One WR prospect for Bills in every round of 2023 NFL Draft

By Henry McKenna
Published

The Buffalo Bills turned into the Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs show for most of 2022. The team relied enormously on its two stars, and though the rushing attack began to gain momentum at the end of the year, Buffalo's offense looked somewhat singular against the NFL's best teams.

That's why it seems likely that the Bills will target another pass-catching option, whether in the draft or through free agency. But given that the free-agency market looks thin at this point — Kenny Golladay and Chosen Anderson are the top options — the 2023 NFL Draft might just be the clearest path to acquiring a contributor at wideout.

So let's dive into some of the options the Bills could consider in each round. These players should be available at Buffalo's draft spot in these respective rounds.

Round 1: Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee 

You'll notice that I lean toward Hyatt's type for the Bills. Hyatt is a big-play threat who can stretch the defense, with impressive playing speed even if he's slightly undersized (6-foot, 175 pounds). It's easy to forget that Diggs, a route technician, is neither fast nor big.

Like so many receivers from this generation, Hyatt is on the lighter side. But that doesn't mean he can't be effective, especially with his 4.4 speed. He might even play faster than that. But — tell me if you've heard this before — there is concern about his ability to release off the line. The Volunteers offense made life easy for receivers, including against press coverage.

Hyatt finished last season with 67 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns. It's easy to imagine him changing the way teams play the Bills. He would require increased attention, given Allen's arm strength. That would help Diggs, Dawson Knox and Khalil Shakir find more room to roam.

Round 2: Nathaniel Dell, Houston

Here's another spread-offense threat who has racked up production. Over his last two college seasons, Dell posted 199 receptions for 2,727 yards and 29 touchdowns, including 14 touchdowns in his final nine games.

Insane. 

He's another smaller prospect, at 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds. So there's some question whether he'll survive in the NFL, where cornerbacks are going to have a level of physicality and athleticism that Dell rarely — maybe never — saw in college. He played against just one ranked school in his final two years at Houston. 

That said, he had one matchup against an SEC opponent (Auburn) over the past two years, and he blew up — a 10-catch, 150-yard performance in the Birmingham Bowl last season. A big game like that matters to teams.

Round 3: Trey Palmer, Nebraska

In the first two rounds, you're bound to find wideouts who are both athletic and productive. But Palmer has been less productive — and at a lower level of competition. Despite those inconsistencies, you get his 4.33 speed. He was the fastest wideout at the combine. 

He's not a reliable route-runner. He doesn't get where he needs to be and has a habit of drifting away from his assigned route, per NFL.com’s Lance Zuerlein. So the Bills would have to be all-in on coaching Palmer in a way in which they can harness his rare athleticism. But he's already on his way. After transferring from LSU, Palmer put up 71 catches for 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cornhuskers. It was his only year of significant production.

Round 4: Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia

Ford-Wheaton is another receiver who blew off doors at the combine. Sensing a trend? He had the fourth-fastest time in Indianapolis with a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. And unlike the wideouts above, Ford-Wheaton has prototypical size and speed. He basically checks every box: 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, 6.97-second 3-cone drill and a 41-inch vertical leap.

But with that much speed and size in the fourth round, you know you're getting a tradeoff. He may never be more than a special-teams standout. His fifth college season was his best, with 62 catches for 675 yards and seven touchdowns. His film shows a surprising inability to separate, with the receiver instead relying upon his size and leaping ability to fight for jump balls.

But maybe the Bills can help him put it all together.

Round 5: Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia

Relative to the rest of these guys, Wicks is … slow? He ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash. If he'd left college last year, maybe he would have crept into the higher rounds. But he was a sophomore and therefore draft-ineligible. His 2022 season disappointed (30 catches, 430 yards, 2 TDs) compared to 2021 (57 catches, 1,203 yards, 9 TDs). He has good leaping ability with a 39-inch vert, and he measures at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds. If the Bills draft him in the fifth round, they're betting they can bring that 2021 version back to life.

Round 6: Ronnie Bell, Michigan

Bell spent five seasons at Michigan, a decision that worked out with the wideout posting career-highs last year: 62 catches, 889 yards and four touchdowns. Compare that to 2021, when he had one catch — a 76-yard touchdown — due to an ACL tear. He is a tremendous all-around athlete, with NFL size (6-foot, 190 pounds), leaping ability (38.5 inches) and agility (6.98 3-cone). His 40-yard dash isn't freakish (4.54 seconds) for the NFL, but that is plenty of speed to succeed. Maybe due to the ACL, his film doesn't show all the athleticism he put on display at the combine. So teams will have to decide whether they can make the athlete into a pro football player.

Round 7: Keytaon Thompson, Virginia

He spent time at Mississippi State before transferring to Virginia, where he posted his best season in 2021 with 78 receptions for 990 yards and two touchdowns. His 6-foot-5, 213-pound frame makes him eligible for a possession receiver role. And given his 4.7-second 40-yard dash, he might have to be an intermediate threat. For a big wideout, he has good feet, even if he lacks top-end speed. He may not make the team — but he's worth a flier.

Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @McKennAnalysis.

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