Mock Draft 2.0: Buffalo Bills 7-round scenario

Last Thursday, the Buffalo FAMbase blog provided readers with an extensively painstaking seven-round mock draft for its readers to engulf as the calendar switched from March to April, finally triggering the start of #DRAFTSZN for us here at the site.

The exercise, while not necessarily meant to be overly-predictive, was a way of introducing some names of players to members of Bills Mafia that they should familiarize themselves with as the draft quickly approaches. 

If you enjoyed the article — thank you. 

If not, I have some bad news for you . . . we’re doing it again.

In our Mock Draft Version 2.0, the blog will once again look to peg down just what players might be donning the blue and red next season after the upcoming three-day event.

Admittedly, the last time yours truly did this exercise, it was a bit more of a stick-and-pick situation for the Buffalo Bills.

However, now that we have one mock draft already under our belt at the blog, maybe it’s time to spice things up a little bit. What do you think? 

Yay or Nay?

Should President of Football Operations and General Manager Brandon Beane do whatever necessary to move up the board and grab an intriguing prospect who’s unexpectedly fallen from grace?

Or should he move back in an attempt to stockpile more picks on Day 2 and Day 3 of the draft?

Well, let’s find out . . .

The Buffalo Bills are now on the clock with the 26th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft . . .

*Time Passes Slowly*

Boy, they’re really taking this one down to the wire, aren’t they?

Wait, OK. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is now walking across the stage toward the podium as the familiar chiming sound begins to ring through your TVs and boos begin to be hurled at the commissioner once again, signaling that another pick is in.

But — hold on — something has flashed across the screen, folks!

Don’t shoot the messenger, but we have a . . .

**TRADE ALERT**

The Seattle Seahawks have sent picks No. 32 and No. 96 to the Buffalo Bills for picks No. 26 and No. 165.

This move — which would certainly pique the interest of Bills Mafia members who are on board with “Team Trade Down” — could conceivably be seen as a slight overpay by either team, depending on the various trade-value charts you might fancy, but not by very much — if at all.

And, it’s not too far-fetched to think it could happen, especially considering the defending “world” champions are pretty much playing with house money following their victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, back in February.

They enter the month of April having only four total picks in the entire 2026 NFL Draft, though, so their thinking could go one of two ways — swing for the fences and simply say, “F’ THEM PICKS,” in order to grab the few players they fall in love with, or trade back and stockpile as many chances at the lottery draw as they can get.

So, when possible playmaking targets like Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston were still on the board for Seattle General Manager John Schneider in this scenario, along with (somehow) Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling and Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis, the eager executive decided to “leap for love,” and managed to construct a swap with Buffalo that was appealing to both sides.

The Seahawks didn’t lose any of their precious picks in this process, rather only shuffling them, and the Bills were able to make a gigantic jump forward from pick No. 165 in the fifth round to pick No. 96 in the third round — a material amount of movement for the team, 69 spots to be exact, which is certainly nothing to scoff at.

With all that said, the Buffalo FAMbase blog decided it’d be a good idea to accept the Seahawks’ offer on behalf of Beane, which allows Buffalo to gain another valuable pick inside the top-100 in return for simply flipping its first-rounder and a fifth-rounder — a no-brainer.

If curious, the Seahawks went with guard Chase Bisontis with their selection at the 26th spot in this scenario after two interior lineman had already gone off the board earlier in the round, while the Bills bid farewell to the pick once Ohio State University defensive tackle Kayden McDonald went off the board right in front of them at pick No. 25 to the Chicago Bears — a seemingly very realistic, yet disappointing situation for the team.

So, Buffalo moves back . . . but not out of the first round entirely. What could Big Baller Beane be planning?

Now, after fans had to wait all night on Day 1, the Bills are FINALLY on the clock. Hold on tight, folks.

With the 32nd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select . . .

Round 1 (pick No. 32, from the Seattle Seahawks)

C.J. Allen, LB, University of Georgia (6-foot-1, 230 lbs/Age: 21)

This pick might be a bit of a dud for some in the FAMbase, especially considering C.J. Allen probably isn’t even the “sexiest” name in this year’s class at the position — that title belongs to Ohio State’s Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, or even Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez and Cincinnati’s Jake Golday — but Allen just might have the longest career out of any of those previous names listed, and it could take place right here in Western New York.

Plus, the Bills made out quite alright the last time they took a player with the last name Allen in the first round, so why not take a second crack at it? Joking, of course . . . slightly.

Still, boring or not, the juice that the former Georgia Bulldog provides from The Peach State just may be worth the squeeze.

Inside linebacker appears to be a glaring need for Brandon Beane and Co. this offseason, at least from the outside looking in, despite having former third-round picks Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams slotted to be the team’s starters .

Buffalo, which has failed to re-sign Matt Milano or Shaq Thompson so far in free agency, is rather thin at the position as the first week of offseason workouts began this week at One Bills Drive, and it’d be prudent for the front office to fix that issue sooner rather than later.

With just Bernard, Williams, Joe Andreessen, Keonta Jenkins, and Jimmy Ciarlo currently on the roster, there’s no denying the fact that Buffalo at least needs a few more bodies in the room, regardless of where they pull them in from.

So, although some might be a little irritated spending a valuable asset like a first-round selection on a linebacker such as C.J. Allen, who seemingly isn’t an amazing athlete or an incredible game-changing playmaker, the choice simply makes too much sense.

And, despite maybe preferring those other names like Golday or Rodriguez at this spot — or even a further trade down the board before taking Allen — the appeal of getting the new “Commander-in-Chief” of Jim Leonhard’s defense under a rookie contract for five years is certainly intriguing, to say the least.

As previously stated, the 6-foot-1, 230 pound middle linebacker isn’t the greatest athlete on the field at any given time, but he might be the most cerebral, and he’s certainly not any type of slouch in terms of his physical prowess — it’s just not necessarily his calling card.

In fact, the former Bulldog didn’t even perform any athletic testing at all at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine or his pro day in Athens, Georgia, instead opting only to do individual drills due to lingering knee swelling issues that he had in response to a torn meniscus injury suffered in a game against the University of Texas in November.

With that said, he was still a key contributor and leader during his three seasons on the University of Georgia campus, as evidenced by his 205 career tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 10 pass deflections, four-and-a-half sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in 41 games played.

In 2025 alone, the collegiate captain tallied career-highs in tackles (88), tackles for loss (8), sacks (3.5), and forced fumbles (2) in 13 contests. 

Allen also wore the green dot during his time with the team, and he even revealed to All32’s Brett Kollmann shortly after the season that Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann allowed him to call the plays and make all the checks while on the field, and only rarely did he receive mere suggestions and some guidance in certain situations from his coordinator.

That’s very impressive for a 21-year-old to do at a major college program, and it bodes well for his future of leading a defense for an NFL franchise.

The Bills didn’t bring any linebackers into the fold during the beginning parts of free agency, and it’s growing increasingly likely that Buffalo’s defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has his sights set on a certain collegiate linebacker to bring aboard later on this April.

Perhaps, C.J. Allen?

Well, if you also add in that Brandon Beane seems to have quite the affinity for the Georgia program, given that he’s taken players like running back James Cook, center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, and quarterback Jake Fromm (yikes) over the past several drafts since 2020, it’s not hard to fathom seeing him going back to the well for a linebacker like Allen.

A First-Team AP All-American selection, he was also a finalist for the Butkus Award, and earned the Lott IMPACT Trophy last season, which is an award given to the nation’s top collegiate defender who also exemplifies “integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity.”

Not a bad building block for starting a new defense from scratch. 

Let’s turn the pick in and see what else unfolds as we turn toward Day 2.

Pick submitted.

The Bills were able to bring an impactful defender on board during opening night of the 2026 NFL Draft in this scenario, while also managing to maneuver their way up from pick No. 165 in the fifth round to pick No. 96 in the third round. So, while you might be discouraged in thinking that a trade down could’ve yielded even greater returns — like more draft capital — there’s no denying that getting three picks inside the top-100, without actually giving anything up, should still be considered a win for Buffalo’s front office. 

Let’s move along. 

Now, as the pool of prospects begins to dry up heading toward the middle of the third round, Beane still has his eye on a few players that are sticking out on the team’s Big Board . . . one in particular — a tantalizing wide receiver prospect, perhaps?

BINGO.

**TRADE ALERT** 

After doing some wheeling and dealing on night one, Brandon Beane strikes again.

Buffalo sends pick No. 91 and a 2027 5th-round pick to Carolina in exchange for pick No. 83. 

Having to wait all the way until the end of the third round was hard for Beane, as he’s apparently always itching to make a move on draft weekend, but once he saw a player land within what he felt was a reasonable striking distance . . . he chose to pounce. But, for who?

When a familiar friend — Carolina Panthers General Manager Dan Morgan — was on the clock with pick No. 83, Beane decided to give his buddy’s phone a ring, and the two were able to consummate a deal in which Buffalo would be able to snatch the player they’ve had their sights set on since the start of Day 2. 

Round 3 (Pick No. 83, from the Carolina Panthers)

Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State University (6-foot-4, 206 lbs/Age: 21)

Many in the FAMbase have been shouting from the rooftops for the team to once again add a wide receiver in this year’s draft, even after the Bills traded away a second-round pick for former Chicago Bears wideout D.J. Moore earlier this offseason.

Some fans are even adamant that a wide receiver like Texas A&M University’s K.C. Concepcion should be the selection at pick No. 26, especially after it was made known early on in the draft process that the lovable wideout, who admittedly struggles with a stutter, revealed while speaking to media members at the NFL Scouting Combine that he was actually born in Rochester, New York, before ultimately moving to North Carolina at a young age.

“My meetings with the Bills — it went really well. You know, I’m actually from . . . well, I was actually born in New York,” Concepcion said while speaking during press availability in Indianapolis, Indiana, in February.

“The ROC, you know? 585. I moved down to Charlotte when I was about five. That is — the Bills — is actually my dad’s favorite team. So, you know, I’ve been watching them since I was young. Obviously, you know, Josh Allen — he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league — I would be grateful (playing with him).”

Unfortunately for those rooting for Concepcion to be the pick here, the 6-foot, 196-pound talented wideout was long gone at this point of the draft, actually going a few picks before Buffalo in the first round to the Philadelphia Eagles — send AJ Brown anywhere but New England, Howie (sigh) — but there was still plenty of talent left at the position that was piquing Beane’s interest.

That player — who was sticking out like a sore thumb compared to other players left on the board — is Georgia State University’s Ted Hurst, who is a prospect that’s seemingly been rising up the ranks all offseason long after putting on a dazzling display at the combine in February.

The physically-gifted playmaker ran a time of 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash, while also adding a 36.6” vertical jump and an impressive 11’-3” broad jump — matching the mark former Atlanta Falcons superstar Julio Jones put up at the combine way back in 2011.

And, although that’s not to say that Hurst is going to be anything like Jones in the league, he’s certainly got the “chops” athletically.

His impressive performance at the NFL’s mid-winter offseason spectacular was a follow up to a 2025 campaign where he registered 1,004 yards and six touchdowns on 71 receptions as a senior. 

Having previously spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at tiny Valdosta State University — a Division II school playing in the Gulf South Conference in Valdosta, Georgia — the now 21-year-old eventually transferred to Georgia State in 2024.

Posting just 60 receptions for 1,027 yards and 10 touchdowns across two seasons at Valdosta, Hurst managed to nearly double that production by recording 127 catches for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns combined throughout his junior and senior seasons on campus at Georgia State, proving to everyone that the step up in competition was nothing to be worried about with the physically imposing wideout.

Now, the former Panther will have to make another leap in competition, this time going from a small Division-I school like Georgia State up to the big boys of the NFL.

However, if his current statistical trajectory and athletic testing results are any indication of what’s to come from the Savannah, Georgia, native, then he’s likely got a solid NFL career ahead of him, and one that includes the potential for becoming a walking superstar.

Think George Pickens “lite”, folks. He’s got that type of talent.

With incredible long speed, coupled with an innate ability to create much more after the catch, Hurst’s abilities to beat press-man coverage and stretch the field immediately in his rookie campaign would be an incredibly welcomed addition to the Buffalo Bills’ receiving room in 2026 and beyond.

Should he be available at this point of the night, then sacrificing a 2027 fifth-round pick in order to make a modest trade up would be more than worth it.

Turn the card in, Brandon.

Now, Beane must think fast because — thanks to his trade back on opening night with the Seahawks — he gets another crack at selecting in the top-100 just 13 picks down the board at pick No. 96. He appreciates it, Seattle.

The Buffalo Bills are now on the clock . . .

Round 3 (Pick No. 96, from the Seattle Seahawks)

Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State University (6-foot-2, 322 lbs/Age: 22)

Can I interest anyone in some Vitamin C?

After seemingly having thoughts of sipping sweet peach tea in the state of Georgia with the picks of C.J. Allen and Ted Hurst, Brandon Beane continues to have fruit on the mind at pick No. 96 as he decides to further fortify the middle of Buffalo’s defense by selecting the one they call “Big Citrus” — otherwise known by his legal name — Domonique Orange, who is a 322-pound nose tackle out of Iowa State University.

At 22 years old, Orange is coming off a four-year career as a Cyclone where he appeared in 50 total games while registering 66 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and one sack.

Although those numbers may seem underwhelming, it’s the little things that go unnoticed with Orange’s game that really make him a standout player.

At 6-foot-2 with an almost 330-pound frame, Orange is a near immovable object from the nose tackle position, and — even when he does get slightly knocked off balance while taking on a double team — the Kansas City, Missouri, native has incredible recovery ability with the willpower to finish through the final phase of every rep.

He’s not going to fill up the stat sheet, particularly in the pass-rushing categories, but his incredible first-step quickness and long arms make him a tough ask to block for anyone he’s going to go up against.

Considering the Bills might have had their eye on a player like Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald in the first round earlier on in this mock scenario, whom the team missed out on by one pick before trading down with Seattle, the idea of getting a big man like Orange at this point of the draft is intriguing.

While some may question if he’s worth a pick in the top three rounds, that will be up to Beane and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to decide.

Leonhard has stated in the past that he’s a firm believer in stopping the run first in order to set everything else up with his defense, so it’s not hard to believe that he may value a player such as this one more than most.

So, after deciding to move on from DaQuan Jones and Larry Ogunjobi this offseason, the Bills make the pick here to add more depth along the interior of their defensive front with Orange.

He’ll likely give off Sam Adams, Ted Washington, and Pat Williams vibes to Bills fans  . . . they’ll love that.

The selection has been submitted to the league.

Let’s continue moving along. And, spoiler alert: after maneuvering his way around the board plenty on night one and night two, Brandon Beane ends up finding value he likes at each of the final four selections. We’re going to be staying pat from here on out.

Round 4 (Pick No. 126)

No. 126 Jaishawn Barham, EDGE, University of Michigan (6-foot-3, 240 lbs/Age:22)

After ignoring the EDGE position through the first three rounds of the draft, the Bills wind up with a player in this spot that just might be one of the most intriguing chess pieces in the entire pool of prospects — former University of Maryland and University of Michigan linebacker Jaishawn Barham.

You might’ve noticed I said linebacker, but listed him at EDGE . . . yeah, Barham can do a little bit of everything. And, at this point in the draft, that’s certainly not a bad thing to consider adding to your defense.

Standing at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Barham is a little lighter than you’d like on the edge of a defensive alignment, but he’s a heat-seeking missile wherever he’s coming from on the field — quarterbacks and halfbacks beware. 

After blowing up at the combine following a senior campaign as a Wolverine where he tallied 32 combined tackles, four sacks, and an impressive 10 tackles for loss — a career best — Barham projects as a mid-round pick by most prognosticators. 

He had a solid two-year run in the state of Michigan after jumping out of the gates over on the East Coast as an 18-year-old at Maryland, earning Freshman All-American honors after a season in which he posted 59 tackles, six-and-a-half tackles for loss, four sacks, one forced fumble, and a pass deflection. 

He followed that up by producing 37 tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss, one interception, and one pass deflection as a sophomore before transferring to the Ann Arbor campus.

For his career, the District Heights, Maryland, native registered 193 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one interception across his time at both programs.

It was quite the career for the once four-star recruit coming out of Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, and one that has garnered him plenty of attention amongst league draft circles.

The only issue — it seems — is that there are questions about where exactly you might deploy the Swiss Army Knife, as he has sub-33” arms, and he’s a bit small for being a full-time EDGE player, but the versatile defender also possesses large hands at 10-¼” — a good trait to have when taking on larger offensive tackles and attempting to stack and shed from blocks.

In the end, there’s no denying the talent and athletic traits that Barham possesses. He ran a time of 4.64 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, and also had a 33” vertical along with a 10’-3” broad jump. 

Those are good numbers, and they only tell part of the story of what the tenacious linebacker is capable of doing on the field.

He plays with plenty of passion and a relentless motor, and the ability to play off the ball and up on the line of scrimmage is certainly an intriguing skillset to think about adding to Buffalo’s new 3-4 defense under Jim Leonhard.

Barham could theoretically play a similar role to what some envisioned fellow EDGE defender Michael Hoecht doing when he first signed his free-agent deal last offseason before the plan all fell apart due to his PED suspension and subsequent season-ending achilles injury. 

So, considering the team hasn’t replaced the hole left behind by A.J. Epenesa on the roster yet, coupled with the unfortunate fact that Hoecht might be a shell of himself in his first season back from his achilles surgery, it’s plausible to think that Brandon Beane will want to add at least one player to the position at some point over the upcoming three-day draft weekend. 

With Barham still on the board in the fourth round, it was a no-brainer due to the potential of what he could be and what he already is — a good football player.

So, “BUFFALO – JAISHAWN BARHAM, EDGE, MICHIGAN,” flashes across the screens of many as talking heads discuss a selection that happened 10 picks ago.

Let’s move forward.

Round 5 (Pick No. 168)

No. 168, Rayshaun Benny, DT, Michigan (6-foot-3, 298 lbs/Age: 23)

Just as he did by double-dipping in the state of Georgia with his first two picks, Brandon Beane decides to go back to the state of Michigan to grab Barham’s teammate, defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny, with the 168th pick in the draft.

A native of Oak Park, Michigan, who attended Oak Park High School as a teenager — just 13 miles down the road from Lewis Cass Tech, which is the alma mater of Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker —  Benny was a solid piece for the Wolverines’ defensive front during his time with the team since joining the squad as a freshman in 2021.

In his five seasons, the soon-to-be 24-year-old tallied 107 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six pass deflections, four sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

His best season seemingly came in 2023 when he registered 27 tackles, five-and-a-half tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and one sack en route to helping Michigan win a national championship.

Unfortunately for Benny, who also had 52 pressures on 699 pass-rushing snaps in his career according to The Michigan Insider, he suffered a broken fibula in the Rose Bowl prior to the 2023 title game.

For that reason, the 6-foot-3, 298-pound defensive lineman returned for two more seasons on campus, finishing his “Super Senior” season last year by starting all 13 games and totaling 35 tackles, three tackles for loss, two pass deflections, one-and-a-half sacks, and one fumble recovery.

A participant at the Senior Bowl this February, he had a good showing in practice all week, and he appears to be a pro-ready, scheme-versatile defensive lineman due to his experience in Mike Macdonald’s system in 2021, as well as Jesse Minter’s scheme in 2022 and 2023, and Wink Martindale’s system in 2024 and 2025.

So, with all that said, it’s clear that the defender would certainly be able to find a fit for himself within Buffalo’s new scheme under coordinator Jim Leonhard.

And, although some are worried that he doesn’t offer much in terms of pass-rushing upside, the former Third-Team All-Big Ten selection hasn’t been worried about what the outsiders are saying during the draft process.

“I’m thankful for the time I had at Michigan. I’m thankful for my teammates and everybody who came before me. I learned a lot of lessons . . . I developed every year at Michigan, (and) my growth was a result of that,” Benny said when speaking to NFL Draft on SI’s Justin Melo in February.

“I’m familiar with the narratives. I’ve seen mentions on social media and things of that nature. I want to check every box throughout the pre-draft process. I know the sack numbers didn’t jump off the screen. I had a ton of pressures. My sophomore year I had three sacks wiped out by penalties elsewhere on the play. I think the tape speaks for itself, and scouts will see that. I’m always trying to put good reps on tape. I want them to see that I have upside as a pass rusher.”

With that said, although the team already drafted “Big Citrus” earlier on in the third round in this scenario, who is admittedly also more of a run-stuffing defensive tackle, the idea of adding the pair of Benny and Orange to the team’s current top of the depth chart, which consists of Ed Oliver, Deone Walker, T.J. Sanders, and Phidarian Mathis, is definitely intriguing.

Oliver, Sanders, and Walker could be the team’s pass-rushing defensive lineman, while Benny, Orange, and Mathis provide the punch to stop the run.

Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

Benny is coming to Buffalo, and we’re not referencing The Butcher.

The card has been turned over to the league, and now let the tears ensue from the prospect.

Buffalo has another new defensive lineman in the mix.

Two more picks to go.

Round 6 (Pick No. 182)

No. 182, Jalen Huskey, S, University of Maryland (6-foot-1, 196 lbs/Age: 22)

Despite the additions of fellow veteran safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone, as well as the re-signing of Damar Hamlin, the Bills could certainly still look to add more competition to the safety room this offseason, particularly through the draft.

So, after missing out on an instant impact defensive back earlier in the draft, when a playmaker like Jalen Huskey — who had 11 interceptions over his final three collegiate seasons — is available this late in the process, you “take a flyer” on him, especially when a veteran like the aforementioned Stone stated in his post-signing press conference that the emphasis this season in Buffalo is to get more turnovers under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

Adding a player like Huskey wouldn’t hurt.

Originally a cornerback at Bowling Green University, the 6-foot-1, 196-pound defensive back took his talents to the University of Maryland in 2024 after posting 59 tackles, six pass deflections, and four interceptions in his first two seasons in college.

While at Maryland, Huskey’s opportunistic ball skills followed him, as he had three interceptions in his first season with the Terrapins before finishing off his time with the team by adding four interceptions in 2025 along with 72 total tackles, three pass deflections, and one-and-a-half tackles for loss.

He’s not the best tackler, but he’s willing. And, after posting a 4.50 second time in the 40-yard dash at his pro day earlier this spring, Huskey was able to limit the concerns regarding his deep speed and also his ability to keep up with opposing athletic tight ends in the passing game.

At this point in the draft, betting on an innate ability to find the ball wouldn’t be a bad roll of the dice.

The Frederick, Maryland, native has the potential to eventually become a low-end to average starter in the league according to some analysts, and being able to learn behind the likes of Cole Bishop, Gardner-Johnson, and Stone wouldn’t be a bad place to get your feet wet in the league, so to speak.

With that said, Beane has turned the pick in.

Welcome to Western New York, Jalen.

Round 7 (Pick No. 220)

No. 220, Jaden Dugger, LB, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, (6-foot-5, 239 pounds/Age: 22)

A former wide receiver and high school basketball player turned into a collegiate defender, Jaden Dugger spent his first two seasons at Georgetown University to play on the gridiron instead of the court.

Transitioning to play safety — which he also played some of in high school — Dugger spent two years as a member of the Hoyas before taking his talents down to the bayou to play for the Ragin’ Cajuns of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for the final two seasons of his career.

Once there, he transitioned to a new position yet again — from safety to outside linebacker — and found a home at the second-level of the defense, eventually shifting over and settling in at MIKE linebacker in 2025.

Dugger exploded during his senior season at the new position, and that’s mainly the reason he’s even being considered to be drafted.

Much like Buffalo’s earlier pick in this mock draft — fourth-round pick Jaishawn Barham — Dugger is capable of moving around a little bit in a defense, having shown flashes as a blitzer from the MIKE spot and along the edge, but his true potential still comes as a middle linebacker, in my opinion.

He’s athletic enough to run with tight ends and running backs out of the backfield in the passing game, and he erupted for 125 total tackles in his final year at Louisiana, which was good for 10th best in the nation, while adding 13 tackles for loss, four sacks, three pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one interception.

He earned First-Team All-Sun Belt honors for his efforts, and was subsequently invited to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl earlier this offseason.

It was an impressive campaign for the lanky former wideout, and there’s reason to believe that his trajectory is only going to continue going up as he is relatively new to the linebacker position.

He has similar length to that of former Bills’ linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, and it’s quite possible that Brandon Beane could find himself enamored with the possibilities of throwing a dart and hitting a bullseye with a player like Dugger in the seventh round.

Also, with linebacker still being a cause for concern in terms of depth, it wouldn’t hurt to double-dip at the position, which is also what Brandon did in our first mock draft put out last week at the blog.

Dugger could possibly be had as an undrafted free agent . . . or he could be taken somewhere in the middle rounds. It’s unclear.

The consensus on the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native, which ironically is where the 2026 NFL Draft will be held, is all over the place, but wouldn’t it be special for the lengthy linebacker to hear his name called on Day 3 of the draft? 

Oh what a story. The NFL will eat it up, Brandon.

Turn the card in.

BONUS: Post Draft Free-Agent Addition

Sign Veteran EDGE Jadeveon Clowney to a 1-year deal

With the Bills failing to find an immediate impact player at the EDGE position early on in the draft, aside from selecting the promising Jaishawn Barham in the middle rounds, Brandon Beane and his members of the pro personnel department might be on the lookout for some more pass-rushing help heading into the summer months.

Adding only veteran Bradley Chubb this offseason, in addition to the rookie Barham in this scenario, and given the fact that second-year man Landon Jackson is slotted to slide into the 4i position in the new 3-4 scheme this year, it wouldn’t be crazy to think that there could be one more player added to the EDGE room following the draft.

There are still plenty of veterans on the market, and many of them will be vigorously looking for homes at the conclusion of the three-day extravaganza in Pennsylvania at the end of the month.

One of those players is former No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney, who appeared in 13 games last season with the Dallas Cowboys while registering six starts en route to collecting 41 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, eight-and-a-half sacks, four pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.

His sack total and tackles for loss were the most since his 2023 campaign with the Baltimore Ravens, and the 12-year veteran proved he still had plenty of juice left down in The Lone Star State.

With that in mind, he recently spoke with NFL Insider Aaron Wilson while training a few weeks ago, and he himself admitted that he thinks he “still has a lot left in the tank.”

“I just came off a great season,” Clowney said in the interview, which can be seen on Wilson’s YouTube page.

“I’m looking forward to doing it again and, you know, continue to prove people (wrong) and show the doubters (I’ve still got it).” 

If he’s looking to win at this point in his career, which he hasn’t done much of since entering the league in 2014, then a short-term partnership with Buffalo could make sense if the financials are in line with what the Bills are able to provide.

There’s no denying that the team needs more pass rush, and a change of scheme can only do so much to help that.

A rotation of Bradley Chubb, Gregory Rousseau, Michael Hoecht, Jaishawn Barham, and Clowney could be a fun crew to work with for Leonhard, and it’s one that makes plenty of sense if the team is serious about competing for a Super Bowl title in 2026.

I’m not going to offer a projection here as far as contract terms are concerned, but, for comparison, Clowney signed a one-year deal with a max value of $6 million last year with Dallas.

That is certainly doable.

In this mock scenario, the Bills get the veteran pass-rusher to agree to put pen to paper to come to training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, at the end of July after the veteran weighed all of his options first.

And after all that, the Buffalo FAMbase blog has completed yet another mock draft for your viewing pleasure. 

Before we go, here is a look at your hypothetical 2026 Buffalo Bills Draft Class.

2026 Buffalo Bills Draft Class