The Buffalo Bills entered the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 with seven picks over the three-day draft, but traded three times to exit the first round and ended up with nine picks.
The Bills went in with some of the lowest total draft capital in the league, thanks to their trade for wide receiver DJ Moore, a deal that sent their second-round pick to the Chicago Bears for the player and a fifth-round pick.
General manager Brandon Beane will have some opportunities to add critical starters and depth to their team.
Round 2
No. 35: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson
How he fits
With the switch to a 3-4 defense, the Bills needed a different type of pass rusher. Parker is a solid, productive addition who should help in that transition. Parker (6-3 ½, 263) collected 21.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss over three seasons at Clemson and set a school record in 2024 with six forced fumbles. He was a safe pick but a quality one. If Buffalo had drafted him at No. 26 on Thursday, it would generate the same reaction. That the Bills got Parker at No. 35 is an even bigger win. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Parker is still learning how to unlock counter maneuvers, but he offers a reliable foundation built on leveraged power and a consistent motor that helps him make plays as a rusher and run defender. He projects as a solid NFL starter, similar to Jabaal Sheard.
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis
Grade: A
No. 62: Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State
How he fits
An extremely physical corner with great length and a great overall frame, Igbinosun is very hard to beat in press or near the line of scrimmage and at the catch point. He does grab a lot, though, and will have to reel his hands in to avoid becoming an NFL penalty magnet. — Nick Baumgardner
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Igbinosun is a long, lanky cornerback with the speed and competitive edge that NFL coaches covet in press-man schemes. If he can trade his grabby tendencies for better trust in his technique, he has a multi-contract NFL career ahead of him.
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis
Grade: B+
Round 4
No. 102: Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Bowry is still raw in key areas of playing tackle against skilled pass rushers, but he is a twitchy big man with length and core strength worth developing. A move inside to guard might be in his best interest long-term.
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis
The Bills have added a substantial piece to their offensive line room by selecting Jude Bowry out of Boston College at pick No. 102. He has experience at both left and right tackle, but has some potential to slide inside at guard — and that positional versatility is important to the Bills. In the short term, the Bills can develop Bowry as a backup for the upcoming season. Past that, with left guard unsettled for the long term, right guard O’Cyrus Torrence’s contract expiring after 2026 and left tackle Dion Dawkins entering his age-32 season with a deal expiring after 2027, there are multiple routes for Bowry to find his way into the starting lineup in one to two years.
No. 125: Skyler Bell, WR, Connecticut
How he fits
Buffalo did a nice job of grabbing some productive players in consecutive picks. The Bills landed a solid possession receiver in UConn’s Skyler Bell, who played three seasons at Wisconsin before transferring in 2024. Last season, Bell (5-11 1/2 192) really took off for the Huskies and earned All-American honors after catching 101 passes for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns. TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr (6-2, 234) led the Big 12 in tackles with 130, including 11 for loss, and four sacks. He played three seasons at Cal before transferring to TCU in 2024. Both are productive, plug-and-play candidates. — Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Bell doesn’t stand out with his size or physicality, but his route savvy helps him slip past coverage and accelerate. He projects best as an NFL slot who will fight his way onto the field.
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis
Although the Bills declined to add a receiver with one of their first two selections, they invested a late fourth-round pick to round out their room in WR Skyler Bell out of UConn. The Bills needed a very precise type of receiver who could be a complementary skill addition to the rest of their room, and they found that in Bell. At 5-11 and 192 pounds, Bell provides the Bills some inside and outside versatility, with the chance to line up both in the slot and at Z receiver. Now with Bell, the Bills have what should be their complete receiver room in DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Bell and the still-injured Tyrell Shavers.
No. 126: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
Dane Brugler’s analysis
Elarms-Orr needs to continue maturing his eye discipline and development in coverage, but he is explosive in short areas and has the range to cover ground. Given his athleticism and football character, teams like his floor as a special-teamer with the talent to become more.
Joe Buscaglia’s analysis
The Bills desperately needed to add an inside linebacker in this year’s draft, given the state of their depth chart and a switch in scheme, and they found one who suits their defense perfectly in TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr. The No. 126 pick was one of my three favorite fits at inside linebacker for the Bills due to his skill set in what the Bills now covet at the position. At 234 pounds, he has excellent size that the Bills lack; he has great athleticism for that size and is an excellent tackler and blitzer. Elarms-Orr can improve in some areas, but doesn’t have a critical weakness in his game. This is a player who could start for the Bills as early as 2026, and even if he doesn’t, he has extensive experience playing special teams.
Round 5
No. 167 (via Texans)
No. 168
Round 7
No. 220 (via Jets)
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