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Buffalo Bills 2024 NFL draft picks: Selection analysis

Let's take a closer look at each of the Bills' 2024 draft picks, including No. 33 overall pick Keon Coleman.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The 2024 NFL draft began Thursday night in Detroit and will wrap up on Saturday. The Buffalo Bills are scheduled to make 10 of the draft's 257 picks, beginning with the No. 33 selection of the second round on Thursday night.

ESPN will provide pick-by-pick analysis of each of the Bills' selections as they are made.

A look at each of Buffalo's scheduled selections:

Analysis of every pick | Updated depth chart

Round 2, No. 33 (from Carolina): Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

My take: After trading back twice, the Bills addressed the team's most significant position of need with Coleman, a big outside receiver with the ability to make splash plays -- 12 receiving touchdowns on contested catches since the start of 2022, second-most in the FBS, however, only a 31.7% contested catch percentage in 2023 -- to create separation and a release that general manager Brandon Beane described as "about as good as any."

Beane acknowledged that while he's "probably not" going to run away from defenders, Buffalo feels his play speed is faster than the speed he showed at the combine -- 4.61 40-yard dash -- also noting that they liked his athletic ability that came from playing basketball. The Bills needed starting-level talent at outside receiver and Coleman, who turns 21 in May, fits into what Buffalo was looking for, while the team was still able to move back and add picks.

When will he be expected to get regular playing time? Right away. Wide receiver is a position that Buffalo is certainly not done addressing, but sticking around at No. 33 to take Coleman shows how Buffalo feels about him. He slots right in to starting at X with the talent on this roster. Beane acknowledged that while it may take some time to learn multiple spots and learn in the NFL, "we're going to be counting on him early in his role."

What we're hearing about Coleman: "[Coleman] brings a tough, dog, the ball's in the air, I'm going to get it, this man's trying to press me. I'm going to physically, you know, work my way through him. Some guys are more finesse. I would say Keon is the complete opposite of finesse. But he still has good athletic ability," Beane said. "Like I said earlier, he's not a stiff player. He's a loose, basketball athlete, which does help the game translate for him at receiver."

Round 2, No. 60: Cole Bishop, S, Utah

My take: Another pick for the Bills in the second round, another big need addressed. Drafting Bishop adds someone who can compete for a starting role this season, in addition to being a potential answer in the secondary after moving on from Jordan Poyer this offseason while Micah Hyde continues to contemplate retirement. Bishop has the ability to move all over the field, along with speed -- 4.45 40-yard dash -- and many of the qualities and instincts the Bills look for at the position.

Will he start as a rookie? He certainly has a chance. The Bills re-signed Taylor Rapp to an extension this offseason and signed Mike Edwards to a one-year deal with Damar Hamlin and Cam Lewis also in the room. With the changes at the position this offseason and the Bills giving young players snaps earlier in their development, he'll be in the competition.

Ties to the team to know: Bishop played with tight end Dalton Kincaid in college.

Round 3, No. 95 (from Kansas City): DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke

My take: Using the pick acquired via the trade with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, the Bills addressed another hole with Carter bringing depth at defensive tackle. The three-technique tackle will have the opportunity to continue to develop -- potentially as Ed Oliver's backup -- adding to a defensive tackle room that has limited young talent. The Bills didn't draft a defensive tackle last year due to the way the board fell, but the team was able to add to the rotation early this year.

Is this pick for depth or does it fill a hole? Both. The Bills have established starters at defensive tackle with Oliver and DaQuan Jones, but the depth in the defensive tackle room was limited. Carter also brings significant leadership experience as a three-year captain for Duke, the first in program history.

Round 4, No. 128: Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky My take: With Davis, the Bills add a needed bigger back -- 5-foot-8, 211-pounds -- to pair with James Cook, but also someone who has the ability to catch the football (seven touchdown catches in 2023, tied with Najee Harris for the most by any SEC running back in a season in the last 25 years). Buffalo had a variety of veterans complimenting Cook last season, but Davis, 24, will give Buffalo a power runner and another younger presence in the room, albeit with plenty of collegiate experience from two seasons at Temple, two at Vanderbilt and one at Kentucky. Round 5, No. 141 (from Dallas via Carolina): Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C, Georgia 

My take: This offseason, the Bills moved on from the team's starting center, Mitch Morse, and backup Ryan Bates. Last year's left guard Connor McGovern is set to slide over to the starting role. Adding Van Pran-Granger brings depth at center -- he allowed one sack his entire career in 1,337 pass-blocking plays, according to Sports Info Solutions -- and a strong candidate for the future at the position with significant starting experience (he started the last three seasons at center for Georgia).

Round 5, No. 160 (from Green Bay): Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington

My take: The Bills lost major special teams contributors this offseason, including linebacker Tyrel Dodson and defensive back Siran Neal, while captain linebacker Tyler Matakevich remains a free agent. Ulofoshio adds depth to the linebacker room, but perhaps more importantly, he can find a role on this roster as someone who can make an impact on special teams, an area of priority for the Bills. He has experience from playing six years at Washington, and while he dealt with multiple significant injuries in 2021 and 2022, he played every game in 2023 and earned Washington's Guy Flaherty Most Inspirational Award, the program's oldest and most prestigious honor.

Round 5, No. 168 overall: Javon Solomon, Edge, Troy

My take: Solomon provides depth at edge rusher, another position of need for Buffalo. He led the FBS with 16 sacks last season and totaled 31.5 sacks since the start of 2021 (also most in the FBS), in addition to 49 career tackles for loss (third in Sun Belt history). Being a Day 3 selection, finding a special teams role will be important for Solomon. He'll also have the opportunity to develop behind the likes of Greg Rousseau, Von Miller -- someone that Solomon has modeled his game after -- and AJ Epenesa.

Round 6, No. 204: Tylan Grable, OT, UCF

My take: Grable started his collegiate career as a walk-on tight end at Jacksonville State, but transitioned to offensive line starting in 2019 and then started 27 games at left tackle while at UCF. He will compete for a roster spot in an offensive line room with veteran players, and said he's prepared to make a switch to a different position if needed. General manager Brandon Beane said that Grable is "gonna have to continue to work on his lower body strength, his power to move guys in the run game, but has great feet you know for pass pro."

Round 6, No. 219: Daequan Hardy, CB, Penn State

My take: Hardy brings depth at the cornerback position and skills as a returner. In 2023, he tied the Penn State record for most punt return touchdowns in a season (two) and finished seventh in punt return average (14.6) in school history. Beane noted that if not for the new return rules, he's not sure if they would have picked Hardy, but "this guy can play one of the backup corner spots, but also he's a really nice returner." Buffalo lost multiple players at the returner spot in free agency, and with more focus on it going into this season, Hardy will have the opportunity to compete for the role.

Round 7, No. 221: Travis Clayton, OG, England

My take: Despite the Bills never seeing Clayton play football, he's an intriguing addition to develop. The initial projection is as an offensive tackle for the 6-foot-7, 303-pound boxer and former rugby player from England after offensive line coach Aaron Kromer came away from watching tape of his workouts. Notably, he ran a 4.79 40-yard dash, faster than all offensive linemen who competed at the combine in the last 10 years. He'll have an opportunity to show the Bills exactly how his skills will translate and what he may be capable of in the NFL, especially as he does not count for a roster spot as part of the International Player Pathway program.