The Buffalo Bills have met with more than just South Florida pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul recently. Aaron Wilson at the National Football Post, citing a league source, reports that the Bills have hosted USC end Everson Griffen on a pre-draft visit as well.
A junior entrant, the 6'3", 273-pound Griffen is coming off of a solid 2009 season at USC in which he registered eight sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. Though he's got short arms, small hands and is somewhat bulky for the position, Griffen is an exemplary athlete, running the 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds at this year's scouting combine, and following that up with a 4.59-second effort at USC's pro day.
Griffen, similarly to Georgia Tech's Derrick Morgan and Michigan's Brandon Graham, is drawing interest from both 4-3 and 3-4 teams. Though he's nowhere near as polished as either of those two players, his upside is considerably greater, as his athleticism and some questions about his work ethic have many believing that he could blossom into one of the best players in the draft this year if he winds up in a favorable situation.
Griffen would be an outside linebacker in Buffalo's 3-4 defensive alignment. He's not a terrific run defender, and his short arms and average hand use give him trouble shedding blocks; these are technical concerns that can be corrected, but could limit his down availability as a rookie in this system. His pass rushing potential is considerable, however, and given the Bills' interest in addressing the OLB position, Griffen's is a name to keep track of.