Look, being a Buffalo Bills fan is basically a full-time job with zero benefits and a lot of heart palpitations. Every April, we sit there, wings in hand, praying Brandon Beane doesn't do something that makes us throw our remotes. The 2025 draft was no different. Honestly, if you're asking who did the Bills draft 2025, you're probably looking for more than just a list of names. You want to know if the "Big Baller Beane" magic still works.
Buffalo came into the 2025 NFL Draft with a specific, almost desperate mission: fix a defense that looked like Swiss cheese against the Chiefs in the playoffs. They didn't just nibble at the problem. They went full-blown defensive overhaul. It was kind of wild to watch them ignore the wide receiver room for so long, but when you look at the guys they actually brought in, the vision starts to make sense. Sorta.
The 2025 Bills Draft Class: Every Pick Explained
Buffalo ended up with nine new players by the time the weekend in Green Bay wrapped up. It’s a lot of fresh blood.
The headliner was Maxwell Hairston, a cornerback from Kentucky taken at 30th overall. People call him "Mad Max," and for good reason. He ran a blistering 4.28 at the Combine. You can't coach that kind of speed. Beane basically admitted they needed to get faster in the secondary because, let’s be real, the speed in the AFC East is getting ridiculous. Hairston isn't just a track star, though; the kid had six interceptions in college. He’s a ballhawk, plain and simple.
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Things got interesting in the second round. Buffalo actually traded up to get T.J. Sanders, a defensive tackle out of South Carolina, at pick 41. He’s a massive human being—6'4" and over 300 pounds—but he moves like someone much smaller. Sanders is that interior pass-rush presence they’ve been craving to take the heat off Ed Oliver.
Then came the third round, where they grabbed Landon Jackson from Arkansas (pick 72). This guy is a physical freak. He’s got the length that Sean McDermott loves in his edge rushers. If you’ve watched any Bills games lately, you know they love to rotate the defensive line to keep guys fresh. Jackson fits that "Philly blueprint" of just having wave after wave of monsters coming at the quarterback.
The Rest of the 2025 Haul
The middle and late rounds were a mix of "wait, who?" and "oh, I see what they're doing."
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- Round 4, Pick 109: Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky. This was a polarizing pick. Some scouts had him as a first-rounder, others thought he was too inconsistent. If he hits his ceiling, he’s a Pro Bowler. If not, he’s a depth piece.
- Round 5, Pick 170: Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State. They doubled down on the secondary here. Hancock is versatile—he can play inside or outside, which is basically a requirement in a McDermott defense.
- Round 5, Pick 173: Jackson Hawes, TE, Georgia Tech. Finally, an offensive player! But he's not a flashy pass-catcher. Hawes is a "dirtbag" blocker. He’s there to do the dirty work so Dalton Kincaid can go out and run routes.
- Round 6, Pick 177: Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech. More secondary help. You can never have enough corners.
- Round 6, Pick 206: Chase Lundt, OT, UConn. A developmental tackle. He played outside in college but might move inside to guard in the pros.
- Round 7, Pick 240: Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland. A big-bodied receiver who was probably taken specifically for special teams and red-zone potential.
Who Really "Drafted" These Guys?
When we talk about who did the Bills draft 2025, it’s easy to just point at Brandon Beane. He’s the face of the operation. But honestly, the "who" is a massive machine. Assistant GMs Brian Gaine and Terrance Gray are the ones grinding the tape in the dark while we’re all sleeping.
Matt Bazirgan, the Director of College Scouting, is the one who actually built the board that Beane used. If you watch the "Bills: Embedded" videos, you see these guys arguing. It’s not just a one-man show. Beane is the closer, but the scouting department is the engine. They were clearly looking for "high motor" guys this year—players who don't quit on a play. That’s a very specific culture fit for Buffalo.
What This Draft Says About the 2026 Season
The 2025 class tells us the Bills are done playing nice. By drafting five straight defensive players to start the weekend, they sent a message to the rest of the league: "We are going to hit you."
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They are betting big on Josh Allen’s ability to make it work with what he has on offense. They didn't take a receiver until the 7th round. That’s a huge vote of confidence in Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir. It’s also a bit of a gamble. If the offense stagnates because they didn't add more weapons, people are going to be looking back at this draft with a lot of "what ifs."
But for now, the vibes are mostly positive. They got faster. They got bigger. They addressed the defensive line depth which was a major "must-have" after last season's exit.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're trying to keep track of how these rookies are actually doing, don't just look at the stat sheet.
- Watch the Defensive Rotation: In the first few games of the 2025-2026 season, see how many snaps T.J. Sanders and Landon Jackson are getting. If they are in there on 3rd downs, the coaches trust them.
- Special Teams Matter: For guys like Kaden Prather and Jordan Hancock, their path to the 53-man roster starts on special teams. If they aren't making tackles on kickoffs, they might not stick.
- The Secondary Battle: Keep an eye on Maxwell Hairston during training camp. He’s expected to start opposite Christian Benford. If he struggles with the "off-man" coverage Buffalo runs, it might be a rocky start for the rookie.
The Bills are in a "Super Bowl or bust" window. This 2025 draft was designed to provide the physical toughness they lacked in January. Whether "Mad Max" and the crew can actually deliver that remains to be seen, but you can't say Beane didn't have a plan.
To really stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the waiver wire following training camp cuts. Buffalo often stashes one or two "draft favorites" on the practice squad who didn't quite make the initial 53, and these players often end up playing meaningful snaps by November when the injury bug inevitably hits. Check the official Bills transaction log weekly starting in late August to see which of these 2025 picks are actually cementing their place in the "Mafia."