BUFFALO, N.Y. — Making the 25th selection in the NFL Draft on Thursday night, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said the team doesn't have a first-round grade on 32 players, the number taken in the round.
"I'm hopeful we'll be able to draft at 25 a player that we have a first-round grade," Beane said.
Last year, the same problem worked out for Buffalo, with defensive end Gregory Rousseau still available for them at No. 30.
This year, Beane would have no problem moving down if one of their first-round grade players isn't available.
"If it's getting close to our pick, and we're going man, I think we're going to be dipping in the second round, I'll try to move back," Beane said.
The Bills are in a great position heading into the draft, with a need at cornerback, one of the deeper positions in this year's class.
With the unpredictability surrounding where quarterbacks could land, some other positions like cornerbacks could fall and potentially land in the Bills' lap.
Joe Marino, host of the Locked On Bills podcast said on Tuesday, he believes Clemson's Andrew Booth Jr. could be heading to Buffalo.
"To me, he's one of the best players in the draft. He's a top 10 player, but he's got some medical concerns," Marino said. "He had a double hernia procedure. He's got a neck issue and a knee issue, so it's one of those situations where 'do your doctors clear him medically?' And if so, he's an easy choice."
Marino also likes Washington's Kyler Gordon to land with the Bills.
"(He) is exactly what the Bills are looking for and so many ways in terms of size, athleticism, the way he's wired," Marino said.
"He kind of fits the DNA that coach (Sean) McDermott preaches about all the time... If the bills weren't comfortable with Booth and wanted to go with a cornerback, I can see Kyler Gordon out of Washington very much being in play."
"A guy like Trent McDuffie from Washington, if teams are concerned about his lack of length, he may last until the 25th pick," NFL Draft analyst Chad Reuter said when he joined Sports Talk Live Buffalo on Monday.
"Kaiir Elam from Florida is another guy that would be really good value there, Andrew Booth from Clemson if he's available."
But Beane said he's not married to the idea of drafting a cornerback in the first round, after loading up the front of the defense in free agency, including a monster signing with two-time Super Bowl Champion Von Miller.
"I think you'll see corners drafted in a number of the rounds, but I don't think it's like, man, if you don't get one now. You're out of luck," Beane said.
"I don't have to feel the pressure that I cannot leave the first round or the second round without player 'x,' or position 'x.'"