Three Possible Players the Buffalo Bills can select in the First round of the 2026 NFL Draft
After a playoff loss to the Denver Broncos and departure of long-time head coach Sean McDermont, the Buffalo Bills are in an interesting situation heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. With long-time general manager Brandon Beane and first year head coach Joe Brady at the helm, striking gold on their first round draft pick will be key to getting star quarterback Josh Allen his first Super Bowl appearance. With that being said, Here are three players the Bills could target heading into the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
1. Kevin Concepcion WR Texas A&M:
Since letting go of Stefon Diggs, the Bills haven’t given Josh Allen a star wide receiver to throw to. In the two years as the primary wide receiver, Khalil Shakir hasn’t eclipsed 1000 receiving yards in either season. This led to the Bills leaning on James Cook for their offensive production, with Cook getting 20.1 touches a game, fifth most in the NFL. Meanwhile, Kevin Concepcion established himself as one of college football’s best wide receiver prospects; ranked 5th in the class behind names like Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon and Denzel Boston. Concepcion showed elite explosiveness at Texas A&M and was a a versatile weapon for the Aggies, lining up in the slot and averaging 15.1 yards per catch, showing legit big play potential. If Buffalo can pair Josh Allen with a developed Kevin Concepcion, it can give their offense an extra gear to take them to the next level.
2. Peter Woods DT Clemson:
On the other side of the ball, the Bills rushing defense this year was one of the worst rushing defenses in the NFL, giving up 2315 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns, the most in the NFL. It’s an area of the defense that needs improving, especially as teams look to establish the running game more in the playoffs. Drafting Peter Woods is the first step in helping the Bills improve their rushing defense. Physically, Woods has all of the tools to be great defensive tackle. He has a good first step off the line of scrimmage, a high motor and great body control to get through gaps in space and make a big play. Despite a down year at Clemson, Woods is still an NFL ready prospect and with proper development, he can be an impactful piece on Buffalo’s defensive line alongside Gregory Rousseau and Ed Oliver.
3. Emmanuel McNeil Warren S Toledo:
Throughout his four years at Toledo, Emmanuel McNeil Warren developed into on of the better safeties in college football. His freshman season at Toledo was a redshirt season. However, he was solid in the limited number of opportunities he had, recording seven tackles, and 1 forced fumble. He continued to improve and became a key piece for Toledo’s passing defense in his second and third season. Warren finished his final season with 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and 1 pick six; culminating in Warren being ranked as the third best safety in the draft. Acquiring Warren makes sense for the Bills, especially with safeties Jordan Poyer and Damar Hamlin entering unrestricted free agency. Drafting Warren will also allow the Bills to build a young core for their defense with players like Emmanuel McNeil Warren, Cole Bishop, Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston becoming key contributors for years to come.