NY Upstate.com/The Post-Standard (Syracuse) Mock Draft 2.0

[Sierra Foothills]

The writer Ryan Talbot used the Pro Football Network (PFSN) Mock Draft Machine and the Arizona Cardinals made the Bills "an offer they cannot refuse":

 

Terms of the deal: Buffalo receives picks 34 (second round) and 65 (third round) for pick 26 and pick 182 (sixth round).

 

Round	Selection	Player	Position	School
2	34	Jacob Rodriguez	LB	Texas Tech
3	65	Dom Orange	DT	Iowa State
3	91	Gracen Halton	DT	Oklahoma
4	126	Daylen Everette	CB	Georgia
5	165	Malik Benson	WR	Oregon
5	168	Jadon Canady	DB	Oregon
7	220	Tristan Leigh	OL	Clemson

 

I encourage you to click on the link... Ryan provides good write-ups of the draft selections. For instance:

 

Round 5, Pick 168: Jadon Canady, DB, Oregon

Buffalo addressed safety in free agency, signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Geno Stone and Damar Hamlin to one-year deals. At nickel cornerback, Buffalo signed Dee Alford. In the fifth round, Buffalo adds a player who can play at safety or cornerback. Canady played over 2,400 coverage snaps in his collegiate career and recorded an 88.0 coverage grade in 2025.  In Buffalo, Canady can compete for a depth role at safety or compete to be Alford’s backup as a rookie. By his second season, Canady could start opposite Cole Bishop.

 

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2026/04/bills-2026-mock-draft-20-buffalo-trades-down-adds-one-of-drafts-top-lbs-for-jim-leonhard.html

 

[GunnerBill]

Another 2 defensive tackles and a wide receiver in the 5th... I mean it sounds like Beano.

[EmotionallyUnstable]

I’d be very surprised if they select TWO defensive tackles - especially before day 3.

 

I think fans are vastly overrating the need to have multiple defensive tackles in JL’s scheme. Half the time, they’ll be in nickle with two - just like McDermott, rotating a 3rd guy in on specific plays. 
 

I envision rotations in this defense to work much differently. Instead of receiving an entire series, I think we’ll get more situational packages for down and distances. 
 

We have Ed, Sanders and Walker which are already a solid group. Plus guys like Phi Mathis have a legit shot at this roster, and he is more of a bigger bodies 1T that can play the early downs. 
 

If they take a DT this draft, it will almost certainly be a single player and if by chance they take a swing at two players I cannot envision it happening that early. 
 

 

[No_Matter_What]

9 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Another 2 defensive tackles and a wide receiver in the 5th... I mean it sounds like Beano.

On the other hand, it all but guarantees WR round 1 in 2027...

[Kirby Jackson]

I’m a fan of Rodriguez. I would hate back-to-back DTs after that. DT or Edge - WR - CB should be the next 3 picks in whatever order. You don’t have the snaps to inject 2 more rookie DL drafted that highly. 
 

People are forgetting that they traded UP to 41 overall to draft TJ Sanders last year. He’s playing. Walker had a strong rookie year. You still have Oliver. That’s likely your starting DL. You then have Rousseau, Chubb and Hoecht as Edge guys (although Hoecht will move around). You used top 100 picks on Carter (who they apparently like) and Landon Jackson over the last 2 drafts. People are not accounting enough for all these guys. The Bills aren’t going to recruit over guys like Sanders, Carter and Jackson without getting a longer look. They may inject more bodies there but I don’t see someone like Halton and his redundant skill set.

Edited April 11 by Kirby Jackson

[BuffaloBillyG]

30 minutes ago, Sierra Foothills said:

The writer Ryan Talbot used the Pro Football Network (PFSN) Mock Draft Machine and the Arizona Cardinals made the Bills "an offer they cannot refuse":

 

Terms of the deal: Buffalo receives picks 34 (second round) and 65 (third round) for pick 26 and pick 182 (sixth round).

 

Round	Selection	Player	Position	School
2	34	Jacob Rodriguez	LB	Texas Tech
3	65	Dom Orange	DT	Iowa State
3	91	Gracen Halton	DT	Oklahoma
4	126	Daylen Everette	CB	Georgia
5	165	Malik Benson	WR	Oregon
5	168	Jadon Canady	DB	Oregon
7	220	Tristan Leigh	OL	Clemson

 

I encourage you to click on the link... Ryan provides good write-ups of the draft selections. For instance:

 

Round 5, Pick 168: Jadon Canady, DB, Oregon

Buffalo addressed safety in free agency, signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Geno Stone and Damar Hamlin to one-year deals. At nickel cornerback, Buffalo signed Dee Alford. In the fifth round, Buffalo adds a player who can play at safety or cornerback. Canady played over 2,400 coverage snaps in his collegiate career and recorded an 88.0 coverage grade in 2025.  In Buffalo, Canady can compete for a depth role at safety or compete to be Alford’s backup as a rookie. By his second season, Canady could start opposite Cole Bishop.

 

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2026/04/bills-2026-mock-draft-20-buffalo-trades-down-adds-one-of-drafts-top-lbs-for-jim-leonhard.html

 

I, personally HATE the idea of waiting until round 5 to grab a WR, but I think people need to brace for the reality. I believe the Bills feel much better about their WR room than fans do.

 

I think as a general rule, fans want the shiney, fun new player. Draft time we want WRs, mid to late round RBs ECT. Many fans view guys that play in the trenches or LBers as boring picks the majority of the time. 

 

That's not to say our concerns at WR aren't warranted. I feel they are. But if history serves, Beane likely believes we are better at the position then we do. I don't see a sense of urgency to improve the WR position. 

[Dr. Who]

34 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Another 2 defensive tackles and a wide receiver in the 5th... I mean it sounds like Beano.

It certainly does. Terrible.

3 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

I, personally HATE the idea of waiting until round 5 to grab a WR, but I think people need to brace for the reality. I believe the Bills feel much better about their WR room than fans do.

 

I think as a general rule, fans want the shiney, fun new player. Draft time we want WRs, mid to late round RBs ECT. Many fans view guys that play in the trenches or LBers as boring picks the majority of the time. 

 

That's not to say our concerns at WR aren't warranted. I feel they are. But if history serves, Beane likely believes we are better at the position then we do. I don't see a sense of urgency to improve the WR position. 

They shouldn't. They always do and then end up trying to make a desperate trade deadline deal. 

[nosejob]

Yeah, seems like they could get a good WR at 91. Also still think we add vet DT.

[Dr. Who]

@BillsShredder83 had an interesting article in one of these threads that broke down the usage of various positions in the Broncos' defense. It isn't necessarily predictive of what Leonhard will do, but suggestive nonetheless. Turns out it's not NT, Edge, or ILB that is the likely focus for needed additions; it's OLB. 

 

Take the proffered draft and switch out Gabe Jacas for Rodriguez and Ted Hurst for Dom Orange and it's a much better draft. The Benson pick can be allocated to an Edge like Mason Reiger.

[Kirby Jackson]

47 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

I, personally HATE the idea of waiting until round 5 to grab a WR, but I think people need to brace for the reality. I believe the Bills feel much better about their WR room than fans do.

 

I think as a general rule, fans want the shiney, fun new player. Draft time we want WRs, mid to late round RBs ECT. Many fans view guys that play in the trenches or LBers as boring picks the majority of the time. 

 

That's not to say our concerns at WR aren't warranted. I feel they are. But if history serves, Beane likely believes we are better at the position then we do. I don't see a sense of urgency to improve the WR position. 

 

44 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

It certainly does. Terrible.

They shouldn't. They always do and then end up trying to make a desperate trade deadline deal. 

Based on their visits, I don’t think that they feel good about the room. They’re spending a lot of time with the guys going early. They aren’t just doing that so that fans are happy. They see the need.
 

WR2 and LB are the 2 open starting spots IMO. I think LG is a competition but the starter is on the roster. Sanders is going to start so I think DL is set. The Bills are acting as if there’s a need at WR (and there is). WR2 isn’t currently on the roster. Now it may be Cooks comes back and Benson gets picked on day 3. That’s a temporary fix and a shot at speed in the draft. 

[BuffaloBillyG]

47 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

It certainly does. Terrible.

They shouldn't. They always do and then end up trying to make a desperate trade deadline deal. 

Oh I'm with you. They shouldn't. But until they actually show they do, I'm going to assume they still do until Beane proves otherwise. It feels like this year they are trying to talk themselves into a few things happening. Hearing the comments this off-season, it's a lot of "Well if Palmer stays healthy..." Or "If Kincaid doesn't reinjure himself" and of course "We are finally free to unlock Keon's potential"

 

It's foolish to think all that will happen. There's always a chance one of the things do. But then there are unforseen things that happen each year and we are no better off. For instance, let's say Palmer stays healthy and is now somehow more productive. Then we lose Shakir. We are back to a net negative.

4 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

 

Based on their visits, I don’t think that they feel good about the room. They’re spending a lot of time with the guys going early. They aren’t just doing that so that fans are happy. They see the need.
 

WR2 and LB are the 2 open starting spots IMO. I think LG is a competition but the starter is on the roster. Sanders is going to start so I think DL is set. The Bills are acting as if there’s a need at WR (and there is). WR2 isn’t currently on the roster. Now it may be Cooks comes back and Benson gets picked on day 3. That’s a temporary fix and a shot at speed in the draft. 

In fairness, look back over the last 2-3 drafts at visits. They do that every year it seems. They visit with a lot of WRs, get the fans all eager for a pass catcher...then wait til later and wonder why fans are disappointed with the Justin Shorters of the world.

[Kirby Jackson]

18 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

 

In fairness, look back over the last 2-3 drafts at visits. They do that every year it seems. They visit with a lot of WRs, get the fans all eager for a pass catcher...then wait til later and wonder why fans are disappointed with the Justin Shorters of the world.

2 years ago they met with the top guys and took one with their first pick. Last year they had: Bond, Lane, TeSlaa, Lambert-Smith, Smith, Royals and Horton on top 30 visits. Those were mid to late round guys except for Bond and he was a different situation. 
 

This year it has been the top guys AND they’ve talked with Cooks. They agreed to circle back after the draft. That tells me everything. They basically have a handshake agreement in place, “if we can’t get a guy early there’s a spot for you.” The WR room is going to add someone like Concepcion OR Cooks AND Benson. They’ll definitely draft a guy. Depending on how high they take a guy, or how ready he is (thinking Chris Bell), will depend on Cooks filling that spot for now.

IMO, it’s EXTREMELY unlikely that Palmer/Coleman open the year as the WR opposite Moore. Their actions are just screaming that. 

[BuffaloBillyG]

1 hour ago, Kirby Jackson said:

2 years ago they met with the top guys and took one with their first pick. Last year they had: Bond, Lane, TeSlaa, Lambert-Smith, Smith, Royals and Horton on top 30 visits. Those were mid to late round guys except for Bond and he was a different situation. 
 

This year it has been the top guys AND they’ve talked with Cooks. They agreed to circle back after the draft. That tells me everything. They basically have a handshake agreement in place, “if we can’t get a guy early there’s a spot for you.” The WR room is going to add someone like Concepcion OR Cooks AND Benson. They’ll definitely draft a guy. Depending on how high they take a guy, or how ready he is (thinking Chris Bell), will depend on Cooks filling that spot for now.

IMO, it’s EXTREMELY unlikely that Palmer/Coleman open the year as the WR opposite Moore. Their actions are just screaming that. 

Absolutely. Will be interesting to see how it all pans out. The wink and nod agreement with Cooks kind of reminds me of the same situation with Latavious Murray a few years back. We missed out on the RB we wanted high and signed him during the draft, if memory serves. That may be what happens here. 

 

I think if we strike out high on a WR we want, Cooks is the fall back. And I believe that would be in place of a 5th round or later rookie. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. 

[Kirby Jackson]

7 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Absolutely. Will be interesting to see how it all pans out. The wink and nod agreement with Cooks kind of reminds me of the same situation with Latavious Murray a few years back. We missed out on the RB we wanted high and signed him during the draft, if memory serves. That may be what happens here. 

 

I think if we strike out high on a WR we want, Cooks is the fall back. And I believe that would be in place of a 5th round or later rookie. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. 

We are largely in agreement. I just think they’re drafting a guy for sure. They kind of did last year but not really. They just have to inject a young, cheap body into the room. If they take a guy early I don’t think Cooks will be here. If it is someone like Benson in the 5th I think it’ll be he AND Cooks. I think the Bills would like Cooks in either situation but I doubt he comes here if the Bills take a guy early.
 

IMO the WR room can only look 2 ways at this point. Something like this and the last guy could go a few ways:

 

Option A:

Moore

Rookie early (Concepcion is my guess)

Shakir

Palmer

Coleman

Shavers (if healthy maybe Sherfield if not)

 

Option B:

Moore

Cooks

Shakir

Palmer

Coleman

Rookie later (maybe Benson)

 

Shavers IR

[billsfan89]

I love Dom Orange but back to back DT's when the team needs and EDGE and WR aren't great.

[BearNorth]

5 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

 and Hoecht as Edge guys (although Hoecht will move around). 

I think given his age and the type of injury [torn achilles] Hoecht is still a huge question mark in 2026.

[DJB]

I’m fine with the first two picks but we can’t wait until the 5th to go WR. One of our first 3 and preferably first two picks should be a WR

[jahnyc]

It will be depressing if we have Palmer or Coleman lining up opposite Moore, but that seems likely since even if we draft a WR in the first round, he might not be starting to begin the season or at all.  I would hope we trade Coleman if we take a WR in the first round.  Coleman's value will continue to diminish and we will get less value if we wait until after the season, particularly if Coleman's opportunities are impacted by a drafted WR.  I also would be in favor of trading Palmer, but I am not sure there would be any takers and the cap space is less valuable now than it would have been at the start of free agency.  

[PoundingDog]

What is more important , picking the right player (best chance to be a starter in NFL and beyond) or picking the best  player fitting your position needs?

[BillsShredder83]

12 hours ago, Dr. Who said:

@BillsShredder83 had an interesting article in one of these threads that broke down the usage of various positions in the Broncos' defense. It isn't necessarily predictive of what Leonhard will do, but suggestive nonetheless. Turns out it's not NT, Edge, or ILB that is the likely focus for needed additions; it's OLB. 

 

Take the proffered draft and switch out Gabe Jacas for Rodriguez and Ted Hurst for Dom Orange and it's a much better draft. The Benson pick can be allocated to an Edge like Mason Reiger.

Ohhhh yes I like that combo!!