Two Bills rookies have extremely difficult task of measuring up to fanbase expectations ahead of training camp

When the 2024 NFL Draft concluded nearly three months ago, one thing was certain – two of the names that Bills fans heard were going to be tasked with contributing right away.

Rookies are going to be an integral part of what the Buffalo Bills put on the field this year, with top draft selections figuring to get meaningful playing time early and often, and on both sides of the ball.

As Bills training camp is set to begin in a few days, there are two rookies in particular that will have massive expectations heaped on their shoulders.

Keon Coleman has WR1 shoes to fill

Easily the rookie that will draw the most eyes is Keon Coleman, a 6'4" wide receiver that figures to slot in as the starting perimeter receiver in his first year. Expectations are all over the board, from modest and even-tempered to "WE DRAFTED THE NEXT ALPHA WIDE RECEIVER." The reality is that the production is likely to be somewhere in the middle as Josh Allen faces numerous challenging circumstances .

Coleman is big, he's fast, he has a great personality, his post-draft videos were engaging and hilarious, and he's going to see the field early. I worry, though, that if Coleman has anything less than a monster of a rookie season, that Bills Mafia will trash the pick and say that they should have never gotten rid of Stefon Diggs.

There are a few things about Coleman that the fanbase needs to remember. Firstly, he's only 21 years old. He was one of the youngest prospects in the entire NFL Draft. Secondly, he never played in a college system that allowed him to flourish. Thirdly, he isn't the world's most polished route runner. What he does have going for him, though, is a strong work ethic, which has stood out to OC Joe Brady this offseason.

What he is, though, is hyper-athletic, toolsy, and has a massive ceiling. Brandon Beane swung for the fences on this pick, but it might take some time for him to come into his own in the NFL. Expecting a 1,000 yard season and double digit touchdowns would be doing him a great disservice, but I'd be willing to bet there are some massive highlights sooner than later.

Cole Bishop will factor into the secondary early

The second of Buffalo's picks this year was used on safety Cole Bishop out of Utah. Beane wasted no time attempting to address massive roster holes left by the departures of Diggs and veteran safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, each of whom anchored the Buffalo secondary for years.

Much like the conversation surrounding Coleman and Diggs, you don't simply replace the ability, the production, and the leadership of franchise cornerstones overnight, but young players will be asked to step up and cast a light of their own in the midst of giant shadows.

Bishop is rangy, physical, and athletic, all things that Beane covets in the secondary. He can play in the box, he can shadow in coverage, he's a strong tackler – he's a jack of all trades type weapon for the secondary. Last year for Utah, Bishop lined up everywhere, taking 47% of his snaps lined up deep, 24% in the box, 18% in the slot, and a smattering of snaps at corner and even down on the line in pass rush as well.

The Bills have enjoyed prolonged continuity on the back end of their secondary, which is rare in today's NFL. Bishop will be a key part of transitioning to a new era in Buffalo.

Other rookies will look to carve out substantial roles for Buffalo

Eyes will primarily be on Coleman and Bishop, but there are plenty of other rookies looking to earn playing time in their first pro season.

• DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke (Round 3, Pick 95): The Bills went for a physical interior defensive lineman in the third round by selecting DeWayne Carter out of Duke. Carter was one of my favorite defensive prospects outside the first round, and he will have the opportunity to factor in as a rotational big man behind Ed Oliver.

• Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky (Round 4, Pick 128): Ray Davis is a bowling ball of a running back at 5'8" 200 lbs, providing some much needed thump to complement James Cook. Davis will be competing with veteran Ty Johnson, but Davis has an inside track to be the team's No. 2 back.

• Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C, Georgia (Round 5, Pick 141): Center is seemingly secure with Connor McGovern kicking inside to what he calls his natural position, but Sedrick Van Pran-Granger will be knocking at the door for reps. A captain and anchor on the powerhouse Georgia offensive line, Granger allowed only one sack in three years across 44 games played.

• Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington (Round 5, Pick 160): Edefuan Ulofoshio joins an established linebacker room, but one that was needing depth. He was a sixth-year prospect out of University of Washington that plays physically and with strong tackling.

• Javon Solomon, DE, Troy (Round 5, Pick 168): Javon Solomon is exactly the type of upside pick that you love to see on Day 3 of the draft. He's undersized for a pass rusher at only 6'1" 249 lbs, but his production (17 sacks in 2023) while lined up primarily over tackle or outside, combined with his strong athletic testing, is an intriguing combination. His tenacious motor and athleticism could see him factoring in as a rotational pass rusher as early as this year.

• Tylan Grable, OT, UCF (Round 6, Pick 204): Depth, depth, and more depth. Tylan Grable, much like Solomon, is an athletic prospect that tested incredibly well and is light on his feet. He will be competing for the rights to be the primary backup at left tackle.

• Daequan Hardy, CB, PSU (Round 6, Pick 219): More depth. More athleticism. Daequan Hardy joins the Bills as a depth nickel defensive back, while also getting a crack at being the top punt returner. Hardy made Penn State history by returning two punts for touchdowns in the same game in 2023.

• Travis Clayton, OT, International Player Pathway (Round 7, Pick 221): Talk about the biggest upside pick imaginable. The Bills opted, with their last pick, to take a former English rugby player through the International Player Pathway program in Travis Clayton, who is still learning how to play offensive tackle. He certainly has the size, standing 6'7" 302 lbs, and he ran a 4.79 40-yard dash at the IPP Pro Day, which would have been the best for an offensive lineman at this year's Combine by over a full tenth of a second.