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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ranking Bills 2025 draft picks additions by potential impact
The Buffalo Bills added some new energy to their roster by selecting eight new players via the 2025 NFL draft. The picks add life and competition to a group that is trying to win its first AFC Championship in over 40 years. The Bills jave started to familiarize itself with their prospects, as the rookies have completed rookie camp and OTAs this summer. Based on their initial performance and college evaluations, we can make some early guesses about which players will have the biggest impact Bills this season. Here is a ranking of the 2025 Bills draft class's potential impact by Bills Wire. 8. WR Kaden Prather The Bills took a flyer on Prather in the seventh round. A large target at 6-foot-3, Prather can use his leverage to outwork cornerbacks. He started 12 games last year, reeling in 56 catches for 624 yards and four touchdowns. However, his best path to earning snaps this year will most likely come on special teams. 8. T Chase Lundt Lundt will be more of a long-term project for Buffalo. He has a dearth of experience, starting 48 games for Connecticut during his college career. Lundt was strong against FBS pass rushers, ranking as one of the best tackles against pressure. Lundt will have to work into a role on the roster as a swing tackle if he hopes to earn snaps this fall. A year on the practice squad might be more realistic for Lundt, as he works on his footwork at each tackle spot. 7. CB Dorian Strong Strong did very well in man coverage last year, allowing a completion percentage of only 22 percent. The Hokie had 20 solo tackles, six pass breakups, and two interceptions last year. A strong camp could see Strong sneak up the depth chart. Strong could challenge Dane Jackson for the CB4 spot if things fall into place. 6. TE Jackson Hawes Hawes is an intriguing prospect for the Bills. He is an excellent blocker for a tight end. The Bills used Alec Anderson as the sixth offensive lineman last year; Hawes may be able to slide into this role, as the team can emphasize his blocking skills. In addition, Hawes could give Buffalo a bit more versatility than Anderson, as the Georgia Tech product did well with limited targets in college. 5. DB Jordan Hancock Hanock played multiple spots in the secondary for Ohio State last year. He projects as a depth slot cornerback, but he also has experience as a safety. This could play well for him in Buffalo's secondary, as the Bills could use Hancock in a variety of schemes. His path to playing time is a little more complicated, with Taron Johnson ahead of him at slot corner. However, with the safety spots largely up in the air right now, Hancock could challenge for time as a reserve in the back end of the defense. 4. DT Deone Walker Walker brings a bit more size to the interior of the defensive line. If things fall correctly for him, Walker could see some substantial time as a one-tech defender for the Bills. Larry Ogunjobi will miss the first third of the season due to a suspension. In addition, DaQuan Jones is reaching the twilight of his career. With a strong training camp, Walker's path to time on the field could expand. 3. DT TJ Sanders Sanders was Buffalo's second-round pick. The Bills traded up 15 spots to select Sanders with the 41st overall pick. Sanders is versatile, having experience at both one-tech and three-tech alignments. Sanders fits more as a three-tech, but with Ed Oliver entrenched in that role, Sanders will need to kick over next to Oliver on the line. Sanders has been impressive as a pass rusher in the interior. The idea of him and Oliver causing problems on the opponent's interior line is an intriguing option for Buffalo. He also has an inside track at early snaps, as free agent signee Larry Ogunjobi will miss Buffalo's first six games due to a suspension. 2. EDGE Landon Jackson Jackson checks off all of the items that Buffalo loves in a player. He is a high-motor, versatile, straight-line tackler. Jackson is athletic and can play in any situation. He might not be a three-down starter early, but expect Jackson to make the most of his reps early in the season. Jackson will be saddled behind Greg Rousseau and Joey Bosa at the onset of the year. However, with Bosa's injury history, snaps may open up for Jackson. He looks to challenge AJ Epenesa to be first in line on the team's defensive rotation. 1. CB Maxwell Hairston Hairston was Buffalo's first-round selection in this April's Draft. All signs point to him earning a major role on the Bills defense this season. Hairston's skill set fits what the Bills need the most in their secondary. He has blazing speed, clocking in at 4.28 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He has great coverage skills, giving Buffalo an option to stay in man coverage when Hairston is lined up against some of the faster players in the NFL. The spot opposite Christian Benford will be an open competition between Hairston and Tre'Davious White. If Hairston settles in quickly, he will be a Week 1 starter for Buffalo.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buffalo Bills pick joins Shedeur Sanders as victim of several prank calls during NFL Draft
Shadeur Sanders wasn't the only victim of a prank call during the NFL Draft. It was a day of false starts for Chase Lundt. The Buffalo Bills' sixth-round pick was hit with several prank calls before finally getting the call that changed his life. Advertisement "It's been quite crazy of a day," said the 6-foot-7, 305-pound offensive tackle who started 49 games at Connecticut. "People pretending to be teams. I probably got four or five of them. I was able to kind of push them aside after awhile and stay levelheaded through it all. I knew my name was going to be called at some point. Just being patient through it all is what I had to do." Lundt, who didn't allow a sack and anchored a Huskies attack that rushed for 2,590 yards in 2024, blocked out the noise but didn't block the real call from the Bills. Lundt's phone buzzed with opportunity and Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane was on the other end. "I didn't know if anything was real or not," said Lundt, who was picked 206th overall. "Whenever I got this call it made me feel a little bit more calmed down and everything. It was nice to see the Buffalo Bills were really interested in me. "It's one of those moments you dream of your entire life, just being drafted in the NFL. It's one of those things you don't take for granted at all. You soak in each and every moment of it." Draft day phone call scams are a trend. All they take is procuring a prospect's phone number, matching an NFL organization's area code and impish behavior. The bogus caller impersonates a congratulatory general manager or coach falsely informing the athlete he or she will be selected next by the team. Advertisement Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, admitted to and apologized for a prank call made Sanders on Day 2 of the draft. Sanders wasn't picked until Day 3, in the fifth-round by the Cleveland Browns. Indianapolis Colts first-round pick Tyler Warren also received a prank call before he was taken at No. 14 overall, ESPN reported. Lundt has shifted his focus from nuisance calls to fielding play calls from the NFL Most Valuable Player. "It's surreal," Lundt said. "Josh (Allen) is one of those guys you love to be around, at the end of the day. To get the opportunity to meet him and get to block for him is going to be so much fun." This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Chase Lundt: Buffalo Bills draft pick victim of several prank calls
USA Today
14-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Experienced OL named potential Day 3 NFL draft target for Jaguars
Experienced OL named potential Day 3 NFL draft target for Jaguars UConn offensive lineman Chase Lundt was named a potential Day 3 NFL draft fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars. UConn offensive lineman Chase Lundt was named a potential Day 3 NFL draft fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars by Pro Football Network. "The Jaguars' offensive line endured several changes last season, and while they held their own, the season-long numbers weren't great," wrote PFN. "Chase Lundt is an intriguing prospect with a solid combination of size and athleticism. We'll see if he can handle NFL power, but he has the experience and durability that teams value." Lundt measured in at 6-07, weighed 304 pounds, and has 32.63-inch arms. He posted a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 6.45, which included a 5.4-second 40. Lundt is a very experienced player with over 3,000 career snaps on offense over four seasons at UConn. Just about all of Lundt's snaps have come at right tackle. Across the board, the 2024 season was Lundt's best by PFF's metrics. He was one of the highest graded offensive tackles in the run game and allowed zero sacks and a career-low nine pressures over 449 pass-blocking snaps. Among all tackles, he ranked 10th in pass-blocking efficiency. Lance Zierlein of mentioned in his scouting report that Lundt could be a guard at the NFL level given his lack of length. "He does a nice job balancing through contact and using good hand placement to secure his run blocks," Zierlein wrote. "He has the tools to play hat-on-hat or as a move blocker in the run game due to technique and adequate flexion, but he might need to add more bulk." The Jaguars added fairly heavily to the offensive line in free agency by making four additions. However, those signings shouldn't stop them from further adding to that unit. While those signings helped raise the floor of that unit, there is still unknowns regarding what the Jaguars truly have up front. And when there are question marks, give yourself as many options as possible. When it comes to getting Trevor Lawrence and the passing game back on track, consistently doing so starts with improved play from the offensive line.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chase Lundt looks to be next UConn lineman in the NFL Draft as Huskies host Pro Day
STORRS – The UConn offensive line to the NFL pipeline is still going strong. Chase Lundt, a mainstay in the Huskies' trenches at the tackle position, headlined a group of 49 prospects who took to the Shenkman Training Facility for UConn's Pro Day on Tuesday. The group included 16 graduating (or graduated) UConn players in addition to prospects from area schools like Yale, New Haven, Central Connecticut, Sacred Heart and others. Nearly every NFL team was represented, all except the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals. Advertisement After his recent trip to the NFL Combine, Lundt was the main attraction. 'He's got a bright future. He's got the size, athletic ability, I think he could be really successful at a lot of places,' said Gordon Sammis, UConn's offensive line coach turned offensive coordinator. 'A lot of the NFL is getting the right fit, too, so I think he needs that. But I think with his preparation and how he works, he's got a really good shot to be a longtime pro.' Lundt, a native of Arlington, Texas, listed at 6 feet 7, 304 pounds on his NFL prospect profile, is widely projected in mock drafts to hear his name called in the fourth or fifth round in late April. Sammis believes he could play tackle or guard at the next level despite his height because of his short area quickness and his ability to bend. He would be the second UConn offensive lineman drafted in as many years, joining former teammate Christian Haynes, who was a third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks last year. UConn has multiple other offensive linemen in the pros, including Matt Peart (Denver Broncos) and Ryan Van Demark (Buffalo Bills), who were teammates of Lundt's during his 2019 redshirt season. Advertisement 'It's great to have a guy like (Haynes), because he pretty much went through the same exact thing I did,' Lundt said. 'Just talking to him every day, kind of relaying the message like what to expect, how to go about my business whether it's getting ready for my Pro Day or getting ready for the Combine, things like that. Having an influence like that sure does help make everything easier.' Injured in the Huskies' Fenway Bowl victory, Lundt wasn't able to participate in the Senior Bowl or in workouts at the NFL Combine, aside from the bench press. He participated in the 40-yard dash and the positional drills on Tuesday and wasn't sure about his times, but felt good about his performance. 'Trying to get out here and prove to teams that I can move around and everything, I think I did that with the O-line drills,' he said. 'I know all these other guys did really good as well – (Chris) Fortin, Val (Senn), some of the other kids out here, it was just great to see them out there performing at their best, too.' There were CFL teams present and scouting Fortin, a Quebec native who started all 13 games at guard. Senn, who played tackle opposite Lundt, said he was hoping he made his case Tuesday to slide into the late rounds and give UConn multiple draft picks for the first time since 2015 (Byron Jones, Geremy Davis). Advertisement 'It's definitely a big shout out to Coach Sammis and the work he's been doing,' said Senn, a native of Austria. 'Sometimes people will want to write you off, but Coach Sammis, when he came in here he took a good look and he trusted his instinct. He saw what potential people like Chase and I and Fortin had. It was definitely great to play for him and know that he gets the absolute most out of you.' Senn was in Miami training for the Pro Day and is one of a handful of players who's staying at head coach Jim Mora's house. He plans on staying there for the next month since he can't go back and forth to Austria. '(Mora) just said the most important thing is to make us feel at home, and it's been great,' Senn said. 'Coach Mora changed everything. He's the one who brought a winning coaching staff in, a coaching staff that cares about their players. He's the one that lays the foundation day-in and day-out.' UConn's outside zone running and blocking scheme is at the forefront of the pipeline, preparing linemen for the professional level. Advertisement 'One of the big selling points is always, 'This is what we do,' and the first thing I'll show these guys – and shoot, nowadays you've got to recruit them here as well when they're already here – is these X amount of teams, this is their Day One install play and this is our play. So they are going to be able to see you do everything they need you to see.' The Huskies will have their work cut out for them in replacing the three starters for the 2025 season, but Sammis believes they'll be just fine. 'I've coached the O-line now for 12, 13 years and I've never had anybody like them or Christian Haynes. And not just the ability, I'm talking the attitude, so you can't replace them,' Sammis said. 'But what we can do is kind of in the aggregate, getting better as a whole. Because in the end, the O-line is only as good as the weakest link with those five guys.' Other Huskies working hard Defensive lineman Dal'Mont Gourdine, who broke his foot and missed the end of the Huskies' season, was back to 100 percent on Tuesday and felt he proved he could move around and earn at least a training camp invite. … Jelani Stafford is still working to be a defensive lineman at the next level, but teams are interested in him potentially playing fullback after his six-touchdown season in 2023. … Overall, it was an impressive day for the Huskies. 'Such a great opportunity to come out here and just prove yourself one more time and just come out here and show what Connecticut football is all about,' Senn said. 'That 9-4 season was not a fluke, it happened for a reason.'
