As the NFL Draft is over and rookie minicamp is just about to start, the Buffalo Bills fans look forward to seeing favorable rookies show off their talents. The Bills have a plethora of young talent keen to break through to earn a starting roster spot come this fall, building excitement for the approaching season.
With some of the teams' aging players slowing down, now is the time for general manager Brandon Beane to give a solid look at the rookie draft picks he invested his time and energy into. Adding younger pieces to the offense is important for superstar quarterback Josh Allen, as he isn't getting any younger.
Five rookies who may start Week 1 for Bills
5.) P Tommy Doman
The Bills have been focusing on their current punting situation, as Mitch Wishnowsky, at 36 years of age, regressed last season. Doman is only 23 years old, stands at 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, with a cannon of a leg.
Last season in the annual Florida-Florida State rivalry game, Doman boomed a whopping 71-yard punt, and he may be able to do that as the new Highmark Stadium will be windproof inside. The big leg kicker is used to kick in cold weather, as he previously kicked for the University of Michigan from 2021-23 and won a national championship in 2023.
Doman has an excellent chance of beating out the 36-year-old punter, due to his, kick power and pinpoint accuracy on corner punts.
4.) S Jalon Kilgore
The Bills may have gotten possibly the steal of the draft when they selected Kilgore in the 5th round of the NFL Draft. Kilgore was projected to be either a Day 2 or Day 3 pick, but ended up falling to the Bills in a perfect high-value pick.
At 6-foot-1, 211 pounds, Kilgore is a big thumping safety who is a perfect fit for Jim Leonhard's aggressive 3-4 scheme. He will also run something in his defense called the "big nickel package" where three safeties are out on the field at the same time to try to cover the more athletic tight ends and also the big, tall receivers. The Bbig nickel is ran in college, and it's shown to translate to a bigger, faster league like the NFL.
Kilgore will also be reunited with his former college teammate, Bills defensive lineman T.J. Sanders, who was drafted in the second round of the 2025 draft.
3.) WR Skyler Bell
Probably one of the fan favorite picks in the draft by the Bills. At 6-foot,185 pounds, Bell is a very fast wide receiver who can also play with possession and physicality. He's not afraid to leap up taller defensive backs and come down with the ball in his hands, then turn on the jets while racking up yards after the catch.
Bell has the opportunity to either play in the slot or challenge for one of the two outside starting receiver spots on Day 1.
2.) EDGE T.J. Parker
The Bills made a smart, financially savvy pick by selecting Parker at No. 35. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound athlete was projected to be there when the Bills were picking at No. 26, but after trading three times out of the first round, he fell right to the Bills with the third pick in the second round.
He's a typical Brandon Beane EDGE draft pick. He's big with good hands and has a quick initial burst, but finishes the play with power and a violent hit on the quarterback. The attacking force will be an outside linebacker in the Bills' 3-4 scheme, and will likely start as the team's fourth edge rusher. Don't be surprised if, midway through the year, though, he's competing for more playing time along with Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb.
1.) C Davison Igbinosun
Igbinosun is a picture-perfect definition of a modern-day NFL corner. He is 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, with a great motor, and is very aggressive in man and press coverage. He plays a very "in your face" game, which may lead to penalties, but he cleaned that up towards the back end of the 2025 college football season.
He also comes from an NFL defensive scheme, as Ohio State's defensive coordinator was Matt Patricia, the long-time NFL coach. Also, if you go back and see how many players on Ohio State's defense went in the early rounds of the draft, you could have built a historic NFL defense by just selecting all those players.
Igbinosun might be the most NFL-ready corner in the league, and will likely be competing for the No. 3 or 4 cornerspot with the ability to move to the outside spots on Day 1.
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