T.J. Sanders of the South Carolina Gamecocks
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T.J. Sanders of the South Carolina Gamecocks
The Buffalo Bills spent all of draft weekend putting together a defense they can be proud of. The team used each of it’s first five draft picks on defenders, banking on reigning MVP Josh Allen to make the offense right.
Now just eight days away from the season opener against their bitter AFC rival, the Baltimore Ravens, the Bills rookie class looks ready to make an impact immediately.
But it is the 41st overall selection, TJ Sanders, that The Athletic thinks will make the biggest difference.
“T.J. Sanders becomes one of Bills’ most important defenders by playoffs,” predicts The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia. “If there is one common thread running through the Bills’ playoff losses since 2020, it’s that they haven’t been able to generate enough pressure when it matters most. Enter Sanders, a rookie defensive tackle who was the No. 41 pick.”
The rookie is listed on Buffalo’s two deep, sitting behind Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones.
“He had an extremely impressive summer and flashed some immediate ceiling-level pass-rushing ability against good offensive linemen,” Buscaglia continues. “He may not be a starter, but his game shows someone who could be on the field in passing downs next to starter Ed Oliver in their most significant moments. That could potentially give the Bills their most potent interior pass-rushing duo since head coach Sean McDermott arrived in 2017.”
Deone Walker Earns Highest Grade
Deone Walker, who was selected 68 picks after Sanders, also impressed in the final outing. The six-foot-seven monster fits the mold across Buffalo’s defensive line.
McDermott seems to lean on the bigger bodies in his front four. Starters Greg Rousseau and Joey Bosa measure in at 6’6″ and 6’5″ respectively, while back-ups AJ Epenesa and fellow rookie Landon Jackson each come in at six feet six inches tall as well.
McDermott clearly has a type across the defensive line, and he may have hit once again on the rookie from University of Kentucky.
“Rookie defensive tackle Deone Walker was dominant against the New York Giants. In his 15 reps, Walker recorded three quarterback pressures, one batted pass and a pass-rush win rate of 27.3,” writes Ryan Talbot after the team’s opener. “Walker’s play earned him a game-high 92.8 overall grade with a 92.9 pass-rush grade.”
Weighing north of 325 pounds, the rookie is a prototype nose guard that will fit in nicely in what seems to be a six to seven man rotation.
Entire Rookie Class Gets The Nod
I am a big believer in pay your offense, draft your defense. When it comes to the six man defensive draft class, they all received a contract on the initial 53-man.
Corner backs Dorian Strong and Maxwell Hairston project to be depth pieces, at least for their rookie season with aspirations to make starting roles in the future. While the final defensive back drafted, Jordan Hancock, settles into his new role as a safety in a relatively weak room.
The six-foot-even ball hawk is my projection to have the most impact from this rookie class. Sitting behind Taron Johnson on the depth chart, Hancock will be a nickel back/slot corner. I feel as though there is a real route to the starting rotation for the former Buckeye.