As the Buffalo Bills slowly traded down the board and out of the first round, their odds at selecting an immediate Week 1 starter diminished. It isn't a criticism of Brandon Beane's approach, but an observation of the outcome.
The result of those early moves is a large, diverse, and far-reaching group of rookies, instead of one single first-round pick. There's room for any one of them to step up and take charge in camp; Which rookie has the greatest impact in year one?
Round (Pick) | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
2 (3) | TJ Parker | EDGE |
2 (30) | Davison Igbinosun | CB |
4 (2) | Jude Bowry | OT |
4 (25) | Skyler Bell | WR |
4 (26) | Kaleb Elarms-Orr | LB |
5 (27) | Jalon Kilgore | S |
5 (41) | Zane Durant | DT |
7 (4) | Toriano Pride Jr. | CB |
7 (23) | Tommy Doman Jr. | P |
7 (25) | Ar'maj Reed-Adams | G |
The above list of draft picks shows just how varied they are. The Bills only selected two players at the same position. This leaves a deep group to compete for any role on the roster.
Ranking Buffalo's most impactful drafted rookies from 2026 NFL Draft
5) T.J. Parker - OLB
If there were any doubts about if the Buffalo Bills were introducing a 3-4 defense in 2026, a quick check of the roster page on the team website shows all their defensive ends are now listed as OLBs. Amongst them, we find TJ Parker. His coverage is solid, and his frame is elite for the role he plays. He was compared to the Bills' other OLB signing long before draft day, as Bradley Chubb is a mirror of himself.
Parker is a great young player who should have an immediate impact. Still, he joins a group consisting of Chubb, Greg Rousseau, Michael Hoecht, Andre Jones Jr, Javon Solomon, and Landon Jackson. It's no easy task to carve out a niche, but TJ Parker can do it.
4) Skyler Bell - WR
If there are any offensive players guaranteed to get some snaps in 2026 NFL Draft, WR Skyler Bell would be one. His playmaking ability is similar to Khalil Shakir, and there's no reason to keep him off the field this season, save one.
The Bills new offense will heavily feature the recently-acquired D.J. Moore from the Bears. Skyler Bell expands and deepens the Buffalo WR core, but he does not lead it. The rookie is going to be effective and active, but he starts off as WR3 or worse.
3) Tommy Doman Jr. - P
Some players are on this roster and fighting for a starting spot from the jump. The obvious but less-exciting punter battle between 7th-round pick Tommy Doman Jr. and the incumbent Mitch Wishnowsky is a prime example. It's not as interesting, but it's certainly impactful.
Doman arguably has the inside track to be the Bills punter this season, but he still has to win it. As the favourite amongst the rookie class to have a starting job in 2026, he's going to have an impact.
2) Kaleb Elarms-Orr - LB
In less probable but more enticing news, Kaleb Elarms-Orr has a real opportunity to win the starting LB job. The Bills spent major money on nickel CB Dee Alford, flagging their intent to spend a lot of time with 5 DBs on the field. Still, there's room for three linebackers in a 3-4 scheme, and Elarms-Orr just needs to be one of them.
The expected starter in the middle, Terrel Bernard, leaves two more positions open to contribute this season. The pool of linebackers features Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, Jimmy Ciarlo, Keonta Jenkins, and even Michael Hoecht to a degree. Even amongst them, Kaleb Elarms-Orr has the makings of a probable starter at some point in 2026.
1) Davison Igbinosun - CB
A controversial choice, and one that most Bills fans didn't wish for, Davison Igbinosun was a premium pick which the Bills gave up assets to acquire. Cornerback was not a need for the team comparative to their top holes; One of a trio of surprising choices which put a damper on the beginning of the Bills' draft. Still, Igbinosun isn't a bad player. In fact, he's perfectly capable of being a starting cornerback for the Bills as early as Week 1.
His lone true competition for the second outside corner job is Maxwell Hairston, who didn't lock up the spot last season. If Igbinosun doesn't win the starting spot, he is still all but guaranteed to take the field. Hairston's injury history is well-known, and his play is not notably better than what we've already seen from Igbinosun. He was not the choice fans hoped for, but he's a Bill now, and he can play.
Add us as a preferred source on Google