Bills 2027 Mock Draft Lands Versatile EDGE for Jim Leonhard's Defense – Sports Illustrated

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After moving on from head coach Sean McDermott, the Buffalo Bills will be installing a whole new defensive scheme under first-year coordinator Jim Leonhard.
The former Denver Broncos assistant comes in with plenty of hype, and the players have been fans of what they've seen out of him. Recently, I wrote about Maxwell Hairston saying they're already playing with more freedom under Leonhard and how Bradley Chubb called him a "quiet assassin."
That said, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski doesn't believe they have done enough to fully shift to the new defense. That's why he has them selecting Oregon's Teitum Tuioti in his new 2027 NFL mock draft.
Sobleski gives Tuioti some significant praise, saying there were times when he was the most disruptive defender on the Orefon defense in 2025. That's impressive given they had three defenders selected in Rounds 1-4 this past season. He also believes he gives Leonhard a player with more experience rushing the passer from the outside linebacker position.
"For the Buffalo Bills, the organization didn't do enough this offseason transitioning their personnel to fit into Jim Leonard's defensive scheme," Sobleski wrote.
"Bradley Chubb's signing and TJ Parker's selection in this year's second round, to pair with Gregory Rousseau, will create a solid rotation on the edge. However, Tuioti is far more natural playing from a two-point stance and doing all of the things necessary to provide maximum flexibility/impact. He can slide seamlessly into the rotation and give the Bills a more complete front."
Tuioti finished his third season with the Ducks with 68 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks. The 6-foot-3, 263-pounder also has quite the wingspan, which is how he was able to deflect five passes in 2025.
Adding another outside linebacker with their first pick in this mock is rather interesting. Not only did Buffalo use their top pick in 2025, which was No. 35 overall in Round 2, on T.J. Parker, but they've invested heavily in two other pass rushers as well.
In 2025, they signed Greg Rouseeau to a four-year, $80 million extension. This year, they added Bradley Chubb in free agency, signing him to a three-year, $43.5 million deal.
Bills On SI's Alex Brasky recently wrote that Chubb and Parker are among the most important players for Buffalo's future. If they do step up in 2026, taking an EDGE in Round 1 might not be the best strategy. If they do feel as though they need more help even after these investments, it would be concerning.
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Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.
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