Bills Central

Latest NFL Mock Draft Has Bills Adding 'Polarizing' Defensive Tackle

Joe Brady obviously takes over a team with a great offense. The defense is a different story, and a new mock draft has Buffalo adding to this area in a big way.
Russell Baxter|
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney with defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) before kickoff with Furman University at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, SC, Saturday, November 22, 2025.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney with defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) before kickoff with Furman University at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, SC, Saturday, November 22, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills are the only team in the league to reach the playoff each of these last seven seasons. It’s a franchise record marked by futility. Over that span, the franchise has only reached the AFC title game twice and lost out to the Chiefs in both 2020 and 2024.

Joe Brady
New Bills head coach Joe Brady talks about some of his vision as coach at the Bills field house in Orchard Park on Jan. 29, 2026. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In 2026, the Bills will have a new stadium and a new sideline leader. General manager Brandon Beane returns, and offensive coordinator Joe Brady was promoted to head coach. The team will look to reclaim the AFC East, which was won by the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots for the first time since 2019—snapping Buffalo’s five-year reign.

The defense is now under the guidance of Jim Leonhard. This unit disappointed in 2025, despite drafting defense with their first five picks last April.

Buffalo Bills could make inside move on April 23

ESPN’s Field Yates just came out with his 2026 NFL mock draft. He has Beane, Brady, and the team opting for an interior defensive lineman for the first time since 2019, the choice here is intriguing Clemson University’s Peter Woods with the No. 26 pick in April at Pittsburgh.

“Woods is a polarizing evaluation for scouts,” said Yates. “He's an explosive, twitchy, powerful defensive tackle with natural disruption skills. But there's a worry about his shorter frame/arms, and his skill set did not often lead to production (only five sacks in three college seasons)."

"I'll bet on the athletic upside of Woods," added Yates, who occasionally played fullback—he even scored a touchdown against Boston College last season. He's an urgent and sudden player who can impact both a pass rush and run defense. The Bills need a ton of the latter after allowing the third-most yards per rush in 2025 (5.1).”

Bills’ opponents were born to run in 2025

Buffalo also gave up the fifth-most rushing yards in the league, surrendering a disappointing 136.2 yards per outing during the regular season and also allowed the Jacksonville Jaguars to run for 154 yards in the wild card round. It seemed odd that the defense limited the Broncos to only 70 yards rushing and wound up coming up short in the divisional playoffs at Denver, 33-30 in overtime. Of course, five turnover by Josh Allen (4) and James Cook (1) will do that.

The 6’3”, 315-pound prospect has been mocked to other teams in the last few weeks, and pairing him inside with Ed Oliver could give Buffalo a dynamite combination.

The NFL draft is only 10 weeks away (April 23) come this Thursday.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.