NFL Mock Draft: WNY Class of 2027/2028

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the NFL Draft in the books, I am publishing my 3rdd annual NFL Mock Draft regarding incoming juniors and seniors in Western New York . This isn't necessarily a ranking of the top 32 players but rather where each player would go given their position and comparable attributes to the player that was actually drafted.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Las Vegas Raiders - QB [player_tooltip player_id='501394' first='Trent' last='Buttles'] (St. Francis) - After winning the WNY Players of the year in 2025, it is only fitting that Buttles would be the top pick in this year's draft (just as he was in last year's).<br>2. New York Jets - EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='1087115' first='Jason' last='Hargrove Jr'] (Bennett) - The Jets went after the EDGE rusher with the most experience. Hargrove has been a varsity player since 8th grade and brings explosive speed to the position.<br>3. Arizona Cardinals - RB [player_tooltip player_id='778700' first='Elijah' last='Kimble'] (Canisius) - No secret here who the best RB in WNY is and Kimble brings a ground and pound feel that is a commodity in today's NFL.<br>4. Tennessee Titans - WR [player_tooltip player_id='1649172' first='Joe' last='Santoro'] (Williamsville East) - The Titans went for a shifty route runner that can get open and make plays after the catch.<br>5. New York Giants - EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='1513366' first='Kamronn' last='Minter'] (McKinley) - Coming off a 20-sack season, the Giants needed a dynamic pass rusher with this pick.<br>6. Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns) - CB [player_tooltip player_id='1367095' first='Xavier' last='Gates-Franklin'] (Canisius) - A defensive starter since his Freshman season, Gates-Franklin is probably the best shutdown Corner in the area.<br>7. Washington Commanders - LB [player_tooltip player_id='1698601' first='Amare' last='Ridgeway'] (Health Sciences) - Sideline-to-sideline LBs in this day and age are tough to come by but Ridgeway is tops in WNY.<br>8. New Orleans Saints - WR [player_tooltip player_id='1467402' first='Mason' last='Anderson'] (St. Francis) - The Saints got a big body, big play WR in Anderson.<br>9. Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs) - OT [player_tooltip player_id='1811700' first='Lukas' last='Bollman'] (St. Joe's) - You can't teach size and Bollman is massive at 6'5 340 lbs.<br>10. New York Giants (from Bengals) - OT [player_tooltip player_id='2201432' first='Evan' last='Smelser'] (Orchard Park) - The Giants went with potential here. Evan is a raw talent but at 6'6 290 lbs., he should be a great addition to protect Jaxson Dart.<br>11. Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) - S [player_tooltip player_id='707562' first='Domonic' last='Cook Jr.'] (St. Francis) - Cook is a smart Safety that can be a leader on the defensive side of the ball.<br>12. Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys) - OT [player_tooltip player_id='1908074' first='Brock' last='Bildfell'] (Canisius) - Bildfell is a giant presence on the line and was a catalyst for one of the best running games in WNY last season.<br>13. Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons) - QB [player_tooltip player_id='1701685' first='Anthony' last='Martis'] (Williamsville East) - Martis has good size for a QB1 and led the Flames to their first playoff victory in recent memory in 2025.<br>14. Baltimore Ravens - OG [player_tooltip player_id='1648715' first='Dylan' last='Gorney'] (Canisius) - Gorney may be the top OL in this draft. He has a massive frame and is incredibly agile for someone that size.<br>15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='1364031' first='Cal' last='Rogers'] (Williamsville North) - Rogers has the potential to play at several different positions. But his ability to attack the passer and make plays in the backfield make him a solid pick at 15. Expect him to be used in various ways in different packages.<br>16. New York Jets (from Colts) - TE [player_tooltip player_id='1263294' first='John' last='Meka Jr'] (Orchard Park) - There aren't many TEs that are utilized in Section VI but Meka has the potential to stretch the field with a huge 6'6 frame.<br>17. Detroit Lions - OT [player_tooltip player_id='1364035' first='Alexander' last='Bacon'] (St. Francis) - Bacon transferred to the Red Raiders last year and was a solid force. Sky is the limit for his potential at the next level.<br>18. Minnesota Vikings - DT [player_tooltip player_id='1429076' first='Payton' last='Keighron'] (St. Joe's) - Keighron is a strong, athletic player that can consistently penetrate opposing offensive backfields.<br>19. Carolina Panthers - OT [player_tooltip player_id='2149717' first='Owen' last='Scott'] (Canisius) - Scott is the 5th Crusader drafted in the first 20 picks. He brings a tenacity to the line that the Panthers have been lacking for several years.<br>20. Philadelphia Eagles (from Cowboys) - WR [player_tooltip player_id='1513223' first='Silas' last='Nellis'] (Eden/North Collins) - Nellis has exploded on the scene the last two seasons registering 136 catches for over 2,000 yards and 31 TDs in that span.<br>21. Pittsburgh Steelers - OT [player_tooltip player_id='1709923' first='Logan' last='Gretch'] (Maryvale) - Gretch isn't as big as his peers but he has the smarts to play the OT position. He'll be a project at first but should turn out to be a top lineman.<br>22. Los Angeles Chargers - EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='1639420' first='Tyjhaun' last='Moye'] (Health Sciences) - Moye had a breakout junior season racking up 91 tackles (23 for loss) and 11 sacks.<br>23. Dallas Cowboys (from Eagles) - EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='2118714' first='Zachary' last='Markham'] (Southwestern/Frewsberg) - Markham is a small school product but anchored a defense that allowed just 3 TDs in all of 2025.<br>24. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars) - WR [player_tooltip player_id='1649124' first='Aiden' last='Hopwood'] (St. Francis) - Hopwood did not post insane numbers but that is because of the plethera of weapons the Red Raiders possess. Aiden is a solid receiver with fantastic hands.<br>25. Chicago Bears - S [player_tooltip player_id='1707374' first='Jackson' last='Kwaizer'] (Iroquois) - Kwaizer is impactful in all three aspects of the game but at Safety, he shows great intuition and a knack for being around the football.<br>26. Houston Texans (from Bills) - OG [player_tooltip player_id='1285256' first='Krishawn' last='Steward'] (Health Sciences) - Steward is fairly unhearlded for someone that is a 3-year starter and over 300 lbs. He'll have to make the move from Center to Guard but should be able to do that smoothly.<br>27. Miami Dolphins (from 49ers) - CB Marcus Daniels (McKinley) - A surprise pick here as Daniels had an up and down season but when he was on, he was a difference maker. <br>28. New England Patriots (from Texans) - OT [player_tooltip player_id='2121672' first='Jihaad' last='Marshall'] (Health Sciences) - Not much is known on Marshall but the Patriots traded up to get a diamond in the rough. Listed at 300 lbs., Jihaad played a pivotal role in the Falcons dominate ground game.<br>29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams) - DT [player_tooltip player_id='1814169' first='Didier' last='Malonga'] (Hutch-Tech) - The Chiefs went with a player with a high ceiling. Malonga was on an Engineers team that struggled last season but he showed a lot of speed from the interior position.<br>30. New York Jets (from Broncos) - WR [player_tooltip player_id='1814202' first='Zack' last='Danna'] (Orchard Park) - Danna had a down year in 2025 with a shift at QB, which is why he fell in the draft. But expect him to have a bright future as a premier WR.<br>31. Tennessee Titans (from Patriots) - EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='1639431' first='Rami' last='Carney'] (Kenmore West) - Carney missed most of his junior year but the potential is there to take a chance on him with a big frame and long wingspan.<br>32. Seattle Seahawks - RB [player_tooltip player_id='1202404' first='Tyrone' last='Clark Jr'] (St. Francis) - If we're talking about the 2000 draft, Clark would have been the 2nd overall pick. But the way the NFL has gone with neglecting the run game, Tyrone fell to 32. The Seahawks get the steal of the draft with this powerhouse.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->