On One Bills Live throughout the 2026 NFL Combine, NFL analysts joined the crew of Steve Tasker, Chris Brown and Maddy Glab and offered their takes on who the top prospects on offense and defense are for the Buffalo Bills.

Filling in offensive needs | Picking through the best wide receivers for the Bills

‘Find a second- or third-round receiver’ | Charles Davis, *NFL Network*

When asked which receiver scares Davis, a former defensive back, the most, he answered Carnell Tate without any hesitation. The former Buckeye finished his third collegiate season, registering 875 yards and nine touchdowns on 51 receptions.

"Tate's ability to be pretty darn shifty at darn near top speed," Davis said of what stands out about the Tate's talent. "And he goes and gets the football."

The prospects out of Ohio State overall stick out positively to Davis too.

"These Ohio State kids are a little bit different, and I really like the second receivers at Ohio State because … they try harder and they come up through the ranks, and they're not shy of competition."

Outside of Tate, who was Davis' clear No. 1 answer, Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson and Malachi Fields out of Notre Dame were next on his list.

"I just thought Lemon was exceptional this year, I really did. I thought he was a heck of a player," Davis said. "… Shiftiness, yards after catch, getting him on the ground's not easily done and he likes to operate that way. One move, whoosh and off he goes."

Davis left the One Bills Live crew on a note about Fields, emphasizing his impressive Senior Bowl week.

Despite having the body type and speed, the one thing that drops Tyson's appeal is his injury history. He sustained a multi-ligament knee tear, including the ACL, MCL and PCL, in 2022 as well as a broken collarbone in 2024. A nagging hamstring injury also affected him throughout 2025.

"As usual, we'll find a second- or third-round receiver that's pretty darn good," Davis said.

‘Someone that wants it’ | Emory Hunt, *CBS Sports*

Wide receiver Chris Hilton out of LSU impressed Hunt at the All-Star games he attended. Hilton participated in four of them and said, as Hunt recalled, that his tape didn't show as much productivity as he wanted. He felt that he needed as many chances as possible to show what he's capable of.

"His speed and explosiveness was evident," Hunt said of Hilton. "… then he goes to the Senior Bowl and balls out there. So, when you talk about someone that wants it … I know he's going to participate in all the drills. That's going to help his case out. And he has this story of playing in all four All-Star games on the circuit that not one has ever done. That's going to help his case."

Brenen Thompson out of Mississippi State is another wide receiver the Bills should keep tabs on, according to Hunt. Thompson recorded 57 catches for 1,054 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. He led the SEC in receiving yards.

"He plays like an outside receiver because of how he can get off the line of scrimmage and he tracks the ball extremely well," Hunt said. "So, when you have that ability to play bigger than your size, but also have that speed to really stress the defense, it opens up everything else for your offense."

‘Your true separator’ | Jordan Reid, *ESPN*

Lemon, Tate and Tyson are the Reid's "big three" at wide receiver. Since the Bills are picking No. 26 in the first round, though, it's about focusing on the second wave of receivers.

That wave includes Denzel Boston, Ted Hurst, Chris Brazzell II, KC Concepcion and Fields – players that might also be available come round two of the draft. Hurst and Brazzell were the two from that group that stood out for Reid in terms of Buffalo's needs.

"If they do want to take somebody in the second or third round [who] I think would fit really good for them, is Chris Bell out of Louisville even though he has a torn ACL," Reid said. "… [This class] mostly specialize[s] in that big, physical play. Brazzell is probably the one that's your true separator as far as [who] can run down the field and get those 50/50 balls, but also separate as well … I would even throw Malachi Fields in there out of Notre Dame too.

"You're seeing [Brazzell] snap off routes and run in all different directions. He's doing things in the short areas, and then you add on the dynamic of him being able to just run past everybody too."

Continuing the dialogue on Brazzell, Reid said he thinks the offense that head coach Joe Brady runs can showcase the former Volunteers' three-level threat ability.

‘Grading the individual skill set’ | Daniel Jeremiah, *NFL Network*

Jeremiah agreed there's depth at positions on both sides of the ball that the Bills need. From the wide receiver room, he said Fields stands out to him as a top prospect for Buffalo.

"To me, it's finding what you feel like is the need there and what skill set you're looking for," Jeremiah said. "I like a bigger guy. I just think it makes sense for them, and having somebody who can be a ball-winner is what I've kind of honed in on with Buffalo. You get down in the red zone, who has a frame that can give Josh [Allen] a chance to have somebody who can just win up top."

Notre Dame operates on a run-first offense, meaning Fields' peak potential isn't on tape – and that's fine. Jeremiah said wide receiver-dependent college teams and quarterbacks does not automatically equate to elite wideouts at the NFL level.

"You're grading the individual skill set and what he can do," Jeremiah said. "And that's a guy [Fields] who goes down to the Senior Bowl and was the best receiver down there: made acrobatic catches, can go play above the rim, he's shown he can get off the line of scrimmage, he can win at the top of routes."

Boston was also on Jeremiah's mind, especially when considering the type of wide receiver Allen can thrive with.

"He's a big guy who's acrobatic, can go play that high ball," Jeremiah said of Boston. "I would love to see [Allen] get a chance to play with that type of player."

‘The most dynamic field flipper in the class’ | Field Yates, ESPN

If the Bills pick a wide receiver in the first round, Yates said he's wary of Boston based on where he predicts the prospect will test at the combine. Instead, he shifted to Concepcion, who he named as one of the best receivers at the collegiate level.

"Dazzling speed," Yates said of Concepcion.

Former Indiana Hoosier Omar Cooper Jr. is another reliable name Buffalo can fall back on. Yates said one of his best attributes is yards after catch. Cooper had 69 receptions for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2025.

"Germie Bernard is sort of like buttery smooth … the most reliable player on the Alabama offense … Just Mr. Steady Eddie," Yates said. "Zachariah Branch … he's a tough projection in that regard, though. It's possible he can really separate down field, [but] he wasn't asked to do it much.

"Maybe the most dynamic field flipper in the class is [Thompson] … going to be one of the fastest players at the combine … Capitalizing on Josh [Allen's] arm strength, which obviously isn't going anywhere, Brenen Thompson will be one of the guys that may not be eight catches a game, but it might be a few catches a game and one of them goes for 60 yards and you're saying to yourself, 'That was easy.'"

‘A lot of interest in the back half of round one’ | Dane Brugler, *The Athletic*

From his tape to his personality, Cooper was the outstanding wide receiver. That's only one of 17 wide receivers Brugler has in his Top 100 prospects.

"Concepcion from Texas A&M who is a playmaker with the ball in his hands … there are some drops and you have to be okay with that. You hope that the focus drops get better, but when you get the ball in his hands, he can go make plays and whether that's from the slot, whether that's from the outside," Brugler said. "So, Concepcion I think is going to have a lot of interest in the back half of round one."

He noted Boston as the traditional X receiver in the class that can pique Buffalo's interest. Brugler said the former Husky is a big target that's good with his hands and his talent extends beyond his physical frame. The lack of separation or difficulty doing so is the main concern with Boston.

"He's not someone that's going to blow by corners, but he can win contested situations," Brugler said of Boston. "He'll give you a target, and as long as you have a quarterback that's going to trust him, he will put the ball in places to … go make a play."

‘I’m a big fan of his game’ | Matt Harmon, *Yahoo! Sports*

Concepcion is a receiver that might be available in the first round near pick No. 26. The former Aggie logged 61 catches for 919 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025, leading the SEC in touchdown receptions.

Harmon has Concepcion as his No. 3 receiver of the class ahead of Tyson. Out of the wide receiver class in the 2026 cycle, Concepcion is the name at the top in speed and separation, according to Harmon.

"I'm a big fan of his game. And to be transparent, [he's] the type of receiver that I always fall for: the smaller guys … separates at all three levels, very explosive off the line of scrimmage, wins against press coverage," Harmon said. "… Somebody that can come in there and get open, I think that's a lot of what obviously the Bills have lacked the last couple of years. He would certainly bring that element."

The setback for Concepcion is dropped passes. Harmon said he's a receiver that tends to lose the easy catches, but wins the difficult ones. The focus and concentration problems shouldn't be dismissed, but also shouldn't disqualify him from being a serious contender for Buffalo.

A new defense in Buffalo | What prospects fit Leonhard's and the Bills' 3-4 needs

‘He looks the part’ | Charles Davis, *NFL Network*

Assessing the cornerbacks of the 2026 NFL Draft class, two players stood out to Davis: Colton Hood out of Tennessee and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren out of Toledo.

"He'll bear up fine because he is an aggressive, good tackler. He is not just simply that cover guy," Davis said of Hood.

As the NFL evolves, however, there's a certain prototype that proves monstrous on defense. Safeties Derwin James Jr. from the Chargers (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) and Nick Emmanwori (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) from the Seahawks are two examples of what Davis described.

Unlike Hood, who is 6-foot, 195 pounds, McNeil-Warren is a 6-foot-2, 202-pound prospect.

"He looks the part," Davis said of McNeil-Warren. "He's Emmanwori-sized, almost. I don't think he's as fast … but they haven't asked him to play that way. They've asked him to be much more of a high safety. But I do think he can drop in the box and handle things like that."

As for a traditional prototype at corner or safety, Malik Muhammad out of Texas, Avieon Terrell out of Clemson and D'Angelo Ponds out of Indiana come to mind.

Davis described Ponds as "the prototypical nickel," but with that comes the downside of being on the smaller side. Ponds is 5-foot-9 and 173 pounds. The same goes for Muhammad, who is 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, and Terrell, who is 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds. It's up to the Bills whether that's the size they're looking for.

‘He can fit everywhere’ | Emory Hunt, *CBS Sports*

Defensive end Cassius Howell and linebacker Harold Perkins were two players Hunt analyzed in terms of how they fit into the Bills' draft strategy and shifting defensive scheme.

"Howell is more of your traditional edge guy that could put his hand in the dirt, but also can stand up because he has that type of athleticism," Hunt said.

"… Perkins would be unique because where can he fit? He can fit everywhere. So, he can fit on the edge as an undersized guy; he can blitz from the interior linebacker position; or, if you want to have more guys that can get to the quarterback or fly for the football on the field, he could be your star, your hybrid, your viper as some people call it."

‘He’s a first-round nose tackle all day long’ | Jordan Reid, *ESPN*

The Bills need a nose tackle. For Reid, he believes Lee Hunter out of Texas Tech is someone who fits what they're looking for in terms of measurements. Defensive tackle Deone Walker at 6-foot-7 naturally plays higher, so Buffalo needs to balance that out.

"Hunter is somebody that I love in this year's class … I think he's a first-round nose tackle all day long," Reid said. "… the player that was the hub or the centerpiece of that [Red Raiders] defense was Lee Hunter. He was the one that allowed all those guys to maximize their role and really play so freely just because he's eating up those double teams and he's occupying so much space."

Reid added that Hunter is somebody that can likely jump right in and start playing right away. As Leonhard shifts the Bills' defense, an immediate contributor is something he needs. Hunter's impact won't necessarily be in sack numbers, but his ability to suffocate the pocket, as Reid described, can't be understated.

Another name is Caleb Banks out of Florida. Banks had surgery during the 2025 season, but his tape speaks for itself. Reid said Banks is one of the most talented from the class and his Senior Bowl performance was essential in improving his draft stock, proving he's fully recovered from his foot surgery.

‘It’s a really good slot corner group’ | Daniel Jeremiah, *NFL Network*

The NFL is trending towards bigger nickels, which puts guys like Ponds from Indiana at a disadvantage. While Buffalo would still benefit from his talent and ability, there are other "fun names," as Jeremiah labeled, that fit the modern nickel prototype.

Keionte Scott out of Miami and Treydan Stukes out of Arizona were mentioned. Scott had 64 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five sacks, five passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 2025.

"The pick six that he made, the energy that he brings, the ability to blitz and tackle, all that stuff. He's excellent," Jeremiah said of Scott.

He also projected Stukes to be closer to a third-round pick. Stukes logged 52 tackles, six passes defensed, four interceptions, one tackle for loss and one sack in 2025.

Moving over to middle linebacker needs, Jeremiah said CJ Allen out of Georgia is an excellent pick for the Bills – particularly a first rounder. Jacob Rodriguez out of Texas Tech is another option, but more so of a third-round pick. Jake Golday out of Cincinnati is someone Jeremiah anticipates tests well at the combine as well.

‘He reminded me a lot of Tre’Davious White’ | Bucky Brooks, ***NFL Network***

Cornerback Brandon Cisse is at the top of the cornerback class, but despite his talent, that's not who Brooks has his mind on when thinking of the Bills.

"There's another guy that may not be a first rounder, but Chris Johnson from San Diego State … he reminded me a lot of Tre'Davious White in terms of high IQ player, technically sound, has the ability to make plays on the ball," Brooks said. "I think in Buffalo and that defense … you got to have tools in the toolbox, and having tools in the toolbox: Can you play man? Can you play zone? Can you play press? Can you play off? Because as we've seen in this league, it's hard to just get one guy that's a one-trick pony. You got to have some other things because game plans vary from week to week."

At edge, Brooks isn't worried about player availability. He said Howell is a guy that might be there for Buffalo. What the Bills don't need to do, however, is find the one-in-a-generation kind of talent.

"How can we piecemeal it and put it together where we have three or four guys that can contribute?" Brooks said. "So, we got Greg Rousseau, but who can we put on the other side to complement him? Who's the interior rush that we can put to complement the guy? So, hey, maybe we have three guys with eight sacks as opposed to the one guy with 15."

‘Plays a million miles an hour’ | Field Yates, *ESPN*

Defensive ends R Mason Thomas out of Oklahoma and Howell have the burst, speed and energy that the Bills are looking for, according to Yates.

"If this guy goes 20^th overall, am I going to be stunned? No," Yates said of Mason Thomas. "He's got amazing burst … he is incredibly explosive, played through injury this past year, plays a million miles an hour, great energy, great effort, he's got some real good heavy hands as well."

The one setback of Howell is his arm length being shy of 32 inches, which isn't ideal prototypically at edge for pass rushing.

Aside from those two, Zion Young out of Missouri sticks out positively in terms of measurables. In comparison to Mason Thomas and Howell, though, Young takes a step back in explosiveness.

Moving over into the cornerback room, Scott was at the top of Yates' mind followed by Jadon Canady out of Oregon.

"It just felt like every time he was on the field, it was like a big play waiting to happen – a destructive play waiting to happen. A lot of his damage done near the line of scrimmage as well," Yates said of Scott. "Not too many nickel corners that you can say are close to the tone-setters of your roster, but [Scott] would fall under that pretty rare category. He's an example of one of the better nickels in this year's class."

He predicted the former Duck being a third or fourth round draft pick. Those third rounders are players that Yates also said could be "start-able nickels," another reason why Buffalo doesn't need to fret in terms of acquiring talent.

Mansoor Delane out of LSU is what Yates described as the prototypical cornerback from the class. Former Tennessee Volunteer Jermod McCoy was also mentioned, though he's a prospect that is anticipated to be gone before the Bills make the call at No. 26.

‘This draft has a little bit of something for everybody’ | Dane Brugler, *The Athletic*

Brugler said that Scott is an interesting prospect given his talent versus his physical size. He said the former Hurricane is a linebacker in a cornerback body who plays nickel, giving him a unique skill set that can appeal to many teams. Scott is, according to Brugler, a valuable third rounder.

A.J. Haulcy out of LSU is a new name that popped up. Brugler said Haulcy's instincts stand out. Zakee Wheatley out of Penn State is another as well. As for Genesis Smith out of Arizona, there are upsides and downsides – traits that the Bills could benefit from, but need to also be okay with.

"Smith is interesting because if you want that true centerfield skill set, he's your guy," Brugler said. "… You just have to be okay with his tackling and that's why we're talking about him as a third or fourth round pick and not a first or second round … He will test how much you're willing to sacrifice the tackling for ball skills, range and the ability to make plays in coverage … it's not a disqualifier, but it does bring up some interesting conversations."

At edge rusher, Brugler has 16 ranked in his Top 100 with three or four additional who could've snuck in. He mentioned Young as a player who wants to and will run through you in pass rush scenarios. T.J. Parker has late first round or early second round potential as well, according to Brugler.

"Are you looking for speed? Are you looking for power? Are you looking for more of an edge setter? Do you want someone that you are going to put in there on passing downs, on third downs?" Brugler said. "So, depending on exactly the type of pass rusher you're looking for, I think this draft has a little bit of something for everybody."

Since over half of the teams in the NFL need an edge rusher at some point early in the draft, Brugler wouldn't be shocked if that position flies off the board – unwarranted as well. It's not only quarterbacks who get overvalued come draft weekend, and once the first-round graded, blue-chip players get picked off, teams might snap their heads towards the edge rushers or defensive tackles.

"Thinking about that 3-4, R Mason Thomas is a guy that comes to mind," Brugler said. "… Nik Bonitto is somebody that he watches all the film because that's someone – Oklahoma connection – that's who he wants to model his game after … He's an athletic dude."