The 2026 NFL Draft is days away, the Bills are slated to pick 26th in the first round with 7 selections overall. They have plenty of needs after several free agents left the roster and the roster philosophy changing due to a new coaching staff headlined by head coach Joe Brady.<\/p>\n
One part that has stayed in place is General Manager Brandon Beane. He has been in charge of every draft since 2018 with successes and failures along the way. One trend that has held true since 2018 is the team\u2019s ability to avoid drafting injury risks in the first two rounds. Once they hit the third round, the injury risks increase as the rounds progress. But this is where Beane and the front office have uncovered some of their best draft picks that have had major contributions to the team.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Identifying what players have injury risks and what ones do not will help better identify potential picks on the board when the Bills are on the clock.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Past Draft History\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since 2018, the Bills have selected 64 players which continues to provide a strong sample size.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To see the 2018-2021 draft histories, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n For 2022, click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n For 2023, click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n For 2024, click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here is an injury rundown of each draft pick from the Buffalo Bills 2025 draft class:<\/p>\n CB Maxwell Hairston<\/a><\/p>\n 2022 Kentucky<\/p>\n Undisclosed injury, vs Vanderbilt, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2023 Kentucky<\/p>\n Right wrist\/thumb injury, vs Vanderbilt, missed 0 games.<\/p>\n 2024 Kentucky<\/p>\n AC Joint sprain, Shoulder infection<\/a>, missed 5 games.\u00a0<\/p>\n DT TJ Sanders<\/a><\/p>\n 2021 South Carolina<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n 2022 South Carolina<\/p>\n Undisclosed injury<\/a>, vs Georgia, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2023 South Carolina<\/p>\n Shoulder injury<\/a>, vs Tennessee, missed 0 games.<\/p>\n 2024 South Carolina<\/p>\n Ankle injury<\/a>, spring practices.\u00a0<\/p>\n Foot injury<\/a>, vs LSU, missed 0 games.<\/p>\n DE Landon Jackson<\/a><\/p>\n 2018 Sophomore year<\/p>\n Left ACL tear<\/a><\/p>\n 2020 Senior year<\/p>\n Ankle fracture<\/a><\/p>\n 2021 LSU<\/p>\n Ankle injury<\/a>, preseason.<\/p>\n Left ACL surgery,<\/a> vs Auburn, missed 8 games.<\/p>\n 2022 Arkansas<\/p>\n Ankle injury, preseason.<\/p>\n 2023 Arkansas<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries<\/p>\n 2024 Arkansas<\/p>\n Undisclosed injury<\/a>, vs Arkansas Pine Bluff, missed 0 games.<\/p>\n Hip pointer<\/a>, vs Tennessee, missed 0 games.<\/p>\n Neck injury, vs Missouri, missed 0 games.<\/p>\n DT Deone Walker<\/a><\/p>\n 2022 Kentucky<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2023 Kentucky<\/p>\n Left shoulder injury, vs Ball State, missed 0 games.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2024 Kentucky<\/p>\n Lumbar stress fracture<\/a>, missed 1 game.\u00a0<\/p>\n DB Jordan Hancock<\/a><\/p>\n 2021 Ohio State\u00a0<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n 2022 Ohio State<\/p>\n Hamstring tear<\/a>, preseason, missed 6 games to start season, missed bowl game.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2023 Ohio State<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n 2024 Ohio State<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n TE Jackson Hawes<\/a><\/p>\n 2019 Yale<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n 2020 Yale<\/p>\n Season cancelled (COVID)<\/p>\n 2021 Yale<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n 2022 Yale<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n 2023 Yale<\/p>\n Undisclosed injury, vs Penn, missed 1 game.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ankle injury<\/a>, vs Louisville, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n CB Dorian Strong<\/a><\/p>\n 2020 Virginia Tech<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2021 Virginia Tech<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2022 Virginia Tech<\/p>\n Right hand fracture<\/a> near base of thumb requiring surgery, vs Virginia, missed 7 games.<\/p>\n 2023 Virginia Tech<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2024 Virginia Tech<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n OT Chase Lundt<\/a><\/p>\n 2019 UConn<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2020 UConn<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2021 UConn<\/p>\n Left ACL<\/a>, meniscus tear, vs UCF, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2022 UConn<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2023 UConn<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n 2024 UConn<\/p>\n Right MCL knee sprain<\/a>, vs North Carolina, missed Senior Bowl, Combine.<\/p>\n WR Kaden Prather<\/a><\/p>\n 2021 West Virginia<\/p>\n Undisclosed, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n Prather did not play in the bowl game against Minnesota according to his game logs<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2022 West Virginia<\/p>\n Concussion, vs Oklahoma, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2023 Maryland<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n 2024 Maryland<\/p>\n No publicly reported injuries.<\/p>\n Past Draft History Analysis\u00a0<\/p>\n As of 2025, the Bills have selected 64 players with 51 players still playing in the NFL and 34 are still with the team.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Buffalo Bills have continued their trend over the last eight seasons of selecting players without major or even moderate injury concerns in the first two rounds. Most fractures, minor sprains, contusions, and isolated soft tissue injuries led to minimal missed time. The one exception is fractures for obvious reasons. They occasionally allow for minor sprains or strains as they are part of their history but these are either isolated events or several years old.\u00a0<\/p>\n Once the third round begins, the Bills become more relaxed in terms of selecting players with injury concerns as this appears to be the demarcation point for getting top talent. The Bills have also selected players without injury concerns in this round, but historically this has trended towards talent plus increased injury risk.<\/p>\n Every player they have selected in the first two rounds has managed to stay fairly healthy during their time as Buffalo Bills. Many have had high-ankle sprains, AC joint sprains, minor strains\/sprains, and concussions, but otherwise have not suffered major injuries or missed extended time. Many of the players selected in the first two rounds have largely been productive at some point in their time in Buffalo even if it was a slow development.<\/p>\n The three exceptions to this have been Cody Ford, Kaiir Elam, and Dalton Kincaid.<\/p>\n Ford missed half of the 2020 season with a meniscus tear and throughout his other two seasons battled various injuries including requiring off-season shoulder surgery. He was largely ineffective playing guard and tackle before his trade to the Arizona Cardinals.\u00a0<\/p>\n Elam had battled several foot and ankle injuries during both seasons and missed most of last year due to a lingering ankle issue. Both have been viewed as busts or at the very least not lived up to their draft status. Both came in with minimal injury issues coming out of college and that luck did not transition to the pros.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dalton Kincaid has trended in this direction after 2024 saw him deal with two knee injuries including a PCL sprain. He also dealt with a collarbone issue and was not healthy most of the season. 2025 saw him continue to battle his PCL injury with two aggravations along with a hamstring and oblique injury that cost him time throughout the season. The Bills did pick up his fifth-year option but Kincaid better have a healthy season in order to discuss a contract extension.<\/p>\n Maxwell Hairston almost falls into this bucket but with his LCL sprain during training camp and his high-ankle sprain to end his season. Both of these injuries were no fault to his own but they did affect his availability when the team needed him.\u00a0<\/p>\n The best predictor of future injury is previous injury. So while the Bills approach in drafting players with minimal injury histories early appears sound, they may be missing something. Whether there\u2019s athletic testing that could reveal certain risks about these players or certain metrics to look at, it\u2019s possible it exists. But it may also be simply bad luck and the result of being a high draft pick not performing to expected standards.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2026 NFL Draft<\/p>\n Looking at this year\u2019s draft class, there are criteria that are used to identify potential risks or safe players.\u00a0<\/p>\n Criteria<\/p>\n -I used The Athletic\u2019s Dane Brugler\u2019s \u201cThe Beast\u201d<\/a> draft guide as a reference for this project using his draft grades on every player and obtaining additional injury history.<\/p>\n -Players are sorted into three different tiers: Healthy, Concerns, and Traits. Each player will have their projected draft grade in parentheses next to their name.<\/p>\n -Using the past trends observed by the Bills, a healthy pick in Round 1 or 2 is someone graded out at that position who has minimal injury history such as most fractures, minor sprains, contusions, or overall minimal missed time. Muscle strains aren\u2019t necessarily excluded, but they have to show that they are several years removed from their last instance or not repeated instances. Isolated concussions also haven\u2019t appeared to be a concern for the Bills. <\/p>\n -Concern picks are players identified as around Round 1 or 2 talents that have injury concerns and will have a brief injury history included.<\/p>\n -A Traits pick is projected as a Round 2-3 player or beyond. The Bills tend to go traits in this round regardless of injury. They will also have a brief injury history included.<\/p>\n -Nearly every position will have healthy, concerns, and traits picks.<\/p>\n Exclusions<\/p>\n -Tight End, Running Back, Cornerback, Center is not a high draft need and will not be addressed for this project.<\/p>\n -We have Josh Allen, no need to look at quarterbacks.<\/p>\n Wide Receiver\u00a0<\/p>\n Healthy<\/p>\n Makai Lemon, USC 1st<\/p>\n KC Concepcion, Texas A&M 1st-2nd<\/p>\n Germie Bernard, Alabama 2nd<\/p>\n Concerns<\/p>\n Carnell Tate, Ohio State 1st<\/p>\n 2025: Calf strain, missed 3 games.<\/p>\n Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State 1st-2nd<\/p>\n 2022-2023: Left Knee ACL, MCL, PCL tear<\/a>, missed last three games of season and all of 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2024: Left collarbone fracture<\/a>, missed two games.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2025:\u00a0 Ankle injury, missed spring practice.<\/p>\n 2025: Hamstring strain<\/a>, both sides<\/a>, missed three games.\u00a0<\/p>\n Omar Cooper, Indiana 1st-2nd<\/p>\n 2020: Left ACL tear<\/a>, junior year high school.<\/p>\n 2023: High-ankle sprain<\/a>, missed three games.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2025: Right ankle injury<\/a>, missed one game.\u00a0<\/p>\n Denzel Boston, Washington 1st-2nd<\/p>\n 2025: Low ankle sprain, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2025: Double sports hernia repair, spring.<\/p>\n Chris Bell, Louisville 2nd\u00a0<\/p>\n 2025:\u00a0 Torn left ACL November.<\/p>\n Traits<\/p>\n Antonio Williams, Clemson 2nd-3rd<\/p>\n 2023: Ankle, toe injuries, missed 8 games.<\/p>\n 2025: Right hamstring, missed 2 games.<\/p>\n Elijah Sarrat, Indiana 2nd-3rd<\/p>\n 2025: Hamstring, missed 2 games.<\/p>\n Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State 3rd<\/p>\n 2021: Ankle injury, senior year high school, missed most of season and required surgery.<\/p>\n 2023: Hamstring strain<\/a>, track season.<\/p>\n 2023: Ankle injury<\/a>, missed four games.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2024: Right ankle injury<\/a>, missed two games.\u00a0<\/p>\n Offensive Tackle<\/p>\n Healthy<\/p>\n Spencer Fano, Utah 1st<\/p>\n Francis Mauigoa, Miami 1st<\/p>\n Caleb Lomu, Utah 1st-2nd<\/p>\n Blake Miller, Clemson 1st-2nd<\/p>\n Concerns<\/p>\n Monroe Freeling, Georgia 1st-2nd<\/p>\n 2024: Shoulder injury, later had surgery in 2025, missed spring workouts.<\/p>\n 2025: Left ankle, didn\u2019t start next game.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kaydn Proctor, Alabama 1st-2nd<\/p>\n 2024: Shoulder injury, missed 2 games, offseason shoulder surgery.\u00a0<\/p>\n Max Iheanachor, Arizona State 1st-2nd<\/p>\n 2024: Shoulder labrim tear with surgery\u00a0<\/p>\n Traits<\/p>\n Austin Barber, Florida 3rd-4th<\/p>\n 2023: Ankle, left shoulder, missed 3 games, offseason shoulder surgery January 2024.<\/p>\n Guard<\/p>\n Healthy<\/p>\n Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State 1st<\/p>\n Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M 1st-2nd<\/p>\n Concerns<\/p>\n None<\/p>\n Traits<\/p>\n Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech 2nd-3rd<\/p>\n 2022: Undisclosed injury, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2023: Left foot car accident, left big toe fracture, didn\u2019t set right, had infection.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gennings Dunker, Iowa 3rd<\/p>\n 2021: Broken sesamoid bone from high school, redshirted, missed entire season.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2022: Undisclosed injury, missed 2 games.<\/p>\n 2023: Broken pinky, missed 1 game, offseason shoulder injury.<\/p>\n 2024: Knee injury, missed 2 games, ankle procedure in 2025 offseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n Billy Scrauth, Notre Dame 3rd-4th<\/p>\n 2021: Left foot surgery<\/p>\n 2024: Right ankle, missed 4 games, required tightrope surgery.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2025: Left MCL knee sprain, missed 5 games.<\/p>\n EDGE<\/p>\n Healthy<\/p>\n Arvell Reese, Ohio State 1st<\/p>\n David Bailey, Texas Tech 1st<\/p>\n Rueben Bain, Miami 1st<\/p>\n Keldrick Faulk, Auburn 1st-2nd<\/p>\n Tj Parker, Clemson 1st-2nd round\u00a0<\/p>\n Zion Young, Missouri 1st-2nd\u00a0<\/p>\n Cashius Howell, Texas A&M 2nd\u00a0<\/p>\n Concerns<\/p>\n Malachi Lawrence, UCF 1st-2nd<\/p>\n Shoulder surgery on both sides, non specific on years.<\/p>\n Akheem Meisidor, Miami 1st-2nd<\/p>\n 2022: Shoulder surgery, prior to enrollment.<\/p>\n 2022: Right foot injury, missed 1 game, later required surgery for torn ligaments.<\/p>\n 2023: Left foot injury, missed 11 games, surgery.<\/p>\n 2025: Undisclosed injury, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma 2nd<\/p>\n 2022: Hamstring, missed 3 games.<\/p>\n 2023: Bilateral high-ankle sprains, missed 4 games.<\/p>\n 2025: Quad strain, missed 3 games.<\/p>\n Traits<\/p>\n Derrick Moore, Michigan 3rd<\/p>\n 2024: Left knee injury, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2026: Hamstring, NFL combine.<\/p>\n Romello Height, Texas Tech 3rd<\/p>\n 2020: Offseason shoulder surgery, redshirt.<\/p>\n 2022: Right shoulder, missed 12 games<\/p>\n Defensive Tackle<\/p>\n Healthy<\/p>\n Kayden McDonald, Ohio State 1st<\/p>\n Peter Woods, Clemson 1st-2nd<\/p>\n Concerns<\/p>\n Christen Miller, Georgia 2nd<\/p>\n 2018: Broken leg requiring 3 screws, freshman year.<\/p>\n 2021: MCL sprain, high school.<\/p>\n 2023: Finger injury, missed 1 game, meniscus clean up offseason.<\/p>\n 2024: Right shoulder, missed 2 games, labrum repair 2025<\/p>\n Traits<\/p>\n Caleb Banks, Florida 2nd-3rd<\/p>\n 2025: Left foot fracture spring, Left foot fracture requiring surgery, missed 9 games.<\/p>\n 2026: Left 4th metatarsal fracture, NFL combine, surgery.\u00a0<\/p>\n Linebacker<\/p>\n Healthy<\/p>\n Sonny Styles, Ohio State 1st<\/p>\n Concerns<\/p>\n Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech 2nd<\/p>\n 2023: Right foot Lisfranc sprain and bone bruise, missed 8 games, no surgery.<\/p>\n CJ Allen, Georgia 2nd<\/p>\n 2025: Left knee meniscus clean up, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n Traits<\/p>\n Josiah Trotter,\u00a0Missouri 3rd<\/p>\n 2023:\u00a0 ACL tear, redshirt, missed entire year.<\/p>\n 2025: Minor knee injury, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh 3rd<\/p>\n 2021: Left elbow injury in high school required surgery, redshirted.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2023: PCL sprain, missed 3 games.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2025: Undisclosed injury, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU 3rd-4th<\/p>\n 2021: ACL tear high school, redshirt freshman year.<\/p>\n Safety<\/p>\n Healthy<\/p>\n Caleb Downs, Ohio State 1st<\/p>\n Dillon Thieneman, Oregon 1st-2nd<\/p>\n Concerns<\/p>\n Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo 1st-2nd<\/p>\n 2021: Concussion, elbow fracture, high school.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2024: Shoulder injury, missed 5 games.<\/p>\n Traits<\/p>\n Keionte Scott, Miami 2nd-3rd<\/p>\n 2023: Right high-ankle, missed 3 games, required tightrope surgery.<\/p>\n 2024: Ankle, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2025 Right foot injury initially considered season-ending, missed 3 games right foot, but returned for playoffs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bud Clark, TCU 3rd<\/p>\n 2021: Undisclosed injury, missed 8 games.<\/p>\n 2022: Undisclosed injury, missed 3 games.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2024: Undisclosed injury, missed 1 game.<\/p>\n 2025: Undisclosed injury, missed 2 games.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina 3rd<\/p>\n 2025: Hamstring, missed 1 game.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meetings<\/p>\n Here is a list of players that have met with the Buffalo Bills through various interactions during the draft process. Thank you to StickToTheModel.com<\/a>, Buffalo Rumblings<\/a>, and Justin M of SI NFL Draft for all this information.\u00a0<\/p>\n The healthy and concerns look to be largely Day 1-2 projections. <\/p>\n Healthy<\/p>\n WR Germie Bernard: Combine<\/p>\n WR KC Concepcion: Combine, Top 30<\/p>\n S Dillon Thieneman: Combine<\/p>\n S AJ Haulcy: Top 30<\/p>\n LB Jaishawn Barham: Combine<\/p>\n DT Lee Hunter: Top 30<\/p>\n DT Domonique Orange: Top 30<\/p>\n Concerns<\/p>\n WR Antonio Williams: Combine<\/p>\n WR Denzel Boston: Combine, Private Workout<\/p>\n WR Jordyn Tyson: Combine, Pro Day<\/p>\n WR Chris Bell: Combine<\/p>\n WR Omar Cooper: Combine<\/p>\n DT Christen Miller: Combine, Top 30<\/p>\n EDGE Malachi Lawrence: Combine<\/p>\n S Jalen Kilgore: Combine, Private Workout<\/p>\n LB Josiah Trotter: Top 30<\/p>\n LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr: Top 30<\/p>\n OT Austin Barber: Zoom<\/p>\n S Keionte Scott: Zoom<\/p>\n Other Visits<\/p>\n These all appear to be Day 3 selections. <\/p>\n QB Jalon Daniels: Private Workout<\/p>\n WR Skylar Bell: Combine, Private Workout<\/p>\n WR Malik Benson: Private Workout, Pro Day<\/p>\n WR Jeff Caldwell: Zoom<\/p>\n TE Justin Joly: Top 30<\/p>\n TE RJ Maryland: American Bowl<\/p>\n DT Brandon Cleveland: Combine<\/p>\n DT Landon Robinson: Private Workout<\/p>\n DL Tyreak Sapp: Zoom<\/p>\n DL Bobby Jamison-Travis: Combine<\/p>\n DL Gracen Halton: Top 30, Visit<\/p>\n LB Jimmy Rolder: Top 30<\/p>\n LB Xavian Sorey: Pro Day<\/p>\n CB Julian Neal: Top 30<\/p>\n CB Daylen Everett: Combine<\/p>\n CB Jarod Washington: Pro Day<\/p>\n CB Andre Fuller: Top 30, Private Workout<\/p>\n CB Duce Chestnut: Pro Day<\/p>\n S Jakobe Thomas: Combine<\/p>\n S Robert Spears-Jennings: Combine<\/p>\n S Kamari Ramsey: Combine<\/p>\n S Malik Muhammad: Facility, Visit<\/p>\n P Ryan Eckley: Combine<\/p>\n P Jack Stonehouse: Combine<\/p>\n