Late-round draft strategy: Bills' hidden gems
- The Bills used eight Day-3 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, adding wide receiver Skyler Bell, linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, safety Jalon Kilgore and depth. - Buffalo took Bell at No. 125 overall after trading into Round 4, and team officials said the UConn receiver can play inside and outside. - Buffalo’s late-round plan centered on depth and defensive youth after injuries exposed roster holes last season. (buffalobills.com)
Buffalo spent Day 3 of the 2026 draft stacking depth, not chasing stars, with eight picks after opening the weekend on defense. (buffalobills.com) The Bills’ full class included 10 players, and eight of them came on Day 3 after the team traded out of Round 1 and back into Round 2. (buffalobills.com 1) (buffalobills.com 2) Those later picks were offensive tackle Jude Bowry at No. 102, wide receiver Skyler Bell at No. 125, linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr at No. 126, safety Jalon Kilgore at No. 167, defensive tackle Zane Durant at No. 181, cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. at No. 220 and guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams at No. 241. (buffalobills.com 1) (buffalobills.com 2) The shape of the class matched what general manager Brandon Beane said Buffalo needed: “an infusion of youth, some speed, and size on defense” after injuries hit the unit in 2025. (buffalobills.com) That explains why Buffalo used six of its 10 picks on defense, including second-round cornerback Davison Igbinosun after a trade with Denver for No. 62. (buffalobills.com 1) (buffalobills.com 2) The Igbinosun move cost Buffalo picks No. 66 and No. 182, leaving the front office to refill the board with cheaper bets on special teams, depth and developmental roles. (buffalobills.com) Bell became the most discussed late-round swing. Buffalo took the UConn receiver at No. 125, and Sporting News called him a “potentially great pick” for a room that needed another option. (sportingnews.com) Inside the building, Buffalo pushed back on the idea that Bell is only a slot receiver. Beane said Bell can play “inside and outside,” and Bell said he can handle deep balls, contested catches and intermediate work. (buffalobills.com) Bell’s testing helps explain the interest: at the combine, his 41-inch vertical ranked fifth among wide receivers and his 11-foot-1 broad jump ranked fourth. (buffalobills.com) (nfl.com) Buffalo’s own review of the class pointed to the same Day-3 logic across the board: add players who can survive camp cuts, cover kicks and compete for sub-package snaps. (buffalobills.com) (buffalobills.com) The Bills will sort out the real winners in rookie minicamp and summer camp, but the draft board already shows the plan: premium capital for cornerback, volume for everything else. (buffalobills.com)
