With the first week of free agency in the books, the Buffalo Bills can begin to craft a clearer plan for the 2026 NFL Draft. While general manager Brandon Beane addressed two key positions of need, wide receiver and edge rusher, Bills Mafia can’t help shake the feeling that there is still work to be done at both positions.
That brings us to the wide receiver position, which is still a likely position to target in the first round for Buffalo. While D.J. Moore can take the No. 1 receiver role comfortably, he’ll need help getting open with other threats added to the offense.
A young receiver in this draft could be the answer in that regard, whether the Bills target size or speed. That said, if rumors are to be believed about one of the Bills’ most often mocked prospects for their No. 26 overall first-round pick, the Bills may have to look in a different direction entirely.
Denzel Boston’s NFL Combine performance raised red flags for scouts Bills can't ignore
Washington’s Denzel Boston was Buffalo’s most commonly mocked prospect in round one before free agency began, according to NFL Mock Draft Database. That’s since shifted to Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen, but it’s not just because Buffalo picked up a new receiver.
It’s more so because Boston’s NFL Combine performance exposed the fears most scouts have when it comes to a big-bodied receiver such as the former Husky.
“The 6'4", 212-pound option didn't show the level of explosiveness expected during what little athletic testing he did participate in, particularly when it comes to a receiver who thrived in contested-catch situations, at least at the collegiate level,” Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski wrote in a recent article discussing a handful of prospects whose stock is dipping ahead of the draft. “Furthermore, he unexpectedly dropped some passes during his positional workout.”
Of course, Boston will still be drafted relatively early, and the Bills only have one shot at him barring a trade of some kind that puts the Bills back in the second round. Even then, that’d have to be an early Day 2 selection if there’s any intention of picking up Boston.
And for what it’s worth, Boston is still getting mocked to Buffalo and other teams in the back half of the first round. Since March 10, NFL Mock Draft Database has seen Boston mocked anywhere from 13 to the Rams down to the Denver Broncos at 30. Three of those 12 mock drafts had him go to Buffalo at No. 26, and another three sent him to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 29.
So, for now, it looks like Boston’s value is still in a safe range if the Bills are interested in his services this April. That said, it could be viewed as a reach by then. And if that's the case, it wouldn’t be overly surprising if the Bills look for a new target at the position, particularly someone with a more impactful speed profile, or stick with their new most commonly mocked player in C.J. Allen.