The Buffalo Bills hired a new defensive coordinator who will run a new 3-4 scheme, giving the team a fresh start that can excite fans about upcoming changes. With a new leader, Jim Leonard, calling the shots, some of his veteran players will be entering free agency, which opens up a position in the linebackers corps.
With Dorian Williams already on the roster, the Bills have an opportunity to give him the shot to start with Terrel Bernard.
Can this be the linebacker the Bills have been looking for?
What Williams brings as a modern-day linebacker
At 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, Williams, who ran a sub-4.49 40-yard dash, is in a position where the players are getting bigger and faster every year.
When given the chance to get some playing time in his first five weeks as a sophomore, Williams led the league in tackles.
He also brings toughness to the sport, as the NFL is a tough game for tough players, which is why he was an eye-opening prospect in the 2023 NFL draft.
Underrated prospect
Scouts described Williams as a speedy linebacker who could play in any defensive scheme in the present-day NFL. He is a two-way linebacker who can tackle and also drop into coverage to stick with running backs and the faster tight ends.
Despite lacking premier cover skills, Williams can make those tackles and is a monster in stopping the run in minimal snaps. The 25-year-old can still be developed properly, as the new 3-4 scheme under Leonhard allows faster linebackers like him to thrive and be a long-term Bill, which should inspire confidence in his future growth.
Future goals
While Williams may fit what the Bills want to do defensively, that doesn't mean they should give up on bringing in more body types to match up for a full-time starting role. In fact, the Bills picked a perfect draft to switch to a 3-4 defense, as this linebacker draft class could be generational, with a loaded group of prospects.
The team has been linked to talents such as Sonny Styles from Ohio State. Styles is a very athletic linebacker with great speed and already has NFL technique, learning under defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, who has NFL coaching experience.
Then, there's CJ Allen out of the University of Georgia, and he may be the smartest linebacker prospect ever to be in the NFL Draft. Georgia's defenses are very versatile as they can run either 4a, 4-2-5, or a 3-3-5, and they like to put pressure on the quarterback. Allen would fit very well in Leonhard's multiple 3-4 scheme that shows different looks.
Finally, you have Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech University. Rodriguez is a perfect specimen if you built him in a lab. The 6-foot, 2-inch, 233-pound thumper brings an old-school type of linebacker. While his forty time is a modest 4.70, he makes up for it with explosive game-day speed and isn't afraid to come up and lay the hitstick on ball carriers.
While that is a strength he lives and dies by, it makes his tackling poor, and in the NFL, you can't rely solely on the big hit.
Overall, the Bills should still put their faith in Williams and in the defensive scheme that should help him have a breakout 2026 season, while also bringing in more body types for depth and competition.