The practice field was full once again Friday in Orchard Park as the Buffalo Bills began the process of evaluating their younger options.
In all, 51 players took the field Friday for rookie minicamp, a mix of draft picks, undrafted free agents, tryout players and a few returning Bills.
A few hours earlier, the Bills formally signed 12 undrafted free agents, all of whom had agreed to terms shortly after the NFL draft last month.
Those 12 rookies are:
- Wide receiver Kelly Akharaiyi (Mississippi State)
- Wide receiver Stephen Gosnell (Virginia Tech)
- Wide receiver Hal Presley (Baylor)
- Center Jacob Bayer (Arkansas State)
- Guard Rush Reimer (California)
- Tight end Keleki Latu (Washington)
- Defensive end Hayden Harris (Montana)
- Defensive end Paris Shand (LSU)
- Defensive tackle Devin Brandt-Epps (New Mexico)
- Linebacker Keonta Jenkins (Virginia Tech)
- Cornerback Daryl Porter (Miami)
- Safety Wande Owens (New Hampshire)
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The Bills used this group to add depth at different positions for training camp, and to get a look at players who slipped through the draft.
Last season, the Bills ended their year with nine undrafted players on their roster. As the latest group of rookies prepares for the Bills鈥 two-day rookie minicamp, those players will get their shot at latching on to the roster longer.
The Bills also hosted 26 additional players at rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
The 26 tryout players help ensure that the overall group can have a full practice, but don鈥檛 consider them just extra bodies. Last season, linebacker Joe Andreessen began his journey with the Bills on a rookie tryout basis.
The tryout players鈥 position groups broke down as: two quarterbacks, four offensive linemen, three running backs, two wide receivers, two edge rushers, two defensive tackles, three linebackers, four defensive backs and four specialists.
The group was headlined locally by former St. Francis standout Matt Jaworski, who was the 2024 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year at Fordham.
A defensive end, Jaworski had a rookie minicamp tryout with the Seattle Seahawks last week, before returning home for Buffalo鈥檚.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to have the opportunity, especially being a local kid growing up in Buffalo, for me to get this opportunity 鈥 just honored,鈥 he said Friday.
Jaworski said he talked to Andreessen about what the process was like, getting 鈥渢ips and pointers鈥 from the Bills linebacker about how the day would go.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not as nervous going into it, and you know what to expect,鈥 Jaworski said.
It was 鈥渃ool鈥 for Jaworski to put on a Bills jersey, but he said continuing to play football was more important than what team it came on. With that in mind, he focused on proving himself to the Buffalo coaching staff.
鈥淢y speed,鈥 he said, when asked what he wanted to show off. 鈥淏e able to show how quick I can get off the ball, consistent in both pass and run, and just show them hard work.鈥
Friday also gave the rookies a chance to know each other and build rapport there.
A safety who played at Yale and New Hampshire, Owens relished the chance to play some 11-on-11.
鈥淔avorite part is the team, because team (practice) period, everyone鈥檚 excited,鈥 Owens said.
A few players noted that the Bills coaching staff was tough on them, but in a way the players appreciated.
鈥淭hey went from recruiting mode to coaching mode,鈥 Owens said. 鈥淚 like that kind of coaching, and it brings out the best of me.鈥
Defensive back Jordan Hancock, one of the team鈥檚 nine draft picks, echoed Owens.
鈥淲ent good, just really focusing on the fundamentals and try to take the meeting to the field,鈥 Hancock said. 鈥淕etting coached hard, but the coaches know what they鈥檙e talking about, and they鈥檙e the best coaching staff, so I鈥檓 just ready to learn and ready to build on today.鈥
