With the 30th overall pick in the 2025 Bleeding Green Nation community mock draft, Buffalo Bills GM PhilaWolverine selects …
Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Back in college, I had two roommates with which I shared a one bedroom apartment. There were three rooms that were serviceable as bedrooms in the apartment – a formal bedroom, a windowed living room-esque space, and a room that was almost like a storage area and was significantly smaller than the other two rooms. My best friend Kyle lived in the bedroom, I took the living room, and our friend John took the storage area. This didn’t entirely make sense as John is a pretty tall guy – maybe 6’2” – while Kyle and I are both under 5’10”. And yet John didn’t complain once during our entire time at that apartment.
John was and is a Buffalo Bills fan, and in many ways he personified the Bills during college. He’s very likeable, very talented, and he embraced being an large, imposing figure in a small area. He also was quite humble and, while he didn’t have many weaknesses as a person, was nevertheless intent on addressing those weaknesses he did have. Again, similar to the Bills.
Am I stretching this analogy too thin? Perhaps, but it’s an interesting read, right?
Anyway, I chose the Buffalo Bills in large part due to John, and so when Brandon told me it was my pick, I turned to John for his thoughts.
As it turned out, there was an obvious choice. First of all, the Bills need help on defense. Their 2024 Defensive EPA was 13th in the league. They had struggles against the pass, they had struggles against the run, they had struggles on third down, and they had struggles generating a consistent pass rush.
Were they capital b Bad? No, but they weren’t able to do their part to help MVP Josh Allen past the Chiefs. Therefore, upgrades are needed.
So then the question is, what positions need to be upgraded? Cornerback would be a great place to start with former Eagle Rasul Douglas a free agent and Christian Benford an injury risk. However, I’m zeroing in on iDL, where somebody young who can both stop the run and rush the passer would be ideal. We would really love somebody who can line up next to Ed Oliver and make life a living hell for opposing offensive lines. Plus, what’s that they say about winning in the trenches?
With that in mind, the Buffalo Bills select DT Derrick Harmon out of Oregon.
Fun fact about Harmon: he joins Michigan’s Mason Graham as the only other DT to earn 80.0+ grades as both a run defender and pass rusher.
He has elite strength, outstanding processing abilities, and excellent initial moves. His measurables are also very good, with an elite wingspan and above average everything else. Plus, he broke out in 2024 with 5 sacks….not bad for a run stuffer.
If there’s a negative about him, it’s that he needs more counter-moves to avoid getting stalled on blocks, but that’s what NFL coaching is for. And if he didn’t have negatives, he wouldn’t be available this late in the first round.
All in all, though, he’s exactly what the Bills need. A guy who can make an impact on both the run and the pass, and who will help to disrupt opposing offenses’ just enough to make the Bills an above average defense.
2025 BGN Mock Draft Order
1) Titans (JoeDirtsBarber): Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
2) Browns (kjb304): Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
3) Giants (The Player Formerly Known as Mousecop): Cam Ward, QB, Miami
4) Patriots (ReginaldHtower): Will Campbell, OT, LSU
5) Jaguars (eaglenomics): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
6) Raiders (dkays): Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
7) Jets (Stick19154): Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
8) Panthers (89Tremaine): Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
9) Saints (FierceDisc65): Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
10) Bears (DrprofBubbles): Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
11) 49ers (granthill7): Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
12) Cowboys (Be subpar for Ja’Marr): Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
13) Dolphins (thehead92): Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
14) Colts (green1us): Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
15) Falcons (All_Hail_Howie): James Peace Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
16) Cardinals (Good Bad Ideas): Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
17) Bengals (ablesser88): Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
18) Seahawks (herbalonius): Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
19) Buccaneers (Hoosinole): Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
20) Broncos (Silverlark60): Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
21) Steelers (Dr.MidnightGreen): Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
22) Chargers (LancGuy): Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
23) Packers (Leo Bedio): Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
24) Vikings (krikkebelgium): Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
25) Texans (Aint1stULast): Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
26) Rams (Booth12): Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
27) Ravens (pheebthegoose): Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas
28) Lions (Neil Dutton): Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
29) Commanders (Mailata_in_a_Miata): Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
30) Bills (PhilaWolverine): Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
31) Chiefs (niels.rosenquist)
32) Eagles (Philly21)
Now it’s time for you to vote for who YOU think should be selected in the 2025 BGN Community Consensus Mock Draft.
1) Titans: QB Cam Ward
2) Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter
3) Giants: WR/CB Travis Hunter
4) Patriots: OT Will Campbell
5) Jaguars: DT Mason Graham
6) Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty
7) Jets: OT Armand Membou
8) Panthers: CB Will Johnson
9) Saints: EDGE Jalon Walker
10) Bears: TE Tyler Warren
11) 49ers: OT Kelvin Banks Jr.
12) Cowboys: WR Tetairoa McMillan
13) Dolphins: OT Josh Simmons
14) Colts: TE Colston Loveland
15) Falcons: EDGE Mykel Williams
16) Cardinals: EDGE James Pearce Jr.
17) Bengals: EDGE Shemar Stewart
18) Seahawks: QB Shedeur Sanders
19) Buccaneers: LB Jihaad Campbell
20) Broncos: RB Omarion Hampton
21) Steelers: QB Jaxson Dart
22) Chargers: DT Kenneth Grant
23) Packers: CB Jahdae Barron
24) Vikings: S Malaki Starks
25) Texans: OL Grey Zabel
26) Rams: WR Emeka Egbuka
27) Ravens: S Nick Emmanwori
28) Lions: EDGE Mike Green
29) Commanders: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku
30) Bills:
