One position that is going to be top of mind for the Buffalo Bills entering the 2023 NFL Draft will be middle linebacker. The Bills saw their starter for the past five years in Tremaine Edmunds leave in free agency and sign a massive four-year contract with the Chicago Bears.
While middle linebacker may be the biggest need, it doesn’t always mean it should be the first position the Buffalo Bills address. In fact over the past six years, linebackers drafted in the first round have not done very well outside of Edmunds and Roquan Smith.
That is why Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft may be the spot the Buffalo Bills address middle linebacker and these are four players that could be good fits for this defense.
4 linebackers the Buffalo Bills could draft on Day 2 in the 2023 NFL Draft
Jack Campbell
In my opinion, the most complete middle linebacker in this year’s class is Jack Campbell out of Iowa. He was very productive the past two seasons for the Hawkeyes with 265 total tackles, nine tackles for a loss, four interceptions, and seven passes defended.
He entered the draft season as one of the best at his position but then really separated himself at the NFL Combine with some impressive results and finished with the best athleticism score among linebackers. Campbell ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds, a vertical jump of 37.5″ and a broad jump of 10’8″.
The Buffalo Bills ask a lot from their linebackers as they spend the majority of their snaps with only two on the field. It requires these players to cover a lot of ground, both against the run and dropping back into coverage.
Jack Campbell has shown he can fit that role and play it well. While the focus of this list is linebackers on Day 2, he is the only linebacker that I would feel comfortable using a first round pick on.