Every offseason, we see a player come from nowhere to make a splash in training camp and eventually make the final roster, and for the Buffalo Bills, there are ample candidates.
The offense is set with Josh Allen and Joe Brady running the show, while the defense was the clear priority this offseason, with the franchise adding several pieces, not to mention using its first five draft picks on defensive players.
So the Bills have a well-rounded roster, which makes it tough for the rookies taken in the later rounds and the undrafted free agents to make their mark on the roster.
But for PFF's Ben Cooper, one name to watch for the Bills is receiver Kelly Akharaiyi.
"Much has been made of the Bills’ wide receiver room, which lacks star power for quarterback Josh Allen to lean on," Cooper writes. "There always seems to be room for someone unexpected to step up, whether it be a younger receiver or a veteran. Akharaiyi has the skillset to do so in 2025.
"He didn’t excel in his lone season at Mississippi State, averaging just 1.51 yards per route run, but his career body of work shows he’s capable of producing. He was one of only 47 FBS receivers in 2023 to top 1,000 receiving yards, and his 3.8% drop rate in 2024 was a marked improvement over his 12%-plus clips in 2022 and 2023."
Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kelly Akharaiyi (1) prepares for a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium.
Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kelly Akharaiyi (1) prepares for a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium.
© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Akharaiyi didn't have the best of times last season for Mississippi State, finishing with just 392 yards and two touchdowns, but the season prior with UTEP, he posted 1,033 yards and seven touchdowns with a whopping 21.5 yards per reception.
That might be what the Bills hold on to.
Not the quickest receiver, but Akharaiyi is a well-built athlete who might thrive in the slot for the Bills, but as we know, the offense is filled with talented receivers like Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, and Josh Palmer.
So, just getting to make the final roster is a huge challenge for Akharaiyi, but that is what training camp is for, and we imagine the Mississippi receiver will be doing all he can to make the coaching staff take notice.