Bills Kick Off Draft By Picking Iowa DE AJ Epenesa

The Bills are fortifying their front line defense in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

With the 54th overall pick, the Bills selected Iowa defensive end AJ Epenesa.

Epenesa had nine sacks in his final year with the Hawkeyes.

Despite an having and elite defense, defensive line was a top need for the Bills, especially with DE Jerry Hughes having surgery in the offseason.

Epenesa is a big, strong end who excels at setting the edge against the run. He is not a burner, but utilizes his power to set up his pass rush.

As for the down side, CBS Sports notes that he can sometimes disappear for stretches in games, and had a poor showing at the combine, not putting up as many bench press reps as you would like and running a slow 40-yard dash time.

Still, Epenesa is extremely versatile, being able to play end or defensive tackle, similar to Ed Oliver. Expect Epenesa and Oliver to switch positions from play to play to keep defenses guessing.

The Bills did not have a first round selection, having dealt their pick to the Vikings as part of trade for WR Stefon Diggs.