Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Bills' third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft looks a lot like their third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Dorian Williams out of Tulane University was selected with the 91st overall pick. He’s a 6-foot-1, 228-pound linebacker who has the skillset to play both inside and outside.
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Last year, Terrel Bernard was selected 89th overall out of Baylor University. He’s a 6-foot-1, 224-pound linebacker who has the skillset to play both inside and outside.
Plenty of fans are wondering why the team doubled-up on the same position and size of player in the same round two years in a row.
With Bernard slated to compete with Tyrel Dodson and Baylon Spector to replace five-year starting middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency, where does that leave Williams?
According to general manager Brandon Beane, at least to start training camp, Williams will begin on the outside, where they already have All-Pro Matt Milano, and will be expected to contribute on special teams his rookie year.
But the general manager didn’t rule out Williams eventually paying inside, saying the team likes having interchangeable linebackers.
Williams was a tacking machine at Tulane, leading the American Athletic Conference in solo tackles in 2022 with 76. He also had 65 solo tackles in 2020, as well as 16.5 tackles for loss that year.
He’ll have plenty of competition to see the field on defense his rookie season with Milano, Bernard, Dodson, Spector, and veteran A.J. Klein all on the roster. The Bills also re-signed Tyler Matakevich, who has been one of their core special teams players for the last three seasons.
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