We're quick to criticize the GM, but could we have done better in his place? That's the question I asked myself when breaking down the 2026 NFL Draft for the Buffalo Bills. And honestly? Brandon Beane might have nailed it.
After going through every pick and asking what I would have done differently, I'm not sure my draft class is better than his. That's a real compliment to Beane and his scouting staff. But if I'm being honest, those weren't the prospects I would have selected if I were making the calls. So here it is — on the record, my board, my reasoning, and my accountability.
First, the ground rules: I'm locked into every trade Beane made. If he moved up or down, I moved with him. No "I wouldn't have made that trade" revisionism — that turns this into a mess. But I do have one real advantage: I know how the entire draft fell. I can see who was still on the board at 40, at 62, at 101. He couldn't. That context matters.
So get ready, fellow Rumblers. You'll be able to hold this against me forever… or maybe not.
Round 2, Pick 35: The Edge Rusher Debate
Beane took TJ Parker, the edge rusher out of Clemson. I understand it completely. Parker has real upside as a three-down player and potential full-time starter down the line — that's a legitimate strength of this pick.
But what I was looking for at 35 was a true pass-rushing specialist — the kind of player who makes quarterbacks miserable on obvious passing downs. Think Nik Bonitto in Denver. When I watched Parker's tape, I saw a 4-3 defensive end profile. A good one, but not the profile I was hunting.
Howell, to me, is that pass-rush specialist. The get-off, the repertoire, the way he attacks blockers in space — he fits the role I was targeting. He went to Cincinnati at 41. Six picks later. This was the moment.
Round 2, Pick 56: The Cornerback Conundrum
"IGB" — as they call him at One Bills Drive — the cornerback from Ohio State. Good prospect. That's not the argument.
My problem is the business logic. We already have Christian Benford locked in on a big contract at CB1. We already used a first-round pick on Maxwell Hairston a year ago at CB2. Those are two massive investments — real money and real draft capital. Adding another cornerback in the second round? It feels like we're stacking depth instead of addressing a more pressing need.
In the end, Beane's draft might age better than my armchair GM moves. But that's the beauty of the NFL draft — we'll find out together.