Matt Parrino’s Last Fictional 7-Round Draft: The Bills Swap

Welcome to the final mock draft drill ahead of tonight’s 2022 NFL Draft.

All the smokescreens will finally end at 8 p.m. when prospects start finding new homes. The Buffalo Bills have several positions for general manager Brandon Beane to fill.

Beane said last week he was not comfortable in many positions with about 20 spots remaining to be filled before the start of training camp. Most fans agree that cornerback and wide receiver are the most desirable positions early in the draft, but there is a Bills Mafia subset that beats the table for a running back.

READ MORE: The Bills’ latest draft in 7 rounds by Ryan Talbot

Let’s follow the board in this mock draft and see what the options are as we go through the draft.

A few trades shake up the Top 10 as the Philadelphia Eagles move up 10 spots to select Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. The New York Jets didn’t want to risk the two tackles — Evan Neal and Ickey Ekwonu — missing when they picked at 10, so they moved up two spots to get one.

From Bills’ perspective, Beane’s top three trade goals in the draft are off the board. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton went to the Giants at age 7, LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. went 3rd overall to the Houston Texans, and Gardner went to Philadelphia.

If any of those three players fall out of the Top 10 in the draft, keep an eye out for the Bills as a potential trade candidate. There is no immediate need for safety with Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde on the roster, but Hamilton could be a generational player in the position and is worth giving up some assets to progress and take it.

A Top 10 trade is costly and unlikely. But if Beane loves the player and is worried about what the roster will look like at 25, don’t be shocked if he takes a big step.

Let’s go to choices 11-21.

The next 11 picks happen and the Bills sit back and watch it all unfold. The Green Bay Packers are watching Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams slip to 18 and trade four spots to get their replacement for Davante Adams. The first quarterback moves at 20 to the Pittsburgh Steelers (Malik Willis), then the New England Patriots take Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam.

Beane and the Bills will have plenty of options when we can pick 25. There are three cornerbacks on the roster who would suit the Bills: Clemson’s Andrew Booth Jr. and his Washington teammates Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon.

Don’t see the Bills pick? Don’t worry, you don’t need glasses. They traded the first round of this mock draft.

After McDuffie left the roster at age 23, the Bills had a choice between Booth or Gordon. They could also select offensive lineman Kenyon Green or even a receiver like Skyy Moore or Treylon Burks. With so many options – including the polarizing running back in the first round, Beane gets a call from his old buddy Joe Schoen, who is now the New York Giants’ general manager. NY trades for one of the best linebackers in the draft at Georgia’s Quay Walker and gives the Bills picks 36 (2nd round) and No. 67 (3rd round).

**TRADE: Bills send pick 25 to New York Giants for picks 36 & 67**

TOUR 2 – Choose #36: Bills select Kyler Gordon, CB (Washington)

The pick here could be running back if the gamble doesn’t pay off for Beane. He traded 11 places and Booth joined the Chiefs at age 30. When Gordon falls into his hands at 36, it’s a huge victory. Gordon’s athletic profile is arguably the best at this position in this draft. He will immediately add another dimension to the Bills defensive backfield with his ability to get close to the ball, make tackles and operate on the field with aggression. Gordon could end up being a first-round pick and the Bills could consider him at 25. But in this scenario, Beane gets his CB2 and is able to add a choice that will help him in a moment.

**TRADE: Bills send picks 57, 130 and 203 to Atlanta Falcons for pick 43**

TOUR 2 – Choose #43: Bills select Breece Hall, RB (Iowa State)

As the draft continues, Beane has his eyes on the running backs. There have been several reports linking the Bills and Hall over the past few weeks. Once the Falcons appear on the clock, Beane quickly knocks up and gets Hall. One of the marching orders Beane has given his scouts over the past few seasons — pro and college staff — is to find speed at point guard to help quarterback Josh Allen. Hall clocked 4.39 in the 40-yard sprint at the combine. He brings with him an elite production from Iowa State, where he scored 50 touchdowns in three seasons and rushed for nearly 4,000 yards. Devin Singletary is entering the final year of his contract and Hall is giving the Bills an option if he doesn’t return in 2023.

TOUR 3 – Choose #67: Bills Select Dylan Parham, IOL (Memphis)

The Bills brought Parham in for a Top 30 visit and the 6-foot-2, 311-pound guard adds depth and competition in one of the roster’s need areas. The Bills signed Rodger Saffold after being cut by the Tennessee Titans, but he will be 34 before the start of the season. Parham can be his understudy in 2022 and work his way into a starting role as early as 2023. A common note on Parham’s scouting reports is that he has excellent quickness and the ability to stay balanced while keeping players in line. unbalanced defensive line.

TOUR 3 – Choose #89: Bills Select Danny Gray, WR (SMU)

Gray ran a 4.33 40 at the combine and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah said he thought the 5-foot-11, 186-pound SMU receiver could run even faster than that. Gray projects himself as a developmental slot receiver with unlimited potential once he develops as a road runner and gains valuable experience. Jamison Crowder has signed a one-year contract with the Bills and Isaiah McKenzie is under contract for the same duration. Gray could be the succession plan.

ROUND 5 – Choose 168: Bills selects Matt Araiza, P (San Diego State)

This pick is for all the Bills Mafia who blew up the comments section on live podcast shows. Fans want a Matt Haack upgrade and this would definitely be it. Some pundits think he could make it to the third round, but if he’s available here, he’ll be the Bills’ pick.

ROUND 6 – Choose 185: Bills select Damone Clark, LB (LSU)

If Clark hadn’t had spinal fusion surgery in March, he certainly wouldn’t be available here in the sixth round. He won’t play in 2022. But that’s a good thing for the Bills, who don’t have a ton of spots available. Clark has the potential to play special teams right away when healthy and potentially become a three-down linebacker. Tremaine Edmunds is entering a contract year and could potentially retire from Buffalo with a monster season. Clark adds insurance in case the Bills don’t bring him back.

ROUND 7 – Choose 231: Bills select Marquis Hayes, IOL (Oklahoma)

Isn’t it a little too early to come back strong in Oklahoma for the help of the interior offensive line? Cody Ford has struggled to find his footing in the NFL, but Hayes has tremendous value here. The report on Hayes is that he is raw and still needs to develop in all areas of his game. But he has great strength, a mauling style of play, and he has a chance to offer a team an above average pass and run blocker down the line.

READ MORE

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