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With little over two weeks until the 2022 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills are in the thick of inviting Top-30 plays to work out in Orchard Park and assessing which player they will select in the first round.
The Bills are in dire need of a cornerback but are also in the market for a receiver, offensive guard, and running back. On April 13, Cover 1 reported that one of the most-sought running backs in the 2022 NFL Draft, Breece Hall, visited Buffalo, a player that many analysts predict could be taken in the first round, per ESPN‘s Draft Predictor.
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The idea of the Bills selecting a running back with their No. 25 overall pick, even if they went for Hall, 5-foot-11, 278 pounds, who recorded 41 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons at Iowa State — the prospect was met with strongly mixed reactions.
Some fans loved the idea. One man tweeted, “Bills at 25 is the perfect landing spot for both Breece and Buffalo,” while another person commented, “There isn’t a pick at 25 that would make a bigger difference for Buffalo than Hall.”
There were also a lot of detractors. One person wrote, “I don’t see how Buffalo doesn’t go there,” which was piggybacked by another comment, “… because they have MUCH greater needs…”
It’s not just Bills Mafia feeling uncomfortable with drafting a running back in the first round, it’s the bulk of NFL fans across the league. However, ESPN’s NFL Draft expert Matt Miller tweeted on Wednesday, “I know Twitter is anti-first round RB and I get it… but Breece Hall has the ability to make a huge Day 1 impact on an offense. Awesome size, speed, vision, hands…total package.”
The Bills will have competition if they’re looking to snag Hall. According to NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero, the 20-year-old unanimous All-American selection “could be the first back off the board,” and has interest from the Commanders, Giants, and Texans, the latter of whom. has three of the top 37 picks.
The Athletic’s ‘Elevator Pitch’ for Buffalo to Land Hall in the First Round
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GettyBreece Hall #RB17 of the Iowa State Cyclones speaks to reporters during the NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on March 3, 2022.
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia predicts the Bills will select Hall in the first round for three reasons. First is that general manager Brandon Beane is not against the idea of taking a running back early.
“In last year’s build-up to the draft, Beane left the door wide open on taking a runner in the first round,” Buscaglia wrote. “He did not subscribe to the theory that the position wasn’t worth the selection. ‘I don’t worry about that too much,’ Beane said last April. If he’s the best guy on our board, we wouldn’t hesitate to take him.'”
Second, the fact the team’s leading back, Devin Singletary, is set to become a free agent in 2023, and adding Hall would be solid insurance. Buscaglia noted, “They’ve also been looking for a do-it-all back who can break a run wide open, and they might be veering toward running more zone principles and need a runner like Hall to execute those plays at a high level.”
Lastly, selecting an elite running back from the draft is way cheaper than signing one in free agency or making a trade. Buscaglia wrote, “Given their cap situation, using a late first-round pick on a running back gives them the most cost-effective fifth-year options of any position. It provides them roster control through the entire prime of the player’s career without a big second contract.”
The Draft Network Names Buffalo as One of the ‘Best Fits’ for Hall
In 2021, the 20-year-old running back rushed for 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns along with 36 receptions, per The Buffalo News. At the NFL combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds.
While assessing where Hall would fit best in the league, The Draft Network‘s Ryan Fowler named Buffalo as one of the “Top 5 Best NFL Fits.”
“I’m not sure the Bills are ever going to entirely figure out the running back spot, but what I do know is their Super Bowl window is now,” Fowler wrote. “If they are looking for ways to relieve the pressure on quarterback Josh Allen, adding a talent like Hall could be the best course of action.”
“The addition of Hall in a running back room touting Devin Singletary could be a nice 1-2 punch for the high-octane Buffalo offense. It would also keep the tread fresh on Allen’s legs.”
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