The 2025 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and as it nears, we’ve already talked about three players the Bills should pick in the first round. Now, though, let’s look at the flip side and discuss the three players the Bills must avoid in this draft.
DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Let’s start out by saying that there is nothing inherently wrong with Walter Nolen.
The former Texas A&M and Ole Miss lineman was one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school. He was a five-star prospect, either ranked No. 1 in the class or No. 2, only behind Travis Hunter.
In college, he improved every season, going from here to nine to 14 tackles for a loss and from 1.0 to 4.0 to 6/5 sacks. With the right coaching, Nolen has all the physical abilities to become an excellent interior defensive lineman in the NFL who can push the pocket and get in the quarterback’s kitchen.
The issue here for the Bills in the 2025 NFL Draft, is that the team already has a Nolen type in Ed Oliver. At 6-foot-4, 296 pounds, Nolen wins with quickness, athleticism, and by beating offensive lineman to the spot, not pushing them there.
At 6-foot-1, 287 pounds, Oliver is not only a similar body type, but a similar player as well. If Oliver and Nolen played together, teams could have a field day running up the middle against the Bills D, which would eventually force one of these players off the field.
So, the main reason not to draft Nolen is that he is too similar to Oliver. Taking a bigger, run-stuffing defensive tackle who can eat up space and blocks is a much better option for the Bills.
There are also some background issues around Nolen, who had been a little nomadic over his prep school days. In the last seven years, he’s played for three different high schools and two colleges, leading to questions about his motivation and coachability.
That said, there were similar rumblings with Oliver coming out after he got in a very public fight with his coach on the Houston sideline in college, but the Bills DT has been an excellent teammate by all accounts.
EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
The common thought about the Bills’ first-round 2025 NFL Draft selection is that they will go DT, secondary, or maybe even wide receiver if there is a player they like there. However, pass rusher is also a need, even after the team signed Joey Bosa to a one-year deal.
There are several edge players who show up in Bills' mock drafts these days. Marshall defensive end Mike Green, Arkansas’ Landon Jackson, and Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku are all players who land here in the latest Bills.com mock draft roundup.
Of these three, Ezeiruaku is the one to avoid.
It’s not that Ezeiruaku isn’t a talented pass rusher. His 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss led the ACC last season, and he was only a half-sack behind Green for the FBS lead against much better competition.
The issue here is that Ezeiruaku is on the smaller side for a 4-3 defensive end at 6-foot-2-and-a-half and 248 pounds. He profiles much better as a 3-4 outside linebacker. As a true DE, teams would run at him all the time and make him prove that he can stand up to hundreds of pounds of mass coming right at him in the run game.
Like Nolen above, teams may eventually be able to scheme Ezeiruaku off the field and make him a one-dimensional pass-rusher, and that’s not what you want as a Bills fan with a first-round pick.
CB Azareye'h Thomas, Florida State
It is no secret that Buffalo needs help in the secondary, especially at cornerback. Rasul Douglas is likely gone for good, Kaiir Elam is now with the Dallas Cowboys, and although recently extended, Christian Benford suffered two concussions in seven days to end last season, which has everyone nervous about his long-term prospects.
That means there is a good chance that the Bills take a CB in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Depending on the mock draft, that would most likely be Maxwell Hairston from Kentucky, Trey Amos from Ole Miss, or Azareye'h Thomas from Florida State.
Once again, it is the latter that Bills Mafia should be wary of.
Thomas is 6-foot-1 and 197 pounds, giving him excellent size for the position. At Florida State, though, in 37 games, he had just two interceptions and 15 passes defended. He profiles a a press-man corner at the next level but he lacks ball skills and he isn’t the most willing tackler at the position either.
Buffalo needs more of a one corner with ball skills who can also help in the run game, and while Thomas’ size is enticing, he isn’t the greatest fit. He’s a little like Elam, and Bills Mafia knows how that worked out.
At this spot, Hairston or Amos would be much better options.
