Best draft picks in Buffalo Bills history
Stacker compiled a list of the best draft picks in Buffalo Bills history using career Weighted Approximate Value (wAV), a metric developed by Pro-Football-Reference.com to estimate career impact. The ranking also lists individual accolades such as Pro Bowl selections, First-Team All-Pro honors, and total years as a starter. Players were assigned to their originally drafted teams, excluding any draft-day trades. Data is as of April 2026.
#10. Joe DeLamielleure (1973, Round 1, Pick 26)
- Position: G
- Career wAV: 87
- Pro Bowls: 6
- First-Team All-Pro: 3
- Games Played: 185
- Seasons as Starter: 12
#9. Larry Wilson (1960, Round , Pick )
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 91
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 5
- Games Played: 169
- Seasons as Starter: 13
#7. Andre Reed (1985, Round 4, Pick 86) (tie)
- Position: WR
- Career wAV: 98
- Pro Bowls: 7
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 234
- Seasons as Starter: 14
#7. O.J. Simpson (1969, Round 1, Pick 1) (tie)
- Position: RB
- Career wAV: 98
- Pro Bowls: 6
- First-Team All-Pro: 5
- Games Played: 135
- Seasons as Starter: 11
#6. Jim Kelly (1983, Round 1, Pick 14)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 103
- Pro Bowls: 5
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 160
- Seasons as Starter: 11
#5. Paul Warfield (1964, Round 4, Pick 28)
- Position: WR
- Career wAV: 108
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 2
- Games Played: 157
- Seasons as Starter: 11
#4. Thurman Thomas (1988, Round 2, Pick 40)
- Position: RB
- Career wAV: 110
- Pro Bowls: 5
- First-Team All-Pro: 2
- Games Played: 182
- Seasons as Starter: 10
#3. Josh Allen (2018, Round 1, Pick 7)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 111
- Pro Bowls: 4
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 128
- Seasons as Starter: 8
#2. Carl Eller (1964, Round 1, Pick 5)
- Position: DE
- Career wAV: 132
- Pro Bowls: 6
- First-Team All-Pro: 5
- Games Played: 225
- Seasons as Starter: 15
#1. Bruce Smith (1985, Round 1, Pick 1)
- Position: DE
- Career wAV: 152
- Pro Bowls: 11
- First-Team All-Pro: 8
- Games Played: 279
- Seasons as Starter: 18
