Bills Khalil Shakir is congratulated by teammates Keon Coleman, Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown on his touchdown catch during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Sept. 8, 2024. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

PFF ranks Buffalo Bills' Top 3 players and all were drafted in Sean McDermott era

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Colin Richey | Last updated May 22, 2025 2:15 PM ET

Trevor Sikkema of PFF named every NFL team's three best players entering the 2025 NFL season.

While Josh Allen is the obvious top answer for the Buffalo Bills, the NFL analyst chose a veteran offensive player and young defensive star to round out his Top 3.

All three stars were drafted by the Bills during head coach Sean McDermott's tenure.

1. QB Josh Allen

Allen had his fifth straight season above a 90.0 overall offensive grade, finishing his 2024 MVP campaign with an "elite" 93.1 grade, according to Sikkema. He was second in big-time throws last season per PFF, recording 37 passes "on the highest end of both difficulty and value."

Allen was one of 10 QBs included, with Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford, and Jayden Daniels also featured in the top three for their respective teams.

2. OT Dion Dawkins

Sikkema cited the left tackle's 81.6 pass-blocking grade, his eighth consecutive year above 76.0, maintaining "his high-level pass protection." According to ESPN, Dawkins posted a pass block win rate of 93% in 2024, which tied for the seventh highest grade among all tackles, and tied-third among left tackles.

3. CB Christian Benford

Benford is a rising star in the NFL, cashing in with a new four-year, $76 million contract extension this offseason. The corner recorded 0.57 WAR (wins above replacement) per Sikkema, "sixth among all NFL cornerbacks and the highest mark among his teammates outside of Josh Allen." His 82.6 overall PFF grade ranked fifth among 222 qualified CBs.

Other players likely considered on offense include James Cook, Connor McGovern, and Spencer Brown. Cook's 86.2 offensive grade from PFF ranked ninth among running backs, while McGovern was graded as a top 10 center. Brown's 77.9 grade ranked 20th among tackles, and his 92% pass block win rate from ESPN illustrates his talent and importance to Buffalo's offensive line.

Defensively, PFF has never graded Terrel Bernard favorably, but his ability to make impact plays while wearing the green dot are crucial to the success of Bobby Babich's squad. Greg Rousseau was graded as a top 15 edge rusher in 2024 with an 82.2 score, but has yet to record a double-digit sack season. Taron Johnson remains one of the best slot corners in the NFL, and Matt Milano can regain his status as one of the best off-ball linebackers in the league if he can return to full form.