The Buffalo Payments have a whopping 10 picks within the 2025 NFL Draft, which implies they may have a number of possibilities to search out that lacking piece to place them over the sting and eventually make the Tremendous Bowl. Who will they take with these picks? We requested the PFF NFL mock draft simulator to inform us, and right here’s what we received again within the Payments’ five-round post-combine 2025 NFL mock draft.
Spherical 1, Choose 30: WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
Most human pundits—together with myself in my newest NFL mock draft—have the Payments going protection within the again finish of the primary spherical for 2 predominant causes.
One, there shall be much more defensive expertise on the board at that time than potential offensive difference-makers. And two, the Payments have extra evident wants on that aspect of the ball.
Nonetheless, the PFF NFL mock draft simulator has normal supervisor Brandon Beane passing over defensive backs, edge rushers, and defensive tackles for the one want the group does have on offense: large receiver
Jayden Higgins is a 6-foot-4, 214-pound WR out of Iowa State who went for 1,183 yards and 9 touchdowns final season. He’s a giant wideout with a 6-foot-7 wingspan who may very well be a matchup nightmare within the slot down within the crimson zone.
Higgins ran a 4.47-second 40-yard sprint and put up a 39-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 broad soar. The 40 was in the course of the pack however a little bit higher than marketed and the explosion exams had been within the prime quarter of the WRs who participated.
General, Higgins is a giant physique with expertise, and the testing numbers recommend he’s a little bit extra athletic than initially thought, which can level to upside within the NFL.
Pairing him with final yr’s first decide, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Keon Coleman, would give the Payments an extremely massive and bodily WR duo to matchup with.
Spherical 2, Choose 56: EDGE Landon Jackson, Arkansas
A whole lot of gamers helped themselves out by testing extremely properly on the NFL mix, and the 6-foot-7 Razorbacks defensive finish Landon Jackson was amongst them. His eye-catching 40.5-inch vertical was the most effective amongst defensive ends and sixth-best on the complete mix.
If Jackson remains to be round at decide No. 56, Beane ought to print as much as the rostrum at hand this card to Roger Goodell.
The Texarkana, Texas native performed 5 video games as a freshman for LSU earlier than transferring to Arkansas, the place he put up 3.0, 6.5, and 6.5 sacks in his three seasons. He’s lengthy and lean, and his actions can look a bit awkward at instances, however his manufacturing speaks for itself. Additionally, he placed on over 40 kilos at Arkansas, so even at 264, his physique can in all probability assist much more muscle mass.
Whereas A.J. Epenesa has been strong, the Payments want a extra dynamic move rusher reverse Greg Rousseau to spice up the protection and hopefully enable Rousseau to achieve even increased ranges. Jackson can be a fantastic decide to probably try this.
Spherical 2, Choose 62: DT Omar Norman-Lott, Tennessee
Defensive sort out is one other place the place the Payments desperately have to discover a second participant who can complement and assist intensify their star, who on this case is Ed Oliver.
This decide doesn’t precisely try this, but it surely does take the most effective DT accessible off the board on this PFF NFL mock draft simulator run.
Norman-Lott is definitely quite a bit like Oliver and DeWayne Carter, who the Payments drafted within the third spherical final yr.
He’s an undersized DT at 6-foot-2, 291 kilos however he makes up for it with quickness and approach. His largest downside is that whereas he was a very good run defender at Tennessee, massive NFL offensive traces ought to be capable of run proper at and probably over) him.
This doesn’t make a ton of sense with the gamers the Payments have already got on the roster. What they really want is a giant, 300-plus-pound DT who can fill area towards the run, however possibly they’ll get that with the subsequent decide, proper?
Spherical 4, Choose 108: DL Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
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Flawed! You say you want small, fast, energetic defensive tackles who will get utterly bulldozed towards an influence rush recreation within the execs? Effectively, do we now have the participant for you!
Aeneas Peebles is only a smidge over 6 toes and 282 kilos. He is a superb move rusher, however, as his NFL.com scouting report says, “He’ll struggle onerous, however he has no actual probability towards NFL double groups.”
The concept of the Payments doubling up on areas of want with all their later-round picks is a great one (extra on that under), however brining in Ed Oliver Lite gamers like Norman-Lott and Peebles doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Gamers like Maryland’s Jordan Phillips or Kentucky’s Deone Walker, who come off the board on this PFF NFL mock draft simulator run after Norman-Lott however earlier than Peebles, can be a lot smarter picks.
Spherical 4, Choose 131: EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech
Talking of doubling down, the Payments double down on Virginia Tech Hokies and edge rushers with their second fourth-round choice by taking Antwaun Powell-Ryland.
At 6-foot-3, 258 kilos, Powell-Ryland doesn’t have the perfect size of an NFL move rusher. However he nonetheless racked up 25.5 sacks in his final two seasons in Blacksburg. He has a ton of pass-rush strikes and is wise about how he assaults offensive tackles.
At this level within the draft, even when Powell-Ryland can turn into a situational move rusher and offer you a little bit extra juice off the sting on third down than Epenesa or the ghost of Von Miller, that may be an enormous win.
Spherical 5, Choose 171: LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Danny Stutsman is a strong off-ball linebacker who began for 3 seasons at Oklahoma, recording 376 tackles in that point. With a 6-foot-3, 233-pound body, Stutsman has the physique to play within the NFL, and whereas his athleticism doesn’t soar off the web page, he is a great participant who is aware of the place to be on the sector.
With Matt Milano getting up there in age, bringing in Stutsman as a depth piece with some future upside is an efficient decide at this level within the draft.
Spherical 5, Choose 175: QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Now that Josh Allen is the NFL MVP, it’s time to cease bringing in veterans to assist him out within the quarterback room and begin bringing in younger gamers who can study from him and probably turn into his successor, a strong backup, or a commerce piece down the road.
In Dillon Gabriel, the Payments get a mini Josh Allen at 5-foot-11, 205 kilos, who can do a number of the identical issues the Payments QB can, simply at a decrease stage attributable to his dimension and lack of huge arm energy.
Nonetheless, getting him round Allen might assist flip Gabriel into an NFL QB sometime, so this isn’t a horrible choice to wrap up the Payments’ five-round post-combine 2025 NFL mock draft, per the PFF simulator.