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There are wide receivers who have had an unfortunate 2025 season, and there is Buffalo Bills target Keon Coleman.
Penciled in as the top boundary receiver on a team with Super Bowl aspirations, Coleman was in line to make good on his early-round draft capital. Instead, he turned 38 catches into 404 yards and four scores, landing in the ire of the Buffalo faithful and among the Bills' healthy scratches.
Coleman's turbulence turned into an even bigger story when ownership blamed the coaching staff for his selection. In the wake of general manager Brandon Beane's promotion to president of football operations, rectifying the Coleman selection will be a priority. Who could Buffalo target in Round 1?
Potential first-round Keon Coleman replacements
Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Tyson falling to No. 26 would be a blessing -- perhaps the best-case scenario -- but it wouldn't be without risk. The only reason he'd fall this far would be a league-wide cringing at his medical history. Tyson has played more than nine games just once and missed almost all of 2023. Between a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL, a hamstring injury, and a collarbone, there are a handful of reasons for teams to hesitate.
However, Tyson has a chance to be the first receiver picked in April. His raw separation skills are impressive, he's an above-average athlete, and his blend of burst and fluidity makes him a viable threat to every level of the field.
Tyson would give Buffalo a man-beater with versatility and after-the-catch skills to boot.
Denzel Boston, Washington
While Tyson is a bit unrealistic, Denzel Boston is among the most frequent selections to Buffalo in mock drafts. Boston moves fairly well for a 6'4", 210 receiver and is more of a physical match to Coleman's big-bodied game.
That shows up often in the red zone. Boston has scored 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons, turning in back-to-back 60-catch, 800-yard campaigns.
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Boston separates well underneath and has the hand strength to make plays downfield, even without truly elite speed. He projects more as an average starter than a difference-maker, but consistency on the boundary could go a long way in Buffalo.
KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
If Boston is off the board on your favorite mock draft simulator, there's a good chance KC Concepcion is the next man up. It wouldn't be a surprise if a sizable portion of the draft community has Texas A&M's deep threat ranked even higher.
He's not a dominant physical presence, but as a speedy deep threat with short and deep utility, his capacity for creating explosive plays makes him a likely top-40 selection, potentially as early as No. 26.
Part of Buffalo's issues offensively have been pairing Josh Allen with a worthy deep threat downfield. Khalil Shakir, James Cook, and Allen's rushing ability open the door for a successful passing game behind and near the line of scrimmage. Approaching this unit's ceiling requires a consistent playmaker who can take advantage of Allen's arm talent. Concepcion's athleticism fits the bill, and his age-adjusted production bodes well for early success.
Chris Bell, Louisville
Bell is a bit of a wildcard in this draft class due to his late-season ACL tear and its ramifications on the pre-draft circuit and his rookie season. There's inherently less value in a rookie that is missing the first 10 percent (give or take) of his first contract, and there's even less certainty about his recovery timeline or his future team's plans for pushing him in Year 1.
And yet, Bell earned the right to be considered a top receiver in this class, perhaps headlining the second tier behind Makai Lemon, Carnell Tate, and the aforementioned Tyson. A vertical athlete whose burst demands manufactured touches and the occasional deep shot, Bell's size and speed are a prototypical combination on the boundary.
Still, Bell is a work-in-progress prospect whose route running isn't finished, and if he isn't operating at his full athletic potential because of the knee injury, his projection can get messy. That might be enough for a handful of teams to wait until Day 2. In recent years, though, runs at wide receiver have made the back half of Round 1 the Wild West for offensive arms races. There's a world in which the Bills roll the dice on Bell, banking on a clean bill of health and a smooth runway for development under head coach Joe Brady's tutelage.
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