2019 NFL Draft: Projected First Round after NFL Combine

The Bills’ decision with the 9th pick got a lot easier with D.K. Metcalf’s freaky showing at the combine this week. It’s been long thought that Metcalf would be one of the combine’s biggest standouts, and that proved to be the case when the lights turned on in Indianapolis.

Metcalf didn’t just stand out, he put together one of the best combine performances of all time. He ran an obscene 4.33 40-yard dash (the fastest time ever for a player his size), hit 40.5 inches on his vertical jump, and put up 27 reps on the bench press. The Ole Miss product clinched his spot as the draft’s top receiver, and could end up as a Top 10 pick in April.

Metcalf didn’t have the production that you would expect from someone with his talent, but he suffered a scary neck injury that cost him most of his 2018 season in Oxford. His athleticism has drawn comparisons to Falcons WR Julio Jones, and while I’d urge everyone to pump the brakes on such comparisons, he undoubtedly has the highest ceiling of any receiver in this class.

That plays right into Buffalo’s hands as the Bills have an urgent need for a receiver and should be in position to grab Metcalf with their first pick. Buffalo has to surround Josh Allen with as much talent as possible to see if he is the franchise quarterback that they selected him to be last season.

Buffalo’s two leading receivers in 2018 were a pair of rookies – Zay Jones and undrafted free-agent Robert Foster. While both flashed plenty of potential, neither projects to be a No. 1 option; Metcalf does, and he would add a dimension to the Bills’ offense that doesn’t currently exist, potentially transforming the league’s 31st ranked offense in DVOA.

If they pass on a receiver, they might look at an offensive lineman like Alabama’s Jonah Williams or Florida’s Jawaan Taylor, while also potentially targeting Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver as well. A receiver makes the most sense, though, and Metcalf has the potential that would be hard to pass on.