The 2026 NFL Draft has officially come to a close and the Buffalo Bills should be listed as big time winners after a phenomenal Day 3 process. The Bills came into this draft with just seven picks and they walked out with ten draft picks after multiple trade-downs to gain extra draft capital.
Not only did the Bills gain extra picks, but they took care of every major need that they had. There was an overhaul of defensive picks, giving defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard a lot to work with this summer. The Bills also managed to bring in offensive help at wide receiver and in the trenches.
Now that the draft is officially completed, we have a breakdown of the entire draft class for the Bills with final grades and analysis for each pick.
Grading Bills 2026 rookie draft class
Round 2, #35: T.J. Parker, EDGE - Clemson
Grade: B+
Realistically, Buffalo had three chance to draft T.J. Parker in the first round but decided to get him early on in the second round. With the Bills going to a 3-4 defense under Jim Leonhard, they needed to bring in an edge rusher who can create a pass rush rather than just be a run defender. Getting Parker should have been no surprise to Bills fans.
Round 2, #62: Davison Igbinosun, CB - Ohio State
Grade: C+
The Bills traded up from early in the third to the back end of the second round to select Davison Igbinosun out of Ohio State. This was a bit of a shock considering that the Bills didn’t have a pressing need for a starting corner. However, Brandon Beane explained the importance of grabbing cornerback help when you can, and now the Bills have someone who is great in press coverage.
Round 4, #102: Jude Bowry, OL - Boston College
Grade: A-
The Bills add more protection for Josh Allen with Jude Bowry out of Boston College. Bowry is a primary left tackle, but he may have the ability to play guard which could earn him some serious playing time sooner than later. The Bills traded back one spot from No. 101 to No. 102 while acquiring a 2027 7th-round pick from the Raiders, and then selected Bowry.
Round 4, #125: Skyler Bell, WR - UConn
Grade: A
I absolutely love this pick for the Bills. Buffalo needed a wide receiver and they were patient by waiting for Bell to fall to them near the end of the 4th round. Bell is going to bring a different dynamic to this offense, as he can line up in the slot and outside which should be music to Joe Brady’s ears.
Round 4, #126: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB - TCU
Grade: B+
Buffalo had back-to-back 4th round picks and they used their second one to draft linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who is extremely athletic and could be the Matt Milano replacement for this Buffalo defense. He runs downhill and attacks the ball rather than just the player. This was a solid pick.
Round 5, #167: Jalon Kilgore, S - South Carolina
Grade: B
How Jalon Kilgore fell this far is beyond me. He is a big safety who can play great in man coverage. Most people thought that he would have been a Day 2 pick, but he fell to the 5th round which is great for the Bills. Even though Buffalo is loaded at safety right now, Kilgore could become a starter alongside Cole Bishop after 2026 if not sooner.
Round 5, #181: Zane Durant, DT - Penn State
Grade: C+
This wasn’t the flashiest pick the Bills made, but they addressed the defensive line by bringing in Zane Durant who is a fast defensive lineman. He fires off the ball quickly and he can take on zone blocks well. However, if the Bills are hoping that he can take on double teams, they will be disappointed as he is only 6-foot-1, 294lbs.
Round 7, #220: Toriano Pride Jr., CB - Missouri
Grade: D
This was my least favorite pick that the Bills made. Toriano Pride is definitely a speedy corner who can stick with receivers, but he is a smaller player who may not provide much, if any value at stopping the run. This seems more like a special teams pick for Buffalo.
Round 7, #239: Tommy Doman, P - Florida
Grade: B
The Bills have created a punter competition with Mitch Wishnowsky after they drafted Tommy Doman. Buffalo needed to bring in a young punter for the future and it would not be surprising to see Doman take the starting job come August.
Round 7, #241: Ar'Maj Reed-Adams, OL - Texas A&M
Grade: C+
You can never be upset when adding offensive line depth. To finish out the Bills' draft class, they selected offensive lineman Ar'Maj Reed-Adams who is primarily a guard. While it's unlikely that he makes the final 53-man roster, he should be good training camp depth.
Add us as a preferred source on Google