The Buffalo Bills had three seventh-round picks in April’s draft, the first of which they used on a blazing-fast corner out of Missouri. Toriano Pride Jr. looks to develop into a premier corner in the pros, a position in which the Bills lack long-term depth as they move on from Taron Johnson.
Player Summary
Blitz Sports Media NFL analyst Ryan Linkletter (@blitzlink_) had this to say about Toriano Pride Jr. during the draft process.
“Pride is a fluid corner with good speed and transition ability. He mirrors receivers effectively in man coverage and shows ball-tracking skills. His quick feet allow him to recover when beaten early in routes. Pride must improve strength to handle physical boundary receivers. He competes with consistent effort in coverage and run support. He projects as a versatile corner with slot and outside flexibility.”
Pride Jr’s College Stats
The following statistics are available via Chad Reuter, NFL Draft Researcher/Analyst with NFL Media since 2011, as linked in Pride Jr.’s draft profile below.
- 2022 (Clemson): Played in all 14 games with 2 starts (22 tackles, sack, INT, 4 PBUs). Enrolled in January.
- 2023 (Clemson): Played in 12 games with 1 start (14 tackles, TFL, 4 PBUs).
- 2024 (Missouri): Played in all 13 games with 6 starts (22 tackles, 2 INTs-1 returned for TD, 4 PBUs, FF).
- 2025 (Missouri): Led team with 2 INTs (1 returned for TD). Played in all 13 games with 12 starts (24 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 4 PBUs).
NFL Combine
Pride Jr. was able to obtain a prospect grade of 5.86 with an athleticism score of 74, ranking him 11th among CBs. What really stood out, however, was his 40-yard dash time, flying in at 4.32 seconds, ranking him tied for sixth fastest in the 2026 class, first in his position.
Current CB Room
I stated the following in my second rookie deep dive regarding the Bills’ CB room.
“Buffalo has one of the most underrated CBs in the league in Christian Benford and second-year player Maxwell Harrison, who showcased his talents last season despite having a few injuries. Buffalo let Taron Johnson walk, but did sign CB Dee Alford from the Atlanta Falcons to fill that role. Igbinosun will be competing with veteran Dee Alford, fellow rookie Pride Jr., second-year players Dorian Strong and Daryl Porter Jr., former seventh-round pick of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, and lastly, Te’Cory Couch, an undrafted free agent following the 2024 draft.”
Dorian Strong was reverted to the reserve/non-football injury list in June, and Daryl Porter Jr. was released in June. Buffalo did, however, add Jordan Dunbar as an UDFA, replacing Porter Jr.’s role.
Expectations
The depth at the bottom of the cornerback position is ever-evolving on the Bills’ roster. Toriano Pride Jr. not only has a real shot at making the team, but also a shot at contributing on special teams this season.
Rookies Davison Igbinosun and Toriano Pride Jr. are currently listed as the backups to Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston. Now it’s safe to assume Igbinosun is the clear CB3, as Buffalo spent meaningful draft capital on him in April. Pride Jr. likely heads into the season as the CB4 or CB5 if Buffalo would rather the slot corner in Dee Alford be a backup boundary corner; that remains to be seen.
I expect Pride Jr. to finish the season with 0 INTs, 2 PDs, and 4 tackles this season. We shouldn’t expect much out of a seventh-round pick, and it’s still possible he only makes the practice squad, or worse, if he doesn’t perform well at camp, which starts this week on Monday, July 28th.
Recap
Toriano Pride Jr. is a seventh-round pick, but that doesn’t mean he won’t one day be a key contributor, as Buffalo has done a nice job in recent years developing day 3 picks. Current CB1 Christian Belford himself was a day 3 pick, so who’s to say Pride Jr. can’t follow suit?
Check out all of my previous articles alongside all future rookie deep dives, available here: Rookie Deep Dives, and make sure to use code DL10 for 10% off all memberships! Also, tune in on YouTube to view our most recent video, where we do our last mock draft of July!
