Bills Grab A Defensive Lineman With First Draft Pick

Some mock drafts had him going to the New York Jets with the third overall pick.  ESPN Draft Analyst Todd McShay predicted he'd be surprised if he was still available when the Jacksonville Jaguars made their pick with the seventh selection.  But he fell all the way to the Buffalo Bills at Number-9.

The Bills' 2019 first round draft pick is defensive lineman Ed Oliver out of the University of Houston.  Oliver calls himself a disruptor.  He says that's what he does best - disrupt and for the Bills that means a guy who will do whatever he has to do to get to the quarterback.

At 6-foot-2 and 287 he might be a bit undersized, but he's powerful and quick.  He's often been compared to All Pro Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald and he fills a need at nose tackle with the retirement of Kyle Williams.

When he was in high school ESPN rated him as the second-best defensive line prospect in the nation.  As a college freshman he won the Bill Willis Award as the best defensive lineman in the nation.

Oliver says he's eager to come in and take over where Kyle Williams left off.  He says he's anxious to watch Williams on film to find out how he lasted as long as he did.

Oliver was named a first-team All American in all three of his seasons at Houston.  He finished his college career with 192 total tackles, 53 for loss of yardage and 13.5 sacks.

General manager Brandon Beane said "Ed Oliver fits Buffalo and how we do things here.  Being able to select him at nine felt pretty good for us."