2025 NFL Mock Draft: Buffalo Bills draft defensive lineman

Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

Back in college, I had two roommates with which I shared a one bedroom apartment. There were three rooms that were serviceable as bedrooms in the apartment – a formal bedroom, a windowed living room-esque space, and a room that was almost like a storage area and was significantly smaller than the other two rooms. My best friend Kyle lived in the bedroom, I took the living room, and our friend John took the storage area. This didn’t entirely make sense as John is a pretty tall guy – maybe 6’2” – while Kyle and I are both under 5’10”. And yet John didn’t complain once during our entire time at that apartment.

John was and is a Buffalo Bills fan, and in many ways he personified the Bills during college. He’s very likeable, very talented, and he embraced being an large, imposing figure in a small area. He also was quite humble and, while he didn’t have many weaknesses as a person, was nevertheless intent on addressing those weaknesses he did have. Again, similar to the Bills.

Am I stretching this analogy too thin? Perhaps, but it’s an interesting read, right?

Anyway, I chose the Buffalo Bills in large part due to John, and so when Brandon told me it was my pick, I turned to John for his thoughts.

As it turned out, there was an obvious choice. First of all, the Bills need help on defense. Their 2024 Defensive EPA was 13th in the league. They had struggles against the pass, they had struggles against the run, they had struggles on third down, and they had struggles generating a consistent pass rush.

Were they capital b Bad? No, but they weren’t able to do their part to help MVP Josh Allen past the Chiefs. Therefore, upgrades are needed.

So then the question is, what positions need to be upgraded? Cornerback would be a great place to start with former Eagle Rasul Douglas a free agent and Christian Benford an injury risk. However, I’m zeroing in on iDL, where somebody young who can both stop the run and rush the passer would be ideal. We would really love somebody who can line up next to Ed Oliver and make life a living hell for opposing offensive lines. Plus, what’s that they say about winning in the trenches?

With that in mind, the Buffalo Bills select DT Derrick Harmon out of Oregon.

Fun fact about Harmon: he joins Michigan’s Mason Graham as the only other DT to earn 80.0+ grades as both a run defender and pass rusher.

He has elite strength, outstanding processing abilities, and excellent initial moves. His measurables are also very good, with an elite wingspan and above average everything else. Plus, he broke out in 2024 with 5 sacks….not bad for a run stuffer.

If there’s a negative about him, it’s that he needs more counter-moves to avoid getting stalled on blocks, but that’s what NFL coaching is for. And if he didn’t have negatives, he wouldn’t be available this late in the first round.

All in all, though, he’s exactly what the Bills need. A guy who can make an impact on both the run and the pass, and who will help to disrupt opposing offenses’ just enough to make the Bills an above average defense.

2025 BGN Mock Draft Order

1) Titans (JoeDirtsBarber): Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado2) Browns (kjb304): Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State3) Giants (The Player Formerly Known as Mousecop): Cam Ward, QB, Miami4) Patriots (ReginaldHtower): Will Campbell, OT, LSU5) Jaguars (eaglenomics): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan6) Raiders (dkays): Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State7) Jets (Stick19154): Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State8) Panthers (89Tremaine): Will Johnson, CB, Michigan9) Saints (FierceDisc65): Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia10) Bears (DrprofBubbles): Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia11) 49ers (granthill7): Armand Membou, OT, Missouri12) Cowboys (Be subpar for Ja’Marr): Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas13) Dolphins (thehead92): Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas14) Colts (green1us): Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State15) Falcons (All_Hail_Howie): James Peace Jr., EDGE, Tennessee16) Cardinals (Good Bad Ideas): Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona17) Bengals (ablesser88): Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M18) Seahawks (herbalonius): Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan19) Buccaneers (Hoosinole): Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama20) Broncos (Silverlark60): Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State21) Steelers (Dr.MidnightGreen): Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado22) Chargers (LancGuy): Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan23) Packers (Leo Bedio): Matthew Golden, WR, Texas24) Vikings (krikkebelgium): Malaki Starks, S, Georgia25) Texans (Aint1stULast): Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State26) Rams (Booth12): Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina27) Ravens (pheebthegoose): Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas28) Lions (Neil Dutton): Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M29) Commanders (Mailata_in_a_Miata): Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College30) Bills (PhilaWolverine): Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon31) Chiefs (niels.rosenquist)32) Eagles (Philly21)

Now it’s time for you to vote for who YOU think should be selected in the 2025 BGN Community Consensus Mock Draft.

1) Titans: QB Cam Ward2) Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter3) Giants: WR/CB Travis Hunter4) Patriots: OT Will Campbell5) Jaguars: DT Mason Graham6) Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty7) Jets: OT Armand Membou8) Panthers: CB Will Johnson9) Saints: EDGE Jalon Walker10) Bears: TE Tyler Warren11) 49ers: OT Kelvin Banks Jr.12) Cowboys: WR Tetairoa McMillan13) Dolphins: OT Josh Simmons14) Colts: TE Colston Loveland15) Falcons: EDGE Mykel Williams16) Cardinals: EDGE James Pearce Jr.17) Bengals: EDGE Shemar Stewart18) Seahawks: QB Shedeur Sanders19) Buccaneers: LB Jihaad Campbell20) Broncos: RB Omarion Hampton21) Steelers: QB Jaxson Dart22) Chargers: DT Kenneth Grant23) Packers: CB Jahdae Barron24) Vikings: S Malaki Starks25) Texans: OL Grey Zabel26) Rams: WR Emeka Egbuka27) Ravens: S Nick Emmanwori28) Lions: EDGE Mike Green29) Commanders: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku30) Bills: