Not everyone was on board with the Buffalo Bills' decision to use six of their nine draft picks on defensive players this year.
It's hard to argue with the strategy with how many issues the team had late in the season on the defensive side of the ball, though. Buffalo struggled mightily to stop the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game - a sign they needed faster players on defense.
That's exactly what they did in the 2025 draft.
Buffalo drafted players like Maxwell Hairston and TJ Sanders with their first two picks in the draft and followed that up with three additional defensive players later on. And while not everyone came away pleased in Bills, Mafia, one analyst believes it was the right choice for the franchise.
"After finishing 28th in team defense grade last season, the Bills made the smart move to reload on that side of the ball in the 2025 draft. First-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston is expected to step into a starting role right away, while defensive linemen T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson, and Deone Walker all have the tools to compete for immediate playing time in the trenches," Pro Football Focus writer Dalton Wasserman said. "Even late-round picks like cornerback Dorian Strong and safety Jordan Hancock could contribute early and bolster the team’s depth.
"If Buffalo can get meaningful snaps from just a few of these rookies, they'll have the supporting cast needed to make a serious Super Bowl push."
Buffalo's defense has gotten considerably younger this offseason as they try to field a contender that will finally be able to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs once and for all.
The team, and Wasserman feels that they have done that now.