NFL draft preview: Off-ball linebacker remains a low-priority position
The Buffalo Bills are lucky to have two do-everything linebackers in Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard. That drastically reduces the likelihood of drafting a player at the position early in the NFL draft later this month, but shouldn’t rule it out entirely.
The job requirements to be an NFL linebacker these days are varied.
The No. 1 skill will always be tackling, but the position also requires an ability to play in space. Linebackers need to be able to diagnose plays, read and react, get off blocks and quickly bring the ball carrier down. On one play, they might meet a 330-pound guard in the hole, and on the next be asked to cover a 190-pound running back on a wheel route.
Despite all that, teams aren’t investing heavily in the position. Last year, just one off-ball linebacker, Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, was drafted in the first two rounds.
The Buffalo Bills are lucky to have two linebackers, Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard, who do everything. That drastically reduces the likelihood of them drafting a player at the position early in the NFL draft later this month, but it shouldn’t be ruled out entirely.
Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell lines up for a play against Missouri during a game last season. Associated Press
Reserve linebackers typically play an important role on special teams, and that’s an area Bills coach Sean McDermott has identified as a problem area for his team.
The Bills often use just two linebackers in their base defense, but if that scheme gets tweaked to include more three-linebacker sets, the positional need might go up a bit.
“Linebackers like (UCLA’s) Carson Schwesinger, (South Carolina’s) Demetrius Knight Jr. and (Georgia’s) Smael Mondon Jr. are future starters who ultimately could give this class some pop when we look back on it in the future,” nfl.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his positional power rankings of the draft class, placing linebackers ninth out of the 11 groups. “The depth at (linebacker) will be much stronger than it was in 2024.”
Overall position ranking: 4/10.
Bills view: The Bills reworked Milano’s contract in the form of a pay cut and shaving a year off the deal, meaning he’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season. That perhaps increases the urgency to add a linebacker just a bit, but the Bills have committed long term to Bernard at middle linebacker and still have Dorian Williams on the roster. The team also has used draft picks in recent years on Baylon Spector and Edefuan Ulofoshio, and saw Joe Andreessen go from rookie tryout player to a member of the 53-man roster last year. Still, a developmental prospect can’t be ruled out, especially if that player can contribute right away on special teams.
Bills need ranking: 3/10.
The best: Jihaad Campbell, Alabama.
A former five-star recruit who was a top 15 overall prospect nationally, Campbell played three seasons with the Crimson Tide. In 2024, he was named a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection after leading Alabama with 117 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. He also had one interception and two forced fumbles. He ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine, giving him the speed to match up with running backs and tight ends in coverage. He did have surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder after the combine, which could potentially impact his draft status.
As it stands, Campbell might be the only linebacker in this year’s class to be selected in the first two rounds.
Names to know: Carson Schwesinger, UCLA; Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina; Barrett Carter, Clemson; Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss; Kobe King, Penn State.
Schwesinger is a former walk-on who developed into a first-team All-American for the Bruins. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker, and led the Football Bowl Subdivision with 90 solo tackles (168 total). … Knight’s cousin, DeAngelo Hall, played 14 years in the NFL and was a three-time Pro Bowler. Knight played for three college programs – Georgia Tech, Charlotte and South Carolina. … Carter seemingly checks the “character” box teams look for. He volunteers with “Our Friend Christopher,” an outreach program for at-risk teens named after his friend and teammate, Christopher Miles, who died from a brain tumor in 2020. … Paul is another finalist for the Butkus Award who made 88 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one interception in 2024. He projects best in a 4-3 scheme like the Bills run. … King’s twin brother, Kalen, played cornerback at Penn State and was drafted in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers in 2024.
Local tie: The next local with a real hope at an NFL future is West Seneca’s Shaun Dolac, who became the first consensus All-American in program history for the University at Buffalo in 2024. Dolac started all 13 games and led the nation with a school-record 168 tackles, with 18.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and five interceptions. He was named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year, but surprisingly, didn’t receive an invitation to the NFL scouting combine. At UB’s pro day, Dolac ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 seconds – answering a significant question about his speed – and put the 225-pound bench press up 25 times. At 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, some teams will have concerns about Dolac’s size, but there is no questioning his production. He should be a Day 3 selection.
Sleeper: Kain Medrano, UCLA. A sixth-year senior and team captain, Medrano has two years of starting experience. His NFL future might be tied to special teams, but he did force a team-leading three fumbles for the Bruins and started all 12 games, finishing with 72 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He has two years of starting experience and could find a role as a dime linebacker at the next level.