Five at Five: 2026 NFL Draft prospects to keep in mind for Buffalo (10.0)

Are we there yet? 

No.

Ok, I’ll keep chugging along.

Here’s another daily dose of “Five at Five” right here at the Buffalo FAMbase blog for your viewing pleasure, ladies and gents.

We have some intriguing names on tonight’s list for you, so get right to it.

Bottoms up!

Treydan Stukes, Safety/Nickel, University of Arizona (6-foot-1, 190 lbs/Age: 24)

University of Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes could conceivably be moving on to his second NFL contract at this point of his career — he’ll turn 25 by the second week of September — but, instead he’s just about to get his feet wet in the pros.

However, in spite of being one of the older prospects in this class, he’s also one of the better stories.

Originally a preferred walk-on at Arizona coming out of Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona, in 2020, the home state “kid” wound up appearing in 52 games with 38 starts by the time his six-year collegiate career was over on the Tucson campus, which included 10 starts in 2025 as a “Super Senior.”

Stukes also managed to work his way up to being a team captain and the  “unquestioned leader” of the Wildcats’ defense in his final season according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s scouting report of the safety/nickel cornerback.

That’s quite the trajectory to go from freshman afterthought to “The Man” on campus, so to speak, but Stukes did it.

In his final season, the Arizona native allowed zero touchdowns, had a 90.4 overall coverage grade, and allowed just a 34.4 passer rating when throws went his way according to Pro Football Focus.

Some analysts like his fit in zone schemes and question his fit in man, but PFF also gave the opportunistic defensive back a grade of 83.2 in man coverage as he allowed just 10 catches on 19 targets according to the site’s database. They also rated him with a grade of 72.5 in run defense.

At the combine, Stukes showed that he has the athletic ability to do just about anything that’s asked of him on the football field . . . you just have to unleash him and allow him to go do it.

He doesn’t appear to be afraid of a little challenge — he’s had plenty of them so far in his (relatively) young career.

In February, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back showed why he belonged at the next level as he ran a blazing 40-time of 4.33 seconds, a 10-yard split of 1.5 seconds, had a vertical jump of 38”, and a broad jump of 10’-10”.

Stukes. Was. Sensational.

And now, he hopes that performance — along with his play on the field in recent years — will get him drafted somewhere between Round 2 and Round 4. 

That will most likely happen, and — when it does — I’m guessing the feeling of being a prized draft pick will be a far cry from the one of being a relatively unwanted walk-on as a teenager.

He’s an instinctive player who just so happens to have the athleticism to “make good” on his preparation and tremendous processing skills, which is evidenced by his seven career interceptions and incredible 29 career pass deflections.

Oh, and remember how I said he’s a terrific story?

Well, not only was he a walk-on, but Stukes also tore his ACL after just three games in 2024 and bounced back to have one of the best seasons of his career last year (52 total tackles, 6 PBUs, 4 INTs, 1 TFL, 1 sack).

He’s a true testament of where hard work and grit can take you.

And, it’s crazy to think that he ran his tremendous 40-time just a few years removed from a severe knee injury.

Stukes is special, and he can be a good building block and weapon for a defense at the next level despite his age.

He’d be a good addition for any team hoping to get more turnovers and plays on the ball in the near future.

Does that sound familiar to you, Bills Mafia?

Anyway, like other defensive backs we’ve highlighted in prior segments of “Five at Five,” Stukes has the potential to be a starter in a year or two in the NFL, and he’ll provide depth to a team’s secondary for years to come at the very least.

He finished his six years down in the Southwest with 206 total tackles, 29 pass deflections, 12 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, and one sack.

The third round might be a sweet spot for the Arizona playmaker.

Bobby Jamison-Travis, Defensive Tackle, Auburn University (6-foot-3, 328 lbs/Age: 24)

Quientrail “Bobby” Jamison-Travis.

Where do you start with this player?

First off — it’s an incredible name — and one that deserves to be showcased on Sundays in the NFL.

Secondly, although it’s unclear if Jamison-Travis will actually hear his name called on Day 3 of the draft or not, like the previously listed Stukes, the big man from Minneapolis, Minnesota, is also one of the better storylines in this draft class.

The 6-foot-3, 328-pound lane-clogging defensive lineman started out his collegiate career at little-known Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is where he spent three seasons from 2020 to 2022 before taking his talents to the SEC with the Auburn Tigers in 2023.

While at the JUCO level, “Bobby” Jamison-Travis dominated.

He helped the Reivers (that’s not a mascot name you hear often) win the NJCAA title in his final season with the team, and for his career at the school he recorded 102 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks in 29 contests. In the title game, he had two-and-a-half sacks according to Chad Reuter’s write-up on NFL.com. 

From there, Jamison-Travis’ plays weren’t as splashy once he was playing against the best of the best in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of the FBS, but he was still a relatively consistent performer for Auburn, especially this past season when he had 36 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and two pass deflections.

The Minnesota native isn’t the flashiest, and he’s an older prospect as he’ll be 25 during the season, but he should be a solid contributor at the next level for whatever team gives him a chance.

He’ll help upgrade their run defense from the moment he gets in the building, even though he does need to work on establishing a better anchor and must learn to then better disengage from his blocker to make more plays on the ballcarrier, but he’ll be effective at helping his teammates make more plays.

For his career with the Tigers, Jamison-Travis finished with 56 total tackles, four tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and one sack.

It’ll be interesting to see if any NFL franchise decides to take a shot on the big man on Day 3.

Buffalo fans do have an affinity for players with large bellies . . . who knows?

Maybe defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard does too? 

We have Billy the Buffalo . . . could fans get Bobby the Buffalo defensive lineman next?

FAMbase readers won’t have to wait too much longer to find out, at least.

Antonio Williams, Wide Receiver, Clemson University (5-foot-11, 187 lbs/Age: 21)

Clemson University’s Antonio Williams certainly isn’t one of the bigger wideouts in this year’s draft class, but he’s definitely one of the shiftiest and seemingly one of the toughest coming out of the slot.

Projected to be selected by teams in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft somewhere on Day 2 to anywhere early on Day 3, the Clemson product was a Freshman All-American and Honorable Mention All-ACC recipient right out of gates for the Tigers after being recruited out of Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, South Carolina, in 2022, and the soon-to-be 22-year-old was one of the team’s most consistent performers throughout his time on campus down in Clemson, South Carolina.

He’s not the fastest, but he has sufficient speed, and he’s not the most technical route-runner, but he makes do . . . simply put, Williams is a good football player.

And, more times than not he’s probably going to make it work out there between the lines no matter what the situation might be or what his coaches may be asking him to do just as long as you give him the opportunity to do it . . . he’ll find a way.

Give him the “rock” and watch him work.

For his career, the electric playmaker — who can run, catch, throw, and return punts according to Lance Zierlein’s scouting report — finished his time with the Tigers with 38 starts in 43 games, and he recorded 208 receptions for 2,336 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns, 25 rushing attempts for 187 yards and two touchdowns, and he tallied 143 passing yards and two passing touchdowns (4-for-4, 100%), while also adding 39 punt returns for 351 yards (9.0 YPR avg.) across his four seasons. He also had one kickoff return for 26 yards back in his freshman campaign.

Needless to say, Williams is a playmaker with the ball in his hands.

He’s not a perfect prospect, but none are.

The South Carolina native possesses an innate ability to find the soft spots in zone coverage while working from the slot, and he also is unafraid to fight for catches while working the middle parts of the field.

Oh, and he’s pretty darn good once he secures the catch and turns to look for more yardage — opponents’ ankles, you’ve been warned.

So, although Williams may never be a superstar in the league, he should have a long and productive career while doing a little bit of everything for his future squad(s).

Buffalo would be wise to consider Williams in the third or fourth round. 

Riley Nowakowski, Tight End/Fullback, Indiana University (6-foot-2, 250 lbs/Age: 23)

Indiana University’s Riley Nowakowski is going to turn 24 years old in June, but he still might wind up having a 10-year career in the NFL as a do-it-all fullback/tight end when all is said and done.

In part, because Nowakowski is a good athlete and should age well, but also — he’s a badass on the field and coaches and teammates will love “going to war” with him every Sunday, Monday, or Thursday.

He’s a “glue guy” if there ever was one.

A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the 6-foot-1, 250-pound jack-of-all-trades originally started out by staying in his home state to play for the University of Wisconsin as a walk-on from 2020 to 2024, but he gained an extra year of eligibility and wound up playing for the national champion Indiana Hoosiers in 2025 . . . I’d say things worked out pretty well, wouldn’t you?

Especially considering Nowakowski had a career renaissance of sorts while playing for head coach Curt Cignetti on the campus in Bloomington, Indiana, as he more than doubled his previous career totals in receiving in his “Super Senior” season with the team.

Over his first four years, Nowakowski mustered just 18 receptions for 131 yards and one touchdown, but last year he “exploded” for 32 catches for 387 yards and two touchdowns while also adding two carries for two yards and two touchdowns on the ground in goal-to-go scenarios.

The former Badger and Hoosier proved that he can be a weapon in the passing game last season, but he’s always been a “plus-player” in terms of his effectiveness in the running game as he times up his blocks well and will play through the whistle every time that he lines up for a snap according to Lance Zierlein.

And, although last year’s pop in production in the passing game might’ve just been lightning in a bottle in what was a total miracle season for the entire Indiana team, it also could’ve just been a situation of being put in the right spots and being played to his strengths.

I don’t know, after all, Curt Cignetti does kind of seem to know what he’s doing. Maybe that’s just my opinion, though (joking…). 

Anyway, fans who are longing for former Bills fullback Reggie Gilliam and holding out hope that he’ll somehow (he can’t) spurn the New England Patriots and return to Western New York, I have news for you — Reggie’s doing just fine in Foxborough, Massachusetts, I’m almost sure of it.

So, maybe it’s time to start thinking about the possibilities of what’s out there for the future?

Can I interest you in Nowakowski?

They do sound like similar types of players in terms of their mentality, and the impending rookie actually might be a better overall player as far as what he can provide on offense for a coach like Joe Brady.

Don’t get me wrong, Reggie Gilliam was a great player. But, the young Hoosier seems to be pretty good, too.

He also displayed more-than-adequate athleticism at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, which was the calling card of Gilliam coming out of the University of Toledo as an undrafted free agent in 2020.

At the event this past February, Nowakowski ran the 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds, had a 10-yard split of 1.7 seconds, jumped a vertical of 33.5”, and he posted a broad jump of 9’-11”.

That quality display of athletic ability was just the icing on the cake for a player who plays with a nasty demeanor on the field, and who has all the makings of a long-term starter at fullback or H-back in the NFL in the not so distant future.

If the Bills are serious about adding a replacement for Gilliam, and they’re not just planning on having second-year tight end Jackson Hawes fulfill those duties next season, then Indiana’s Nowakowski would be a good addition in the sixth or seventh round, or even as a possible priority UDFA if he makes it out of the draft without finding a home.

The 2025 Third-Team All-Big Ten selection is a name to keep an eye on because his playing style should translate well at the next level, and he’d be an intriguing addition into Joe Brady’s offense as a fullback and a fourth tight end.

He’ll also add value on special teams.

Don’t sleep on this possibility, folks, especially if Nowakowski becomes an undrafted free agent.

Will Lee III, Cornerback, Texas A&M University (6-foot-1, 189 lbs/Age: 23)

A teammate of another player previously mentioned on this list, defensive lineman Bobby Jamison-Travis, cornerback Will Lee III also spent time at Iowa Western Community College early on in his collegiate journey as he was a part of that 2022 NJCAA title winning team after redshirting for the Reivers (I honestly didn’t think I’d type that again) in 2021.

In that lone season, the St. Louis, Missouri, native appeared in 12 games, registering 34 tackles, 10 pass breakups, one tackle for loss, and one interception.

From there, Lee III didn’t immediately make the jump to the SEC like Jamison-Travis, but he did hit the transfer portal to play in the Big 12 for Kansas State University in 2023 before ultimately finding a more “permanent” home with Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, from 2024 to 2025.

He had a solid two-year stint with the Aggies, but 2024 might have been his best as he earned Second-Team All-SEC honors after he led the team with 10 pass deflections while also recording 42 tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.

He returned one of those interceptions back for a touchdown, as well.

With that said, in his three seasons at the FBS level, Lee III started 34 of 36 games that he appeared in en route to amassing 134 total tackles, 24 pass breakups, four interceptions, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one sack.

He proceeded to follow that performance in pads up by shining in shorts at the scouting combine in February. 

The former Aggie ran a 4.52-second time in the 40-yard dash, had a 1.56 10-yard split, posted a 42” vertical, and he also had an incredible 11’-0” broad jump.

He’s an athlete, no question about it.

But, there are still questions about his overall instincts and feel at the cornerback position, and since his long speed is lacking he could stand to become more fluid in his transitions according to some scouting analysts.

There are also concerns about his tackling abilities, but that could presumably be cleaned up with coaching and better technique at the next level.

Overall, he has above-average athleticism in spite of his mediocre 40-time, and the length he possesses on the boundary is tantalizing.

The Texas A&M product may never reach his ultimate potential of becoming a full-time starter in the league, but his scheme versatility and production making plays on the ball (even without the interceptions to go with it) should allow for him to have a solid career as a top depth player in some team’s secondary at the very least.

Many analysts think Lee III will hear his name called anywhere from Round 3 to Round 5. 

In my opinion, he’s an intriguing player to think about adding into the defensive back room in Buffalo behind Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston.

The team is most likely going to add a cornerback at some point during the draft due to the team’s current lack of overall depth, at least depending on how the board falls.

So, it’s seemingly just a matter of who and when.

And, Lee III might be the lucky winner that lands in Western New York.

Writer’s note: Bills Mafia, I truly hope you’re enjoying my work so far this offseason, especially the recent NFL Draft articles. If you do, please consider giving me a follow over on X (formerly Twitter). My handle on that platform is @JGreen_PRsports. I’m really trying to get my work out there, so to anyone who reads and shares — THANK YOU. It is greatly appreciated.