Ranking the 7 players Bills' Brandon Beane passed on in Round 1

So, you’ve heard the Buffalo Bills traded back three times, right? But how good were those guys they passed on?

There’s no question adding draft capital was necessary for Brandon Beane. A triple trade down helped the Bills gain the No. 35, 66, 101, 125 and 167 picks.

But he passed on several players who could have projected as long-term starters. There’s an argument to be made that those extra mid-to-late round picks made more sense to this year’s draft class.

At the same time, though, Beane admitted himself that he was on the “lower-end” when it comes to first-round grades in this year’s class.

So, here’s how those passed-up players rank:

1) Keylan Rutledge, iOL, Georgia Tech

Haynes King and Keylan Rutledge — Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets’ quarterback Haynes King (10) and offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge (77). | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Rutledge is one of the best interior offensive linemen in the class. The former Yellow Jacket is a blend of nastiness in the run game and nimble feet in pass protection.

Rutledge would have also addressed an underrated question right now for Buffalo: left guard.

So, passing on him could come back to bite the Bills.

2) Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

Cooper is a versatile receiver who can play all around an offense. Just ask Hoosier fans, as he helped IU win its first-ever national championship in 2025.

At 6-foot and 201 pounds, Cooper is a separator who is dangerous in the yards after catch game. That led to 14 total scores last season, including 13 through the air.

It would have been interesting to see how Buffalo deployed him along with D.J. Moore and Khalil Shakir. Because 2025 showed you need as many good wideouts as possible, even if you have Josh Allen.

3) Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

Price is the best running back prospect you’ve never heard of. But that’s what happens when you play behind the No. 3 pick in the draft in Jeremiyah Love.

A hard-charging back at 5-foot-11 and 209 pounds, Price was a dynamic “Robin” who scored 15 total touchdowns and averaged 6.0 yards per carry in 2025.

Two of those scores were on kick returns, proving he’s one of the best weapons in the class.

The Bills, unfortunately, did not make sense as a fit, though, having All-Pros at RB and KR in James Cook and Ray Davis.

4) Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

Lomu might not be flashy, but he is a highly productive player, specifically as a pass protector.

Being opposite of Spencer Fano, he held his own, posting an 82.6 PFF pass pro grade in 2025. That grade was boosted by the fact that he yielded no sacks on the season.

As good as Lomu is, though, Buffalo did not have a huge need at tackle with bookends in Spencer Brown and Dion Dawkins.

5) Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

Woods is arguably the most polarizing player in the 2026 draft class. After a stellar 2024, his play and production dipped in 2025.

At 6-foot-2 and 298 pounds, Woods is more of a disruptor who projects as a 3-tech DT. Ironically, he has a similar game and frame to Bills’ DL Ed Oliver.

But because of being an Oliver carbon copy, Woods’ fit in Buffalo only made sense if you were looking to replace Oliver.

6) Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

Johnson may have gone earlier than expected, but he’s an accomplished player who should make an impact as a starter for the Dolphins immediately.

The former Aztec posted a tremendous 91.6 overall PFF grade in 2025, with a superb 92.4 coverage grade. The problem, though, is that he played lesser competition in the Mountain West.

Johnson’s length and ball skills could have been a solid addition to the Bills’ CB room. But the room is already crowded with Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston and Dee Alford.

7) Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

Faulk is also a conflicting prospect. One of the top edge run defenders in the class, he also had a lot of struggles as a pass rusher.

Faulk did post seven sacks in 2024, but that number fell to two in 2025. He does have a ton of upside to develop, though, with him only being 21 years old.

The former Tiger could have added versatility to the Buffalo front. But his limitations as a pass rusher may cap his ceiling.

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