ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane promised no hesitations about drafting an offensive lineman on the heels of signing six newcomers in free agency.
The Bills traded up two spots in the second round of the NFL draft to select Oklahoma offensive tackle Cody Ford with the 38th overall pick on Friday night. They followed up that selection by drafting Florida Atlantic running back Devin Singletary in the third round and 74th overall.
Ford is listed at 6-foot-3 and 329 pounds, and earned first-team Big 12 honors with 14 starts at right tackle as a junior last season. He was part of a Sooners line that won the Joe Moore Award, given to college football’s best unit. Ford also has experience playing guard.
The Bills dealt their second of two fifth-round draft picks — 158th overall — to move up two spots in a trade with the Oakland Raiders.
Ford was initially projected to be a first-round selection and was still in Nashville, Tennessee, where the draft was held. He was watching the draft on television in his hotel room when his name was called.
Though disappointed, Ford put a positive spin on having to wait an extra day.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “This situation could be better than any situation in the first round.”
Ford’s selection continued Buffalo’s offseason bid to overhaul what had been a patchwork line last season. Beane dismissed the notion that he was done addressing Buffalo’s offensive line needs about 10 days before the draft.
Ford’s versatility means he can compete for various jobs on a line that could feature five new starters, including center Mitch Morse.
Buffalo’s other offensive additions were tackles LaAdrian Waddle and Ty Nsekhe and guards Spencer Long, Jon Feliciano and Quinton Spain.
Running back wasn’t considered a major need either after the Bills signed Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon in free agency to work behind starter LeSean McCoy. The group is old, with Gore set to turn 36 and McCoy 31 by the start of next season.
At 5-foot-7 and 203 pounds, Singletary had 4,287 yards rushing and scored 66 touchdowns in 38 career games over three seasons. In 2017, he became the first Florida Atlantic player to earn All-American honors after he had 1,918 yards rushing and scored 32 TDs.
Buffalo closes the draft with six picks over the final for rounds on Saturday. Among the Bills’ needs are receiver, tight end and linebacker.
Ford redshirted in 2015, and then his following season was cut short after he broke his left leg three games in. He returned to start 12 games at left guard in 2017.
Last year, Ford was credited with a team-best 127 knockdowns while allowing just two sacks.
“He had to overcome a ton here at OU with the really bad injury against Ohio State in his first year and then moving positions,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said in a release issued by the school. “He’s one of the nastiest offensive linemen I’ve ever coached, and I think he was probably the most dominant tackle in the country last year.”
Ford’s selection was announced by Bills former center Eric Wood, who was forced to retire a year ago after sustaining a career-ending neck injury.
Buffalo opened the draft by selecting Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver with the ninth pick Thursday.
Oliver addressed an immediate need in being pegged to replace Kyle Williams, who retired after 13 seasons in Buffalo.
The 21-year-old Oliver said his first objective is earning a spot on the team.
“Kyle Williams is in a league of his own I haven’t even come close to touching,” Oliver said. “I just want to come in and compete.”
He spoke after traveling with his family from Nashville, arriving at the Bills facility where he met with team officials, including owners Terry and Kim Pegula.
Oliver noted Williams was among the first people to reach out to him after being drafted.
“It was basically letting me know everything’s going to be all right, and if I need anything to hit him up,” he said, noting he plans to take Williams up on his offer. “Just him taking the time out of his day, he didn’t have to do that. I feel honored.”
