S Cole Bishop named Bills' 'best value pick' in 2024 NFL Draft

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane, throughout his now seven years at the helm of the franchise, has established an admirable track record when it comes to hitting on prospects outside of the first round of the NFL Draft. His resume within night one is quite strong, as well (with cornerback Kaiir Elam being the sole ‘miss’ out of six selections), but it's his prowess on days two and three that has allowed the Bills to cement themselves as a perennial contender throughout the past several years.

Just last year, he grabbed Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence in the second round and Tulane linebacker Dorian Williams in the next; Torrence started all 17 games for Buffalo at right guard last season, while Williams now serves as Buffalo’s primary depth linebacker. The Bills landed running back James Cook, linebacker Terrel Bernard, wide receiver Khalil Shakir, and cornerback Christian Benford outside of the first round in the 2022 NFL Draft—all four of these players project as starters for the Bills in the 2024 NFL season. Looking at his entire draft history, Beane has been able to add key contributors like Spencer Brown, Gabriel Davis, Dane Jackson, Devin Singletary, Dawson Knox, and Taron Johnson in non-premium rounds; those who question his drafting ability are willfully overlooking his track record.

And it looks as though Beane may have found another key contributor with a non-flashy pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in the form of Utah safety Cole Bishop, whom the team grabbed with the 60th overall selection. Bishop, who notched 197 total tackles, 12 pass deflections, and three interceptions throughout his three years in Salt Lake City, has the opportunity to carve out a starting role in Buffalo’s secondary straight away given the offseason departures of stalwarts Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.

It’s Bishop’s talent and advantageous opportunity that makes him such a strong selection, according to Bleacher Report. B/R writer David Kenyon recently compiled a list of every NFL team’s best-value pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, identifying Bishop as Beane’s most auspicious selection.

“In recent years, Buffalo has leaned on veterans Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde at safety,” Kenyon wrote. “However, Poyer signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, and Hyde remains a free agent. As a result, the selection of Cole Bishop (ranked 41st by B/R) is especially timely for Buffalo—which picked up the safety in the closing moments of the second round at No. 60 overall.”

Buffalo eliminated a breadth of experience from its secondary by allowing Hyde and Poyer to depart in free agency; the two have combined for 202 starts, three All-Pro teams, and two Pro Bowls since signing with the team in 2017. Bishop plays with some of the versatility and tenacity that the Buffalo faithful have come to expect from their safeties over the past several years, and he’ll have every opportunity to earn a starting spot as early as his rookie year; the former Ute will compete with the likes of Taylor Rapp and the recently-signed Mike Edwards for an every-down role in training camp.