New Mel Kiper Mock Draft Has Bills Landing Sticky Cover Corner

With free agency slowing to a crawl, the Buffalo Bills should be turning their attention to the 2026 NFL draft.

General manager Brandon Beane has addressed two of the team’s most pressing needs by trading for wide receiver DJ Moore and signing free agent EDGE Bradley Chubb. They still need to address depth at a few other spots, which they could do during the upcoming draft.

One position to watch is cornerback, which is where ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. believes they should focus. In his latest mock draft, he predicts Buffalo will select Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell.

Round 1, Pick No. 26: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell celebrates a play against the South Carolina Gamecocks. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Kiper believes the Bills have a solid foundation at the position with Christian Benford as their CB1 and Maxwell Hairston opposite him. Hairston was the team’s first-round pick in 2025 and while he played well, he also dealt with injuries throughout the season. Hairston even missed the playoffs after suffering an injury in Week 18.

Adding depth is a must, and their current salary cap situation means they could look for someone like Terrell to fill out the roster without breaking the bank.

”The Bills' tight salary cap led to some cornerback changes this offseason, with the team cutting Dane Jackson, trading Taron Johnson and letting Tre'Davious White hit free agency,” Kiper wrote. “They have Christian Benford and 2025 first-rounder Maxwell Hairston in place, but the depth is shallow. Terrell is great in man coverage, showing the ability to stick on receivers. He didn't come away with any interceptions last season, but he broke up nine passes.”

If Buffalo goes with a different position, they could explore bringing Tre’Davious White back for another season. He played well after returning to the Bills in 2025, and was a huge part of their win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card round.

Other positions the Buffalo Bills could target

Without a pick in Round 2 thanks to the DJ Moore trade, Buffalo must hit on its first-round pick. That’s why they need to look for the best player available, while still taking need into account.

That said, the position to watch outside of cornerback is wide receiver. Moore’s arrival will open up the offense but they can’t rely on Joshua Palmer or Keon Coleman as the WR3 behind Moore and Khalil Shakir.

They could also consider linebacker, especially with Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson unsigned.

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