The 2026 NFL Draft is upon us, and the Buffalo Bills are poised to make some strategic moves. With three trades under their belt, the team has successfully navigated the first round, inching their way back while bolstering their Day 2 and 3 pick arsenal. Now, with picks 35 and 66 on the horizon, the Bills are set to select twice on Friday night. The team's focus shifts to defensive players, particularly at positions of need. Here's a breakdown of the best available defensive players heading into Day 2 of the draft, with a focus on EDGE rushers, defensive tackles, and linebackers.
EDGE Rushers
T.J. Parker (Clemson)
Parker, a 21-year-old edge rusher, was once hyped for the top 10, but a lackluster 2025 campaign has him falling out of the first round. Standing at 6'3" and 265 pounds, Parker possesses a solid build and tools. He can convert speed to power as a rusher but needs to improve his hand and body usage to become a more effective pass rusher.
Zion Young (Missouri)
Young, a high-floor option, has NFL size and length, playing with nasty in the run game. However, his upside is limited due to minute athleticism. He plays with effort and power, but his floor and ceiling are close, making him a more predictable prospect.
Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)
Howell brings speed, burst, twitch, and bend to the table. However, his concerns lie in overall length and size (6'2" and 255 pounds). He struggles in the run game due to these limitations but has the burst and bend to threaten the edge. Howell's sack upside is promising, but he might be a pass rush specialist.
R. Mason Thomas (Oklahoma)
Thomas, an undersized speed rusher, lacks length and may struggle in the run game. Despite his 6'2" and 240-pound frame, Thomas possesses some speed-to-power ability. He may not be a three-down player but could be a fun addition as a rush specialist.
Gabe Jacas (Illinois)
Jacas, a 21-year-old edge rusher, offers an intriguing blend of traits. He has a high motor and developed hand usage, despite being tightly wound. However, he struggles against the run and needs to improve his run defense technical work. Jacas has big-man twitch and technical hands, making him a potential rush specialist.
Keyron Crawford (Auburn)
Crawford, another athletic edge rusher, plays a different game than his first-round counterpart. He has versatility in multiple fronts and a 6'4" and 250-pound frame. Crawford doesn't win with strength but has a high motor and blends his rush moves optimally. However, he struggles as a run defender due to his lack of strength.
Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State)
Dennis-Sutton, a huge body at over 6'5" with over 33" arms, has a good array of pass rush moves. Despite his athletic testing, his rush isn't very deceptive, and he's available because of this. His landing spot and career arc are fascinating.
Defensive Tackles
Kayden McDonald (Ohio State)
McDonald, a pure nose tackle, has an excellent first step and ridiculous power in his hands. His tackle production is impressive for a nose tackle who worked in a rotation. However, his pass rush ceiling is potentially limited due to lateral twitch and a raw pass rush move arsenal.
Christen Miller (Georgia)
Miller, a nose tackle projection, offers a different flair with laterally quickness and potential pass-rushing upside. He has legitimate knockback power and strength against the run. However, his production on the raw stat sheet is modest, with only 11.5 tackles for loss in his career.
Lee Hunter (Texas Tech)
Hunter, a big man projecting as a nose tackle, has a huge upper body and quickness. He has stone blocks for hands and discards with authority. However, his testing came back relatively poor, and his top-heavy frame makes him awkward. His pass rush potential is questionable due to poor explosive athletic numbers.
Domonique Orange (Iowa State)
Orange, a nose tackle option on Day 2, has plus length and affects the game as a run defender with strong hands and anchor. He's less likely to make the play to end the sequence and doesn't have the upside to be more as a pass rusher. He's a player the film grinders will appreciate.
Linebackers
CJ Allen (Georgia)
Allen, a smart and disciplined football player, is among the more responsible and reliable players with immediate starting ability. He's a bit stiff in coverages and needs to develop more feel, but his high-level responsibilities make him a valuable addition.
Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech)
Rodriguez, a Heisman Trophy Finalist, is a playmaker with excellent production and athletic testing. He's instinctual and can bring the fight in the gaps. However, his lack of ideal length and size will limit him in some capacities.
Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas)
Hill, a former elite high school prospect, is a fast-playing football player with teachable traits. He's a run-and-chase athlete who could be more impactful in coverage for his athletic profile.
Jake Golday (Cincinnati)
Golday, an overhang defender/nickel, started as a defensive end and is still learning the position. He has the body type, willing physicality, and athleticism to lean into, but he needs to learn to use his frame to take on blocks.
Josiah Trotter (Missouri)
Trotter, an old-fashioned hammer with NFL bloodlines, is instinctive and smart working downhill. However, his mediocre athleticism and lack of testing make him a concern outside of the gaps.
Kyle Louis (Pittsburgh)
Louis, a different player from Trotter, thrives in space and is a potential nickel. He's athletic and triggers to attack the football, but his role is uncertain. He needs to show more as a man-to-man defender to start in the league full-time.
Safety/Nickel
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)
McNeil-Warren, a modern NFL starting safety, has fluidity as an athlete and multifaceted coverage skills. His biggest deficit is weight, coming in at just over 200 pounds. He needs to increase his weight to fare better in the NFL.
Avieon Terrell (Clemson)
Terrell, an interesting player, could play outside or in. He plays with nastiness and quick twitch, making a nickel move a good fit. His 4.64 40-yard dash is concerning, and his injury during the run raises questions.
D'Angelo Ponds (Indiana)
Ponds, a 5'8" defender, plays with fearlessness and ridiculous overall athleticism. He may be best in the slot due to his stature but has a dog mentality and football smarts. His size will cause him to lose reps at times.
Treydan Stukes (Arizona)
Stukes, a nickel with exceptional athleticism, is on the thinner side but has a willingness to attack the football. He has questions about his alignment in the NFL but has elite coverage upside.
Keionte Scott (Miami)
Scott, a downhill nickel, operates best close to the line of scrimmage. He's incredibly fast and one of the best blitzers in the draft class. He's a scheme-dependent chess piece that a smart defensive coordinator will want.
A.J. Haulcy (LSU)
Haulcy, a smart football player with high instincts, baited quarterbacks at both stops. He's a willing striker at the point of contact but has concerns about overall athletic bonuses. His instincts and drive will have to carry him into the NFL.
