LSU Tigers wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (11) Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

Bills select potential Stefon Diggs replacement in new mock draft

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 4/10/24

In his latest two-round mock draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has the Bills taking LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with the 28th overall pick, a great choice for Buffalo.

"Thomas was an incredible vertical threat for [LSU quarterback] Jayden Daniels last season, leading the country in touchdown catches with 17, 10 of which came on go routes or fades," wrote Kiper. "He ran a stellar 4.33-second 40 at the combine. He could be a legit No. 1 WR, which quarterback Josh Allen now needs."

The Bills are thin at receiver. They recently dealt four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. Gabe Davis — who was second on the team in TD catches (seven in 17 games) last season — signed a three-year, $39M deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency.

Buffalo signed WRs Mack Hollins and Curtis Samuel this offseason, but neither crossed the 1,000-receiving yard mark in 2023. Clearly, the Bills should target a talented WR like Thomas. NFL.com draft expert Daniel Jeremiah rates the 21-year-old as the fifth-best WR in this draft class.

All Brian Thomas Jr does is catch touchdowns

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— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 7, 2023

"He has a very large catch radius because of his frame [6-foot-3, 209 pounds], leaping ability and ball skills. After the catch, he has some wiggle to make defenders miss and also boasts home run speed," wrote Jeremiah. "Overall, Thomas is a big-play machine and has the upside to develop into a No. 1 receiver for his drafting team."

According to Tankathon projections, the Jacksonville Jaguars will take Thomas with the 17th overall pick. However, the Bills should consider trading up in the draft to select him.

Buffalo's Super Bowl window may close after the Diggs trade. To prevent that from happening, the Bills must land a young wideout who could excel with Allen.

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