The Buffalo Bills enter the 2026 NFL Draft optimistic that they will find the right body type of edge rusher sometime early in their selection. Their 2025 third-round pick, Landon Jackson, is looking to put last year's unproductive and injury-riddled rookie season behind him.
Jackson was drafted along with second-round pick T.J. Sanders and fourth-round pick Deone Walker. As of right now, Sanders has a good chance to be the team's next left defensive end, and Walker is the projected starter at nose tackle. The question is, who will compete for the starting right defensive end this year under their new 3-4 defensive look?
Jackson was the most underwhelming contributor of the three linemen drafted in their old 4-3 scheme. The team is looking for improved performance from him, as he may face removal from his role. To make sure that doesn't happen, the former Arkansas athlete will have to step up and compete against some stiff competition that could come from the 2026 NFL Draft.
3 EDGE Rushers who could provide competition for Landon Jackson
David Bailey - Texas Tech
Bailey is an athletic showstopper and a gifted pass-rush specialist. At 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, he totaled 14.5 sacks in 2025 for a Red Raider defense that was historic in the offensive-heavy Big 12 Conference. However, the chance of Bailey falling out of the Top 10 is extremely low, but never say never.
Having led Texas Tech to a Big 12 Championship and a trip to the College Football Playoffs, Bailey will now play a key part in bringing that winning mentality to a Buffalo team that aims to be tough and relentless on defense. He would immediately replace Jackson in his rookie season as a starting left or right defensive end in Buffalo's 3-4 scheme.
Akheem Mesidor - Miami (FL)
Mesidor knew he was destined to be an NFL Draft pick the moment he set foot on campus at West Virginia University. In his first year, he was named to the All-Big 12 second team with 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks.
In his second season, he moved to nose tackle, where he recorded 38 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. Then the versatile athlete went into the transfer portal and committed to the University of Miami Hurricanes.
Last season, Mesidor was a first-team All-ACC and a second-team All-American, while he and fellow Hurricane prospect Ruben Bain Jr. helped push each other to become better.
The 6-foot-3, 280-pound athlete is big and versatile enough to play either the left or defensive end spot in Buffalo's 3-4 scheme and would be joining former Miami Hurricane alum and current Bills outside linebacker, Greg Rousseau.
Malachi Lawrence - UCF
Like Bailey, Lawrence is an athletic pass rusher with good size and technique to pressure NFL quarterbacks. At UCF, he was first-team All-Big 12 last season with 28 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 7 sacks in a Big 12 conference where defense is basically non-existent.
At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Lawrence has the prototypical size for an NFL defensive lineman, with great power and rare 4.52 speed. His unique physical characteristics can spark interest with teams, leading to results at the next level. It seems that as every game gets bigger later in the season, he continues to improve, as he did during the Big 12's rugged 9-game conference slate.
In Buffalo's scheme, he is quick enough that he could play at either left or right D-end or even outside linebacker. Lawrence is that fast, which you can't coach, and he has natural athletic ability to line up anywhere in any defensive scheme.
For Jackson, though, it's either beat one of these rookies out, move to outside linebacker, or the unthinkable, move on.
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