Bills Select Skyler Bell, Kaleb Elarms-Orr as Brandon Beane Earns Redemption

Brandon Beane took heat for his early work in the 2026 NFL draft, but his selections at No. 125 and No. 126 were brilliant.

Connecticut Huskies wide receiver Skyler Bell makes the touchdown catch against the Buffalo Bulls. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane took a lot of criticism for his work during the first night of the 2026 NFL draft. Beane managed to make three trades, but didn't select any players, as he dropped back from No. 26 to No. 28, from No. 28 to No. 31, and then eventually to No. 35.

He then selected Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker (No. 35) and Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun (No. 62). Both picks made sense, but they weren't exactly flashy. It also continued an alarming trend of ignoring offensive players.

That changed on Saturday as the Bills took Boston College offensive tackle Jude Bowry with the first of their three picks in Round 4. That was another understandable pick given the departure of Ryan Van Demark, but it lacked any flash. Thankfully, the same can't be said for the following picks in Round 4.

Brandon Beane gave the Bills some juice on offense, defense in Round 4

TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr celebrates during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the SMU Mustangs. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Beane had back-to-back picks to work with following the litany of trades, and he knocked them out of the park. At No. 125, he took Connecticut wide receiver Skyler Bell. He followed that up with TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr at No. 126.

On Friday morning, I had both Bell and Elarms-Orr in a Day 3 mock draft, although that was with Bell coming at 101 and Elarms-Orr at 125. Both players fill massive needs, with Bell giving them a wide receiver who can push Joshua Palmer and Keon Coleman. He's also a deep threat who averaged 17.2 yards per catch in 2024, and then in 2025 had 13 touchdowns. He ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine, but plays with even more speed than that time suggests.

Elarms-Orr is coming off his best season after racking up 130 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. He has the talent to develop into a starting inside linebacker at some point, but for now, he will be a fan-favorite due to his bone-crushing hits.

What picks do the Buffalo Bills have remaining?

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Barring any trades, the Bills have three picks remaining in this draft. Here's a look at their draft capital:

Round 5, No. 167
Round 5, No. 168
Round 7, No. 220

We'll see if Beane can strike gold again with his next set of back-to-back picks.

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