With the 30th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select defensive end Gregory Rousseau out of the University of Miami.
Rousseau was thought, by many, to be one of the best pass rushers in the 2021 draft class. He was projected in many mock drafts to go somewhere in the middle part of the NFL Draft, but ended up slipping to the back end of Round 1 to the Bills, who could use another effective pass rusher.
The 21-year-old does not have much work at the collegiate level, playing just one full season with the Hurricanes in 2019. He was red-shirted after just two games in his freshman season at Miami after suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
However, in his one season of work as a red-shirt freshman, Rousseau flourished with 54 total tackles in just 13 games, while also registering 19.5 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Rousseau's 2019 season was so impressive that he ended up finishing second in all of college football in sacks, just behind Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, who ended up going as the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to the Washington Football Team. Rousseau was named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year for his stellar 2019 season, and was also named First-Team All-ACC.
The 6-foot-7, 266-pound pass-rusher ended up opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, and also to set his sights on preparations for the 2021 NFL Draft.
At his Hurricanes Pro Day back on March 29, Rousseau clocked in with a 4.68-second 40-yard dash.
Rousseau now joins a mixed group of players in the defensive ends room in Buffalo, which includes veterans Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison, as well as others like 2020 second round pick A.J. Epenesa, Darryl Johnson, Mike Love, Bryan Cox, Jr. and newcomer Efe Obada.
Buffalo's next pick in the 2021 NFL Draft will come with the 61st overall pick in the second round on Friday night.