Updated Buffalo Bills 7-round 2024 mock draft after the Stefon Diggs trade

The Buffalo Bills traded their number one wide receiver, Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans on Wednesday. With less than three weeks before the start of the NFL Draft, their plans for the occasion now look a lot different than they did before.

The Bills moved on from Diggs after a lot of questions about his happiness and role with the team in the last couple of seasons. Throw in the fact he is turning 31 in 2024 and was in the middle of a very large contract, and the team was ready to move on.

But the move leaves a huge void in the offense. Even in a "down" year, Diggs had 107 catches for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns. On top of that, Buffalo's second most productive wide-out, Gabriel Davis, also left the team in the offseason.

The Bills still have some nice offensive pieces to surround quarterback Josh Allen - Dalton Kincaid, James Cook, Dawson Knox, and Khalil Shakir - but no one to Diggs' caliber. With the moves they made this offseason on the offensive line (moving Connor McGovern to center, planning to start David Edwards at left guard) and defense (letting everyone walk) this figured to be a defensive-minded draft for the AFC East contenders.

In a draft that is both deep at wide receiver and limited in first-round defensive talent, let's see how a mock draft could go for the Bills post-Stefon Diggs trade.

1st Round - Pick 16 (Trade) - WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU

We start with a trade! We have the Bills trading up with the Seattle Seahawks to select Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU. General manager Brandon Beane has a history of trading up in the first round (Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds, Kaiir Elam, Dalton Kincaid). On the other side, Seahawks GM John Schneider has a history of trading down in the first round (from 2012-2019 if Seattle had a first-round pick, they traded down).

The cost of the move-up would probably involve the second-rounder they got from the Houston Texans in the Diggs trade. And probably one of their Day 3 picks this year. For this exercise let's call it pick No. 144 which is their earliest fifth-round pick.

Thomas Jr. would immediately give the team a big, fast, explosive threat on the outside. This would not only provide Allen with a high-potential deep threat, but also open up the rest of the field for Kincaid, Shakir and Cook.

2nd Round - Pick 60 - CB T.J. Tampa, Iowa State

The Bills have had a lot of bad luck at the cornerback position for the last several years. Oft-injured veteran Tre'davious White was released this offseason, former first-round pick Elam hasn't panned out, and a key rotational player Dane Jackson left in free agency. Buffalo traded for Rasul Douglas midseason in 2023 and former sixth-round pick Christian Benford is in line to start again across from him.

T.J. Tampa out of Iowa State has the length and physicality to be a good outside corner in the NFL. He uses that length and physicality well in man coverage by pressing opposing receivers and staying attached to them through the rep. He's just shy of 190 pounds and it does impact his tackling and overall physicality in the run game, but when he has space and room he does put in the effort.

With Douglas going into the final year of his contract the Bills could use someone with "CB1" potential. But for 2024 it will be important for Buffalo to add quality depth in case they run into more injuries during the season.

4th Round - Pick 128 - DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU

Now let's move to the defensive front. While the Bills signed former Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Austin Johnson and re-signed DaQuan Jones, those moves shouldn't dissuade them from going in that direction in the draft.

Mekhi Wingo is a defensive tackle from LSU and he is a very similar mold to Bills DT Ed Oliver. Both are undersized for the position but also very athletic. Wingo showed off his athleticism at the NFL Combine this year scoring in the 93rd and 95th percentiles among defensive tackles, respectively, in the 40-yard dash and 10-yard split. His 31 and 1/2 inch verticle jump was in the 76th percentile.

The Bills like to have their defensive tackles one-gap and get into the backfield quickly. This is especially important because they don't get a lot of sack production from their edge rushers. The more players Buffalo can have rotate in and provide pass rush will be a huge benefit to the team next year.

4th Round - Pick 133 - DT Justin Eboigbe, Alabama

Let's double up on the position, shall we? The Bills currently have four defensive tackles on the roster, and three of them will be 30 or older come the start of the season. Alabama DT Justin Eboigbe is built in the mold of the other Bills starting defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. At 6-foot-4, 297 pounds he has a taller and longer frame than Wingo or Oliver.

Eboigbe has the size and strength to play the run effectively but is also athletic enough to shoot the gap like Wingo. The drafting of these two defensive tackles would give Buffalo three pairings for training camp with the same body type combination, and create good competition for the final roster.

5th Round - Pick 160 - EDGE Eric Watts

The Bills let Leonard Floyd leave in free agency but re-signed their former draft pick A.J. Epenesa. Behind them is Von Miller who has not lived up to the hype when the team signed him in 2022.

Eric Watts out of Connecticut fits the physical profile (nearly 6-foot-6 and 274 pounds) of Epenesa and Gregory Rousseau, who are the starters for Buffalo. His length and athleticism give him some upside, but he has the run-defense chops to be a number four right away.

There's a world where the trio of Rousseau-Epenesa-Miller have the type of season that doesn't garner this pick at all or would leave people wishing they spent their first-round pick on an edge rusher. Because of that variance and the draft board, they take a swing in the fifth round.

5th Round - Pick 163 - DB Tykee Smith

Tykee Smith out of Georgia is a versatile defensive back with average size and good speed. He's a product of the times and is considered a safety/nickel hybrid. With both good coverage skills and good tackling technique the Bills could use him in a variety of ways.

The Bills let a lot of players from last year's defense leave in free agency. 2,247 snaps from Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, and Dane Jackson are out the door. And only Mike Edwards was signed in free agency.

Not only does Smith provide an additional body in the defensive back room who has talent and SEC experience, but Buffalo also gets a versatile player. Smith can be a backup to both safety spots and to Taron Johnson in the slot, and maybe compete for a consistent role in dime packages.

6th Round - Pick 200 - OT Ethan Driskell, Marshall

The Buffalo Bills like their tackles tall and long. Going back to 2021 Buffalo has drafted three true tackles. Their measurements are:

• Luke Tenuta (2022): 6-foot-8 32 7/8 inch arm length
• Spencer Brown (2021): 6-foot-8, 34 3/4 inch arm length
• Tommy Doyle (2021): 6-foot-8, 35 1/8 inch arm length

Marshall's Ethan Driskell fits that mold at nearly 6-foot-9 with 35 3/8" arms. And with quick feet to go along with the length, Driskell would be an interesting depth piece to have on the offensive line.

Brown, Doyle, and Ryan Van Denmark are all on the last year of their contracts with the Bills. The team did just sign La'el Collins to a one-year deal as well, but the veteran hasn't played since suffering a knee injury in 2022. The Bills can draft Driskell and either try to stash him on the practice squad for a year, or see if he can compete with one of Doyle or Van Denmark for a roster spot and play out his rookie contract to save the Bills future cash.

6th Round - Pick 204 - OL LaDarius Henderson, Arizona State

We've added a tackle, now let's go to guard. Michigan's LaDarius Henderson has experience at both spots, but projects as a guard at the NFL level. At 6-foot-4 he meets the height requirements of the Bills' previous picks at the position but also brings great length with 35 inch arms.

The Bills have moved to more of a mauler mentality on the offensive line the last few years, and although Henderson doesn't have the greatest play strength, his quickness and aggressiveness will help him in that regard.

A Michigan Man with experience, positional flexibility, and some upside is an excellent late pick on the offensive line.

7th Round - Pick 248 - WR Jha'Quan Jackson, Tulane

The theme of these Day 3 picks is looking for size comparisons from the Bills - and that doesn't stop here. With the final pick of this mock the Bills take Tulane's Jha'Quan Jackson.

Jackson is a smaller slot receiver type (5-foot-'9, 188 pounds) but the Bills aren't afraid of that. In this era they've had either Cole Beasley, Isaiah McKenzie, or Deonte Harty playing a role for them.

Jackson can be a useful offensive weapon from the slot but also brings experience as a return specialist. Harty was last year's punt returner and he is still a free agent. And with the new kickoff rules having a second experienced returner next to Shakir would be a plus.