Bills land potential steal of the draft as instant impact expectations begin to build, and team’s outlook gains momentum for 2026
The Buffalo Bills are hoping they landed the steal of the draft in the fourth round when they selected UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell. Bell is expected to come in and make an immediate impact, with general manager Brandon Beane gushing over the selection of Bell.
The Buffalo Bills had a very successful draft, especially on the final day, with some monster selections from general manager Brandon Beane and the front office.
In the fourth round with the No. 125 pick in the NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills selected UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell. Bell is expected to come in and make an immediate impact in the offense, and quarterback Josh Allen just got another weapon.
You could feel his excitement, and his family’s, when he was drafted as a video surfaced showing exactly what went down in the Bell household when his name was called. Fire me all the way up, and Bills Mafia has to be thrilled with the selection.
Joe Brady and Brandon Beane gush over the selection of Skyler Bell in the fourth round of the draft
Beane and new head coach Joe Brady had a lot to say about Bell after he was selected, giving a glimpse of his skill set and what he can bring to the offense. Again, Bills Mafia should be more than thrilled with the official selection. Allen got a legitimate weapon.
“So Bell was next, really like Bell a lot,” Beane said. “You know, Joe and I sat down with Pete (Carmichael) and Drew Terrel a few days before the draft and just looked at certain players, talked about their fit. He was one that we kind of extensively looked at as a group and made sure we’re on the same page [ . . . ] He’s a guy that we think can play inside, can play outside, has enough speed. Good with contested catches, you saw some run after the catch with him. If you just want to watch his highlight tape, go watch the Syracuse game; they just kept throwing him the ball [ . . . ] It’s competition, a lot of these moves that we’ll continue to talk about that happened the rest of the day are just trying to add more depth and more competition.”
If you did want to see his highlight tape against Syracuse, look no further.
Skyler Bell was lights out during his time with UConn
Bell is going to raise the ceiling of the entire room and give Allen perhaps his best receiving core since entering the league. The addition of Bell to the offense cannot be overstated, and we’re just excited to watch him get to work.
During his tenure with UConn, he played in 26 games with 151 receptions for 2,138 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 14.2 yards per reception. A one-man wrecking crew on the offensive side of the football. He had more than a handful of highlight reel plays during his entire collegiate career. What a pickup by Beane and the front office.
Now comes the part that actually matters.
It’s one thing to light up a highlight tape on Saturdays; it’s another to earn Allen’s trust on Sundays. If Bell can do that, even in flashes early on, this pick is going to look like highway robbery in a hurry. The Bills didn’t just add depth; they added a legitimate problem for opposing defenses.
And if this is what Buffalo is finding in the fourth round, it’s hard not to feel like Beane and company may have just pulled off one of the more impactful draft classes in recent memory. Bills Mafia should be fired up, because this might only be the beginning.
