NFL analyst isn't sure Bills did enough in draft to get 'over the top'

The Buffalo Bills had a clear plan during the 2025 NFL draft — they wanted to get better on defense. They made nine selections over seven rounds, with their first five being defensive players.

Maxwell Hairston was their top choice, and the Kentucky cornerback fills a massive need. They also traded up for South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders in Round 2, and somehow lucked into Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson in Round 3.

Overall, it was an impressive haul but was it enough to get them past the AFC Championship Game? One writer isn't sure as USA Today's Nate Davis gave the Bills a B+ for their work, but said they might not have done enough to get "over the top."

Kentucky Wildcats CB Maxwell Hairston is selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"A team that seems oh-so-close to its first Super Bowl win didn’t seem to come out of this draft with that player or two who seem capable of putting it over the top. We’ll see how the trade up for DT T.J. Sanders in the second round plays out, but going heavy on defense – including Round 1 CB Maxwell Hairston and Round 3 DE Landon Jackson – seems sensible given how the AFC East champs faltered on that side of the ball down the stretch in 2024." — Davis, USA Today

The main argument might be that the Bills didn't get another weapon for Josh Allen in the passing game. That said, it wasn't the offense that hurt them down the stretch. Buffalo is also leaning on Keon Coleman's growth while also showing faith in free agent addition Joshua Palmer.

Time will tell if it's enough, and the questions will only stop when the Bills finally get over the hump.