Bills' First Two Draft Picks 'Really Exciting' for Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonhard

Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard couldn't have asked for a better start to his Buffalo Bills' coaching tenure.

Rejoining the organization he twice played for, Leonhard watched general manager Brandon Beane make notable personnel additions for the new defensive scheme in Orchard Park.

After adding versatile cornerback Dee Alford and proven edge rusher Bradley Chubb through free agency, the Bills dedicated their first two draft picks on building blocks for Leonhard's defense.

"Obviously, was huge going through the draft process with Beane the first time and getting two defensive players early in the draft. That was really, really exciting for me. And now we got to go make it right," said Leonhard during an OTAs media availability earlier this week.

The Bills used the No. 35 and No. 62 overall selections on two premium defensive positions, drafting Clemson edge rusher TJ Parker followed by Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun.

Both players have signed their rookie contracts and have been putting in the work during Organized Team Activity (OTAs) at One Bills Drive. Their presence has not gone unnoticed by Leonhard.

EDGE TJ Parker

With ideal length for the position, Parker projects as an outside linebacker in Leonhard's 3-4 base front. He will presumably slide right into the rotation behind Chubb and Greg Rousseau.

"Early impression is very good as far as the maturity that he has and kind of what he wants to be as a player in this league," said Leonhard.

TJ Parker — Nov 29, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Lanorris Sellers (16) passes under pressure from Clemson Tigers defensive end T.J. Parker (3) in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Apparently, Parker is hungry as he sets out to prove he was worthy of a first-round pick.

"He's a worker. He wants to be coached. He's got a chip on his shoulder," said Leonhard. "He felt like, in his mind at least, he fell in the draft a little bit. We're really excited to get him. We had our eyes on him early in the process, and just excited to see his mentality, his work ethic, and just the buy-in with the program."

CB Davison Igbinosun

With Round 2 winding down, the Bills traded up four slots to ensure they got the 6-foot-2 Igbinosun.

"IGB is a guy that we saw as a ascending player that gave us a little something different, right? The size, the length that he has is a little bit different than what we had in the room" said Leonhard. "And we just felt like that was the right person to get in the room with that pick, and excited that it went that way."

Joining a cornerback group that includes CB1 Christian Benford and 2025 first-rounder Maxwell Hairston, Igbinosun adds size and competition to the mix.

Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) and teammates stop Miami Hurricanes running back Mark Fletcher Jr. (4) during the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Number one, competitiveness. He's extremely competitive in everything he does. And then growth," said Leonhard. "I saw a player early in his career that I thought had to make some adjustments in order to really maximize his potential, and really saw him do that this last year. So those two things, I think, you see young players that are willing to make adjustments and grow, and you always want to bring in that culture of competitiveness.”

We wrote about Igbinosun as an "early surprise" at Bills' OTAs. The rookie made an interception this week.

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