If you’re looking for a sleeper position for the Buffalo Bills in the first round of next week’s NFL draft, turn your attention to the inside.
With the departure of left guard David Edwards in free agency, a hole opened in the starting lineup. The Bills have options to fill that hole, having re-signed Alec Anderson and bringing in Austin Corbett as an unrestricted free agent from the Carolina Panthers. Their presence, however, doesn’t automatically disqualify the Bills from taking a guard with the No. 26 overall pick if president of football operations and general manager Brandon Beane believes he is the best available player on the board at that point.
To that end, it’s a good year to have a need on the interior.
Of 11 different position groups, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein ranks the interior offensive line as the third-strongest of the bunch, behind edge rushers and inside linebackers (two other positions of need for the Bills, as it turns out).
“There hasn't been a draft with four full rounds worth of quality interior offensive linemen in quite some time,” Zierlein writes. “This year's prospect pool offers just that. … The number of starters and the depth into Round 5 is what helps this group stand out.”
Overall position rank: 8/10.
With the departure of left guard David Edwards in free agency, a hole opened in the starting lineup. The Bills have options to fill that hole, having re-signed Alec Anderson and bringing in Austin Corbett as an unrestricted free agent from the Carolina Panthers. Their presence, however, doesn’t automatically disqualify the Bills from taking a guard with the No. 26 overall pick if president of football operations and general manager Brandon Beane believes he is the best available player on the board at that point.
To that end, it’s a good year to have a need on the interior.
Of 11 different position groups, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein ranks the interior offensive line as the third-strongest of the bunch, behind edge rushers and inside linebackers (two other positions of need for the Bills, as it turns out).
“There hasn't been a draft with four full rounds worth of quality interior offensive linemen in quite some time,” Zierlein writes. “This year's prospect pool offers just that. … The number of starters and the depth into Round 5 is what helps this group stand out.”
Overall position rank: 8/10.
Bills view: The loss of Edwards isn’t the only consideration for the Bills. Right guard O’Cyrus Torrence is heading into the final year of this contract, and it’s no guarantee that Beane can get an extension done. Guards are increasingly getting paid in free agency. There are five players at the position around the league who have contracts with an average annual value of $20 million, and 15 at the position who make at least $16 million in average annual value. Beane has never ponied up that kind of money for a guard, so if Torrence is determined to test the open market, the Bills might need to start planning for what his departure would mean.
Bills need ranking: 6/10.
Penn State offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane runs a drill at the NFL scouting combine on March 1, 2026, in Indianapolis.
Associated Press
Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State: A second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2025, Ioane started 11 games for the Nittany Lions at left guard. A 6-foot-4, 320-pounder, Ioane is a bruising blocker who projects best in a physical run scheme, according to Zierlein. Ioane is ranked as the No. 15 prospect in the class, according to CBS Sports, so it would be a bit of a surprise if he lasted until the Bills are scheduled to pick at No. 26. Ioane will have plenty of fan support wherever he ends up – he’s one of nine siblings.
Other names to know
Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M: A third-team All-Southeastern Conference selection, Bisontis started 12 games last season for the Aggies. He was a freshman All-American in 2023 who started 12 games at right tackle that season before transitioning to the interior over the past two years. He’s expected to go late in the first round or early in the second.
Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon: A first-team AP All-American and first-team All-Big Ten selection, Pregnon started 14 games at left guard and one game at right guard for the Ducks in 2025. He was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, which is given to the nation’s top offensive lineman. He made 52 college starts.
Connor Lew, Auburn: An ACL injury suffered in October 2025 limited Lew to just seven games last season. Still, he’s a former team captain for the Tigers who still should be chosen in the first two days of the draft. Scouts believe his foot quickness and athleticism is better than what he showed in Auburn’s offensive scheme.
Jake Slaughter, Florida: A second-team AP All-American and first-team All-SEC selection, Slaughter was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, which is given annually to the nation’s top center. He started all 12 games and has three years of starting experience against high-level competition.
Brian Parker II, Duke: He made 33 starts in college, with 27 coming at right tackle and six coming at left tackle. However, Parker is expected to shift to the interior at the next level. According to analytics website Pro Football Focus, Parker received the highest run-blocking grade in the nation in 2025. "He could be a guy that plays all five positions and adds a lot of value to an NFL team," Duke coach Manny Diaz told reporters.
Connor Lew, Auburn: An ACL injury suffered in October 2025 limited Lew to just seven games last season. Still, he’s a former team captain for the Tigers who still should be chosen in the first two days of the draft. Scouts believe his foot quickness and athleticism is better than what he showed in Auburn’s offensive scheme.
Jake Slaughter, Florida: A second-team AP All-American and first-team All-SEC selection, Slaughter was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, which is given annually to the nation’s top center. He started all 12 games and has three years of starting experience against high-level competition.
Intriguing
Brian Parker II, Duke: He made 33 starts in college, with 27 coming at right tackle and six coming at left tackle. However, Parker is expected to shift to the interior at the next level. According to analytics website Pro Football Focus, Parker received the highest run-blocking grade in the nation in 2025. "He could be a guy that plays all five positions and adds a lot of value to an NFL team," Duke coach Manny Diaz told reporters.
Sleeper
James Brockermeyer, C, Miami (Fla.): It’s rare that a starter for a team that made it to the national championship game would be classified as a sleeper, but the label fits for Brockermeyer, who weighed in at the Senior Bowl at 297 pounds (tied for the lightest offensive lineman there). Despite that, Brockermeyer performed well in one-on-one drills, showing strength not common for a player his size. His father, Blake, was a first-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers in 1995 and had a nine-year NFL career.
Top 10
| Rank | Name (Pos.) | School | Ht. | Wt. |
| 1 | Olaivavega Ioane, G | Penn State | 6-4 | 220 |
| 2 | Chase Bisontis, G | Texas A&M | 6-5 | 315 |
| 3 | Emmanuel Pregnon, G | Oregon | 6-4 | 314 |
| 4 | Keylan Rutledge, G | Georgia Tech | 6-4 | 316 |
| 5 | Jake Slaugher, C | Florida | 6-5 | 303 |
| 6 | Sam Hecht, C | Kansas State | 6-4 | 303 |
| 7 | Logan Jones, C | Iowa | 6-3 | 299 |
| 8 | Brian Parker II, G/C | Duke | 6-5 | 309 |
| 9 | Connor Lew, C | Auburn | 6-4 | 310 |
| 10 | Anez Cooper, G | Miami (Fla.) | 6-6 | 334 |