Five Biggest Buffalo Bills' NFL Draft Steals in Brandon Beane Era

The Buffalo Bills have landed some excellent talent in the early rounds of the NFL Draft since 2018 under general manager Brandon Beane, but he has also helped find gems in the rough on the third day of the event throughout his tenure.

From stars on defense to flashy players at the skill positions, there have been several draftees who were undervalued coming into the NFL yet have played significant roles throughout the Bills' rise to relevance.

Here are the five biggest steals during Beane's time in Buffalo. These were calculated using their draft position and production relative to others in the team's draft history.

5. CB Dane Jackson (2020, pick No. 239, seventh round)

Jackson isn't the biggest name on the list, but he has started 28 games for the Bills in his five seasons with the team before his release in March. While the Bills couldn't find a consistent performer across from Tre'Davious White until someone else further down this list, Jackson was utilized often.

When White was nursing the ACL tear he suffered in 2021, Jackson started 20 games across 2021 and 2022, providing stability at cornerback.

4. RB Ray Davis (2024, pick No. 128, fourth round)

A bit of a recent pick, Davis hits the hole hard in the running game as a solid complement to James Cook, the NFL's leading rusher, but he emerged as a star on special teams in 2025, becoming a first-team All-Pro kick returner after finishing third in the NFL in yards per kick return.

Davis should be a versatile piece for new head coach Joe Brady to use in 2026 and should serve as a great insurance policy in case Cook suffers an injury.

3. WR Gabe Davis (2020, pick No. 128, fourth round)

Davis was the definition of mercurial during his time with Buffalo. He had performances that put him in the spotlight ahead of Stefon Diggs, including a 201-yard, four-touchdown game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2022 divisional round.

However, there's a reason Buffalo let Davis leave in free agency in the 2024 offseason. Even after the Bills re-signed him to the active roster in November, he has 13 games without a catch as a Bill. Still, his big-game ability puts him at No. 3 on this list.

2. CB Taron Johnson (2018, pick No. 121, fourth round)

Johnson came out of FCS Weber State and slotted in nicely, pun intended, as Buffalo's slot cornerback for eight seasons before his trade to the Las Vegas Raiders in March. He tallied six interceptions in his time with Buffalo and was a second-team All-Pro in 2023.

Johnson also provided one of the most memorable plays in the Bills' recent era, intercepting Lamar Jackson and running it back for a 101-yard pick-six against the Baltimore Ravens in the 2021 divisional round to help bring Buffalo to its first AFC Championship Game in 25 years.

1. CB Christian Benford (2022, pick No. 185, sixth round)

Another recent pick, Benford was selected out of Villanova, another FCS school, after first-round selection Kaiir Elam, arguably the biggest draft bust in the Beane era. Benford beat out Elam for a starting job in Week 1 in his rookie season and has not looked back, looking like Buffalo's next shutdown corner.

Benford hasn't won any major awards yet, but received Defensive Player of the Year votes in 2024. He was targeted only 57 times in 2025, third-fewest in the league by a cornerback with at least 14 starts that season.

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