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The Buffalo Bills entered the 2023 NFL Draft on April 27 with six picks over the three-day draft. They used a fourth-round pick (No. 130 overall) on Thursday to jump from No. 27 to No. 25 to snag Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid in the first round. In Friday’s second round, the Bills stuck with offense and chose Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence with the No. 59 pick. Later Friday, in the third round, the Bills selected linebacker Dorian Williams, out of Tulane, with the 91st pick. Linebacker appeared a need with the loss of Tremaine Edmunds in free agency.
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The Bills on Saturday opened Day 3 by trading out of No. 137 in Round 5 for No. 150 and No. 215. They used the No. 150 pick in the fifth round on Florida wide receiver Justin Shorter. The Bills traded the No. 205 pick to Houston for the No. 230 pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick. The Bills then acquired the No. 252 pick in the seventh round and a sixth-round pick in 2024 from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the No. 215 pick. The Bills closed out the draft by adding Ole Miss guard Nick Broeker and Oregon State cornerback Alex Austin in the seventh round.
Round 1
No. 25 (from Jax) Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
How he fits
Might the tight end run follow the receiver run? Kincaid, the best pass-catching TE on the board, is also the first tight end off the board and will become one of Josh Allen’s new best friends. Possibly a critical piece in the next step for Allen, who is still looking to improve on not being so aggressive all the time.
Adding a player like Kincaid — who had 175 catches as a college player — could add another layer to Buffalo’s already special offense. Kincaid can be a slot weapon, a move tight end and he has Pro Bowl potential. His biggest area of concern is play strength, not just as a blocker — but a route runner, too. Still, in time, Kincaid could be outstanding. — Nick Baumgardner
Dane Brugler’s analysis
With his basketball background, Kincaid has fluid movement skills and flashes the short-area quickness to open stride and accelerate in and out of his breaks. He is a natural ball winner and shows confidence in his hands, doing most of his damage when catching the ball on the move (remarkable 35-to-4 touchdown-to-drop ratio in college). Overall, Kincaid is still developing his play strength and consistency as a blocker, but he is an above-average pass catcher with the burst, body control and ball skills to be a weapon in the slot. He projects as a playmaking “move” tight end in the NFL.
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Joe Buscaglia’s analysis: Bills draft Dalton Kincaid: Again, Brandon Beane moves up for a coveted player
Scott Dochterman’s Grade: B-plus
Round 2
No. 59 O’Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida
How he fits
Another great value pick on the offensive line here as Torrence is the best pure guard on this board. It was going to be hard for him to sneak into the first round because he really isn’t a tackle or a center, he’s only a guard. But he’s also a really good one. Nearly impossible to knock over. Very powerful with outstanding grip strength, Torrence was a one-man wrecking crew at times for Florida after dominating at a lower level for Louisiana-Lafayette. Torrence, like John-Michael Schmitz in New York with the Giants, is ready to start. For a team like Buffalo — where it’s Super Bowl or bust — this is exactly the type of value you’re looking for. A good team gets better. — Nick Baumgardner
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A massive but lean-muscled blocker, Torrence has above-average inline power and physicality in the run game to quickly gain control and drive defenders from their spot. In pass protection, he sets wide, strikes with authority and plays with the reactive quickness to recover and reposition his hands vs. quick pass rushers (zero sacks allowed in 1,501 career pass-blocking snaps). Overall, Torrence will struggle at times picking off targets in space, but he boasts the play strength, body control and competitive appetite to win his matchups. He is a plug-and-play zone starter in the NFL.
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis: Bills draft O’Cyrus Torrence: Buffalo adds more help for Josh Allen
Scott Dochterman’s Grade: A
Round 3
No. 91 Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane
How he fits
An explosive, speedy, relentless linebacker who can get into the backfield and run down ball carriers while also rushing off the edge with some impressive bend and hand usage. Made more than 300 tackles during his college career and has the ability to play in space. He made more than 130 tackles last season and despite being a huge contributor on defense, Williams was a core special teams player throughout his career. Williams is very long for a stack linebacker and still just 21. He’s smallish and still needs to improve his play strength. Put him with Matt Milano and watch him grow. — Nick Baumgardner
Dane Brugler’s analysis
You’ll wish he played with better anticipation, but once he sees it, he gets there in a hurry and has the tools desired for a modern-day developmental linebacker. He has the profile of a key special teamer with the talent to eventually compete for NFL starting reps.
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis: Bills draft Dorian Williams: Does Tulane product give Buffalo what it needs at linebacker?
Scott Dochterman’s Grade: B
Round 4
No picks.
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Round 5
No. 150 (via Washington) Justin Shorter, WR, Florida
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Shorter is a one-speed runner with predictable route running, but his height/weight/speed mix is uncommon, and his ball-winning potential will tantalize NFL teams. His fit as a back-end-of-the-roster receiver makes him worth the risk.
Round 6
No picks.
Round 7
No. 230 (via Houston) Nick Broeker, G, Ole Miss
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Broeker doesn’t wow with his explosiveness or power, especially in recovery mode, but he is strong and understands his responsibilities, which helps him execute when his technique and leverage stay on point. He projects as a potential NFL backup on the interior, in either a zone or gap scheme.
No. 252 (via Los Angeles Rams) Alex Austin, CB, Oregon State
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Austin is a heady cover man and uses length to never stray too far from the route, but he is an average-twitch mover and lacks the explosiveness to easily make up false steps. He projects best in a predominantly zone scheme where he can work in short areas.
(Photo of Justin Shorter: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
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