The Athletic got their college football experts together, and in the end, they see what many do pertaining to the Buffalo Bills.
The Athletic’s college football panel put together a first-round mock ahead of the 2026 NFL draft. As things stand now with the Bills, a wide receiver is a clear need.
Last season, the Bills offense lacked a top tier X-receiver that can extend the field for quarterback Josh Allen and the passing attack. That is where The Athletic’s experts are looking for Buffalo in their recent mock.
With the Bills’ first-round pick at No. 26 overall, Buffalo is projected to take Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston.
Boston is a 6-foot-4 target who still has speed. Boston has had back-to-back productive seasons for Washington with more than 60 catches and 800 yards in both. In 2025, he had 62 catches, 881 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Athletic’s breakdown on Boston and the Bills can be found below:
It felt like new head coach Joe Brady owed it to Josh Allen to get him a true No. 1 receiver. Boston’s large catch radius and proficiency in traffic will help Allen in the red zone. He produced at least 60 catches and 800 yards in each of the last two seasons and caught 20 touchdowns over that span.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 2026 NFL draft: The Athletic finds Round 1 WR for the Bills in mock
Reporting by Nick Wojton, USA TODAY / Bills Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
