon Beane held true to his words by adding a defensive asset to his roster. At pick No. 30, Kentucky cornerback Max Hairston became the newest early-round investment, as they’ll hope Hairston becomes the long-term starter with top cornerback Christian Benford.

The draft quickly shifts to the second day, with the second and third rounds on tap. The Bills still have nine picks remaining, two in the second round at Nos. 56 and 62.

How might they strategize and execute their Day Two plan? What about Day Three positions and players to monitor? As promised, here’s Part Two of the Draft Files, attempting to channel Beane’s rest-of-draft plan.

1. Why it was always pointing toward CB in Round 1

The way the entire Bills offseason was setting up, along with the strengths of the 2025 draft class in the first round, we surmised in Part 1 of The Draft Files that the decision with their top pick would ultimately come down to two positions — defensive tackle and cornerback. And it would only have been defensive tackle if one of the top four of Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen or Derrick Harmon was available. All four were gone by pick 21, as expected, which meant cornerback was the leader in the clubhouse by a great margin.

And although there was plenty of late speculation that the Bills could entertain drafting a safety in the first round, the simple fact is the Bills believe more in the starting duo of Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop than the external opinions out there. That applies specifically to Rapp, who, when you listen to them talk, have discussed him becoming a leader on their defense over the last year.

You could have made the case for Hairston or Mississippi cornerback Trey Amos, and the Bills opted for the game-breaking ability and speed. Beane has always been the type to swing for the fences rather than play it safe, and between the two, Hairston was the home run swing. Now, it sets the Bills up to take advantage of some positions they considered deep heading into the draft.

2. Let’s talk Day Two needs — second-round only

To me, their second-round needs boil down to three top-end positions.

Defensive tackle — They have a need for an infusion of youth and potential long-term starter, and will likely value versatility to play both positions above all else. If the Bills keep both of their second-round picks, defensive tackle is the new leader in the clubhouse to be one of those picks. There will be a strong contingent of players available at this position on Day Two.

Edge rusher — A pair of potential first-round picks fell out of the first day completely, which makes the second-round options even deeper for the Bills. They will likely want to add a player with a higher ceiling, and one that can win with speed. With both Joey Bosa and A.J. Epenesa on expiring deals, getting someone to develop as a potential starter in 2026 would be ideal.

Wide receiver — The Bills have one spot open to fill out their receiver room in 2025, and would likely want someone who can win vertically with a home base at Z receiver. Bonus points for versatility to play inside, and if they have special teams abilities. But there are some interesting late second-round options available this year.

3. Well, what if the Bills add a third-round pick?

If they trade up from the fourth round into the third, I think that could bring in two other legitimate positional considerations.

Safety — This is the sweet spot to add all of the long-term depth, a potential starter one day, and an instant special teams asset. The player could become the starter as early as 2026, but more likely in 2027 after Rapp’s contract expires. Free safety would be the lean, to complement Bishop’s skill set.

Offensive line — A versatile offensive lineman with some future starting potential could be in consideration in the third round. Both center Connor McGovern and left guard David Edwards are free agents in 2026. Left tackle Dion Dawkins is 31 years old. Right guard O’Cyrus Torrence is a free agent in 2027. Some future planning is needed.

4. How much would it cost to trade up, and where is the sweet spot?

Most everyone is anticipating an eventual trade-up from Beane, considering they still have nine total picks remaining. If he gets the itch as the second round unfolds, he’ll have options based on his draft capital.

Here’s a handy guide for trades up the board in the second round only.

Bills 2025 Round 2 trade-down chart

Pick	Team	Pick Value	BUF Trade Package	BUF Pick Values	Initial Plus-Minus	Additional Picks to BUF	Adjusted Plus-Minus
33	Browns	180	Nos. 56 & 62	182	CLE +2
34	Texans	175	Nos. 56 & 62	182	HOU +7	No. 179	BUF +1
35	Titans	170	Nos. 56, 62 & 206	186	TEN +16	No. 141	TEN +1
36	Browns	166	Nos. 56, 62 & 206	186	CLE +20	No. 126	BUF +1
37	Raiders	162	Nos. 56, 62 & 169	191	LV +29	No. 108	BUF +2
38	Patriots	157	Nos. 56, 62 & 173	190	NE +33	No. 106	NE +1
39	Bears	153	Nos. 56, 62 & 109	182	CHI +29	No. 67 & 2026 5th	BUF +3
40	Saints	149	Nos. 56, 109 & 132	146	BUF +3
41	Bears	146	Nos. 56, 109 & 132	146	Even
42	Jets	142	Nos. 56, 109 & 132	146	NYJ +4	No. 207	Even
43	49ers	138	Nos. 56, 109 & 169	137	BUF +1
44	Cowboys	135	Nos. 56, 109 & 173	136	DAL +1
45	Colts	131	Nos. 56, 109 & 206	132	IND +1
46	Rams	128	Nos. 56 & 109	128	Even
47	Cardinals	124	Nos. 56 & 109	128	ARI +4	No. 225	ARI +1
48	Dolphins	121	Nos. 56, 109 & 206	132	MIA +11	No. 155	Even
49	Bengals	118	Nos. 56, 132 & 206	120	CIN +2
50	Seahawks	115	Nos. 56 & 132	116	SEA +1
51	Broncos	112	Nos. 56 & 132	116	DEN +4	No. 208	Even
52	Seahawks	109	Nos. 56, 169 & 206	111	SEA +2
53	Buccaneers	106	Nos. 56 & 169	107	TB +1
54	Packers	104	Nos. 56 & 169	107	GB +3	No. 237	GB +1
55	Chargers	101	Nos. 56 & 206	102	BUF +1

Of these options, the most reasonable starting cost for a Bills move begins at No. 43 with the 49ers, as it would only cost them one of their two fourth-round selections and some other later picks. If they can wait until No. 46, they wouldn’t have to attach anything with a fourth-round pick to make it happen. Somewhere in the 43-53 range seems like it has some real potential for the Bills to move up the board if a run on defensive tackles begins.

5. A Day Two Bills mock? I thought you’d never ask

What might their strategy be with their long-term boundary cornerback now in the program? Let’s look at a path that makes sense based on their roster.

The pick at No. 56: T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina

I think this is an outstanding fit for the Bills, and one they could even move up to make happen on Friday. Sanders, with his strength at the point of attack, his run-defending abilities, his arm length and how he could grow into the one-technique role while maintaining three-down ability as a penetrating pass rusher, is an ideal solution. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Sanders has an arm length of 33.25 inches and shows an all-around skill set to eventually become the starter in Buffalo. In the meantime, getting him closer to 310 or 315 pounds would make him an ideal solution as the long-term answer after DaQuan Jones.

Read the full profile on

The pick at No. 62: Oluwafemi Oladejo, Edge, UCLA

The fact that both Donovan Ezeiruaku and Mike Green remain on the board could go a long way for some high-ceiling edge rushers to drop down the board. Of that group, Oladejo is incredibly appealing in terms of his fit for the Bills and long-term potential. He was a middle linebacker his whole college career until his fourth game of the 2024 season and switched to the edge. Oladejo’s 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in only his first nine games at a new position, along with outstanding athleticism and size will likely have teams around the league excited about what he can do with NFL coaching. He has explosiveness and bend around the edge that the Bills’ defensive end room lacks, and he’d be an immediate special teams asset.

End of Day Two — not so fast… Trade!

Bills trade Nos. 109 and 169 to Vikings for No. 97

The pick at No. 97: Billy Bowman, S, Oklahoma

With seven total picks on Day Three, the odds that Beane keeps all of them are not all that high. As the third round is coming to a close, here the Bills instead send out their top pick in the fourth round and their best late fifth-round selection to move up for a player with down-the-line starting ability. Bowman is one of my favorite Bills fits this year. At 5-foot-10 and 197 pounds, he isn’t for every team. However, the Bills are one of those teams that care less about safety measurables and more about their ability to read, anticipate and react. What Bowman lacks in genetics, he makes up for with his mind. He profiles as a potential long-term fit at free safety next to Bishop and an early-career core-four special teams asset.

6. Over to Day Three… RB is the strength of the draft, and why it would make sense to a point this year

One thing that contributed to the Bills and general manager Brandon Beane finding gems on Day Three of the draft, as much as they have since 2018, has been taking advantage of strong classes at specific positions in a single year. The two recent ones that spring to mind were when they selected Gabe Davis in the fourth round in 2020, and then moved up in the fifth round to secure Khalil Shakir in 2022. Both years were considered to be really strong at receiver, and because of all the talent available that year, it pushed those players down the board, and the Bills wound up with two multi-year starters who earned lucrative second contracts. In both years, the Bills didn’t have a strong “need” at the position, but it helped their depth and, eventually, their starting lineup. Had they been in different years of the draft, they likely both would have been a pick on Day Two.

How does that apply to this year? The running back position is considered one of the strongest in recent memory. Like the Bills at wide receiver in both 2020 and again in 2022, running back certainly isn’t a primary need for 2025 only. However, a little bit of a look to the future could yield a different picture entirely about their running back group, which the Bills have never invested a lucrative contract since Beane arrived in 2017.

James Cook’s contract situation is now at the top of most Bills fans’ minds, as he is a free agent after 2025, and unless he comes down from his demands, he is unlikely to sign an extension any time soon. They could easily have a need for a top-two running back as early as 2026 as a result. Plus, third-down back Ty Johnson is on a two-year deal, they have an easy out in 2026 to save cap space if they find the right player in this draft. In this year’s class, the Bills have an excellent opportunity to find a significant future contributor on offense at a reduced cost than they would in most years. Taking advantage of a situation like that is what smart teams do, so if the right player is available at a reasonable cost, the Bills could very easily make a pick at running back.

The most common question that I get about the Bills drafting a running back is simple. They already have Cook, Davis and Johnson, who are virtually roster locks for 2025, so can the Bills really keep four running backs on their 53-man roster this year? The answer, at least to me, is yes. But they need a specific type of running back to make it work. That player likely has to have a sizable receiving profile, or at the very least, have high-ceiling potential to become that in the NFL. Finding someone with home run speed would also be a big piece of the puzzle. If that running back could also be their return specialist in the meantime in 2025, that would be the cherry on top.

How would they be able to keep four running backs this year? That leads us to our next piece of the puzzle for Day Three.

7. Let’s talk roster spots and why the Bills have some flexibility

The prevailing thought about the Bills is that they don’t have enough room on their 53-man roster to make 10 picks. While they might not have room for 10, they have room for close to it, depending on the positions they select. There are two main things to consider when talking roster spots. First, not everyone who made the roster in 2024 is a lock to make it in 2025, and not every player they brought in via free agency is a lock to make the roster, either. The vast majority are safe, but there are exceptions. We’ll get to those names in a second.

But more importantly, one thing to remember when building out the 53-man roster from the draft is that free-agent signings Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi will not count against that squad for the first six weeks of the season due to their suspensions. That provides the Bills with an opportunity to keep two additional players they would have had to worry about cutting otherwise and the chance to allow general injuries and performance to dictate who they take off the 53-man roster when Hoecht and Ogunjobi are eligible to return. But in the meantime, two extra spots are two extra spots.

As of now, the Bills have 49 roster spots spoken for — not all by specific names but just based on how they usually build out their roster. That gives them the ability to have four ‘luxury’ positions. They already used one when they selected Hairston in the first round, so they have three more. The luxury positions would include quarterback, running back, edge rusher and defensive tackle.

Positions they could draft to without dipping into those luxury spots include wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, linebacker, safety and punter. In those cases, the Bills either have a vacancy for their 53-man roster as it stands, or someone who is on the roster bubble. Roster bubble players include wide receiver Laviska Shenault, tight end Zach Davidson, offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark, linebacker Baylon Spector, linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, safety Darrick Forrest, return specialist Brandon Codrington and punter Jake Camarda. All those names are current placeholders of a roster spot but would be in jeopardy if someone gets drafted at their position.

So while the Bills might not want to make 10 picks, they can come darn close with a roster spot for each of those selections — including a fourth running back.

8. Special teams will be a dominating factor in their Day Three picks

Roster spots are one piece of the puzzle, but if there’s one thing that stands out about the difference from the 2024 roster to 2025, it’s that the Bills lost quite a bit to their special teams units in the offseason. My colleague Tim Graham captured it perfectly with his piece that published on Thursday. With the exception of a quarterback, offensive line or defensive tackle pick, if the Bills are using a Day Three selection on someone, they are quite likely to either have ample special teams experience in college, or workable traits with the potential to become a core-four player in the NFL.

One key piece of this is to find someone who can become their new return specialist ahead of Codrington. He had a solid season last year, but he offers no value on defense and no other value on special teams. The Bills will very likely want to find someone who can offer more versatility somewhere else while being their main returner, and running back might be the best place to find one.

9. How about double dipping at some positions?

Another common question, but an idea I’m skeptical of due to the setup of their roster as it stands today. The additions of cornerback Tre’Davious White, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and edge rusher Michael Hoecht likely take away the ability to double-dip at any of those positions. You could maybe make a case for cornerback, but that would mean cutting one of Dane Jackson or JaMarcus Ingram, which I don’t think they want to do. If there was one legitimate position they could do it for, it’s at linebacker if they find two special teams assets they love to replace two bubble players.

10. Best bets on Day Three positions with some names

We’ve got our best remaining piece that dropped this morning, which I’d encourage perusing both now and as a cheat sheet during the draft, but here are a few of my favorites, by round, with positions that have a real shot of being a Day Three pick. Of course, much of this will depend on the positions they select on Day Two.

Running back
4th round – Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech and Brashard Smith, SMU
5th round – Jaydon Blue, Texas and LeQuint Allen, Syracuse
6th and 7th round – Marcus Yarns, Delaware

Wide receiver
4th round – Tory Horton, Colorado State and Tai Felton, Maryland
5th round – Dont’e Thornton Jr., Tennessee and Isaac TeSlaa, Arkansas
6th and 7th round – Ricky White III, UNLV and Jordan Watkins, Mississippi

Tight end
4th round – Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
5th round – Jake Briningstool, Clemson and CJ Dippre, Alabama
6th and 7th round – Gavin Bartholomew, Pitt and Luke Lachey, Iowa

Offensive line
4th round – Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech and Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
5th round – Bryce Cabeldue, Kansas and Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M
6th and 7th round – Jack Nelson, Wisconsin and Clay Webb, Jacksonville State

Edge rusher
4th round – Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
5th round – Que Robinson, Alabama and Jah Joyner, Minnesota
6th and 7th round – Tyler Batty, BYU

Defensive tackle
4th round – Deone Walker, Kentucky and Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee
5th round – J.J. Pegues, Mississippi and Cam Horsley, Boston College
6th and 7th round – Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech

Linebacker
4th round – Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi and Barrett Carter, Clemson
5th round – Teddye Buchanan, Cal and Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
6th and 7th round – Francisco Mauigoa, Miami and Jackson Woodard, UNLV

Cornerback
4th round – Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech and Denzel Burke, Ohio State
5th round – Zy Alexander, LSU and Zah Frazier, UTSA
6th and 7th round – Cobee Bryant, Kansas and Tommi Hill, Nebraska

Safety
4th round – Malachi Moore, Alabama and Maxen Hook, Toledo
5th round – Dante Trader Jr., Maryland and Marques Sigle, Kansas State
6th and 7th round – Sebastian Castro, Iowa and Rayuan Lane III, Navy

11. #Puntapalooza, because I have a brand to uphold

With only the unproven Camarda and Brad Robbins, who are signed to non-guaranteed deals, the Bills are in an ideal position to use one of their last selections on a punter. Not only would it make for an incredible summer of punting competition goodness, but as they did at kicker when they drafted Tyler Bass, they have a chance to give a cost-controlled four-year deal to a potential ascending specialist. As for names, the three Australian-born punters all stand out. Alabama’s James Burnip, Florida’s Jeremy Crawshaw and Alex Mastromanno of Florida State could enter the #Puntapalooza fray.