The Buffalo Bills received a perfect draft grade from NFL.com, earning an overall A. However, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. rated them a B-, indicating mixed reviews on their draft performance.
Key points
Buffalo Bills received a perfect A grade from NFL.com
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. rated the Bills a B-
Bills ranked 26th out of 32 teams by some outlets
Walter Football gave the Bills a C+ grade
Mentioned in this story
NFL.comMel Kiper Jr.ESPNWalter Football
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have one of the NFL's best draft classes. Or one of the worst, depending on who you ask.
NFL.com gave Buffalo the only perfect report card in the league, awarding an A for each day and an overall A.
But ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Bills a B-, the lowest grade in the AFC East. Other outlets were less enthusiastic, including a ranking of 26 of 32 teams and a C+ grade from Walter Football.
The Bills traded down three times in Round 1 to gain additional mid-round selections and still found a much-needed physical pass rush presence on the edge in Parker. Igbinosun possesses the size and physicality to start on the outside, especially if he continues reducing his pass-interference penalties. Buffalo's original second-round pick was wisely used to acquire receiver DJ Moore and a fifth-round selection from Chicago.
It wouldnât surprise me to see Bowry slide inside to guard, where the Bills have to replace David Edwards . Reed - Adams will also add depth on the interior of the line. The Bills found excellent value in the dynamic yet reliable Bell, the athletic/big-hitting Elarms-Orr, the speedy/productive Kilgore and undersized but quick Durant.
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Grade: B-
There were a lot of directions Buffalo could have gone at No. 26. But trading back not once, not twice, but three times was not on my Bingo card. The Bills went to No. 28, then No. 31 and finally to No. 35. That gave general manager Brandon Beane some maneuverability.
That was key. Entering the draft, Buffalo wasn't slated to pick again after No. 26 until No. 91, super late on Day 2. And after seven straight playoff appearances ended in heartbreak (and the firing of coach Sean McDermott), the pressure is on right now. Quarterback Josh Allen is turning 30 next month; the Bills need to get over the hump and find a way into the Super Bowl. As a result of the trades, Buffalo shuffled its fourth-rounders and moved up from No. 91 to the back end of Round 2 (No. 66).
Salary cap cuts opened some holes on defense this offseason, so Buffalo needed starters. The Bills turned their first two picks into T.J. Parker and Davison Igbinosun. I had higher-rated edges at No. 35 and higher-rated corners at No. 62. However, both players should play big roles for the Bills.
Parker's production dipped in 2025, with his sack total falling from 11 in 2024 to five in 2025. But he has outstanding speed-to-power and active hands, and he changes up quickly when his first pass-rush plan doesn't work. He'd join Bradley Chubb and Greg Rousseau and try to keep Buffalo among the league's better pressure-generating teams.
Igbinosun was 103rd on my board, and I would have preferred someone like Malik Muhammad in that spot. He struggled with penalties in college. He gets a little grabby in coverage.
Matt Milano is still unsigned (and 31 years old now), so linebacker was my top need for this roster going into Round 1. Kaleb Elarms-Orr can help. He had 130 tackles last season. Jalon Kilgore is an effective player in the star position with 4.4 speed and explosive traits. And Zane Durant gives Buffalo a 3-technique with 17 tackles for loss and 36 pressures over the past two years.
One of my favorite Bills picks was Skyler Bell. He is a Khalil Shakir-type pass catcher with speed and after-the-catch ability. And he can line up either in the slot or outside.
For a team thatâs admittedly in Super Bowl or bust mode for the remainder of QB Josh Allenâs tenure in Western New York, the Bills did a nice job of addressing needs â especially in Round 2 with CB Davison Igbinosun and OLB T.J. Parker, who could be a steal here as he goes to work opposite Bradley Chubb. And donât forget that that Buffalo invested the 60th pick last month to pry WR DJ Moore out of Chicago. New Highmark Stadium, which opens later this year, could be rocking right through the AFC championship game.
Buffalo fans were understandably frustrated on Thursday because their team traded down twice from No. 26 and failed to make a pick in the first round. While they acquired some draft capital, they also allowed the Patriots to secure the final first-round tackle prospect in the first round, which could end up being detrimental in future matchups.
The Bills eventually picked at No. 35, taking T.J. Parker. This was a solid selection, but Buffaloâs other second-round choice was not, as it was a major reach on Davison Igbinosun. Even worse, the Bills squandered whatever capital they earned in an irresponsible trade up for him. They probably could have traded down and acquired him instead.
Trades and Igbinosun aside, the Bills had a fine draft. I really like what they did on Day 3, securing plenty of quality values, including Jude Bowry, Skyler Bell, and Jalon Kilgore. Kilgore, in particular, was a tremendous bargain because he could have gone at the end of Round 2 with no complaints.
The Bills definitely made a couple of mistakes in this draft â namely helping their arch rival and top competitor â but they didnât do a bad job overall.
Entering the draft with no pick between Nos. 26 and 91, the Bills traded down twice, dropping out of the first round entirely and picking up extra selections to reshape the roster in new head coach Joe Bradyâs vision. The Bills still added a quality edge rusher in T.J. Parker, who I thought was going to come off the board on Day 1. He is already a well-rounded and productive player and is still just scratching the surface of his potential. While Parker will understandably get most of the attention, I thought GM Brandon Beane found quality value and stylistic fits throughout the draft.
Cornerback Davison Igbinosun and offensive tackle Jude Bowry were two of my favorite "second-tier" prospects at their respective positions. Wideout Skyler Bell and safeties Jalon Kigore and Zane Durant also have the athleticism that suggests they could be future NFL starters. Perhaps my favorite Day 3 pick for the Bills, however, was TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, a heat-seeking missile who might compete for a starting role immediately.
The Bills finally got on the board in Round 2 after trading out of the first round. The expectation was that, once they went on the clock, they would select a defensive player. That played out with each of their first two picks. T.J. Parker bolsters the defensive front while Davison Igbinosun helps the secondary. Both units must improve if Buffalo wants to break through and get the most out of Josh Allen and its elite offense.
Buffalo then opened Day 3 by trading back one spot and using the second pick of the fourth round on an offensive lineman. Jude Bowry brings some depth to a group that lost David Edwards in free agency.
It also went back-to-back in the draft order in the fourth round. Picks 125 and 126 filled team needs at the right value, as Josh Edwards projected the Bills to select Skyler Bell at No. 126 in his fourth-round mock draft.
