The Buffalo Bills prioritized cornerback depth in the NFL Draft by trading up to select Davison Igbinosun in the second round, despite having established starters in Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston. This move addresses a critical need for depth behind their starters.
Key points
Bills traded up in the second round of the NFL Draft
Selected cornerback Davison Igbinosun from Ohio State
Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston are the starting cornerbacks
Concerns about injury history of current cornerbacks
ORCHARD PARK - There were several football analysts over the past few months who mocked a cornerback to the Buffalo Bills with the No. 26 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft, but that never seemed all that plausible. Not in the first round. No way.
The Bills have Christian Benford entrenched on one side and 2025 first-round pick Maxwell Hairston has to be considered the presumptive starter on the other side. So why use such a high value pick to bring in a player who wouldnât likely start in 2026, a year in which the Bills need to hit the ground sprinting in Joe Bradyâs first season as head coach.
And if things go as the Bills hope over the next several seasons for Benford and Hairston - obviously no guarantee because both have proved to be injury prone - that first-round cornerback might be nothing more than a sub-package player. Thatâs not what first-round picks are supposed to be.
However, that didnât mean president/general manager Brandon Beane could ignore the position because behind Benford and Hairston, the Bills had, checking the notes here ⊠nobody.
Thatâs why he made a trade up into the bottom of the second round to select Ohio Stateâs Davison Igbinosun, and at that spot it was probably the right time to address the glaring need for depth, though it can also be said that it didnât feel like it was necessary to trade up to secure this particular player.
âAs we started this draft, I thought that the biggest hole on our roster was corner,â Beane said when the festivities concluded Saturday night. âCorner is a premium position. You can't have enough of those guys. Right now with Tre'Davious (White) being a free agent, with Dorian (Strong's) uncertainty at this point (due to his neck surgery), this adds another guy. So this is a depth player that will come in and compete. He'll push our starters in time and we'll take it one day at a time.â
Why did the Buffalo Bills trade up in the NFL Draft?
The Bills traded up to select cornerback Davison Igbinosun to address a critical need for depth behind their established starters.
Who are the current starting cornerbacks for the Buffalo Bills?
The current starting cornerbacks for the Bills are Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston.
What position did the Bills focus on during the NFL Draft?
The Bills focused on cornerback depth during the NFL Draft, selecting Davison Igbinosun.
What concerns do the Bills have regarding their cornerbacks?
The Bills are concerned about the injury-prone history of their current cornerbacks, Benford and Hairston.
Related Articles
Sports
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone gives his take on the PSG vs. Bayern Munich UCL spectacle
Diego Simeone shares thoughts on the thrilling PSG vs Bayern match
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Soccer·Preview
Premier League, Championship & more: Big weekend ahead for Tottenham, West Ham & top-flight promotion chasers
Big weekend for Tottenham, West Ham, and promotion chasers!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Cricket·Recap
IPL 2026: Kagiso Rabada gives Virat Kohli a death stare after dismissal - Watch
Watch Kagiso Rabada's intense stare at Virat Kohli after his dismissal in IPL 2026!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Gianni Infantinoâs attempt at forcing Israel-Palestine handshake backfires at Fifa Congress
Infantino's handshake attempt between Israel and Palestine backfires at Fifa Congress.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Soccer·Transfer
Transfer rumour roundup: Salah weighs Turkey vs Saudi; Chelsea set ÂŁ60m price on Nicolas Jackson
Mohamed Salah is considering a move to either Turkey or Saudi Arabia as he prepares to leave Liverpool. Chelsea has set a ÂŁ60m asking price for Nicolas Jackson amid ongoing transfer rumors.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
F1·Feature
Can Lando Norris defend his F1 title? Hereâs what the Miami GP will tell us about McLarenâs chances
McLaren's growth in F1 has been significant, with their team valued at approximately ÂŁ4bn. The Miami GP will provide insights into Lando Norris's ability to defend his title amidst a challenging season.
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
Hereâs a look at how the draft and free agency set up the cornerback depth chart as the OTA portion of the offseason begins:
Max Hairston is on notice in his second year
Max Hairston's rookie season was sabotaged by two injuries, and now he has competition from rookie Davison Igbinosun to win a starting job.
Max Hairston's rookie season was sabotaged by two injuries, and now he has competition from rookie Davison Igbinosun to win a starting job.
Hairstonâs rookie season was pretty much a bust. He suffered a knee injury early in training camp and didnât make his debut until Week 8 in Carolina. Through the rest of the regular season he was in a timeshare with White who surprised many with his level of play after two serious recent leg injuries and how he kept Hairston out of the starting lineup.
Then Hairston got hurt in the season finale and missed both postseason games, so he enters 2026 with questions hanging over his head regarding his ability to stay on the field.
âHe had a couple tough setbacks there, one in camp, and then the ankle at the end there,â Beane said. âBut Max is a pro, works hard, does the right things. You say it all the time, what's the number one ability? Availability, and he'll have to armor himself. He knows what an NFL season is like. He knows what an NFL training camp, to a degree, is like. But yeah, I like where Max is at.â
Also, we donât really know what new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard thinks of Hairston, but we do know that when he was with the Broncos, they favored big, physical boundary corners like Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss.
Igbinosun is three inches taller and the same weight as Hairston, and while Hairston ran the fastest 40 time at the 2025 scouting combine (4.28 seconds), Igbinosun was no slog this year at 4.45. It seems like he will have a great chance to compete for a starting job.
âI truly felt like we needed to get better there,â Beane said of his plan to add depth to the position. âWe looked in free agency, but it's a premium position and we spent our dollars on DJ (Moore) and (Bradley) Chubb, and getting Connor McGovern and some of the other pieces back. Maybe it's a scar from last year or a previous year, from the playoffs, but our depth's really been tested there for a variety of reasons.â
T.J. Parker mParker is a powerful edge rusher known for his length and ability to convert speed to power, consistently driving offensive tackles back into the pocket. He recorded 41.5 tackles for loss in 39 career games and had a breakout 2024 season with 11 sacks and six forced fumbles.
Round 2, No. 62 overall, Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State: Igbinosun is a long, physical cornerback with press-coverage traits and 53 college starts. He started at Ole Miss as a freshman before transferring to Ohio State, where he became a three-year starter, winning a national championship in the 2024 season.
His physicality is his strength and his weakness. Davison Igbinosun can reroute receivers, support the run and compete at the catch point, but he drew penalty concerns in college and will need to clean up his technique.
Round 4, No. 102 overall, Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College: The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder was a two-year starter with 23 career starts dating back to 2022 so he brings experience to the table, but the Bills might have taken him to try him at guard.
Jude Bowry played every one of his snaps on the outside according to Pro Football Focus, 1,285 at left tackle and 97 at right tackle, but some analysts think his best fit in the NFL would be on the inside.
Round 4, No. 125 overall, Skyler Bell, WR, UConn: Josh Allen has a new weapon to work with in the passing game as the Buffalo Bills selected UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell with the first of their back-to-back picks in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
Skyler Bell Bell is coming off a spectacular 2025 season for the Huskies when he caught 101 passes for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns, doing so from the boundary as well as coming inside to the slot.
Round 4, No. 126 overall, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU: There was no question that the Buffalo Bills had to address a crying need at inside linebacker in the NFL Draft, and they did so with the second of their back-to-back picks in the fourth round, taking Kaleb Elarms-Orr of TCU.
Born in Berkeley, California, Elarms-Orr didnât start playing football until he entered high school and wasnât a full-time linebacker until 2023, his third season playing in his backyard at Cal. He led the team with 92 tackles and then transferred to TCU where he was a reserve in 2024 and then a starter in 2025 when he took a huge leap with 130 tackles, 11 for lost yardage including four sacks.
Round 5, No. 167 overall, Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina: The Bills selected South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore at No. 167. Kilgore is a 6-foot-1, 218-pounder who was a three-year starter at South Carolina, playing 36 games and intercepting eight passes.
Jalon Kilgore He ran a 4.4 in the 40 at the combine, impressive speed for a man his size, and he had a vertical leap of 37 inches which helped him defend 29 passes in his career and make 178 tackles, ball production that certainly caught Buffaloâs eye.
Zane Durant is an undersized at 6-foot-1, 290 pounds â nearly identical to Buffalo defensive tackle Ed Oliver â but he's explosive and can win with quickness, leverage and effort. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.75 seconds) among defensive tackles at the NFL Combine. He's best suited as a penetrating 3-technique.
Toriano Pride Jr. He recorded 82 tackles, one sack, five interceptions, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 52 career games. He returned an interception for a touchdown in each of the last two seasons.
T.J. Parker mParker is a powerful edge rusher known for his length and ability to convert speed to power, consistently driving offensive tackles back into the pocket. He recorded 41.5 tackles for loss in 39 career games and had a breakout 2024 season with 11 sacks and six forced fumbles.
3 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Round 2, No. 62 overall, Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State: Igbinosun is a long, physical cornerback with press-coverage traits and 53 college starts. He started at Ole Miss as a freshman before transferring to Ohio State, where he became a three-year starter, winning a national championship in the 2024 season.
4 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
His physicality is his strength and his weakness. Davison Igbinosun can reroute receivers, support the run and compete at the catch point, but he drew penalty concerns in college and will need to clean up his technique.
5 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Round 4, No. 102 overall, Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College: The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder was a two-year starter with 23 career starts dating back to 2022 so he brings experience to the table, but the Bills might have taken him to try him at guard.
6 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Jude Bowry played every one of his snaps on the outside according to Pro Football Focus, 1,285 at left tackle and 97 at right tackle, but some analysts think his best fit in the NFL would be on the inside.
7 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Round 4, No. 125 overall, Skyler Bell, WR, UConn: Josh Allen has a new weapon to work with in the passing game as the Buffalo Bills selected UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell with the first of their back-to-back picks in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
8 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Skyler Bell Bell is coming off a spectacular 2025 season for the Huskies when he caught 101 passes for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns, doing so from the boundary as well as coming inside to the slot.
9 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Round 4, No. 126 overall, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU: There was no question that the Buffalo Bills had to address a crying need at inside linebacker in the NFL Draft, and they did so with the second of their back-to-back picks in the fourth round, taking Kaleb Elarms-Orr of TCU.
10 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Born in Berkeley, California, Elarms-Orr didnât start playing football until he entered high school and wasnât a full-time linebacker until 2023, his third season playing in his backyard at Cal. He led the team with 92 tackles and then transferred to TCU where he was a reserve in 2024 and then a starter in 2025 when he took a huge leap with 130 tackles, 11 for lost yardage including four sacks.
11 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Round 5, No. 167 overall, Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina: The Bills selected South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore at No. 167. Kilgore is a 6-foot-1, 218-pounder who was a three-year starter at South Carolina, playing 36 games and intercepting eight passes.
12 / 20
Meet the Billsâ 2026 draft class, pick by pick
Jalon Kilgore He ran a 4.4 in the 40 at the combine, impressive speed for a man his size, and he had a vertical leap of 37 inches which helped him defend 29 passes in his career and make 178 tackles, ball production that certainly caught Buffaloâs eye.
Zane Durant is an undersized at 6-foot-1, 290 pounds â nearly identical to Buffalo defensive tackle Ed Oliver â but he's explosive and can win with quickness, leverage and effort. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.75 seconds) among defensive tackles at the NFL Combine. He's best suited as a penetrating 3-technique.
Toriano Pride Jr. He recorded 82 tackles, one sack, five interceptions, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 52 career games. He returned an interception for a touchdown in each of the last two seasons.
Ar'Maj Reed-Adams Reed-Adams is 6-foot-6, 314 pounds. He played six years of college football with 57 games and 39 starts.
Beane did add to the cornerback room in free agency, signing nickel Dee Alford to replace departed Taron Johnson. But with Cam Lewis also gone via free agency, he needed a backup and Kilgore could be the answer.
At South Carolina he was primarily a slot corner but he also took plenty of snaps at safety and Beane said safety is where heâll get the bulk of his reps for now. He showed that he could cover in the deep half but also come down to the line and play in the box against the run.
However, Kilgore seems like a piece Leonhard will be able to deploy in several ways. The 211-pounder has 30 pounds on Alford so if the opposing offense uses a big-bodied receiver or a tight end in the slot, Kilgore can match up inside.
Jordan Hancock, a 2025 fifth-round pick, is another versatile player who bounced back and forth between slot corner and safety as a rookie last season, so the competition between Hancock and Kilgore should be intriguing. Theyâll keep both because veteran free agent safety signings CJ Gardner-Johnson, Geno Stone and Damar Hamlin are all on one-year contracts, but game day jerseys will be up for grabs.
Do the Bills need to sign a veteran CB?
The Bills probably need to sign a veteran corner, and long-time Bill Tre'Davious White is still available.
The Bills probably need to sign a veteran corner, and long-time Bill Tre'Davious White is still available.
Behind Benford, Hairston and Igbinosun, there is almost nothing, so yes, that would be a good idea. Strongâs neck injury might take him out of the mix completely this season, and the rest of the depth chart features Daryl Porter Jr., MJ Devonshire, TeâCory Couch and seventh-round pick Toriano Pride Jr.
Beane has referenced on numerous occasions how unfortunate it was that the Billsâ late-season cornerback depth was trashed by injury and how big a role that played in the loss to the Broncos, memories of watching Dane Jackson and Darnell Savage get burned for touchdowns forever etched into your brain.
âYou saw the depth of our corners tested last year through injury,â he said. âYou want to make sure as the season goes along, if injury strikes, that you've got enough guys, even if they're not starters.â
White is still working out at the Billsâ facility as he waits for an offer from Buffalo or another team, but it feels like a longshot that the Bills, with a new defensive staff and philosophy, will bring him back. But given how the free agent market has thinned out, that might be the most logical thing to do.
Another option would be to go to camp with the current group, wait to see how the final cuts around the league go, and add to the position just before the start of the season when there will surely be more players to choose from, whether itâs White or someone else.
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 37 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.