The 2026 NFL Draft is still some time away, but it’s never too early to consider which players the Buffalo Bills might select next year.
Although Buffalo is one of the best teams in the NFL, their first-round selection isn’t as highly anticipated as those of other teams.
The Bills haven’t drafted well in the first round over the past few years, so it’s critical they hit on their first pick next April.
Athlon Sports NFL Draft Analyst Luke Easterling published a mock draft on Tuesday, having the Bills drafting Arizona State’s cornerback Keith Abney II.
Bills Projected To Draft Keith Abney
“Buffalo’s defense hasn’t had a true shutdown corner since Tre’Davious White’s prime, and while it might be a tall task to find that kind of player this late in the first round, White himself was a late first-rounder,” Easterling wrote. “Abney has been climbing up the draft board with his strong start to the 2025 season, and he brings a complete skill set that features short-area quickness, ball skills, physicality and smooth transitions.”
Abney has played three seasons for Arizona State, recording five interceptions in 27 games.
Arizona State was one of the surprise teams in college football last season, winning the Big 12 and making the College Football Playoff. Abney appeared in 14 games last year, recording 52 combined tackles and three interceptions.
However, NFL Draft Buzz does not list Abeny as a first-round pick; instead, analysts expect teams to select him later.
Abney’s tape shows a third-round corner with the tools to outperform his draft slot,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “His combination of processing speed and technical polish puts him in that Day Two conversation, but the athletic limitations and inconsistent coverage grades keep him from climbing higher.
The hip stiffness that forces those speed turns will get exposed by NFL route runners who understand stem manipulation, and at the next level, that split-second delay matters. He’s going to give up catches over the middle early in his career – those quick-hitting RPOs and shallow crossers that already give him trouble will be a problem. But the foundation is there for a reliable NFL contributor. Put him with a defensive backs coach who can maximize his strengths while scheming around his limitations, and you’ve got a quality starter by year two or three.”
Maxwell Hairston Has Been Out Since July
Buffalo is in deep need of a cornerback after its first-round pick from this past April, Maxwell Hairston, has been out with an LCL sprain.
Hairston suffered his injury during training camp and is eligible to come off the IR starting this week since he has already missed four games. It’s yet to be known if Hairston will suit up against the New England Patriots in Week 5.
Even if Hairston can participate in the next couple of weeks, he will still be learning how to play in the NFL while recovering from an injury. For any rookie, adapting to the NFL is challenging, and an injury only complicates matters further. This means that the Bills won’t truly understand Hairston’s potential until next year.
Buffalo must do everything it can this offseason to upgrade its defensive back room, which means drafting another one in the first round.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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