Bills Elimination Game — EDGE

An average of 24 EDGE rushers are picked in the draft. Pick the Over for April 24-26, 2025; it’s a great class, so draft two, sign a certain free agent, and add an undrafted free agent. As I write this, you still have Von Miller on the books, with Dawaune Smoot a free agent this year, and Rousseau and Epenesa becoming free agents next year (if they’re not being used as a bargaining chip in trade).

Here’s a list of EDGE rushers that I expect to be in play in the first five picks the Bills have at #30, #56, #62, #108, and #131:

The Bills’ scouts have been extremely busy with the prospects in the #12-#88 range, so I expect at least one EDGE rusher to come from the Bills’ first 3 picks, which are currently #30, #56, and #62.

Let’s look at the above list by Scout Score. Scout Score is the sum of credentialed scout visits, weighted as follows: 1 Game with 1 Scout=1 pt., Beane=3 pts extra, Joe Brady/Bobby Babich=2 pts. extra, Tropicana/Hula/HBCU=1 pt., Shrine=2 pts., Senior Bowl 3 pts., McDermott/Aranda or Diaz connection= 3 pts., Combine meeting=2 pts., Pro Day attendance =2 pts., 30-Visit=5 pts.

That knocked off four players I’d expect to be in play should they fall to the Bills’ #108, Oluwafemi Oladejo, Bradyn Swinson, David Walker, and Ashton Gillotte. My biggest surprise is Oladejo, tops in this EDGE class for “getting home” (sacks + TFL) per game over his career. David Walker, the Buck Buchanan (FCS) winner and United Conference Defensive Player of the Year two years in a row, had 5 pressures in only 26 snaps in the Senior Bowl. Either would be a nice get in RD4.

But let’s look at the EDGEs getting the most attention. Of the top 11, only three lack the 6’4″ or 6’5″ height you see in Groot (6’6″ 266 4.57) and Epenesa (6’5″ 275 5.04). Only two had poor interviews when I listened to their press conferences, and one of them, Mike Green, had a sit-down with the Bills at the Combine. Abdul Carter, Jihaad Campbell, Shemar Stewart, Green, and Mykel Williams will be gone in the top half of RD1. We’ll eliminate them –nice players, but Beane’s not likely climbing up for for an apple he can stand on the ground to pick. I’m also eliminating James Pearce Jr., who may not be on Beane’s board due to character concerns. I will say goodbye to Mike Green and Saivion Jones with those interviews not indicating they are Bills-y types.

Because of the fact that the Bills already have a small EDGE, Javon Solomon (6-1, 246, 4.72), I’m going to eliminate the other Stewart, Josaiah Stewart (6-0, 248, 4.6), even though he was also interviewed by the Bills.

Let’s sort who’s left by 40 time:

We still have two bookends left: Ole Miss’s Princely Umanmielen / Jared Ivey and Ohio State’s J.T. Tuimoloau / Jack Sawyer. I think all four will be in play, with a slight nod to Ohio State’s pair because they run a more-similar scheme, but that’s splitting hairs. It’s worth saying, though that a RD1 pick is expected to pick things up sooner and play earlier than your Day 3 pick, and it’s nice to have played in the same scheme in college. Jared Ivey‘s speed at his size is compelling, and the possibility of snagging both J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer makes me salivate.

Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku is a faster and more productive Javon Solomon, and was the ACC leader with 16.5 Sacks last season, so he stays on our short list. His Pass Rush Win Rate of 16.9% this year was stratospheric.

Brandon Beane has been talking about getting to the QB, so let’s look at that next. How often does each player “get home” –sack the quarterback or make a tackle for loss? “Sax + TFL/G” is a measure I created; it tells how often each player, over their entire career, got a sack or a tackle for loss per game.

All of these players have been competitive with whom the Bills have drafted. Seventh-rounder Darryl Johnson’=’s 1.17 leads the drafted pack, followed by Greg Rousseau’s 1.03, and the 0.97 put up by Epenesa and Basham. The players that the Bills brought in for 30-visits also suggest that my made-up formula is important for their EDGEs: Jaylon Ferguson 1.19, Brian Burns 1.16, Montez Sweat 1.13, Maxx Crosby 1.11, and the other Josh Allen, 1.00.

I reiterate that I’d be extremely happy with the bottom 3 on this list, Jack Sawyer (especially at RD2#56), Jared Ivey at RD2#62, or even Jordan Burch at RD2#62. But this is an elimination game, and yes, it’s not fair. Let’s sort the remaining EDGEs by weight, and look at speed at that weight, plus how many career tackles each one made:

Size matters; just ask the Super Bowl Champion Eagles. J.T. Tuimoloau is arguably the biggest, fastest EDGE, followed closely by Landon Jackson. My concern about Jackson, though, is how few solo tackles he made in his career. That would have been my opening question for him at his Combine visit with the Bills. Look at Oluwafemi Oladejo‘s stats getting to the passer, but love the sheer quantity of his solo tackles! Likewise with Donovan Ezeiruaku, although he’d be Javon Solomon-sized, and do you need two of those?? Princely Umanmielen at #56 is a deal, but again, he’s 20 pounds lighter than Tuimoloau. Nic Scourton and Kyle Kennard provide a balance between archetypal size, “getting home” to the QB, and tackling ability, an area we just can’t ignore. The Bills had the most scout eyeballs on (a) J.T. Tuimoloau; (b) Nic Scourton; (c) Princely Umanmielen; and (d) Kyle Kennard.

My “winners” are:

J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State at RD2#56 — “TOO-EE-mo-lo-ah-oh” has logged 34 Sacks + TFL pressures in 37 games. Those are numbers that Brandon Beane always looks at for his EDGE rushers, and likes how quickly Tuimoloau gets home: Of the 20 pass rushers with .75 career pressures per game or more, Tuimoloau has the most Bills scout visits in the last 2 years. J.T. is tied for the second-fastest EDGE, and he outweighs the fastest (Javon Solomon’s Troy teammate, Seahawks UDFA Richard Jibunor) by 37 pounds. Tui can take over a game — and that’d be scary if Ed Oliver is next to you. In fact, in the Buckeyes’ scouted game in 2022 season vs. then-#13 Penn State, Tui notched 6 tackles (three for loss), 2 sacks, 2 interceptions (one a touchdown), 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He also deflected a pass that was intercepted by a teammate. Tui has a nose for the football in close quarters, and is good at looping inside as well as setting the edge.
Chance of J.T. becoming a Bill: A+

Nic Scourton, Texas A&M at RD1#30 — While at Purdue, Scourton led the Big 10 in sacks in 2023 , and it’s easy to see why: heavy hands, a deep toolbox of pass-rush moves, and some impressive burst and flexibility for his size. It bodes well when you are Top 5 in sacks and tackles for loss per game. In fact, Scourton had almost twice the career pressures of what Basham or Epenesa had in college. He’s that old-school power rusher, but has great agility to set up OT’s. This confounding combo of twitchy agility and power will be Scourton’s calling card. Hey! Another EDGE played at Texas A&M: Von Miller. A scouted game in 2024 vs LSU had Scourton with 7 pressures, six hurries & a sack. Wow. He looked more human with 4 tackles in the scouted game vs South Carolina.
Chance of Nic becoming a Bill: A+

Oluwafemi Oladejo, UCLA with Acquired RD3 —Oladejo, Number One in the EDGE class for “getting home” (sacks + TFL) per game over his career, is already a premier run defender, with a developing and high-ceiling skill set in pass defense. After transferring from California, Oladejo was invited to the Senior Bowl. Over his four-year collegiate career at UCLA and California, he started 27 of 46 games, amassing 238 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks. In 2024 alone, he recorded 57 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks, highlighting his impactful presence against the run. While Olu’s pass-rushing capabilities are still evolving, his power, urgency, and relentlessness make him an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling. I’d like him more if he was the SECOND edge rusher Beane takes, either in FA or in the draft. Standing at 6’2″ and weighing 261 pounds, but with impressive arm length and wingspan, Oladejo’s recent transition to the EDGE position allows him to capitalize on his physical traits and energy, making him one of the more intriguing stories in the 2025 Draft.
Chance of Olu becoming a Bill: B

Kyle Kennard, South Carolina with Acquired RD3 —2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy-winner Kyle Kennard had a Win Rate of a very high 12.7%, and put up 10 sacks this year against SEC competition, Kennard, a recent transfer to South Carolina, has highlighted his prowess as an EDGE rusher both in the SEC and the ACC. During Kennard’s four years at Georgia Tech, he notched 54 solo tackles in 19 starts and played in 42 game . In 2024, Kennard racked up 7.5 sacks in just 6 games, including a memorable strip sack against Kentucky. Kyle’s ability to effectively seal his edge makes him a valuable asset at the point of attack, and contributed to his 132 career tackles. Kennard clicks instantly from edge-sealer to that of a closer: 35 career tackles for loss, with 12 of them in his first 6 games with SCAR. Recognized for his dedication, he was honored with the South Carolina Spirit Award for the defense during the spring, underscoring his influence both on and off the field. That sounds Bills-y.
Chance of Kyle becoming a Bill: A

Later, take a second EDGE. I recommend:

Fadil Diggs, Syracuse with RD4b or RD4c—Fadil Diggs, pronounced “fuh-DILL,” transferred from Texas A&M to Syracuse for his final year. Syracuse runs a 4-2-5 defensive alignment not unlike the Bills’ system. In 2023, Fadil achieved a career-high with four sacks and 36 tackles. In the scouted game vs UNLV, Diggs had 4 solo tackles, and led the team in both sacks (2) and TFLs (2). In a second scouted game, Diggs recovered a fumble to seal an OT win against VaTech in overtime, giving the Orange a rather improbable win. He’s effective as a QB spy and is often used in bracket coverage on the opposing ‘X’ receiver, so you could see Diggs on Diggs. Fadil has known ‘Cuse Head Coach Fran Brown since seventh grade, when he used to play 7-on-7 with Duce Chestnut and Alijah Clark. Fadil Diggs is not related to Stefon Diggs, but Beane could make fans happy by giving him the #14 jersey.
Chance of Fadil becoming a Bill: A+ (Chance of Fadil donning your #14 Diggs jersey: D+ )

Tyler Baron, Miami with RD4b or RD4c—Tyler Baron, now playing for Miami in 2024 after 4 years at Tennessee, showcases impressive bend and an effective outside spin move, highlighted by a sack on Mertz and a TFL against Florida in his first game. In 2023, while at Tennessee, Baron ranked 4th in Pressures in the FBS with 29 after nine weeks. During his freshman season, Tyler amassed 21 tackles and then elevated his performance as a sophomore with 30 total tackles and seven sacks. Despite having 34 solo tackles in 36 games, which is considered low for Bills’ prospective college defenders, Baron does rank No. 4 on the SEC EDGE rankings by CFN365. His career stats include 52 games, 23 starts, 114 tackles, 56 of them solo, 10 tackles for loss, 18 sacks, and 1 pass breakup… Hey, wasn’t Greg Rousseau a Hurricane?
Chance of Tyler becoming a Bill: A-

Jasheen Davis, Wake Forest as your RD6c —Jasheen Davis has been a standout defensive force for the Demon Deacons, leading the team with 14 tackles for loss and 7 sacks over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Demonstrating a remarkable number of pressures per game, Davis’s active and powerful hands, especially his effective long arm technique, have been a key ingredient in his pass-rush recipe. Over the last two seasons, Jasheen has amassed 22.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks, adding to his career totals of 70 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 forced fumbles. In a 2023 scouted game, he recorded 6 tackles (4 solo), 1 sack, and 2.5 tackles for loss, with 7 pressures from different alignments and rush moves. Despite some stiffness affecting his bend, Davis’s high motor, impressive bull rush, and versatile counter moves have made him a top draft prospect, ranking just behind Payton Wilson in the ACC for tackles for loss in 2023.
Chance of Jasheen becoming a Bill: B-

Editor’s babble: I’ll be going back to my recording of the NFL Combine to put some eyes on these guys. Many thanks to Dean Kindig for his contributions to our blog and draft knowledge. You can also find Dean on Xwitter @TCBILLS_Astro.