Hard-to-believe Bills' fact proves Brandon Beane's draft record worse than it seems

The Buffalo Bills selected quarterback Josh Allen during general manager Brandon Beane's first draft at the helm.

It's perfectly rational to claim that Beane's first pick is the lone reason why he remains in his position to this day.

For since that 2018 draft haul, which also included linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and nickel cornerback Taron Johnson, Beane's springtime success has been average at best. Quite frankly, some of his subsequent early-round gaffes are arguably grounds for dismissal.

The Beane backers will point to the late-round gems like the aforementioned Johnson or sixth-rounder Christian Benford in 2022. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir was selected one round prior to Benford that same spring. Unfortunately, for every uncovered Day 3 gem, there's been an early-round blunder under Beane's watch.

Unquestionably, the most impactful miss has been 2022 first-round cornerback Kaiir Elam, who was mind-numbingly underwhelming throughout his three seasons with the Bills.

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Then, in 2024, Beane traded out of Round 1 and proceeded to select wide receiver Keon Coleman at No. 33 overall. Over the past two seasons, the Bills found it necessary to discipline Coleman on three separate occasions due to lack of punctuality and professionalism.

Staggering fact uncovered

The Bills have drafted 56 players from 2019 through 2025, and only two of them — tight end Dawson Knox (2019) and running back James Cook (2022) — ever earned a Pro Bowl selection with the franchise (offensive guard Wyatt Teller has earned three Pro Bowl nods since being traded to the Cleveland Browns).

MORE: Brandon Beane's 5 biggest draft busts of last 6 years

While he's done well in the late rounds as a whole, it's worth noting that he wasted fifth-round picks on linebacker Vosean Joseph and quarterback Jake Fromm. Beane has also shown a tendency to spend draft capital to trade up the board, doing so for Elam in 2022 and tight end Dalton Kincaid in 2023.

Since drafting Josh Allen in 2018, the Bills have drafted 56 players.

2 of them (James Cook and Dawson Knox) have made Pro Bowls.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 19, 2026

Ignoring WR

Other than trading a 2020 first-rounder for Stefon Diggs, Beane never dedicated a Round 1 selection to the wide receiver position. The Bills have drafted only one non-Day 3 wide receiver — the aforementioned Coleman — during Beane's reign.

In 2019, the Bills moved up in Round 2 to draft offensive lineman Cody Ford. Wide receivers AJ Brown and DK Metcalf were both selected later that round.

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Although every team passed on wide receiver Puka Nacua on multiple turns through the 2023 draft order, it's worth noting that the Bills used a fifth-round pick on wide receiver Justin Shorter 27 selections prior to Nacua going to the Los Angeles Rams. Current Green Bay Packers' wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks was also available to the Bills when they chose Shorter, who wound up never playing a game for Buffalo.

This past spring, Beane waited until Pick No. 240 to add a wide receiver, essentially using a throwaway selection on Kaden Prather, who wasn't even good enough to earn a practice squad spot.

Beane's notable draft duds

2024 — WR Keon Coleman (Round 2)

2022 — CB Kaiir Elam (Round 1)

2021 — DE Boogie Basham (Round 2)

2020 — RB Zack Moss (Round 3)

2019 — OL Cody Ford (Round 2)

MORE: Bills' weak All-Pro representation raises question on Brandon Beane's job performance

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