The NFL Draft is officially happening this week and everyone in Western New York is wondering what the Bills will do. Mock drafts have and are still being conducted, and we will soon know which direction management and the coaching staff will move in.
As we speculate on who the Bills could take, it is time to take a look back through history. Of all the first-round picks the Bills have made, who are the biggest and best hits? It was tough to pare things down, but these names are a cut above the rest.
Who are the Bills' best first round draft picks in franchise history?
Honorable Mentions
The Bills have hit on a few names who wound up having their greatest success elsewhere. There are also simply too many names to acknowledge like Ed Oliver (9th overall, 2019), Marcell Dareus (3rd overall, 2011), Antoine Winfield (23rd overall, 1999), Eric Moulds (24th overall, 1996), and countless others.
Marshawn Lynch, HB – 12th overall (2007)
Marshawn Lynch had all the makings of a star in Buffalo. He ran for more than 1,100 yards as a rookie, then followed it up with a Pro Bowl appearance. He would ultimately be traded for next to nothing to the Seattle Seahawks, becoming “Beast Mode”, making four consecutive Pro Bowls, earning a First-Team All-Pro nod, and helping the Seahawks win a Super Bowl.
Stephone Gimore, CB – 10th overall (2012)
Like Lynch, Stephon Gilmore showed promise but ultimately delivered elsewhere. Gilmore was a solid starter for four seasons before becoming a Pro Bowler in his fifth and final season in Buffalo.
He would go on to sign with the hated New England Patriots, making four Pro Bowls, earning two First-Team All-Pro nods, and winning the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award while helping the Patriots to a Super Bowl title.
5.) Ruben Brown, G – 14th overall (1995)
It can be historically difficult to quantify offensive linemen in a historical sense unless you saw them play. For those who watched the Bills in the 1990s and early 2000s, Ruben Brown was a pillar on the offensive line, a massive mauler who ate up opposing defensive linemen.
Brown became a Day 1 starter for the Bills, and it remained that way through his nine years in Buffalo. Brown would go on to make eight consecutive Pro Bowls from 1996-2003, earning a quartet of Second-Team All-Pro nods in a five-year span. Even as the Bills started to decline, Brown remained consistent to the very end.
4.) O.J. Simpson, HB – 1st overall (1969)
The first overall pick in 1969, O.J. Simpson took a few years to get up to speed but became one of the game’s most legendary backs.
From 1972 through 1976, he put together one of the greatest runs at the position: 7,699 rushing yards (including a then-NFL record 2,003 yards in 1973), 45 touchdowns, five consecutive Pro Bowls, five consecutive First-Team All-Pro selections, and both MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 1973.
Simpson finished his nine-year career in Buffalo with 11,236 yards and 61 touchdowns, setting the standard for the position both in Buffalo and around the league.
3.) Jim Kelly, QB – 14th overall (1983)
It took some time for Jim Kelly to make his way to Buffalo thanks to a stint in the USFL and a less-than-desirable feeling about the city. But when he finally became the signal-caller for the Bills, he delivered in nearly every way possible.
The general of the vaunted K-Gun offense, Kelly would make the Pro Bowl five times, earn a pair of All-Pro nods (one first, one second), and finish as the runner-up in the 1991 MVP voting. Kelly also became known for his toughness, fighting through brutal hits and injuries to lead the Bills.
Kelly would leave holding every passing record imaginable in franchise history. He also led the Bills to an unheard of four consecutive Super Bowls, though they will ultimately be remembered for failing to win any. Still, Kelly was easily the greatest quarterback in Bills history…until the next guy on our list.
2.) Josh Allen, QB – 7th overall (2018)
Josh Allen felt like a major project when the Bills took him, and a turbulent rookie season seemed to validate that. It would be the last time anyone truly questioned him. Allen has since become one of the premier weapons in the league, making four Pro Bowls, earning several All-Pro nods, and finishing as a finalist for the MVP three times while winning the 2024 MVP award.
Allen is closing in on Kelly in terms of both passing yards and touchdowns, likely two years away from beating both. He also just happens to be fourth in Bills history in rushing yards and the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns. When all is said and done, Allen could be talked about as one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history, not just franchise history.
1.) Bruce Smith, DE – 1st overall (1985)
When he hangs up the cleats, Allen may be in this spot. But for now, the honor belongs to Bruce Smith, the NFL’s all-time sacks leader. Taken first in 1985, Smith became a force by his second season, racking up 15 sacks. But it would be just the beginning.
On his way to 200 career sacks, Smith did it all: 11 Pro Bowls, eight First-Team All-Pro selections, three second-team All-Pro selections, and two AP Defensive Player of the Year awards. For 15 years, he was a fearsome presence off the edge, giving AFC tackles nightmares.
From his rookie season until his final one in Buffalo in 1999, Smith was the heart and soul of the defense. Chants of “Bruuuuuuce” rang out every game and with every incredible feat. First overall picks are supposed to be an easy thing but Smith exceeded even the loftiest expectations.
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