While the Buffalo Bills have two young cornerstone linebackers for Leslie Frazier’s 4-3 defense, the team is doing its homework on linebacker prospects heading into this month’s NFL Draft, held April 25-27 in Nashville, Tenn.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Bills are hosting the University of Florida’s athletic LB, Vosean Joseph, on a pre-draft visit.
Joseph, listed at 6’1” and 230 lbs, was a starter for 11 of 13 games during his junior season in Gainesville. He led Florida with 93 tackles (nine for a loss) while adding four sacks and five pass breakups.
The Bills already have 2018 first-round pick Tremaine Edmunds as middle linebacker, veteran Lorenzo Alexander as a productive strongside linebacker, and 2017 fifth-round pick Matt Milano entrenched at weakside linebacker. Joseph could bolster an already strong linebacking corps.
Projected as a second- or third-round selection, Joseph has been praised for his initial quickness once the play has started, his closing speed, and his ability to serve as a coverage/blitz linebacker on third downs.
Scouts have expressed some concerns about Joseph’s field awareness and his lack of instincts, suggesting a possible switch to weakside inside linebacker.