The velociraptor Buffalo needs: Why Cashius Howell is the right call at 26

The numbers back it up. In 2025, Howell posted 11.5 sacks, 41 pressures, 14 tackles for loss, and a 19.9% pass-rush win rate in the heart of the SEC. That win rate, by the way, was identical to his 2024 season — when he was rotating behind future first-rounders Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton. That kind of consistency is not an accident. His 4.59-second 40-yard dash and 1.58-second 10-yard split translate that tape explosiveness into measurable, undeniable athleticism. His Relative Athletic Score of 8.11 out of 10 puts him firmly in that elite-mover tier at the position.

NFL Draft Buzz grades him at 87.1, ranking him the fifth-best edge rusher in this class. Bleacher Report comps him to James Pearce Jr. and BJ Ojulari — drafted in the first and second rounds, respectively. The value at 26 is real.

Even Rumblers are talking about the relevancy of short arms in deciding the fate of NFL prospects:

The perfect fit for Jim Leonhard’s vision

This is where it gets exciting.

The Bills are running a 3-4 under new DC Jim Leonhard — an attacking, aggressive scheme built around creating chaos up front and forcing offenses to react. Leonhard himself said it plainly: “We’re going to be an attacking defense. We’re going to attack the football.“

That’s not a scheme that needs a two-gap power end. That’s a scheme that needs a disruptive, twitchy, relentless pass rusher who can win one-on-ones and make quarterbacks feel the heat.

That is Cashius Howell.

The way I see this playing out: Howell comes in as the third edge option behind Bradley Chubb and Greg Rousseau on early downs. No pressure, no rush to be productive against the run game — just time to develop there while playing a complementary role.

Meanwhile, on passing downs? That’s when things get really interesting. Howell on the field forces a decision. You can keep Rousseau at his natural spot and bring Howell as a designated rusher, or — and this is the chess move I love — you slide Rousseau inside along the line and rush four with two legitimate threats attacking from different angles. No blitzes needed. Just four guys, maximum pressure, minimal coverage liabilities.

And let’s not forget: Michael Hoecht is coming back from a serious Achilles injury. The depth at this position is not what it needs to be for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Howell doesn’t just add a weapon — he fills a genuine roster gap.

The Nik Bonitto Blueprint

Scouts said Bonitto was too small. Too much of a situational rusher. Too reliant on speed. They said his 32.5” arms would limit him. Sound familiar?

Bonitto became the best pure pass-rush specialist in football. Denver built around his athleticism and his get-off, and it worked. Howell has the same profile — the same explosive first step, the same identity as a two-move rusher, the same motor that never quits.

Howell’s arms are shorter than Bonitto’s, yes. But his instincts, his bend, and his pass-rush plan are arguably more polished at this stage than the Broncos’ stud were coming out.

A smart organization — and the Bills are one — sets the arm-length hysteria aside and drafts the talent. As Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com put it: “I know he lacks prototypical measurements, but a smart team will set that aside and add an energetic force off the edge.“

The honest board

Look, I’m not pretending this is a slam dunk. Brandon Beane might prefer wide receiver KC Concepcion or defensive tackle Kayden McDonald at 26, and I can understand it. Concepcion is electric and addresses a need. McDonald is exactly what a 3-4 nose tackle should look like, and that position is arguably the biggest gap on Buffalo’s roster, schematically. I would not be upset. Those are legitimate picks.

But if Howell is sitting there at 26? I’d run to the podium.

The athleticism is real. The production is real. The fit with Leonhard’s vision is real. And the upside — a player who becomes the Bills’ version of Nik Bonitto, a relentless, game-changing pass rusher who makes opposing coordinators lose sleep — is as good as any prospect in this draft.

Tonight, I want to be on my feet celebrating. And one pick at 26 does that for me more than any other…

Give me Cashius Howell. Give me the velociraptor. Go Bills!

Catch up on all this and more with the latest edition of Leading the Charge!