Five at Five: 2026 NFL Draft prospects for Buffalo to keep in mind (14.0)

Honestly, do we need an introduction?

We’re so close to the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, and we’ve been vigorously chipping away at things here at the FAMbase blog in an attempt to hopefully uncover some of the future Buffalo Bills in this draft class.

Are we nailing it? Highly doubt it.

But, isn’t it all about the journey and the friends we make along the way, anyway?

Sure. Let’s go with that.

Have at it, folks!

Robert Spears-Jennings, Safety, University of Oklahoma (6-foot-2, 205 lbs/Age: 22)

When the Buffalo Bills hired cornerbacks coach Jay Valai earlier this offseason, they did so with the intent of not only improving their secondary room, but also with the thought in mind of helping mesh incoming college philosophies with new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s current 3-4 defensive scheme.

Having a coach like Valai, who was most recently the co-defensive coordinator for the University of Oklahoma Sooners since 2022, should certainly help accomplish that.

He’s been a coach in the NFL prior with the Kansas City Chiefs as a quality control coach in 2019, but — for the most part — the team’s new coach in the secondary has spent the majority of his time at the collegiate level.

And, with that, comes a plethora of knowledge regarding the trends on defense that are currently happening in the NCAA in regard to having to defend the countless number of heavy-passing systems that seem to be out there nowadays.

Valai also has a rolodex of knowledge regarding some of the impending rookies that are coming up into the professional ranks this offseason.

One of those players is none other than Oklahoma safety Robert Spears-Jennings, who spent the past four seasons playing under Valai as a Sooner.

It’s always good to have a connection prior to entering the league, and there’s nearly no bigger connection than having a potential future NFL coach be your former coordinator in college.

So, with that said, why might Valai vouch for the freshly turned 22-year-old?

Well, for starters, he’s quite talented on the field, and he also proved during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine back in February that he’s one of the best pure athletes at any position in the entire draft.

At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, native brings tremendous size to the safety position, and he also has plenty of speed to burn as he clocked the second fastest 40-time at the combine for a defensive back (4.32 seconds) behind only Ohio State’s Lorenzo Styles Jr., who we coincidentally covered in last night’s edition of “Five at Five” here at the FAMbase blog.

In addition to his blazing timed speed, Spears-Jennings also posted quality numbers in the 10-yard split (1.51 seconds), the vertical jump (35”), the broad jump (10’-5”), and the 20-yard shuttle (4.43 seconds).

It was eye-popping, and it only backed up what he displayed on tape during the past four years at Oklahoma.

In those four seasons, Spears-Jennings saw the field as soon as he stepped on campus as a true freshman in 2022, and he went on to record 25 starts in 47 games, which included 23 starts over the past two seasons in the SEC.

In those 47 games, the former Broken Arrow High School standout recorded 178 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.

His best season seemingly came as a junior in 2024 when the hard-hitting safety started 11 of 13 games en route to registering career-highs across the board in total tackles (66), tackles for loss (5), forced fumbles (4 – led SEC), sacks (2.5), fumble recoveries (2), and interceptions (1).

And, although he’s not particularly known for being the best in coverage, he does possess the athleticism to improve in that area once he gets around NFL coaches who can help with his technique.

Spears-Jennings is projected to land anywhere in the draft from the fourth round to the seventh round, and he’d be a quality addition to Buffalo’s secondary who has the potential to be a starter some years down the line.

Ultimately, this possible pairing will likely come down to what Valai has to say about his former player.

With that said, it will be interesting to see if the Bills decide to bring him into the fold at some point on Day 3.

Trey Moore, EDGE/Linebacker, University of Texas (6-foot-2, 243 lbs/Age: 22)

Ohio State University’s Arvell Reese, the University of Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham, and LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr. have gotten the majority of the buzz so far this draft cycle as far as players who can play at off-the-ball linebacker and at EDGE.

And, deservedly so. They were all great collegiate players, and all three possess major potential at the next level.

However, there is one player who has seemingly gone unnoticed by many this offseason . . . but, he shouldn’t be left in the dark any more. 

That player?

Well, he was a Freshman All-American in 2022, the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy last year, which is considered to be the academic equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, and he started 21 games over the past two seasons for the University of Texas while playing at both EDGE and as a stand-up linebacker after transferring from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2024.

Oh, and this player also turned heads at the NFL scouting combine by running a 4.54-second time in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-2 and 243 pounds, while also running a 10-yard split of 1.6 seconds, a 20-yard shuttle of 4.43 seconds, and jumping a 38.5” vertical along with a 10’-0” broad jump.

Who am I referring to?

Well, you already know because his name is listed above, but the player I’m currently gushing over is Texas EDGE/linebacker Trey Moore, who had 35.5 tackles for loss and 22 sacks from 2022 to 2023 with the UTSA Roadrunners before making his way to the SEC with the Longhorns the past two seasons.

And, although he wasn’t quite as dominant on the Austin campus, Moore still made plenty of impact as he recorded 70 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, eight-and-a-half sacks, four pass deflections, three fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles in 28 total games as a Longhorn.

Although he’s a bit small to presumably be a full-time EDGE player in the NFL, Moore’s versatility is enticing, and it feels as if a creative defensive coordinator can really unlock something special with his skillset at the next level.

He’s not the twitchiest in his pass rush or the most consistent when setting the edge as a run defender, but scouting analysts like NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein note how the Comal County, Texas, native has plenty of moves in his rushing arsenal when going after the quarterback, and he shows promise in coverage despite being a little less fluid than you’d like when changing direction in the open field.

Regardless, Moore appears to have all of the potential in the world, and it’s just a matter of him landing within the right system in the NFL to take full advantage of his unique talents.

Scouts may question his fluidity, but his combine testing says otherwise.

And, given that he already has so much production at the college level, I wouldn’t want to be the one betting against this player making a name for himself in the league.

Moore is a “ball player” who seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

That’s a good recipe for success at the next level.

Buffalo should consider adding Moore in the middle-to-late rounds as a second hybrid linebacker.

The former Smithson Valley High School standout sure would be fun to watch in Jim Leonhard’s scheme.

Albert Regis, Defensive Tackle, Texas A&M University (6-foot-1, 295 lbs/Age: 22)

Texas A&M University defensive lineman Albert Regis isn’t flashy.

He’s not the biggest. He’s not the strongest. And, he didn’t put up the most stats.

On a team that had many other potential draft picks on it down in College Station, Texas, last season, like the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year Cashius Howell, wide receiver K.C. Concepcion, guard Chase Bisontis, offensive tackle Trey Zuhn III, as well as many others on his own defense aside from Howell, Albert Regis was one of the “glue” guys that made it all work for the Aggies.

At just 6-foot-1, 295 pounds, Regis is much stronger and more stout than you’d think for his size, and his scouting report suggests he’s like a tree trunk in the middle of a defensive front at times with how well he plays with leverage while staying low to the ground with his sturdy base.

Unfortunately, those prospects sometimes go unnoticed during the draft process because they’re simply just doing their jobs and allowing others to make the highlight reel.

Well, Regis seems to be one of those players, but those same players also tend to have long, successful careers in the league while the “next big thing” can sometimes fizzle out.

You can never have enough solid players, and that’s Regis to a T, so to speak.

He won’t blow you away by piling up the stat sheet, but he’s also most likely not going to blow an assignment that will cost your team.

No, the La Porte, Texas, native can be “Mr. Steady Eddy” for his future NFL employer, and that will appeal to the likes of many in the front offices around the league. 

It just might not get him drafted highly.

But, he deserves to be highlighted, nonetheless.

A four-star recruit out of La Porte High School in 2021, Regis had a five-year career with the Aggies that included 27 starts in 50 total games, including 12 of 13 last season in which he tallied career-highs in tackles (49), tackles for loss (3), sacks (2), and forced fumbles (1), to go along with three pass deflections. 

For his career, the soon-to-be 23-year-old (his birthday is May 17) registered 116 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 10 pass deflections, three-and-a-half sacks, and one forced fumble.

He followed up his solid collegiate career between the lines by having a relatively surprising showing at the combine in February.

Regis recorded an incredible 40-yard dash time of 4.88 seconds, had a 10-yard split of 1.72 seconds, a vertical jump of 34”, a broad jump of 9’-8”, a 20-yard shuttle of 4.85 seconds, and a three-cone drill time of 7.77 seconds.

That athleticism wasn’t always on display at Texas A&M as his pass-rushing ability left a lot to be desired and he seemingly just did his “1/11th” instead of making any jaw-dropping plays, but his combine performance at least shows that there might be more to unlock from the former Aggie.

He’s projected to go anywhere from the fourth to the sixth round, and I’d have to assume he’s at least somewhat on the radar of Buffalo’s President of Football Operations and General Manager Brandon Beane.

Stay tuned.

Thaddeus Dixon, Cornerback, University of North Carolina (6-foot-1, 195 lbs/Age: 24)

Another edition of “Five at Five” means another interesting backstory.

Are you starting to see a trend?

Anyway, like many of his draft counterparts, University of North Carolina cornerback Thaddeus Dixon is a bit older than you’d like . . . kind of a lot older than you’d like.

But, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have talent like his younger draft hopefuls — he does.

It’s just a matter of how quickly his talent can translate to the next level before it’s too late.

We’re going to find out.

Set to be already 25 years old by the time next February rolls around, the former Tarheel is “so old” because he didn’t start playing major college football until 2023.

Due to recruiting complications involving the COVID-19 pandemic, Dixon stayed near his home of La Mirada, California, to begin his collegiate career by playing at the JUCO level for the Long Beach CIty College Vikings in 2021 and 2022 despite receiving offers from schools like the University of Wyoming and Oregon State University, which is where he was originally going to play before changing course late in the process.

While at LBCC, Dixon dominated the lower level of competition as he racked up 73 total tackles, 12 pass breakups, and five interceptions in just 19 games.

From there, the California native headed up the coast of the Pacific Northwest to play for the University of Washington in 2023 and 2024, and that’s when he really started to make a name for himself.

After starting just one game in his first season with the Huskies, Dixon earned the team’s Defensive Skill Player of the Year award and also earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors in 2024 after he registered 12 starts in 13 games en route to collecting 43 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, and one forced fumble.

Dixon hit the transfer portal yet again for the 2025 season, but things didn’t work out as he would’ve probably hoped.

The former JUCO standout appeared in just seven games under head coach Bill Belichick at North Carolina last season, and he managed to register just 20 tackles, six pass breakups, and two tackles for loss.

With that said, he’s still a physical cornerback who has shown a good ability to play in man coverage throughout his time in college, and some team will undoubtedly look at his measurables (6’1”, 195 lbs/39.5” vertical/10’-5” broad) and think they can work with Dixon at the next level.

He may never be a starter, but he should provide quality depth in the secondary for some team and he’ll likely only cost a fifth- or a sixth-round pick.

If the team doesn’t go cornerback early in the draft, then Dixon would make some sense for the Bills as they presumably transition toward a more man-heavy scheme under Jim Leonhard. 

Watch out for this name.

Cole Payton, Quarterback, North Dakota State University (6-foot-3, 232 lbs/Age: 23)

We’ve reached peak draft season here at the blog, guys.

A QUARTERBACK!?!?

Yup.

The lefty from Westside.

The flamethrower from Fargo, North Dakota.

A one-year starter at the FCS level coming in to be the backup to Josh Allen?

Is this guy nuts? Maybe.

Well, probably . . . but, that’s a whole different story.

Anyway, as far as listing North Dakota State University quarterback Cole Payton here goes — I don’t care what you might think.

The kid is a gamer, and you’ll never convince me that current Bills’ backup quarterback Kyle Allen should still be holding a clipboard in the NFL and be moments away from actually having to step on the field should anything ever happen to Josh Allen (knock on wood, Bills Mafia).

The other Allen, Kyle, has had his chance in the league to show what he can do, and more times than not he’s fallen flat on his face.

Sorry, Kyle. 

You’re probably a great guy, but you’re far from a great quarterback  . . . even as a backup.

With that said, I think it’d be wise for Buffalo to at least think about the small possibility of taking a quarterback in the later rounds to come in and compete for a chance to be the team’s future backup.

And, Payton is a player that appears to fit that mold perfectly.

As previously mentioned, he was just a one-year starter for the Bison (I mean, c’mon!), but there’s plenty to like about his potential moving forward.

For starters, the former 2020-2021 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year has good size for the NFL at 6-foot-3, 232 pounds, and he’s also a helluva’ gritty player who is mobile enough to get by defenders with his feet and willing enough to blow through their chest in order to pick up a first down in short-yardage situations.

And, although he has somewhat disjointed mechanics — that’s not uncommon for lefties — and he still shows enough touch and accuracy with his passes to hit throws at all three levels of the field.

I mean, do you think NDSU wide receiver Bryce Lance would be getting as much pre-draft buzz as he is if his quarterback couldn’t get him the ball?

I don’t think so.

In his lone season throwing to Lance, Payton was 162-for-225 (72%) for 2,719 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, and four interceptions, while also adding 777 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns on 136 carries (5.7 avg.). He had a season-long pass of 81 yards and his longest rush was 64 yards.

But, as impressive as they may be, his stats on the field aren’t even the most intriguing part about his game . . . it’s his athletic ability.

While I mentioned he’s not the shiftiest, he does possess long speed and plenty of other quality attributes that bode well for him being at least somewhat successful at the NFL level.

After receiving his combine invite, Payton stole the show in February at Lucas Oil Stadium in terms of small-school prospects, as he ran a 4.56-second time in the 40-yard dash, a 10-yard split of 1.57 seconds, a three-cone drill of 7.12 seconds, a 20-yard shuttle of 4.36 seconds, and he also posted a 40” vertical to go with a 10’10” broad jump.

Those are skill-position numbers, folks, and it was impressive to see.

So, if he’s able to hone in on the finer points of playing the quarterback position from “above the shoulders,” as they say, once he gets in with better coaches in the coming years, then there’s no telling high of a ceiling a player like Payton can have.

Even if he doesn’t become a starter or a top backup, he could conceivably be used in a similar manner to a player like Taysom Hill, who was also a former mobile collegiate quarterback.

With that said, do I think the Bills will really pull the trigger on taking a quarterback in this year’s draft class?

No.

Brandon Beane seems to be content just trotting out the same old retreads every year.

But, a guy can dream, right?

Payton, in my opinion, has the makeup of a solid backup in the league with potential to be used on gadget plays and contribute in short-yardage situations.

I wouldn’t mind seeing Payton come in for Allen during tush-push situations, to be honest. At least consider it, Brandon. I beg you.

Thanks, pal.

The North Dakota State University playmaker is projected to go somewhere between the fourth and sixth round.

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.