The Buffalo Bills, for the second time in as many seasons, found themselves eliminated from AFC playoff contention at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. A battle so even and hard-fought it even brought about an overtime rule change at last week's NFL meetings in Florida.

The Bills are looking to rebound, and have built a foundation over the course of the 2022 offseason that should allow for a deep playoff run and a potential Super Bowl appearance in 2023. The additions of edge rusher Von Miller and offensive guard Roger Saffold III addressed the most immediate and glaring needs for Buffalo, allowing them to enter the 2022 NFL Draft next month with an open mind and a flexible game plan.

The secondary needs for the Bills are a tad murkier, as holes at the second wide receiver and cornerback positions could use a shot in the arm after the departures of Emmanuel Sanders and Levi Wallace respectively. However, as most mock drafts are showing, cornerbacks could be flying off the board by pick-25, and the depth at receiver appears to be, at least on paper, a fair amount deeper than defensive back.

Below we discuss the three best players likely available for the Buffalo Bills at 25, and how they could be a potential fit.

The 3 best players the Bills can select with the 25th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft

3. Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State

With the upper echelon of cornerbacks such as Ahmad Garner, Derek Stingley Jr., and Trent McDuffie likely off the board by the time the Bills are on the clock at 25, it leaves a number of second-tier cornerbacks up for debate. Martin Emerson out of Mississippi State offers a unique frame and athleticism that with the right coaching, could make for a quality second cornerback in the NFL.

He is the tallest cornerback in the draft standing at 6'2″, and uses that length to his advantage. With his reach, he is able to alter routes in man coverage fairly well and offers the flexibility with his vision and awareness to be disruptive in zone coverage. He rarely gets beat over the top with his ability to reach top speed quickly and is not afraid to get dirty on run defense. That ability to not get beat deep could prove worthwhile in a division where one of your rivals is trotting out Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

2. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington 

Tre'Davious White is the unquestioned number-one cornerback for the Bills heading into the 2022 season, which should mean that he's taking away a team's number one target. This would mean that the second cornerback on the depth chart could be a little more focused on the short game and run defense. That is where former Washington Huskie's corner Kyler Gordon excels.

Gordon has a stockier frame than many of his counterparts but still has enough athleticism to play in the slot. He's an aggressive player that likes to shock receivers at the line of scrimmage and is not afraid to take on tight ends or larger receivers. He had two interceptions during his 2021 campaign, showing that he has the necessary ball skills to cause havoc for the quarterbacks looming in a tough AFC East.

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1. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

While Martin Emerson and Kyler Gordon each possess strengths in different areas of playing in the defensive backfield, Andrew Booth might be just the right combination of both that could be available with the 25th-overall selection.

Like Emerson, Booth is a big, rangy athlete that loves to use his physical style in both pass coverage and the run game. He attacks blockers aggressively, allowing for him to help largely in the run game, and uses that same gameplan in coverage where he has shown the necessary ball skills to attack the ball or time up a breakup through the hands of the wide receiver. Just ask Virginia how this one-handed grab from 2020 made them feel.

Booth garners a lot of interest from clubs looking for an “all-around” cornerback in this year's draft, which could be in high demand. Of the three mentioned here, Booth could be the most likely to be snagged by a team ahead of the Bills at 25.