NFL Mock Draft: Bills Land Intriguing Pass Rusher in 1st Round

The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is finally almost here. As the draft draws closer on Thursday night, experts are making their final last-minute predictions. That includes ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr., who released his final mock draft on Thursday morning.

In said mock draft, Kiper has the Buffalo Bills going in an interesting direction. At No. 27 overall, he has the Bills taking Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald IV.

"Although he might not be an every-down player as a rookie, his ceiling is high," Kiper said. "I'm a big fan of McDonald's speed game, though he still needs to develop more pass-rush moves."

Edge rusher doesn't stand out as a big need for the the Bills, with Von Miller and Greg Rousseau forming a strong duo. However, the pass rush did take a noticeable step back after Miller suffered a season-ending injury last year, so they could be looking for some added depth. McDonald also visited with the Bills prior to the draft, so he is on their radar.

In five seasons at Iowa State, McDonald accounted for 123 total tackles, 42 tackles for loss, 34 sacks and 10 forced fumbles. He has built a solid draft résumé for himself, and could realistically sneak into the first round. Scouting reports have listed his explosiveness and spin move among his strengths.

On the other hand, McDonald does have a few weaknesses. Most notably is that he's undersized for his position at 6-4 and 239 pounds. This has led some scouts to see him as a 3-4 outside linebacker, which could make him a strange fit in Buffalo's 4-3 defense.

It's also worth noting that Kiper named two other players he was considering for this position. Those two players are USC receiver Jordan Addison and TCU interior offensive lineman Steve Avila, both of whom would fill positions of need.

Regardless, Bills fans won't have to wait long to see what their team does on Thursday night.

You can follow Jonathan Alfano on Twitter at @JonAlfano_News

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