The Buffalo Bills continued to bolster their defense on night two of the draft.

Buffalo made an aggressive trade up to land South Carolina DT T.J. Sanders in Round 2 while landing Arkansas DE Landon Jackson, a pre-draft favorite of the team, in Round 3. The duo joined Kentucky cornerback Max Hairston, Buffalo’s first-round selection.

Following the addition of Sanders and Jackson, multiple draft analysts gave their take on the picks. Here’s what they had to say.

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN

Sanders is a reach for me. I had to scan way down my board to No. 126 overall to find his name. I had six defensive tackles ranked above him still available. And to make matters worse, Buffalo traded up to get him. It sent two second-roudners and a fourth-rounder to Chicago for this pick, a third-rounder and a seventh-rounder. It’s just not very good management of the draft board. And while Sanders has good agility and can penetrate as an interior pass rusher, he lacks the girth to consistently anchor against double-teams. He has talent, but Buffalo is going to have to coach him up for him to reach his ceiling.

Jackson wasn’t a bad pick, though. He will give the Bills some youth in the pass rush room, which matters since Joey Bosa is on a one-year deal. He will also chip in stopping the run.

Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports

Sanders: (Grade: A)

Such a fun selection for Buffalo. High-caliber athlete with polished hand work. Elite production in SEC. Quality size and plus length for an upfield interior rusher. Fills clear-cut need for the Bills defense. And this was almost a perfectly equivalent swap on draft pick trade chart.

Jackson (Grade: B-): Tall, thick EDGE with relentless motor and freaky movement skills. Big-time tester. Length is a major asset and there are dominant flashes with hand work, but they are few and far between. Average bend and better run-and-chase run-defender than edge-setter. Has room to add weight and power to his game, and will need that to mitigate his stiffness and high pad level. Learning from Joey Bosa might be key for this development.

Chad Reuter, NFL.com

Grade: B

The Bills traded up in Round 2 to pick Sanders. He was selected a bit earlier than I expected, but the aggressive move could pay off if he becomes a consistent thorn in the side of offenses as an interior pass rusher.I pushed Buffalo’s grade down a bit because of the trade for receiver Amari Cooper, which cost them a 2025 third-round pick and did not pay off as hoped (20 receptions, 2 TDs in 8 games).Jackson was a nice value in Round 3 with a pick acquired from the Bears in the move for Sanders. His length and power make him a perfect fit for Buffalo.Pro Football Focus

Sanders:

Good: The Bills get a 3-technique who has the ability to shoot gaps with an explosive first step and lateral quickness. Sanders improved his PFF pass-rushing grade in each of the last three seasons at South Carolina, culminating in an 81.9 pass-rush grade in 2024 and 33 quarterback pressures. He’ll fit nicely into a Bills defense that relies on its front four to get home.

Jackson:

Very good: The Bills continue to add pieces to rebuild their defense ahead of the 2025 season. Jackson is a fundamentally sound player with alluring length and surprising cornering ability for a player of his size. He can line up inside or outside, and he finished the 2024 season with an 83.0 PFF grade.

Matt Verderame, Sports Illustrated

Sanders (B-):

Sanders goes to the Bills after Buffalo traded up in the second round, adding an interior presence to play alongside Ed Oliver. With the Gamecocks, Sanders registered 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, showcasing a blend of athleticism and power. He projects to be an immediate starter for the defending AFC East champs.

Jackson (B+):

Jackson has been one of the nation’s more consistent edge rushers for the past few years. In 2023, he was a first-team All-SEC member with 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. In ’24, he was second-team All-SEC, while matching his prior production with 6.5 sacks to go with 9.5 tackles for loss. Jackson started 31 games for the Razorbacks over the past three years as well.