3 overreactions after the draft suggest the Bills are set for immediate impact from a promising class that might change expectations
The Buffalo Bills addressed several team needs with their 2026 NFL Draft selections. Here are some of the biggest overreactions with the draft class, as they could completely shift expectations in a hurry, with the 2026 NFL season just months away from beginning.
The Buffalo Bills had 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, after trading more than a handful of times for general manager Brandon Beane to get some extra ammo.
Fans were divided to begin with, with the team prioritizing defense early on in the draft.
However, Beane later noted that cornerback was the biggest area of concern for the team, so it makes sense with the team’s second selection in cornerback Davison Igbinosun. Here’s a quick recap of all the picks Buffalo made during the draft.
Round 2, Pick: 35: T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Round 2, Pick 62: Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State
Round 4, Pick 102: Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College
Round 4, Pick 125: Skyler Bell, WR, UConn
Round 4, Pick 126: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
Round 5, Pick 167: Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina
Round 5, Pick 181: Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
Round 7, Pick 220: Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri
Round 7: Pick 239: Tommy Doman, P, Florida
Round 7, Pick 241: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, G, Texas A&M
Let’s dive into some overreactions to the 2026 NFL Draft.
Skyler Bell is going to finish third on the team in receiving yards
The Buffalo Bills got a slam dunk selection with the No. 125 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by selecting UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell. Anytime you can get quarterback Josh Allen some more weapons, it’s a good day in our book. Our overreaction is that while Bell will likely come in as the wide receiver No. 4, he’s going to finish the season third overall on the team in terms of receiving yards. He’s a huge weapon for Allen and the offense.
Bell spent three seasons at Wisconsin and two seasons at UConn, where he totalled 52 games played with 220 receptions for 2,893 yards and 24 touchdowns, all while averaging 14.2 yards per reception. Bell is deadly after the catch, and new head coach Joe Brady is going to have fun utilizing him in the team’s offense.
Get ready for some Bell screen passes, as the team will find creative ways to make sure the talented rookie gets touches. He’ll easily outplay Keon Coleman in 2026; that’s our hot take after the draft has ended.
T.J. Parker is going to get the Rookie of the Year recognition, though he won’t win the award
This is just wishful thinking on our part. With the team’s first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, Buffalo selected Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker. Parker is going to be battling for some meaningful reps, but will get some work in early in the season due to some injuries on the roster.
I can see him having a season as Deone Walker did in 2025, though it’s in different positions.
Walker came on and made almost an immediate impact on the defensive line, and that’s what we expect Parker to do as well. There will be some growing pains, but by the season’s end, he’ll wind up looking like a steal by going in the second round. He has all the intangibles to be great at the NFL level, and we’re excited to see what he can do.
Parker spent three seasons at Clemson, where he played in 39 games with 71 solo tackles, 126 combined tackles, 21.4 sacks, and 41.5 tackles for loss. He also added four passes defensed and six fumble recoveries to boot.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr is the linebacker of the future for Buffalo
The Buffalo Bills addressed one of their biggest needs in linebacker by drafting TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-ORr in the fourth round with the No. 126 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Our overreaction is that he’s going to be the long-term answer at the position.
He’s going to have to battle it out, as the team does have a few middle linebackers on the roster who fit new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s new scheme, but we have Elarms-Orr rising to the challenge and getting some meaningful playing time in his rookie season. It won’t be immediate, but eventually he’s going to become the long-term answer.
Elarms-Orr played two seasons for California before transferring to TCU. IN four seasons, he’s played in 47 games with 135 solo tackles, 19 tackles for loss, seven sacks, one interception, seven passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries.
Now, will all of these overreactions come true? Probably not. That’s the beauty of draft weekend: hope is at an all-time high, and every pick feels like it could be the one that changes everything.
But if even two or three of these bold takes hit, the Buffalo Bills may have just quietly put together one of the most impactful draft classes of the Brandon Beane era. And if that happens, don’t be surprised when this group is looked back on as the foundation that finally gets Buffalo over the hump.
