2026 NFL Draft Grade: Buffalo Bills -- C+

The Buffalo Bills entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a clear agenda. General manager Brandon Beane had spent the offseason plugging leaks with veteran additions like Bradley Chubb and DJ Moore, but the roster still carried gaping holes at edge rusher, cornerback, and linebacker -- all flagged as critical or high needs in the team's pre-draft evaluation. With Josh Allen still in his prime and a defensive-minded head coach in Joe Brady, the mandate was simple: stockpile picks, hit on premium positions, and keep the Super Bowl window open.

Beane did stockpile picks. Armed with 10 selections after a series of trades, he attacked those needs aggressively -- perhaps too aggressively. The Bills' haul earned an overall grade of C+ (60.0), a mark that reflects a front office that prioritized need over value across the board, but found redemption late in the draft with a pair of seventh-round steals that could define this class years from now.

Here is the full breakdown of every pick the Bills made.

Pick 35 (Round 2) -- T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson Acquired via TEN -- From TEN Grade: C (56.0)

The Bills identified their top need -- edge rusher -- and went and got their guy, trading up with the Titans to land Clemson's T.J. Parker. This is a classic "need over value" scenario. Parker was ranked outside the top 70 on most draft boards, and the Bills took him at pick 35, a significant reach by any measure. That said, the fit is unmistakable. The Bills needed a true pass-rush complement to Greg Rousseau and the newly acquired Bradley Chubb, and Parker brings the kind of bend and get-off that translates to third-down impact. He was a productive player at Clemson, but the Bills paid a premium to fill a hole that could have been addressed later. The grade reflects that tension: the need was real, the value was not.

Pick 62 (Round 2) -- Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State Acquired via DEN -- From DEN Grade: C (56.0)

The cornerback room outside of Christian Benford was a major concern, and Beane doubled down with another aggressive trade-up. Davison Igbinosun from Ohio State is a long, physical press-man corner who fits what defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard wants to do. But again, the value math is ugly. Igbinosun was ranked outside the top 160 on most boards -- a reach of over 100 slots. That is a steep price to pay for a player who projects as a developmental outside starter. The upside is real: Igbinosun has the length and recovery speed to match up with NFL receivers. But the Bills paid a premium for a project. The grade says C, and the reasoning is fair.

Pick 102 (Round 4) -- Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College Acquired via LV -- From LV Grade: D (43.0)

This is where the draft gets uncomfortable for the Bills. Jude Bowry is a massive tackle from Boston College with the kind of raw power that offensive line coaches love, but he was a Day 3 projection on most boards. The Bills took him at pick 102, a reach of nearly 30 spots. The need is there -- Dion Dawkins is solid at left tackle, but the right side and interior are unsettled. Still, passing on more highly-graded tackles who went later hurts this grade. Bowry has the frame to eventually start, but he is a long-term project at a position where the Bills needed someone who could compete for snaps immediately. This was the class's low point in terms of value.

Pick 125 (Round 4) -- Skyler Bell, WR, UConn Acquired via CHI via KC and NE -- From CHI via KC and NE Grade: C (58.0)

The Bills have a wide receiver room that is solid but lacks a true alpha. DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir are reliable, but there is no game-breaker. Skyler Bell from UConn is a crafty, quick-footed slot receiver who can win underneath and run after the catch. The reach here is modest -- Bell went about 11 picks ahead of where most boards had him -- and the need is moderate. Bell is not a WR1, but he adds depth to a rotation that needed it. This is a reasonable swing in the fourth round: the value is slightly off, but the player fills a role.

Pick 126 (Round 4) -- Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU Grade: B- (68.0)

Finally, a pick that makes you nod. Kaleb Elarms-Orr from TCU is a rangy, instinctive linebacker who can run sideline-to-sideline. The Bills have a clear hole at linebacker, and Elarms-Orr was a high-floor player ranked around the 137th spot. The Bills took him at 126, a minor reach that is easily forgiven when you see the player. He can play early downs and has enough coverage awareness to stay on the field in nickel. This is a solid fourth-round addition that addresses a critical need. The B- grade feels right.

Pick 167 (Round 5) -- Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Acquired via HOU via PHI and HOU -- From HOU via PHI and HOU Grade: A (85.0)

Now the Bills start cashing in on value. Jalon Kilgore from South Carolina was ranked inside the top 135 on most boards and fell to the fifth round. The Bills snagged him at 167, a major steal by any measure. Kilgore is a versatile safety with ball skills and the ability to play deep or in the box. The safety room for the Bills -- Damar Hamlin, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Geno Stone -- is experienced but lacks a young every-down playmaker. Kilgore changes that. This is the kind of pick that makes a draft class. The A grade reflects a player taken well below his talent level.

Pick 181 (Round 5) -- Zane Durant, DT, Penn State Acquired via DET -- Compensatory Pick (From DET) Grade: B (70.0)

The defensive tackle room lost Ed Oliver in free agency, creating a massive need for interior disruption. Zane Durant from Penn State is an undersized but explosive three-technique who can shoot gaps and get after the quarterback. He was ranked almost exactly at pick 181, making this fair value in the truest sense. Durant fits the penetrating scheme the Bills want to run. He is not a replacement for Oliver's production overnight, but as a fifth-round swing, this is a home run. The B grade is deserved.

Pick 220 (Round 7) -- Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri Acquired via NYJ -- From NYJ Grade: C (56.0)

The Bills double-dipped at cornerback in the seventh round. Toriano Pride Jr. from Missouri was ranked outside the top 290 on most boards, making this a reach in terms of draft slot, but in the seventh round, the risk is minimal. Pride has the athletic profile to develop into a special teams contributor and potentially a depth corner. The grade is a C, which is essentially what you expect from a seventh-rounder who was not projected to go that early. Nothing to get excited about, but nothing to lament.

Pick 239 (Round 7) -- Tommy Doman, P, Florida Acquired via PHI via JAX, CLE and CHI -- From PHI via JAX, CLE and CHI Grade: F (10.0)

This is the pick that drags the class grade down. Tommy Doman is a punter from Florida, selected in the seventh round, but the Bills already have a veteran punter in Mitch Wishnowsky on the roster. Doman was ranked near the bottom of the entire draft class, and using a pick on a punter who may not even make the roster is a tough sell. The grade is an F, the worst of the class. The Bills could have used that pick on almost any other position and gotten better value. This is the one pick that feels like a clear misuse of resources.

Pick 241 (Round 7) -- Ar'maj Reed-Adams, OG, Texas A&M Acquired via CHI -- From CHI Grade: A+ (98.0)

And then there is the best pick of the entire draft for the Bills. Ar'maj Reed-Adams from Texas A&M was ranked inside the top 150 on most boards and somehow fell to the seventh round. The Bills grabbed him at 241, a staggering 95-pick value swing. Reed-Adams is a big, powerful interior lineman who can play guard at a starting level. The Bills have a hole at guard -- O'Cyrus Torrence is solid, but the other spot is unsettled -- and Reed-Adams steps in with a chance to start immediately. In terms of value, this is the steal of the class. The A+ grade is rare and deserved.

Overall Grade: C+ (60.0)

The best pick of the Bills' 2026 draft was Ar'maj Reed-Adams in the seventh round -- an absolute steal who could walk in and start at guard. The worst was Tommy Doman, a punter taken at a position of strength when the team had far more pressing needs.

This class is a study in extremes. The Bills traded up aggressively in the second round to address edge and cornerback, but both picks were significant reaches that hurt the overall grade. The middle rounds brought solid value in Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Zane Durant. The fifth and seventh rounds produced a pair of steals in Jalon Kilgore and Ar'maj Reed-Adams.

Did the Bills fill their needs? Yes. They added an edge rusher, a cornerback, a linebacker, a safety, and a guard. But they paid a premium for the top of the class and spent one of their precious picks on a punter. The result is a C+ -- a passing grade that reflects a team that got better, but not as much better as the draft capital should have bought them.

Brandon Beane and Joe Brady will hope that T.J. Parker and Davison Igbinosun develop into the starters their draft slots demand. If they do, this class looks much different. If they don't, the seventh-round steals will be a nice footnote on a class that left value on the table.

Pick-by-Pick Summary