2026 Buffalo Bills NFL Draft Recap
The Buffalo Bills took 10 players in this year’s NFL Draft and really spread it all over the field in terms of needs and wants. Let’s take a look at the highlights.
Best player pick:
Skyler Bell, UConn WR
When you have an elite QB, what do you do? You keep finding him weapons. Bell is exactly that. Speed, route running, hands and production from this position. You also can line him up everywhere. He can be deadly after the catch and most of the Huskies’ passing offense ran through him. Joe Brady should be able to do plenty with Bell, a consensus All-America in 2025.
Best value pick:
Jude Bowry, Boston College OT
6’5 and 315 pounds. He anchored the left tackle position in all but 23 starts. Great size and athleticism and strength for the position. Could be a steal. The Bills have formed an elite offensive line the last couple years and must keep protecting Josh Allen. Cornerstone left tackle Dion Dawkins is only getting older and will eventually have an expiring contract, or the Bills could move on before that and save some cash on the salary cap. There were rumblings about that this offseason already with Dawkins having some fun on social media with it. Dawkins has to drop some weight and get back to his elite status, however, as he dipped a bit in 2025. Bowry has to polish up plenty at the position but already has great strength and a nice base. He needs more strength and more sustainability with blocking overall and must play lower in the run game for a guy like James Cook to seal off the edge and create for the inside. Bowry, overall, is a smart pick by Buffalo. 
Most surprising pick:
T.J. Parker, Clemson Edge
Parker looks to be more of the same that the Bills have taken a chance on in the NFL Draft from an edge perspective and skill set. Parker doesn’t do anything to overwhelm you and can be a rotation piece. Is that what’s needed for a team that needs a true stopper when it’s all on the line in January? It feels like this is all we talk about. Whether it’s production or injury and against the Chiefs or Broncos or Bengals, the Bills cannot get to the QB and cannot get off the field on 3rd Down repeatedly. Von Miller, Joey Bosa, scheme, coaching, role players, whatever. It’s been brutal. Parker did have a good Senior Bowl, which the Bills always take stock in, and a good combine. He is a big tackle for a loss guy and likes to strip the ball away. Nothing is bad but nothing is great. Maybe, though, that’s what Jim Leonard wants as new defensive coordinator. His 3-4 defense will attack like crazy all game long with moving parts and rotation pieces who are versatile with ranging skill sets. Parker could blend in nicely from that standpoint. Time will tell.
7th Round punter:
Tommy Doman was picked by Buffalo out of Florida. He averaged 44.0 yards per punt in 2025 and dropped 17 of 50 inside the 20-yard line. Sold hang time and leg strength. Doman is a big guy at 6’4, 215 pounds and played at Michigan prior to UF, where he also handled kickoffs. Anytime you can win more field position, the better.
Bottom line:
The Bills traded out early multiple times to get more draft capital. They wanted to fill things up with more players and more options. It’s that simple.
Meanwhile, it’s a transition year in certain areas with some familiar faces in Buffalo. New head coach who is the same offensive coordinator as Brady will be running the offense. A new defensive coordinator and a new system. A new stadium.
Expectations? That’s probably the constant. HIGH to say the least. Josh Allen and the Bills take another swing at a ring in their current title window.
