Despite the Buffalo Bills deciding to move on from offensive-line coach Juan Castillo, the team shouldn’t expect improvement along the offensive line until they accrue more talented players. With all due respect to Jordan Mills, his play in the 2018 season was average at best and, quite honestly, Buffalo should have been looking for an upgrade much earlier than this offseason. Luckily, this year’s draft appears to have several viable options throughout. While there will certainly be franchise players available during the first round, the team may be best-served waiting for their favorite players to fall during the latter portions of Day Two or even Day Three.
Tier I
Jonah Williams (Alabama)
Cody Ford (Oklahoma)
Jawaan Taylor (Florida)
The valedictorian of this year’s tackle class, Williams is an experienced, technically refined beast at the position. Don’t let analysts tell you he has short arms or he should move inside; he gets the job done regardless. Ford has been a riser in the offseason, as more people watch his tape and realize just how athletic he is despite playing in a quick-strike offense. His lack of experience as a starter makes him a slightly risky and raw proposition, however. Taylor plays a little high, and he’s not as perfect on the move as Ford, but there really are few other blemishes to his game. He looks like a plug-n-play starter on the right side.
Tier II
Dalton Risner (Kansas State)
Yodney Cajuste (West Virginia)
David Edwards (Wisconsin)
Risner isn’t the prettiest or best athlete at the position, but he just gets the job done any way he can, usually with his immense strength and pitbull-like toughness. Any team that drafts him will be getting a fan favorite. Cajuste played on the left side in college, but his difficulty in dealing with speed rushers may force a switch to the right side. There, his power can be more of an asset. The team that draft Edwards will be getting a vicious mauler in the run game, but a player who needs some serious tutoring when it comes to pass protection.
Tier III
Tyree St. Louis (Miami)
Kaleb McGary (Washington)
Max Scharping (Northern Illinois)
Tytus Howard (Alabama State)
A personal favorite of mine, St. Louis is a body-beautiful, smart, heady player who started on the left side for Miami, but a move to right tackle or even inside at guard may really unlock his potential. A taller player that struggles with leverage as a result, McGary’s greatest strength is his blue-collar toughness and ability to handle bull rushers. Another player who struggles with footwork and the technical aspects of the position, Scharping nonetheless was flawless against any competition he faced in the MAC. There’s not much tape of Tytus Howard, but his performance at the Senior Bowl was encouraging and—if he has a decent combine—he could end up rocketing up boards.