The Buffalo Bills may have found their most underrated weapon for Josh Allen, and he was hiding in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Jackson Hawes, a blocking tight end out of Georgia Tech, is being hailed by analysts as the franchise’s best-kept roster secret after a quietly impressive debut season under offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Hawes played 43 percent of Buffalo’s offensive snaps during that first year, a significant workload for a Day 3 pick. His role as a tone-setter in the run game showed up on tape immediately. The receiving upside he flashed in limited opportunities has the Bills’ coaching staff excited about his trajectory entering Year 2. For an offense built around Josh Allen’s arm talent and improvisational brilliance, adding a tight end who can both block and catch could be the subtle upgrade that moves the needle in a loaded AFC.
Why Hawes Stands Out in Buffalo’s Offense
Bleacher Report‘s Brent Sobleski identified Hawes as the Bills’ best-kept roster secret, noting that Buffalo was “ahead of the curve” when they selected him. The organization clearly valued his skill set enough to invest a fifth-round pick, and the early returns validated that decision. Hawes earned the top blocking grade among tight ends in his draft class, a distinction that showed up immediately in his willingness to engage at the point of attack on running plays.
What makes Hawes particularly intriguing for Josh Allen is the dual-threat capability. He is not simply a sixth offensive lineman who occasionally runs a route. Sobleski highlighted that Hawes has “some upside to contribute in Buffalo’s passing attack,” suggesting the Bills view him as more than a one-dimensional player. In Joe Brady’s scheme, which relies heavily on play-action and pre-snap motion, a tight end who can seal the edge and then slip into the flat creates genuine conflict for opposing defenses. The film from his debut year showed a player with reliable hands and an understanding of how to find soft spots in zone coverage, even with a limited route tree.
Key Developments
- Hawes was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, making him one of the latest-drafted tight ends to earn significant first-year snaps
- He played 43 percent of Buffalo’s offensive snaps, an unusually high rate for a blocking tight end taken on Day 3
- Sobleski described Hawes as both a “tone-setter and trendsetter” for the blocking tight end position in the modern NFL
- The Bills’ decision to draft Hawes was characterized as being “ahead of the curve” by Bleacher Report’s analysis
What Hawes Means for Josh Allen’s 2026 Season
The connection between a quarterback and his tight end is one of the most valuable relationships in football. Buffalo is clearly investing in that pipeline. Josh Allen has historically thrived with a dependable security blanket over the middle, and Hawes has the profile to develop into that kind of target. His blocking ability means he can stay on the field in every situation, increasing his snap count and, by extension, his opportunities in the passing game.
Buffalo’s offense finished among the league’s top units in scoring last season. Still, there were stretches where Allen lacked a consistent intermediate target when defenses took away the deep ball. Hawes filling that void, even partially, would make Buffalo’s attack significantly harder to scheme against. The numbers suggest a player whose role is poised to expand. The coaching staff’s willingness to trust him on 43 percent of snaps signals genuine confidence in his development curve.
There is also a strategic dimension here that extends beyond one player. By developing Hawes internally, the Bills avoid the need to spend premium cap space on a veteran free-agent tight end, preserving financial flexibility for other roster needs. That is the kind of front-office efficiency that compounds over time, and it starts with identifying value in the later rounds of the draft. If Hawes takes the leap from blocking specialist to legitimate receiving threat, Buffalo’s offense could become even more dynamic heading into 2026.
Could Hawes Become Allen’s Go-To Red Zone Target?
That is the question on the mind of every Bills fan and fantasy football manager tracking this situation. Hawes has the size and hands to be a factor inside the 20-yard line. His blocking pedigree means defenses will not immediately key on him as a receiving threat in obvious passing situations. That element of surprise is valuable, especially in a red zone where Josh Allen‘s ability to extend plays often creates opportunities for tight ends who find open space.
Hawes is not yet a finished product as a route runner, but the foundation is there. The Bills’ coaching staff has a track record of developing young skill-position players. The investment in his snap count as a rookie suggests they see a clear path to a larger role. Whether he becomes a weekly fantasy starter or simply a reliable complementary piece, the trajectory points upward. That is exactly the kind of depth contenders need when January football arrives.
Who is Jackson Hawes and why is he important to the Bills?
Jackson Hawes is a tight end drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He is considered the best blocking tight end in his class and played 43 percent of offensive snaps as a rookie, making him a key developmental piece for the offense.
How does Hawes fit into Josh Allen’s offense?
Hawes provides Josh Allen with a reliable blocking tight end who also has receiving upside. His ability to stay on the field in all situations increases his opportunities in the passing game, and his dual-threat capability creates defensive conflicts in Joe Brady’s scheme.
What did analysts say about Hawes after his rookie season?
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski called Hawes the Bills’ best-kept roster secret, describing him as a tone-setter and trendsetter. Sobleski noted that Buffalo was ahead of the curve in drafting him and highlighted his potential to contribute in the passing attack.
Will Hawes’ role expand in his second NFL season?
Given that Hawes already played 43 percent of snaps as a rookie, there is clear room for his role to grow. The Bills’ coaching staff trusted him with significant playing time early, which typically signals confidence in a player’s development trajectory and future workload.
