3 under-the-radar draft prospects who fit the Bills perfectly and match how the roster is built heading into the pivotal 2026 NFL Draft
The Buffalo Bills have plenty of team needs heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Here are some under-the-radar prospects that Buffalo could target on draft night, with more than a handful of surprises along the way. It’s an exciting time to be a member of the Bills Mafia.
Over the past few years, the Buffalo Bills have been one of the better teams with a good track record of scouting elite talent through all phases of the draft. Cornerback Christian Benford is a name that immediately comes to mind, along with cornerback Dorian Strong, despite some injury concerns and his playing history in doubt.
This ability will be particularly important for general manager Brandon Beane, who has perhaps his most important draft class to date. With several holes on the roster and plenty of team needs to address. Fortunately, the draft is just days away, and we wanted to highlight a couple of under-the-radar prospects Buffalo should target.
Jacob Rodriquez, LB, Texas Tech
Rodriguez is hardly an under-the-radar type prospect, but he fits the Bills perfectly, and not many people are mocking him to Buffalo. He would be one of Buffalo’s premier picks. The team would most likely need to trade up to get him in round two; there’s been little buzz around his name since the combine, where he named linebackers Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano as the players he models his game after.
A to Z Sports draft simulator analysis: Elite instincts and rare field vision at linebacker. Butkus Award and Nagurski Trophy winner. Undersized at 231 lbs; struggles against bigger interior linemen. Smart processor with instinctive play recognition.
Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
Another playmaker for quarterback Josh Allen, and a weapon that hardly anyone is talking about heading into the draft. All the buzz is around the big names like Jordyn Tyson, but don’t forget the little guys in the draft, either. With Buffalo not having a lot of high-end picks, general manager Brandon Beane is going to need to get creative to help bolster the roster. That’s where Hurst comes in, and he would fit the system perfectly.
A to Z Sports draft simulator analysis: 6’4″, 206-lb X receiver with massive catch radius and dominant catch-point play. 95th-percentile contested-catch rate. Small-school breakout; release consistency and separation need refinement against NFL corners.
Nadame Tucker, EDGE, Western Michigan
Show some more respect to the MAC. Just because Tucker played in a weaker division doesn’t take away from how dominant he was on the football field. New defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard would be chomping at the bit if Tucker were to fall to Buffalo late on the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft.
A to Z Sports draft simulator analysis: Speed demon at 6’2″, 247 lbs with 14.5 sacks and elite first step. Small frame can get swallowed at the point of attack. Older prospect who will turn 26 years old as a rookie. One-year production breakout.
