The Buffalo Bills traded down Saturday before selecting Boston College offensive tackle Jude Bowry, a âfreakâ prospect with elite athletic upside. The Bills used the fourth round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to answer an offensive line depth problem, landing a left tackle whose athleticism numbers put him in rare company among tackles at any level.
Buffalo selected Boston College left tackle Jude Bowry with the 102nd overall pick on Saturday after trading down one slot from No. 101, acquiring a seventh-round pick from the Las Vegas Raiders, according to The Sporting News‘ Billy Heyen. The Raiders used pick No. 101 on Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. The Bills were not interested in that position and got their preferred target.
If Bowryâs traits translate, the Bills may have landed one of the draftâs biggest mid-round steals.
Jude Bowry’s Combine Numbers Among Best Ever For OTs
Bowry’s athleticism is documented. He ranked No. 98 on The Athletic‘s annual “Feldman Freaks” list, Bruce Feldman’s widely followed pre-draft ranking of college football’s most exceptional physical specimens. The distinction is earned through measurables, not reputation.
Bowry recorded a peak velocity of 1.18 meters per second and generated 2,610 watts of peak power while performing multiple working sets of five reps on back squats with 435 pounds at the NFL Draft Combine. His vertical jump ranked in the 98th percentile among offensive tackles historically, and his broad jump ranked 97th. His 40-yard dash came in at the 84th percentile and his 10-yard split at the 71st. Those speed and explosion numbers should belong to a skill-position prospect, not a 6-foot-5, 311-pound lineman.
On the other hand, Bowry’s weaknesses can’t be overlooked. His arms are short, at under 34 inches. Rushers can exploit that reach disadvantage quickly. His 2025 pass-protection numbers dipped from the year prior, raising questions about his consistency over a full season.
Bills’ O-Line Lost Depth Before Draft
The Bills arrived at draft weekend with a gap to fill. Left guard David Edwards left for the New Orleans Saints on a four-year deal reportedly worth $61 million, according to Sports Illustrated‘s Ralph Ventre. Buffalo’s plan to replace him internally with utility lineman Alec Anderson is a step down from a starter who won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams.
The offensive line depth deteriorated further when swing tackle Ryan Van Demark departed for the Minnesota Vikings. General manager Brandon Beane acknowledged the squeeze.
“Would have loved to have retained them both,” he said in a Centered on Buffalo podcast appearance, referring to Edwards and center Connor McGovern, who re-signed to anchor the interior alongside right guard O’Cyrus Torrence.
Bowry steps into the same developmental swing tackle role Van Demark occupied. NFL Draft Buzz noted that if the tackle position stalls for Bowry, a move inside to guard is a realistic path. The former Boston College Eagle’s foot speed would make him a natural puller in gap and power concepts, and shorter arms become far less of a liability against interior defenders.
Mel Kiper Jr. put it simply. Bowry “looks like he’s from central casting,” as quoted by The Sporting News. He appears unlikely to win a starting job in 2026. But for a Bills roster that must remain focused on protecting Josh Allen while also competing for the first Super Bowl for the franchise since the 1994 season, adding a “Feldman Freak” with 97th-percentile explosion to the depth chart is not a consolation pick. It’s infrastructure.
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