The Buffalo Bills have done a tremendous job when it comes to getting the most out of late-round defensive backs. Dane Jackson was a seventh-round pick whom Buffalo got valuable playing time out of before he signed with the Carolina Panthers this past offseason. The Bills also turned Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, two Day Three picks, into arguably the best safety tandem in football.
Their Mona Lisa, however, may be cornerback Christian Benford.
Benford was drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2022, and he was an immediate contributor. He played in 62 percent of defensive snaps as a rookie before becoming a starter in 2023. Now in 2024, he is off to a tremendous start and is out-playing his AFC East counterpart, Sauce Gardner, whom many consider the best cornerback in the NFL.
Per PFF, Benford has a far higher coverage grade (81.3) than Gardner (49.6). Benford has also only allowed four receptions on 10 targets for 25 yards while Gardner has allowed five catches on seven targets. Benford also has an interception - Gardner does not. Benford has allowed a passer rating of 8.3 to Gardner's 153.3.
It may be a small sample size thus far, but in 2024, Christian Benford has been far superior to Sauce Gardner and is quickly emerging as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.