Coming off another season-ending loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills’ roster only has one direction to go in the 2025 offseason. While they brought in an impressive batch of new players, a handful of unheralded rookies could end up being some of their best moves.
After bringing in a noteworthy free agency class, the Bills added nine more players at the 2025 NFL Draft, slightly more than the league average. The class is led by Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston, whom Buffalo made the No. 30 pick of the first round. Hairston impressed the team in rookie minicamp, but so did sixth-round cornerback Dorian Strong. Coming off a stellar career at Virginia Tech, Strong fell in the draft due to his subpar athleticism, but proved his work ethic and grittiness to the coaching staff.
Strong already seems to be the hidden gem of the roster, even in the Bills’ deep secondary. Buffalo also brought in an intriguing group of undrafted rookies, including LSU defensive end Paris Shand and New Hampshire safety Wande Owens. Neither Shand nor Owens made as much noise as Strong did in rookie minicamp, but they both enter the team with a moderate amount of hype for their own unique reasons.
With the Bills slated to appear on the 2025 offseason edition of ‘Hard Knocks,’ fans will get an in-depth look at Buffalo’s entire offseason approach. The show has generated a negative stigma around the league, but several obscure players previously benefited from the spotlight. Perhaps the show’s next star will be discovered in the upcoming release.
CB Dorian Strong
The Bills took a dive on Dorian Strong in the sixth round, who had a potent but middling career at Virginia Tech. His numbers do not jump off the page, but Strong’s ability as a blanketing nickelback popped on tape. While he can struggle with speed, he is sufficient in zone coverage. The rookie allowed a 61.6 passer rating on 408 coverage snaps in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.
More than anything, Strong’s mindset in rookie minicamp caught the Bills’ attention. Strong immediately developed a close friendship with Hairston, who has done nothing but praise his new teammate ever since.
“Dorian Strong had a really good day today,” Hairston said during rookie minicamp, via Bills reporter Alex Brasky. “I’m taking mental reps when I watch D-Strong. He goes out there and plays with poise, like he’s already adjusted. That was good to see… He’s somebody that, we’re going to lean on each other and help each other get through this process.”
In addition to drafting Hairston, the Bills brought Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson back to the organization in free agency. After struggling against the pass in 2024, Buffalo’s secondary is loaded with talent in 2025. Strong will struggle to fight his way onto the field, but he is far from a player who folds under pressure. He already views himself as a diamond in the rough and is determined to prove that right out of the gate.
DE Paris Shand
Through three years at Arizona and two at LSU, Paris Shand never recorded the numbers that would have made him a premier NFL prospect. Despite spending two full seasons as a starter, Shand never topped 2.5 sacks in a single season. However, like many undrafted prospects, there is more to Shand than his statistical output.
With a 6-foot-4, 268-pound frame, Shand is a natural athlete. A former four-sport athlete in high school, Shand was a member of Canada’s 2017 FIBA U-16 national team, averaging 4.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game to help his team win a silver medal.
Many former basketball stars flamed out in the NFL, but Shand’s raw speed and agility are evident in his film. Shand does his best work lining up on the edges, but his size also gives him the versatility to play on the interior. Shand can struggle when offensive lines target him, but his athleticism as a weak-side defender is already NFL-ready.
The Bills’ defensive line is easily the deepest position on the roster, but that is by design. Under Sean McDermott, Buffalo consistently utilizes a deep defensive line rotation. Five defensive ends played over 20 percent of the defensive snaps in 2024, with only two — Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa — taking the field for over 50 percent of the plays.
Buffalo signed Joey Bosa in free agency before drafting Landon Jackson in the third round, further deepening its edge-rushing talent. But with a strong offseason, an athlete like Shand could feasibly fight his way into McDermott’s extensive rotation. Bosa has not played a full season since 2021.
S Wande Owens
No list of hidden gems would be complete without an ex-FCS star, and the Bills have one on their offseason roster with former Yale and New Hampshire safety Wande Owens. The Maryland native spent his first three seasons in the Ivy League before transferring to the Wildcats for his final year. In his lone year in the Granite State, Owens racked up a career-high 111 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one interception.
A hybrid cornerback-safety, Owens is listed on Buffalo’s offseason roster as a safety, but has the ability to play anywhere in the secondary. Owens played 432 snaps at strong safety, but also 132 snaps at cornerback and 199 at free safety in 2024, according to CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso.
While Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin return, safety remains one of the Bills’ weakest positions of the offseason. The team hopes for a second-year leap from Cole Bishop, but the former second-rounder struggled mightily with his limited opportunities in 2024. Barring an unexpected surge from Bishop, Buffalo lacks depth at the position behind its two starters.
Despite coming to the team undrafted, Owens seems to already have a leg up on the competition. He might not be as battle-tested as a traditional FBS prospect, but his IQ and aggressiveness would win over any coaching staff. Owens has a long road ahead of him, but he is undoubtedly a name to monitor on the Bills’ 2025 offseason roster.
