Twenty-nine days after seeing their season end in the AFC championship game, the Buffalo Bills, led by general manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott, were expected to begin arriving in Indianapolis on Monday for the weeklong scouting combine.
The Bills will interview prospects, get official medical information and watch the on-field workouts Thursday, (defensive linemen/linebackers at 3 p.m.), Friday (tight ends/defensive backs at 3 p.m.), Saturday (quarterbacks/receivers/running backs at 1 p.m.) and Sunday (offensive linemen at 1 p.m.) on NFL Network.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a 鈥楽tarters鈥 Draft,鈥 鈥 that鈥檚 how I would phrase it,鈥 NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said during a media call last week. 鈥淪ome positions maybe don鈥檛 have that superstar that we鈥檝e had in years past, but we do have a boatload of starters.鈥
Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison tries to tackle Ohio State's Cade Stover.
Here is a primer for the event:
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Old guys
These players will likely be older than some of their soon-to-be NFL teammates:
1. Utah TE Brant Kuithe: He turns 26 on Dec. 14 and spent seven years with the Utes, so long that he pre-dated current Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid and safety Cole Bishop. Kuithe tore his ACL in 2022 and missed all of 2023. He finished his career with 183 catches (22 touchdowns) in 60 games.
2. Louisville QB Tyler Shough: He turns 26 on Sept. 28 and spent three years apiece at Oregon and Texas Tech (20 starts). He went 8-4 (23 touchdowns) for the Cardinals in 2024.
3. Arkansas WR Andrew Armstrong: He turns 25 on Oct. 31. Four years at East Texas A&M (played two years) was followed by two years for the Razorbacks and a combined 144 catches.
4. Arkansas DT Eric Gregory: He turns 25 on Sept. 13. In a rarity, Gregory spent his entire six-year career at Arkansas (9陆 sacks in 61 games).
5. Notre Dame LB Jack Kiser: He turns 25 on Sept. 10. Kiser spent all six of his seasons with the same program. He had 275 tackles, six sacks and four interceptions in a whopping 70 games.
Young guys
Three years of college was enough for these guys:
1. Texas A&M edge Nic Scourton: He turns 21 on Aug. 25. He started his career at Purdue and led the Big Ten with 10 sacks in 2023. In his only year at A&M, he was first-team All-SEC (five sacks).
2. Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin: He turns 21 on July 20. He was first-team All-America in 2024 with an FBS-leading 117 catches (1,555 yards-10 touchdowns).
3. Georgia DT Mykel Williams: He turns 21 on June 29. For his career, he had 14 sacks in 40 games.
4. Kansas State CB Jacob Parrish: He turns 21 on Saturday. Four of his five career interceptions came in 2023. Last year, he had 50 tackles, eight pass breakups and one interception.
5. Michigan TE Colston Loveland: He turns 21 on April 9. In 39 games for the Wolverines, he caught 117 passes for 1,466 and 11 touchdowns. He was a second-team All-American selection in 2024 (56 catches).
Medical issues
Each combine player undergoes a thorough medical exam and these players will be closely evaluated:
1. Tennessee WR Bru McCoy: In 2023, he sustained a fracture-dislocation of his right ankle that required four surgeries. He returned to play in 12 games for the Vols in 2024 (39 catches).
2. Ohio State C Seth McLaughlin: A two-year starter at Alabama, he transferred to Ohio State for the 2024 season, but missed the final six games after tearing his Achilles in practice. He was still named second-team All-America.
3. Clemson G Marcus Tate: He played 2,502 offensive snaps over 42 games (37 starts) for the Tigers, but his injury chart is lengthy 鈥 season-ending injuries in 2022 (MCL and kneecap) and 2023 and three games in 2024.
4. East Carolina CB Shavon Revel: He sustained a torn ACL in September, but already had two interceptions in three games.
5. Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison: He turns 21 on March 11. Morrison had nine interceptions in 31 games, but played only six games in 2024 before undergoing hip surgery.
One-year wonders
Productive for one year in college? That was enough for these players:
1. Texas-San Antonio CB Zah Frazier: He had 10 tackles in his first two years at UTSA before intercepting six passes and making 24 tackles in 2024.
2. UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger: He had 27 tackles in 28 games for the Bruins in 2022-23, but broke out with 136 tackles (fifth in FBS), four sacks and two interceptions to be named first-team All-America in 2024.
3. Marshall edge Mike Green: He had 4陆 sacks in 2023, but led FBS in tackles for lost yardage (22陆) and sacks (17) in 2024 and was second-team All-America.
4. Texas DT Vernon Broughton: Thirty-nine of his 69 career tackles and 4陆 of his 11 career tackles for lost yardage came in 2024.
5. Minnesota QB Max Brosmer: Call him a one-year wonder at the FBS level. After transferring from New Hampshire, Brosmer started 12 games for the Gophers with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions.
They鈥檙e well-traveled
The transfer portal is a way of life in college football, but these players were among the many who played for at least three programs:
1. Miami WR Sam Brown: Two years apiece at West Virginia and Houston and one year at Miami. He caught 149 passes for 1,903 yards in 43 games.
2. Oregon DT Jamaree Caldwell: Our well-traveled champion! One year apiece at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College and Independence (Kan.) Community College, two years at Houston and one year at Oregon. Get all that? He had 29 tackles for the Ducks in 2024.
3. Texas Tech TE Jalin Conyers: One year at Oklahoma, three years at Arizona State and one year at Texas Tech. He was second-team All-Big 12 for the Red Raiders (29 catches-308 yards-five touchdowns).
4. Texas Tech WR Josh Kelly: Four years at Fresno State and one year apiece at Washington State and Texas Tech. He had his best year in 2024, catching 80 passes for 873 yards and five touchdowns.
5. Oregon CB Jabbar Muhammad: Three years at Oklahoma State and one year apiece at Washington and Oregon. His 19 pass breakups for Washington in 2023 were tied for second in FBS.
NFL bloodlines
If these players want to know what the pre-draft process is like, they can just ask their fathers:
1. Boston College C Drew Kendall: His dad is former offensive lineman Pete Kendall. Drew started three years for the Eagles and was first-team All-ACC in 2024.
2. Iowa TE Luke Lachey: His dad is former offensive tackle Jim Lachey. Luke caught 74 passes for 893 yards and four touchdowns.
3. Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders: His dad is Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, who was also his coach at Jackson State and Colorado.
4. Michigan OT Myles Hinton: His dad is former offensive tackle Chris Hinton. Myles started 10 games at left tackle for the Wolverines in 2024.
5. Syracuse TE Oronde Gadsden II: His dad is former receiver Oronde Gadsden. The younger Oronde set a Syracuse tight end record in 2024 with 73 catches.
