Buffalo Bills undrafted free agent tracker: Who they signed after 2024 NFL Draft
The Buffalo Bills are looking for their next diamond in the rough following the 2024 NFL Draft. They started with the son of running back royalty.
Buffalo signed Southern Mississippi running back Frank Gore Jr. as an undrafted free agent almost immediately after the conclusion of the draft. Gore Jr. is the son of future Hall of Famer Frank Gore, who is third on the all-time career rushing list with 16,000 yards.
Here is the Bills undrafted free agent tracker to follow who the team signs. These players didn't hear their names called during the draft but still have a chance to battle for a roster spot.
Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Mississippi
Frank Gore Jr. has an NFL pedigree. Gore Jr. was a two-time All-Sun Belt running back and led Southern Mississippi in rushing yards in each of the last four seasons, totaling 4,022 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns in his career. Gore Jr. will have a chance to compete for a roster spot on a Bills team that isn't deep at running back. James Cook is the starter but behind him are rookie fourth-round pick Ray Davis along with Ty Johnson and Darrynton Evans.
Gore Sr., who holds the record for most games played by a running back (241), played for the Bills in 2019. He thought his son should've been drafted.
"We’re good,” Gore Sr. told CBS Sports' Josina Anderson. “We're going to Buffalo man to do our thing. Tell them they better be ready — trust me. I know what I’m raising. Folks slept on my son; they slept on me too — they'll see. My bloodline is for real.
“Our (pre-draft) testing was identical,” Gore Sr. said. “All the scouts were like you can tell that’s my son. I (expletive) with (Bills GM) (Brandon) Beane. He’s the real deal. I’m happy to get my son to this point. We’re coming to play. Buffalo got a dog; I promise you that. I don't give a (expletive) about a draft pick. We’re about to party and do our thing."
Gunner Britton, OL, Auburn
Gunner Britton started every game in his lone season at Auburn after spending four years at Western Kentucky. NFL.com ranked Britton the 13th best undrafted free agent offensive tackle.
Keaton Bills, OG, Utah
He already has Bills in his name. Keaton Bills is a 6-foot-4 1/2, 321-pound offensive guard who made 36 starts at Utah. He was named Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 in each of the last two seasons. Bills allowed just two sacks in 2,263 snaps over his last three years.
Rondell Bothroyd, EDGE, Oklahoma
Rondell Bothroyd recorded 25 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in one season at Oklahoma. Before that, Bothroyd was at Wake Forest for five years and had 15.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss.
Jack Browning, P, San Diego State
Jack Browning is the second San Diego State punter in three years added by the Bills on draft weekend. Buffalo drafted Matt Araiza in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Browning had a circuitous journey to the NFL. He didn't receive any Division I offers in high school, attended a junior college near his home and transferred to San Diego State. Browning was the 2022 Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year and was the teams punter and placekicker.
He's the third Bills punter on the roster. He'll have an uphill climb against veterans Sam Martin and Matt Haack.
Te'Cory Couch, CB, Miami
Te'Cory Couch registered 38 tackles, three interceptions and four passes defensed with the Hurricanes in 2023. He is a slot corner and played in all 61 games over five seasons in Miami, totaling 153 tackles.
Branson Deen, DL, Miami
Branson Deen was a sixth-year redshirt senior who played at Purdue before transferring to Miami for the 2023 season. He played in 50 games with 92 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 10 sacks with the Boilermakers and Hurricanes.
Mike Edwards, OT, Campbell
Mike Edwards was a two-time All-American in the Football Championship Subdivision and earned First-Team All-CAA honors at Campbell in 2023. Campbell ranked No. 2 in the FCS in pass blocking efficiency, according to Pro Football Focus. Edwards, who is 25 years old, is 6-foot-7 and 355 pounds. He's the second player named Mike Edwards on the Bills.
Xavier Johnson Jr., WR, Ohio State
Xavier Johnson Jr. turned down scholarship offers to walk on at Ohio State. He parlayed that decision into a full scholarship and six-year college career with the Buckeyes. Johnson Jr. had 26 receptions for 329 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 353 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries with the Buckeyes.
He has good size at 6 feet, 202 pounds and could carve a role as a return specialist or core special teamer, according to NFL.com. Johnson Jr. was a team captain and four-time Ohio State scholar-athlete who graduated in 2021 with a degree in consumer and family financial services and earned his master's in translational data analytics in May.
Keni-H Lovely, CB, Western Michigan
Keni-H Lovely recorded 96 tackles, six interceptions, seven pass breakups, 11.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a sack over the last two seasons at Western Michigan. Lovely, who will turn 24 in May, ran an unofficial 4.35 40-yard dash at his pro day. His brother, Joe Looney, was a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and played 91 games for the San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys.
Lawrence Keys III, WR, Tulane
Lawrence Keys had 33 catches for 599 yards and seven touchdowns for Tulane in 2023. He averaged 27.1 yards on 23 kickoff returns and added 296 yards and two touchdowns on 30 receptions in 2022. Keys transferred to Tulane after four years at Notre Dame.
David Ugwoegbu, EDGE, Houston
His name is pronounced uh-GWAY-boo. David Ugwoegbu is 6-foot-4, 250 pounds and is coming off a career-high three sacks in his senior season at Houston. He had seven sacks and 22 tackles for his loss in his career that spanned four years at Oklahoma and one year at Houston.
Bills rookie camp invites
Stephen Hillis, LB, South Dakota
Stephen Hillis led the Missouri Valley Conference and ranked fourth in the country with 115 tackles with in 2022. He finished his South Dakota career with 234 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.
Hillis started at the United States Air Force Academy before he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and discharged. Hillis' parents are both U.S. Navy veterans and his grandfather was a pilot in the Army Air Corps in World War II. After the medical diagnosis, Hillis walked on to the South Dakota football team.
He has graduated with an MBA and master's in kinesiology.
Sheridan Jones, CB, Clemson
Sheridan Jones played 56 games at Clemson, totaling 108 tackles, three interceptions and five tackles for loss. He's a former top 100 high school recruit and two time All-ACC Academic Team member.
Nelson Paul, DE, Southern Methodist University
Nelson Paul recorded 105 tackles, 15 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss in his SMU career.
Gunnar Watson, QB, Troy
Gunner Watson passed for 10,275 and 65 touchdowns in his six-year career at Troy. He completed 268 of 439 passes (61%) for 3,569 yards with 27 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2023. The Bills drafted Watson's college teammate, defensive end Javon Solomon, in the fifth round. Solomon led the nation in sacks with 16 in 2023.
Alfahiym Walcott, S, Arkansas
Alfahiym Walcott was fourth on the team with 56 tackles and had three interceptions, including a pick six, in his lone season with Arkansas last year following two years at a junior college and three at Baylor. He was selected Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2022 and finished his career with 171 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, two sacks and three forced fumbles.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills undrafted free agent tracker after 2024 NFL Draft