Dec 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Jackson Hawes (85) catches the ball for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Bills' draft steal finishes rookie season with 'secret superstar' status

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ralph Ventre | Last updated Feb 4, 2026 3:30 PM ET

They didn't realize it at the time, but the Buffalo Bills were playing with fire at the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Bills waited until Round 5 to select their first offensive player, finding a Day 3 gem by taking tight end Jackson Hawes off the board at No. 173 overall.

Of course hindsight is 20-20, but had NFL teams known the rookie tight end would prove capable of handling an important role for one of the league's top offenses, Hawes most definitely would have been selected at least one round, or two, earlier.

Widely regarded as the best blocking tight end in the 2025 draft class, Hawes proved to be just that, and more. He didn't miss a game for Buffalo, playing a key role in the NFL's top-ranked rushing attack.

Impressing from Week 1 on, Hawes earned postseason plaudits from Pro Football Focus.

Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the analytics outlet selecting one "secret superstar" for each of the league's 32 teams, Hawes landed amongst those contributors who "consistently win their matchups and drive results without national recognition." PFF factored grades and play-by-play evaluation into the selection process.

Perfect fit for Bills

With Quintin Morris going to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, the Bills elected to plug Hawes into the TE3 role behind Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid.

Becoming a staple in Buffalo's heavy personnel packages, the rookie tight end totaled 487 offensive snaps. Hawes, a former All-Ivy League performer for Yale before finishing his collegiate career with Georgia Tech, accounted for 187 yards and three touchdowns on 16 receptions (19 targets). He made catches in 13 different games.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

PFF summarizes rookie season

Hawes was one of five rookies selected as a "secret superstar." His overall PFF season grade topped all first-year offensive players in 2025.

"The Bills drafted the rookie Hawes in the fifth round, and it turned out to be a great value pick. While his impact does not consistently show up in the box score, Hawes practically functions as an extra lineman, providing consistent value as a blocker within Buffalo’s dynamic offense. He earned an 83.1 PFF overall grade in 2025, ranking second among all rookies and second on the Bills’ offense — behind only quarterback Josh Allen." — Zach Tantillo