Buffalo Bills mock draft: Best and worst-case scenarios for Josh Allen in 2024 NFL Draft

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are expected to be Superbowl contenders, although they made an unexpected splash in the offseason, trading away star wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

It’s unclear what sparked the decision, but a breakdown of his relationship with the Buffalo quarterback is rumored to be related to this move. Diggs’ departure leaves the Bills without a star WR1, and, instinctively, you would think they would use their first-round selection to address that.

The problem is once you move past the elite three receivers in the class (Harrison, Nabers and Odunze), there are far less assurances about each prospect at the position.

Make no mistake, there are some quality playmakers up for grabs in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, you would be hard-pressed to make a case for any below the big-three to immediately come in and replace Diggs’ production.

That's where the draft board likely opens up for the Bills’ front office and Brandon Beane, especially with a desperate need on the interior of their defensive line.

Ed Oliver is the only senior defensive tackle in the team, but he needs some help. This is a position that if a star drops all the way to the later spots of the first round, the Bills will make their move.

It could have a transformative impact on a defense that allowed 1880 rushing yards in 2023. It was by no means the worst in the league, but it wasn’t the mark of a championship-caliber team.

Buffalo also needs some help on their O-Line, particular at the center position. This is an area where it could make a big pick in the second round for a starter or go for a player with high upside in the later rounds.

Trading up to secure one of Nabers, Harrison or Odunze is in the dreams of the Bills Mafia, but it’s difficult to create a scenario where that's possible. The Bills just have too much ground to make up and too little cap space to make the necessary maneuvers.

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Buffalo Bills 2024 NFL mock draft scenarios

Bills mock draft: Best-case scenario

Sportskeeda’s 7-round NFL Draft simulator has the best-case scenario for the Buffalo Bills as one in which they secure the interior of their defense.

Byron Murphy II falls to them at #28, and it’s a steal at a position of need. At 308 lbs Murphy is a big man and is explosive off the line. Pairing him with Ed Oliver not only makes the Bills impenetrable when facing the run, but they also have two big-bodied powerhouses who can get to the QB and cause problems.

DT pairings are vital in the NFL and the Bills are getting a serious upgrade. With Von Miller’s health and performances waning, adding extra pass rushing from an interior position will help the Bills when they come up against better offenses, namely the Kansas City Chiefs.

While not able to secure what you would consider a WR1 in this scenario, the Bills do select Jalen McMillan out of Washington to try and fill the hole in production left by Stefon Diggs.

Having been likened to Rashee Rice, who made a big impact for Kansas City in the playoffs, the Bills would be getting a quick receiver who can get himself into positions to make plays.

However, rather like the Chiefs in 2023, it will be a lot of work to improve McMillan to the level of Diggs. He isn’t as reliable with his hands as you’d want from a second-round pick, but that can be developed.

He needs reps and a connection with his QB, and with Josh Allen under center you know that McMillan will at least get the chance to shine. Whether he takes that chance is up to him.

Malik Mustapha is an interesting prospect in the backfield. His sheer energy for football is infectious, making him an exciting presence on defense.

Jaylen Harrell arrives as a pick for the future. He's an explosive pass rusher who is incredibly skilled at getting off the edge quickly and having a jump on opposing linemen. He will get reps in 2024, as Miller’s fitness just isn’t reliable and will then be well placed to replace him down the line.

At center, the Bills get a good player in Tanor Bortolini, but he may not be ready to start in 2024. He has upside, though, and could improve the Bills O-Line when cap issues come again next year.

Finally, the best part about this scenario for Buffalo is the number of receivers they get. Cited as the Green Bay method of drafting, they have a position of need, which has a high number of unpredictable elements. Therefore, you take more players than you need and increase your chances that one is a hit.

Devaughn Vele and Ryan Flournoy have talent and will be helped by playing with Allen, and they take the immediate pressure of McMillan needing to be a star right away.

Here’s how the Bills’ best-case scenario played out in full:

· Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas

· Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington

· Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest

· Jaylen Harrell, EDGE, Michigan

· Tanor Bortolini, OC, Wisconsin

· Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah

· Myles Cole, EDGE, Texas Tech

· Logan Lee, DT, Iowa

· Ryan Flournoy, WR, SE Missouri

· Ethan Driskell, OT, Marshall

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Bills mock draft: Worst-case scenario

In the worst-case scenario played out with the Sportskeeda 7-round NFL Draft simulator, the Bills try to secure draft value but end up losing a lot of chances to secure quality.

Having no picks in the second or third round isn’t ideal, and with the team’s first-round selection, they take Cooper DeJean out of Iowa.

While DeJean’s draft buzz is building, there isn’t a need for the Bills to take a cornerback this high, even if they were planning on converting him to safety.

It ignores key positions, and what's even more worrying is that this pick would be made while WR Troy Franklin is still on the board. The fact that he's selected by the Kansas City Chiefs at #32 is devastating, given the fact that the Bills will have to beat KC to reach the Superbowl.

Too many needs are ignored here, and not enough immediate quality has arrived. This would be a draft class that wouldn’t show any real results for 2-3 years, while the team needs help this season when their window is open.

Here’s how the class played out in full:

· Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

· Kingsley Eguakun, OC, Florida

· Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky

· Ainias Smith, WR, Texas A&M

· Mason Smith, DT, LSU

· Javon Solomon, EDGE, Troy

· Kalen King, CB, Penn State

· Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky

· Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame