Things are a bit different this spring in Buffalo. With Joe Brady taking the reins as head coach and former Denver assistant Jim Leonhard arriving to overhaul the defense, the roster-building strategy has turned surgical.
With the combine right around the corner, free agency on the horizon, and the NFL Draft in April just two short months away, let's get you familiar with two underrated names to know that could become contributors rapidly for Buffalo this fall.
One offensive and defensive sleeper for Bills Mafia to consider ahead of 2026 NFL Draft
Offense: The Vertical Eraser
Brady’s offense is predicated on spatial manipulation. He wants to force safeties to play 20 yards off the ball to open up the intermediate lanes for Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid, but to do that, he needs a pure burner -- a receiver who can turn a five-yard slant into a house call or simply outrun a bracketed secondary.
- The Sleeper: Brenen Thompson (WR, Mississippi State). After a breakout 1,000-yard season in the SEC, Thompson is the name on every scout’s lips heading into next week’s combine. He is widely projected to be the fastest player in Indy, with track-verified speed that mirrors a young Tyreek Hill.
- Why it works: At 5-foot-9, Thompson isn't a pure speed guy, but in Brady’s scheme, he could be a tactical nuclear weapon. His elite acceleration forces defenses to respect the vertical third of the field on every snap, and for Josh Allen-- whose arm talent needs no introduction -- Thompson provides a target who can truly run under the 60-yard bombs that Allen has the talent to deliver. He's a playbook extender.
Defense: The "Cheetah" Hybrid
Leonhard’s defensive philosophy is built on disguise. He prefers a multiple-front that utilizes a "Cheetah" LB -- a player versatile enough to blitz off the edge, drop into a deep-half safety role, or shadow a tight end across the middle.
- The Sleeper: Kendal Daniels (LB, Oklahoma). A massive 6-foot-5, 242-lb versatile athlete, Daniels could be the Swiss Army Knife Leonhard could idealize adding in the late rounds. Having played safety and overhang roles at Oklahoma, he brings a unique movement profile to the linebacker room.
- Why it works: Daniels isn't a traditional "thumper"; he is a coverage-first 'backer with safety-level range. In Leonhard’s new 3-4 reset, Daniels can serve as the chaos factor, lining up as an inside backer before dropping into a zone that confuses a quarterback’s pre-snap read. His 9.0 TFLs in 2025 prove he has the heavy hands to play in the box, but his ability to carry receivers down the seam is what makes him an elite scheme fit for Buffalo's new defensive era.