Three NFL Draft Prospects Bills Must Avoid With No. 26 Pick

These three players have glaring red flags the Bills must consider when drafting.

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receivers Omar Cooper Jr. (3) and Elijah Sarratt (13) celebrate Cooper's touchdown catch during the first half of the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Only a month remains until the 2026 NFL draft, and a world of possibilities has opened up to the Buffalo Bills with the combination of moves they've made in free agency and the staff they've assembled under new head coach Joe Brady.

However, danger lurks within the multitude of available players. Red flags surround every prospect, but some are much more notable than others when it comes to the Bills and whom they may select.

Four players have glaring weaknesses that say the Bills should avoid them come April.

DT Caleb Banks, Florida

Nov 29, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks (88) celebrates recovering a fumble during the second quarter against the Florida State Seminoles at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

The Bills' shift to a 3-4 defense has left a profound impact on the team's roster construction, and the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Banks may have trouble finding a place on the unit, but that's not the big problem with him.

Banks' main issue is his lengthy injury history. He suffered a foot injury in Florida's final regular-season game in 2024, then re-injured it in the following fall camp, keeping him out for the first two games of 2025. He re-injured it again in the third game of the season, sidelining him for the next seven.

If that wasn't enough, Banks broke his foot again the night before his scheduled on-field testing for the NFL Scouting Combine and got surgery on March 9. The Bills should rely on the young talent on their defensive line instead of reinforcing it early in the draft.

WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. (3) during the Indiana versus Indiana State football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is more of a scheme-fit problem than anything else. After two seasons on the outside, Cooper primarily played in the slot in 2025, and Khalil Shakir would block him if Brady tried to use him that way.

With projected first overall pick Fernando Mendoza at quarterback for Cooper's national title run in 2025, Brady may be enticed to use him in the slot, where he had his best season with 67 catches for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns, but it would be ineffective for Buffalo.

If Buffalo were to draft Cooper, it would be on Brady to utilize his skills to the fullest, but the receiver's track record could tell the wrong story.

S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) tackles Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. | James Snook-Imagn Images

There's no questioning McNeil-Warren's abilities, as he's a sound tackler and could be a long-term replacement for Taylor Rapp after C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone signed one-year contracts.

The main problem is the level of competition he faced at Toledo. The Mid-American Conference isn't generally known for producing high-level football players and he faced just five Power Four opponents over the last three seasons.

McNeil-Warren was a first-team All-MAC and a second-team All-American in 2025, but those honors may not carry much weight given Toledo's typically weaker competition.