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Coming off another season-ending loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills’ roster only has one direction to go in the 2025 offseason. While they brought in an impressive batch of new players, a handful of unheralded rookies could end up being some of their best moves.
After bringing in a noteworthy free agency class, the Bills added nine more players at the 2025 NFL Draft, slightly more than the league average. The class is led by Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston, whom Buffalo made the No. 30 pick of the first round. Hairston impressed the team in rookie minicamp, but so did sixth-round cornerback Dorian Strong. Coming off a stellar career at Virginia Tech, Strong fell in the draft due to his subpar athleticism, but proved his work ethic and grittiness to the coaching staff.
Strong already seems to be the hidden gem of the roster, even in the Bills’ deep secondary. Buffalo also brought in an intriguing group of undrafted rookies, including LSU defensive end Paris Shand and New Hampshire safety Wande Owens. Neither Shand nor Owens made as much noise as Strong did in rookie minicamp, but they both enter the team with a moderate amount of hype for their own unique reasons.
With the Bills slated to appear on the 2025 offseason edition of ‘Hard Knocks,’ fans will get an in-depth look at Buffalo’s entire offseason approach. The show has generated a negative stigma around the league, but several obscure players previously benefited from the spotlight. Perhaps the show’s next star will be discovered in the upcoming release.
The Bills took a dive on Dorian Strong in the sixth round, who had a potent but middling career at Virginia Tech. His numbers do not jump off the page, but Strong’s ability as a blanketing nickelback popped on tape. While he can struggle with speed, he is sufficient in zone coverage. The rookie allowed a 61.6 passer rating on 408 coverage snaps in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.
More than anything, Strong’s mindset in rookie minicamp caught the Bills’ attention. Strong immediately developed a close friendship with Hairston, who has done nothing but praise his new teammate ever since.
“Dorian Strong had a really good day today,” Hairston said during rookie minicamp, via Bills reporter Alex Brasky. “I’m taking mental reps when I watch D-Strong. He goes out there and plays with poise, like he’s already adjusted. That was good to see… He’s somebody that, we’re going to lean on each other and help each other get through this process.”
Who has impressed Max Hairston most during his short time with the #Bills? Sixth-round CB Dorian Strong. “I’m taking mental reps when I watch D. Strong. Seeing him go out there and play with poise and play like he’s already adjusted was good to see.” #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/hMMO4oVmTf
— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) May 9, 2025
In addition to drafting Hairston, the Bills brought Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson back to...
