The Buffalo Bills made ten selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they managed to do it without making a selection in the first round. The Bills were going into the event with seven selections that didn’t include a second round pick, which was traded for DJ Moore. Not many fans were happy, but Brandon Beane ended up having a solid draft class.
The one player that received the most love when they were drafted by the Bills was UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell. Not only was it because the Bills needed wide receiver help, but Bell has the versatility to play all over the field.
While he should bring a lot of excitement, the most rookie that has the attention of defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr has chance to stand out as most promising Bills rookie
Drafted in the 4th round out of TCU, Elarms-Orr’s drop was a bit surprising considering his athleticism and ability to play great sideline-to-sideline football. He has surprised people throughout the summer and now he is continuing to do so early on in training camp.
Elarms-Orr has already talked about how he wants to prove himself and be a starter sooner than later, even as a rookie. During the summer, Elarms-Orr had the chance to stand out as Dorian Williams missed time due to an injury (but is good now). Elarms-Orr caught the attention of his defensive coordinator in Jim Leonhard, and Leonhard recently talked about Elarms-Orr in a way that could change up the depth chart.
After the second day of training camp, Leonhard told the media that Elarms-Orr has "taken advantage of a huge opportunity" and that "he doesn't blink" per Jon Scott of WGRZ.
"He's taken advantage of a huge opportunity."#Bills 4th round pick Kaleb Elarms-Orr has been running with the 1st team with Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams working back from injury.
— Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) July 30, 2026
DC Jim Leonhard with high praise early for the rookie.
"He doesn't blink." pic.twitter.com/tilFfDlLJo
Depth chart for Bills could change in a way no one expected
With the inside linebacker position being a bit thin, Elarms-Orr will have the chance to seriously push for a starting spot because his only notable competition is Dorian Williams. It’s tough to see him taking Terrel Bernard’s job away, considering the fact that he’s been the defensive captain the last couple of seasons.
As training camp starts to really take off, and there is more of a physicality factor to the practices, fans will soon be able to see what Elarms-Orr is really all about and whether or not he is starter material right away.
The preseason will also be a deciding factor and as long as he stays healthy, fans should not be surprised to see him starting in Week 1 against the Houston Texans. He is the replacement for Matt Milano, who has a similar playstyle so there will be a little bit of familiarity but in a different scheme.
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