NFL Draft Mock 5.0: Two-round mock, post-free agency

The Bills were the subject of ridicule when they traded up to grab Josh Allen in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Many labeled Allen as a surefire bust with his low completion percentage, and even the most ardent Allen supporters had to admit he was a project.

Well, one year in, it appears as if the project might be slowly paying off. Allen still needs to work on honing in his accuracy, and he might never be the pinpoint passer that some franchise quarterbacks are. But what Allen lacks in precision, he makes up for with athleticism, arm strength, competitive fire, and a personality around which players rally. Allen did what no one expected him to do in 2018: He took hold of the Bills’ franchise quarterback position.

Whether Allen can hang onto it remains to be seen; even quarterbacks can only flash in the pan. But the Bills saw what he could do, and the excitement and production he could provide, with almost no weapons and no protection from the offensive line. Now, it’s up to the Bills to give him some help.

The Bills accomplished part of that in free agency, adding offensive linemen such as Ty Nsekhe, Spencer Long, and Mitch Morse to compete a starting blocking unit. They also added wide receivers John Brown and Cole Beasley to strengthen the receiving core. Now, in the NFL Draft, they’ll add to his talent core, and nab not just the best tight end, but one of the best offensive weapons in the class: Tight end T.J. Hockenson.

Hockenson provides the Bills with both a stellar blocker and a receiving threat with dominant upside. At the catch point, he’s strong and aggressive, and after the catch, he’s just as explosive. Hockenson is the kind of player that can improve an offense’s overall efficiency, and for a quarterback like Josh Allen, Hockenson could become an indispensable compliment to the speed of Robert Foster and John Brown. All of a sudden, the Bills offense, once unwatchable, is impossible to miss.