CBS Sports Mock Draft Has Bills Selecting Interior D Lineman In Round One

The Bills have needs at wide receiver but can get better value by waiting to select a pass catcher

Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois defensive lineman Johnny Newton (DL20) / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The most discussed and glaring need for the Bills is at wide receiver.

Yet, its the defense that continually lets comeback king Josh Allen, and the faithful Bills Mafia, down each year.

Non-returning 2023 defensive starters include the losses of safety Jordan Poyer, middle linebacker Tyrel Dodson, outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, safety Micah Hyde and cornerback Tre'Davious White.

So targeting defense in round one of the upcoming NFL Draft may be a smart move for the Bills seemingly depleted defense.

In CBS Sports latest mock draft, analyst Tom Fornelli
has Buffalo making defense a draft priority by taking Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton in the first round.

PFF has Newton rated as one of the top interior D line prospects: "Newton has been a solid pass-rusher along the interior and has really developed his game over the last two years. Over the last two seasons, he recorded 102 pressures — including 12 sacks — for a pass-rush win rate of 14.9%. He earned a 90.9 PFF grade on true pass rushes over that time, ninth among players at the position. The Illinois defender will provide immense value to an NFL team's run defense, as he has thrived in that aspect in college. Newton generated a 29.8% positively graded run play rate (with just an 8.8% negatively graded play rate) in his impressive 2022 campaign."

Newton is ranked second in PFF's 2024 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Interior defensive linemen noting his "physical limitations due to his size and lack of natural flexibility" but touting his "pass-rush tools and block-shedding ability allow him to be very productive in any alignment as a three-to-five-technique player."

Nov 25, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton / Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

At 6' 2", 295 lbs Newton uses his quickness to penetrate, generating 7.5 sacks and 52 tackles last year for the 5-7 Fighting Illini. He also showed a penchant on special teams blocking an FBS leading 4 kicks. That was following a solid 2022 in which he had 5.5 sacks and 59 tackles.

NFL's Lance Zierlein has Newton as round 1-2 prospect, identifying his compact muscular build and athletic ability as traits that will help him excel at the next level, with Newton's strengths listed as:

• Agility and suddenness unlock slide-and-slap move to beat guards quickly.
• Tape shows a player capable of rushing with purpose and a plan.
• Outstanding instincts and timing for beating blocker’s edge.
• Foot quickness creates mismatches for plodding pass protectors.
  
• Edge to edge attacking mindset creates secondary pressures and sacks."

Nov 6, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive lineman Jer'Zhan Newton / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

RELATED: NFL.com Analyst Daniel Jeremiah also has the Bills Landing Illinois DT Jer'Zhan Newton

2023 Accolades at Illinois:

• First-team Associated Press All-American.
• Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
• First-team All-Big Ten.
• Finalist for the Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defender).
• Led the team with 7.5 sacks.
• Led the FBS with a school-record 4 blocked kicks.
• Played in 12 games with 11 starts (52 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2 PBUs, FF).

WATCH NEWTON'S 2023 HIGHLIGHTS

Big Baller Beane is known for making savvy moves on draft day to acquire players his staff has identified as strong fits for the Bills' scheme. If there is a run on wide receivers in round one and Beane elects not to reach for a WR at pick 28, but instead opts to pick up receiving talent in round 2, this defensive reinforcement may prove to be a solid move.