No. 26 – DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
This might be the highest you'll see McDonald going in a mock draft at the moment, but I'm hearing significant first-round buzz on him. A massive run defender, McDonald would be a good fit in Buffalo, where the Bills ranked 30th against the run last season (5.1 yards allowed per carry).
No. 26 – S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
The Bills signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency, but pairing the rangy, playmaking safety McNeil-Warren with 2024 second-round pick Cole Bishop gives the Bills a long-term vision of the position.
No. 26 – DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
An intriguing gem in need of some polish, Faulk can bolster an area of concern given the Bills' wideout issue seems solved by the trade for DJ Moore. Faulk should be a three-down player who can kick inside on passing downs. He also has a reputation as being an excellent locker-room presence, always a huge bonus.
No. 26 – LB Malachi Lawrence, UCF
They need a young edge player to come in and supplement what they have there. Bradley Chubb isn't a kid, and they are seemingly in never-ending pursuit of speed off the edge.
TRADE to No. 25 – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
PROJECTED TRADE WITH BEARS
Acquiring DJ Moore from Chicago earlier this offseason was a good first step in building a strong receiver room, but the Bills deal with the Bears (again) to ensure Josh Allen has a full complement of targets. Buffalo sends the fifth-round pick it received in the Moore trade back to Chicago to stave off other interested trade partners. The Texas A&M wideout is considered a slot receiver by some, but he lined up outside more often than inside last season. He has the size (6-foot, 196 pounds) to challenge corners on the boundary.
No. 26 – EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
The Bills need a high-energy, productive young pass rusher to rev up their rotation, and Howell was built to thrive in their scheme.
No. 26 – CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Predraft hamstring issues aside, Terrell has high-end ability as an inside or outside cornerback and plays with the toughness and feistiness the Bills love at the position.
No. 26 – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
It might be stunning to see Tyson fall this far down the first-round board, but he does have a concerning injury history. He also has the kind of big-play capability the Bills have lacked since they traded Stefon Diggs to Houston, so they end Tyson's slide here, even after acquiring DJ Moore earlier this offseason.
No. 26 – EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Von Miller was the first explosive speed rusher with great get-off from Texas A&M that Buffalo brought in, though Miller came late in his career. The Bills hope Howell can give them some of the juice the other Aggies great gave the Broncos when he first left College Station.
The 6-2, 253-pound Howell lacks ideal length. His arms measured only 30 1/4 inches, but he turned heads at the combine when he clocked a 1.58-10 second split on his 4.59 40. Like Miller, Howell can really bend — maybe not quite as well as Miller, but few ever could. Howell, who began his career at Bowling Green, should be a pass-rushing force for Buffalo. He had 14 TFLs and 11.5 sacks in 2025.
No. 26 – WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
It's hard to play WR with Josh Allen because he extends plays so often, but Cooper's skillset is one I think would blend well with Allen and improve the Bills offense.
No. 26 – S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
If the right wide receiver is still on the board, the Bills could target one, even after trading for DJ Moore. But with four wideouts already gone, Buffalo bolsters its secondary with Thieneman, who made huge strides at Oregon after transferring from Purdue.
