The Buffalo Bills kicked off Round 6 of the 2025 NFL Draft by selecting cornerback Dorian Strong out of Virginia Tech. The late rounds of the draft provide moments for NFL front offices to take flyers on future potential. As Bills Mafia well understands, general manager Brandon Beane has made a living unearthing late-round gems at cornerback.
By picking Strong, Buffalo mirrors their results in the 2022 NFL Draft, when they selected cornerback Kaiir Elam in Round 1, and later drafted cornerback Christian Benford in Round 6. Strong lives up to his namesake, as a big, physical player who won’t back down from any pass catcher within reach.
In many ways a prototypical defensive back for head coach Sean McDermott, Strong excels in zone coverage schemes and has elite instincts, including as a tackling defensive back.
Where Strong slots in is perhaps the biggest immediate question. Is he a nickel cornerback or perhaps someone who transitions to safety early on? The Bills have made a concerted effort to shore up a defense that too often underperformed in 2024, though Beane made sure to say that Day 3 is all about finding the best remaining players, regardless of position.