Buffalo Rumblings
Speed at WR has been an audible refrain among Bills Mafia
The Buffalo Bills are set to host Isaiah Bond as part of the team’s group of top-30 pre-draft visits. Bond, who played wide receiver collegiately at Texas, is an electric speed merchant capable of decimating a defense thanks to his elite short-area burst.
Ryan Talbot was first to report of Bond’s expected visit with One Bills Drive. While general manager Brandon Beane has made meaningful moves to bolster the team’s wide receiver room, the only addition to this point is wide receiver Joshua Palmer. Mack Hollins signed with the New England Patriots in free agency, and Amari Cooper remains unsigned as of publishing.
The team could benefit from adding a rookie or two to the mix.
Bond’s draft profile reminds me a lot of Curtis Samuel — though Bond’s NFL Scouting Combine numbers pale in comparison. That may come as a surprise to many who see Bond as a player who would give the Bills something they lack.
Bond didn’t tally numbers for most of the events, performing in just the 40-yard dash and 10-yard split drills in addition to other on-field drills. While perhaps unfair to compare the two players, how close are key identical pre-draft measurables for Bond and Samuel?
What stands out here is how similar they are as pre-draft prospects, though Bond is significantly lighter/smaller, and decently slower when comparing NFL speed. Bond was also exclusively a receiver, while Samuel was listed as a running back, but played a major role in his team’s passing attack — most notably in 2016 when he caught 74 passes for 865 yards and seven touchdowns; adding 97 rushes for 771 yards and eight touchdowns.
(Stats courtesy of Sports Reference.)
We of course don’t understand how well Bond’s speed and play will translate to the NFL, whereas we know what Samuel has shown capable of in eight professional seasons. Is Bond more of a game-changing receiver, or a gadget best-utilized as someone who comes in when the move is to catch a defense by surprise?
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein has compared Bond to Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jalen Waddle. But it’s wise to temper those expectations at this stage. In three seasons between Alabama (2022-2023) and Texas (2024), Bond made 99 receptions for 1,498 yards and 10 touchdowns. His best season saw him catch 48 passes for 668 yards in 2023.
(Stats courtesy of Sports Reference.)
Bond played more in the slot for Alabama, and was lined up mostly outside in his one season with Texas. He’s a capable receiver at all three levels of the field, but he isn’t the best contested-catch receiver to...
