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The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division.[3] The team has, since 1973, played their home games at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.[3] Founded in 1959 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL), they joined the NFL in 1970 following the AFL–NFL merger.[4][5][6] The Bills' name is derived from an All-America Football Conference (AAFC) franchise from Buffalo that was in turn named after western frontiersman Buffalo Bill.[7]
The NFL Draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[8] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[9] The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings; the teams with the worst win–loss records receive the earliest picks. Teams that qualified for the NFL playoffs select after non-qualifiers, and their order depends on how far they advanced, using their regular season record as a tie-breaker. The final two selections in the first round are reserved for the Super Bowl runner-up and champion. Draft picks are tradable and players or other picks can be acquired with them.[10]
Before the merger agreements in 1966, the AFL directly competed with the NFL and held a separate draft. This led to a massive bidding war over top prospects between the two leagues, along with the subsequent drafting of the same player in each draft. As part of the merger agreement on June 8, 1966, the two leagues held a multiple round "common draft". Once the AFL officially merged with the NFL in 1970, the "common draft" simply became the NFL Draft.[11][12][13] The first AFL draft was held prior to the start of the 1960 season. To start the 1960 AFL draft, each team received a "territorial pick" which allowed them to select a single player within a designated region (the team's "territory"). Then, teams agreed on the top eight players at each position, who were subsequently assigned to teams by random draw (with each of the eight teams receiving one of those players), and repeated the process until all 53 roster spots were filled.[14] Beginning in the 1961 Draft, the AFL, using the same system as the NFL, began to assign picks based on the previous season's standings. [15]
Since the team's first draft, the Bills have selected 67 players in the first round.[16] The team's first-round pick in the inaugural AFL draft was Richie Lucas, a quarterback out of Penn State; he was the team's territorial selection.[14][17] The Bills have held the first overall pick five times, four times in the NFL Draft and once in the AFL draft, and selected Ken Rice in 1961, O. J. Simpson in 1969, Walt Patulski in 1972, Tom Cousineau in 1979, and Bruce Smith in 1985.[16] In the most recent draft, held in 2023, the Bills chose Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid in the first round.[18]
The Bills did not draft a player in the first round on six occasions.[16] Five of the team's first-round picks—Joe DeLamielleure, Carl Eller, Jim Kelly, O. J. Simpson, and Bruce Smith—have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame;[19][17] one of whom, Carl Eller, chose not to play for the Bills and joined the NFL instead.[20] The Bills used an addition two first-round picks in the 1960s to select plyers—Ernie Davis and Mike Dennis—who also chose to sign with the NFL instead.[21][22]
Player selections

† | Indicates the player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
---|---|
* | Selected number one overall |
‡ | Selected number one overall and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
Season | The corresponding NFL Draft for a pick |
Pick | Indicates the overall pick number in the draft |
Position | The player's position |
College | The player's college football team |
See also
Notes
- ↑ The first round of the 1960 AFL draft was territorial selections. Teams were allowed to select a single player from a designated region (their "territory").[14][17]
- ↑ Buffalo traded wide receiver Marlin Briscoe to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for their 1973 first-round selection (No. 26 overall).[25][26]
- ↑ Buffalo traded wide receiver J. D. Hill to the Detroit Lions in exchange for their 1977 first-round selection (No. 12 overall).[27]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 1977 first-round selection (No. 3 overall) to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for defensive end Sherman White.[27]
- ↑ Buffalo traded running back O. J. Simpson to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 1978 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 38 and 65 overall), 1979 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 1 and 83 overall), and 1980 second-round selection (No. 29 overall).[28][29]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 1980 first-round selection (No. 10 overall) to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1980 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 16 and 71 overall).[30]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 1981 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the Los Angeles Raiders in exchange for their 1981 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 28 and 83 overall).[31]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 1982 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 21 and 106 overall) to the Denver Broncos in exchange for their 1982 first-round selection (No. 19 overall).[32][33]
- ↑ Buffalo traded linebacker Tom Cousineau to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for their 1983 first-round selection (No. 14 overall), 1984 third-round selection (No. 77 overall), and 1985 fifth-round selection (No. 119 overall).[34][35][36][37]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 1984 first-round selection (No. 14 overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for their 1984 first- and two third-round selections (Nos. 26, 79, and 82 overall).[38][36]
- ↑
- 1 2 Buffalo traded their 1985 supplemental draft first-round pick (No. 1 overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for linebacker Chip Banks,[upper-alpha 11] a 1985 third-round selection (No. 63 overall), and their 1986 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 16 and 154 overall).[39][37][40]
- ↑ Linebacker Chip Banks was included as part of a trade for the first overall pick in the 1985 supplemental draft.[upper-alpha 12] Based on a provision of the trade agreement, the Cleveland Browns were forced to give Buffalo their 1985 first-round selection (No. 7 overall) because Banks did not show up for his physical with Buffalo.[41][42]
- ↑ Buffalo traded a 1985 first-round selection (No. 7 overall, received from Cleveland Browns)[upper-alpha 13] to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for their 1985 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 14 and 42 overall).[43][37]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 1986 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 29 and 56 overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 1986 first-round selection (No. 20 overall) and 1987 tenth-round selection (No. 273 overall).[40][44]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 1987 first-round selection (No. 3 overall) to the Houston Oilers in exchange for their 1987 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 8 and 36 overall).[45][46]
- 1 2 Buffalo, in a 3-way trade involving the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams, traded their 1988 first-round selection (No. 14 overall) and their 1989 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 26 and 53 overall) in exchange for the rights to linebacker Cornelius Bennett.[47]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 1998 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 9 and 101 overall) to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for quarterback Rob Johnson.[48]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 2001 first-round selection (No. 14 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 2001 first and second-round selections (Nos. 21 and 51 overall).[49]
- ↑ Buffalo traded wide receiver Peerless Price to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for their 2003 first-round selection (No. 23 overall).[50]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 2003 first-round selection (No. 14 overall) to the New England Patriots in exchange for quarterback Drew Bledsoe.[50]
- 1 2 Buffalo traded their 2004 second- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 43 and 144 overall) and their 2005 first-round selection (No. 20 overall) to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 2004 first-round selection (No. 22 overall).[51]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 2006 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 42 and 73 overall) to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their 2006 first-round selection (No. 26 overall).[52]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 2013 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 8 and 71 overall) to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for their 2013 first-, second-, third- and seventh-round selections (Nos. 16, 46, 67, and 222 overall).[53]
- 1 2 Buffalo traded their 2014 first-round selection (No. 9 overall) and their 2015 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 19 and 115 overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for their 2014 first-round selection (No. 4 overall).[54]
- 1 2 Buffalo traded their 2017 first-round selection (No. 10 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2017 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 27 and 91 overall) and their 2018 first-round selection (No. 22 overall).[55]
- ↑ Buffalo traded tackle Cordy Glenn, as well as a 2018 first- and fifth-round selection (Nos. 21 and 158 overall) to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for their 2018 first-round selection (No. 12 overall).[56]
- ↑ Buffalo traded a 2018 first- (received from the Cincinnati Bengals)[upper-alpha 27] and two second-round selections (Nos. 12, 53, and 56 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 2018 first- and seventh-round selections (Nos. 7 and 255 overall).[57][1]
- ↑ Buffalo traded a 2018 first- (received from the Kansas City Chiefs)[upper-alpha 26] and third-round selection (Nos. 22 and 65 overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for their 2018 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 16 and 154 overall).[57]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 2020 first-, fifth-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 22, 155, and 201 overall), as well as a 2021 fourth-round selection (No. 134 overall) to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for wide receiver Stefon Diggs and a 2020 seventh-round selection (No. 239 overall).[58]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 2022 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 25 and 130 overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for their 2022 first-round selection (No. 23 overall).[59]
- ↑ Buffalo traded their 2023 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 27 and 130 overall) to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for their 2023 first-round selection (No. 25 overall).[60]
References
- 1 2 Rodak, Mike (April 27, 2018). "Bills trade up to 7th, snag 'emotional' QB Allen". ESPN. Archived from the original on September 17, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ↑ "2018 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- 1 2 "Buffalo Bills". National Football League. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Other football leagues of the past". ESPN. December 12, 2008. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Team Facts". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ Carter, Bob. "Rozelle made NFL what it is today". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Important dates in Bills history: How the Bills got their name". Buffalo Bills. November 30, 2015. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- ↑ "Index – NFL Draft – ESPNDB". ESPN. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ↑ "NFL 2021 Draft date: when and where is it taking place?". Diario AS. February 18, 2021. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ↑ "The rules of the NFL Draft". National Football League. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ↑ Cross, B. Duane (January 22, 2001). "The AFL: A Football Legacy". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 17, 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
- ↑ "NFL History by Decade: 1961–1970". National Football League. Archived from the original on February 5, 2007. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
- ↑ "Time Changes for 2008 NFL Draft". National Football League. April 22, 2008. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
- 1 2 3 "The AFL's first draft". Pro Football Hall of Fame. October 28, 2009. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Auburn Ace First AFL Draft Pick". The Californian. November 22, 1960. p. 15. Retrieved December 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Buffalo Bills All-Time Draft History". Pro-Football-Reference.com. April 26, 2011. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- 1 2 3 "Backdraft: Buffalo Bills". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ "2023 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ↑ "Hall of Famers by Draft Round". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- 1 2 "Carl Eller". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- 1 2 "Ernie Davis Joins Cleveland Browns Post Standard Syracuse University Football NFL Redskins". The Post-Standard. December 23, 1961. p. 9. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 Pevey, Greg (July 31, 2015). "Mike Dennis: An Ole Miss Rebel". Rebel Nation Magazine. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ "NFL Sacks Career Leaders (since 1960)". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Bruce Smith". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ Wallace, William N. (June 8, 1972). "Birscoe Accepts Dolphins' Terms". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ↑ Brown, Chris (June 27, 2022). "Bills former WR Marlin Briscoe passes at 76". Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- 1 2 Pierson, Don (May 1, 1977). "NFL draft Tuesday: Can poor strike gold?". Chicago Tribune. p. 84. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "O.J. Simpson". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ↑ Brady, Dave (March 25, 1978). "Simpson Goes To 49ers for 5 Draft Picks". Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ↑ "Seahawks All-Time Trade History". Seattle Seahawks. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ↑ Dodd, Mike (April 29, 1981). "Bills Pass Up The 'Big' Guys". The Buffalo News. p. 15. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Press-Republican 28 April 1982 — The NYS Historic Newspapers". Press-Republican. April 28, 1982. p. 20. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ↑ "1982 NFL Draft by round and team". Santa Cruz Sentinel. April 28, 1982. p. 17. Retrieved December 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Sports People; Browns Get Cousineau". New York Times. April 25, 1982. Archived from the original on August 28, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ↑ "NFL Draft By Round". The Times. April 27, 1983. p. 24. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 "NFL draft round-by-round". The Greenville News. May 2, 1984. p. 41. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 "NFL Draft Round-by-Round". The Lincoln Star. May 1, 1985. p. 33. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Poupart, Alain (April 22, 2021). "Dolphins History Lesson: Trading Up in Round 1". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ↑ Kosich, John (April 29, 2021). "The remarkable tale of how Bernie Kosar bypassed the regular NFL Draft to join the Cleveland Browns". News 5 Cleveland. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- 1 2 "NFL draft selections". Lincoln Journal Star. April 30, 1986. p. 15. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Pro Football Notes : Chip Banks, Where Are You?". Los Angeles Times. April 30, 1985. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ↑ "The Buffalo Bills finalized the obvious Tuesday at the..." United Press International. April 30, 1985. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ↑ "The NFL's draft-capital kings: Most pick-heavy classes ever". ESPN. April 4, 2017. Archived from the original on February 8, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ↑ "Round by Round". Democrat and Chronicle. April 29, 1987. p. 39. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Pomerantz, Gary (April 29, 1987). "CORNERBACK, LINEMAN TOP THE REDSKINS' LIST". Washington Post. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ↑ "Round by Round". Democrat and Chronicle. April 29, 1987. p. 39. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Trick or Trade". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ "1998 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ "NFL Draft Trades". United Press International. April 21, 2001. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- 1 2 "2003 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ "2005 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ "2006 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ "2013 NFL draft trade tracker". ESPN. April 25, 2013. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ Rodak, Mike (May 8, 2014). "Bills trade up to pick WR Watkins at No. 4". ESPN. Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ "Tracking every trade in the 2017 NFL draft". ESPN. April 28, 2017. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ Gartland, Dan (March 12, 2018). "Bills trade Glenn to Bengals, move up in draft". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 7, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- 1 2 "Tracking every trade in the 2018 NFL draft". ESPN. April 26, 2018. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ Ragatz, Will (May 7, 2021). "The Stefon Diggs-Justin Jefferson Trade (And Others) Became Complete During The 2021 Draft". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ "2022 NFL draft trade tracker: Eagles trade No. 18 pick for WR A.J. Brown". ESPN. April 28, 2022. Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ↑ Patra, Kevin (April 27, 2023). "Bills trade up with Jaguars to select Utah TE Dalton Kincaid at No. 25 overall in 2023 NFL Draft". National Football League. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.