The Buffalo Bills needed some help in their edge-rushing group heading into the NFL draft and addressed it in a big way by selecting Landon Jackson.
The Arkansas edge rusher was seen as a potential first-round pick, but the Bills were able to land him in the third round with the No. 72 overall pick. Jackson, who was described by Ryan Miller of the Democrat & Chronicle as “one of the most explosive physical specimens in the draft class,” is earning some praise from draft pundits after his selection.
Bills Hit Home Run With Landon Jackson
The Bills went heavy on defense through the first two days of the NFL draft, taking Kentucky cornerback Max Hairston with their first-round pick before trading up to take South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders in the second round.
The Bills are earning some praise for their selection of Jackson in the third round, with the Sporting News saying he has the potential to grow into a star in Buffalo under head coach Sean McDermott.
“Jackson is a great get for McDermott’s front after Sanders to keep up the early defensive theme of their draft,” the outlet noted. “Jackson is an imposing often freakish (prospect) with his size and relentless and also some has potential to slide and disrupt inside.”
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman gave the Bills a grade of B+ for the pick, noting that Jackson looks to be a good fit in Buffalo.
“One of the biggest edge prospects in the class, Jackson can play a bit high and stiff, but he’s an outstanding athlete,” the pair noted. “A very versatile defensive lineman whose production doesn’t quite match his traits, Jackson is nonetheless an exciting prospect who could be a fixture in Buffalo for a while.”
Landon Jackson Could Play Big Role
Jackson will likely earn significant playing time for a team that heavily rotates defensive linemen. The Bills had already cleared some space in the pass-rushing group by releasing veteran Von Miller in a cap-cutting move earlier in the offseason.
Though Bills general manager Brandon Beane kept the door open for Miller to return on a new, lower contract next season, the competition is getting tougher after the team signed Joey Bosa and drafted Jackson. The Bills also made a big financial commitment to edge rusher Greg Rousseau, giving him a four-year contract extension worth $80 million.
Beane said the team was high on both Sanders and Jackson, noting that both were highly regarded by the team’s front office.
“Athletic ability, speed, power, all the things that you’re looking for (we got),” Beane said, via the team’s official website. “To get the guys we’ve been able to add, there’s a lot of excitement upstairs.”
The first three picks of the NFL draft show a Bills team eager to address one of the biggest weaknesses last season. Though Josh Allen led what was one of the league’s top offenses, the Bills often struggled to hold opponents on defense — which turned out to be a downfall in an AFC Championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
