Bills Jump Four Spots in NFL Draft Order from 2025 Position, Slated for Seven Picks

The Buffalo Bills are slotted in between the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Kentucky Wildcats cornerback Maxwell Hairston is selected by the Buffalo Bills as the number 30 pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As Buffalo Bills' first-time head coach Joe Brady finalizes his staff, there's presumably a heavy focus on the NFL Draft at One Bills Drive.

For a salary cap strapped team like Buffalo, it's extra critical to turn draft picks into immediate contributors. The Bills can make life much easier by hitting on their Round 1 selection come April 23.

Having finalized the first-round order, the NFL announced that the Bills (12-5) will pick at No. 26 overall on opening night in Pittsburgh. It will be the first of seven anticipated selections for Buffalo over the three-day event.

The No. 1 overall selection belongs to Las Vegas Raiders (3-14). The Chicago Bears (11-6) will pick one place before the Bills at No. 25 overall. The San Francisco 49ers (12-5) follow the Bills in the No. 27 slot.

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In 2025, the Bills were No. 30 overall in the Round 1 order, using the selection on Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston. The Atlanta Falcons used the No. 26 pick on Tennessee defensive end James Pearce with Georgia safety Malaki Starks going to the Baltimore Ravens one spot later.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston makes an interception catching the ball meant for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Nov. 2, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bills' history at No. 26

The Bills selected tight end Dalton Kincaid at No. 25 overall (2023) and cornerback Tre'Davious White with the No. 27 pick (2017), but their last two selections in the No. 26 slot were first-round busts.

Having to go all the way back to 2006, Buffalo selected North Carolina State defensive tackle John McCargo at No. 26 overall after drafting Ohio State safety Donte Whitner earlier in the round. Over 40 games for the Bills, McCargo totaled 47 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He made one career start.

In 2000, the Bills used the No. 26 selection on Arizona State defensive end Erik Flowers after releasing Bruce Smith earlier that offseason. Flowers finished with 5.0 career sacks over 58 games, only 31 of which were with the Bills.

December 9, 2007; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback (7) Cleo Lemon just gets rid of the ball as he is hit by Buffalo Bills defensive lineman (97) John McCargo during the fourth quarter of a game at Ralph Wilson Stadium | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Bills' 2026 draft picks

The Bills hold their own selections in Rounds 1 through 5.

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Buffalo's Round 6 pick went to the New York Jets in the 2024 cutdown day trade that brought return specialist Brandon Codrington to town. Their Round 7 selection belongs to the Cleveland Browns as part of the 2024 midseason trade package for wide receiver Amari Cooper.

The two seventh-rounders currently in the Bills' possession are from the Jets and Dallas Cowboys. The former is part of the Codrington deal while the latter is compensation from trading away former first-round cornerback Kaiir Elam.

Apr 28, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Florida defensive back Kaiir Elam is announced as the twenty-third overall pick to the Buffalo Bills during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Round 1 — No. 26 overall

Round 2 — TBD

Round 3 — TBD

Round 4 — TBD

Round 5 — TBD

Round 7 — TBD (from NYJ)

Round 7 — TBD (from DAL)