Bills considered a top pick for All Pac-12 ‘tarantula’ CB

The Buffalo Bills cornerbacks have the misfortune of playing in the AFC East, a division that features some of the best receivers in the NFL. The Miami Dolphins field one of the league’s best receiver duos in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and while he’s not the player he once was, tertiary option Odell Beckham Jr. is no slouch either. The New York Jets have a young star on the rise in Garrett Wilson, and while their receiving corps is still unproven, the New England Patriots could look to rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker for solid long-term deals.

Buffalo has long mitigated the presence of those elite wideouts with equally prolific cornerback play; Tre’Davious White was once one of the league’s best cornerbacks in Orchard Park, earning back-to-back All-Pro nods in 2019 and 2020. With the veteran shown the exit door in the spring, the Bills still have a solid outside cornerback duo in Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford, but there may be some long-term question marks; in addition to his age (he turns 30 at the end of August), Douglas is about to enter the final year of his contract, meaning he’ll be a free agent next spring. Benford will be a free agent after the 2025 campaign, as will primary depth option Kaiir Elam.

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Buffalo, given its long-term uncertainty at the position, could realistically be in the market for a top-tier cornerback in next year’s NFL Draft. While it’s still far too early to enter “draft mode,” Bleacher Report has identified Arizona defensive end Tacario Davis as a player Bills fans should keep an eye on throughout the 2024 college football season, with analyst Brent Sobleski writing that the defensive end would be a good “fit” in Buffalo.

“The Buffalo Bills thought they were going to have the league’s best cornerback on their roster through the 2025 season. Unfortunately, Tre’Davious White’s four-year contract extension fell through. Instead, injuries nearly wiped out the last three seasons before the organization cut White this offseason. Rasul Douglas is now the Bills’ top cornerback, despite being a free agent after the 2024 season. A more permanent solution should be added to the secondary.”

“Arizona’s Tacario Davis brings something completely different to the team. Davis is a 6-foot-4 tarantula cornerback who completely confuses and smothers opposing receivers. He might be the Bills’ best chance to get Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Garrett Wilson off their tracks.”

As Sobleski notes, the 6-foot-4 Davis has tremendous size for the position. He’s coming off a 2023 season in which he recorded 25 total tackles, 15 pass deflections and an interception, allowing 23 receptions on 54 targets, according to PFF. He would provide long-term stability at a position that’s potentially needed in the future, and given head coach Sean McDermott’s penchant for coaching defensive backs, the sky would be the limit for Davis’ potential in Buffalo’s defensive scheme.

Sobleski also mentioned Iowa safety Xavier Nwankpa, West Virginia offensive tackle Wyatt Mulum and North Carolina edge rusher Kaimon Rucker as potential candidates for the Bills. Arguments could be made for all three prospects, but cornerback is probably the most pressing positional need of the four.

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