NFL Draft Grades 2018: Buffalo Bills select Tremaine Edmunds at No. 16

As expected, the Buffalo Bills were shaking and baking in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, trading up a second time for linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane was thought to be one of the likely movers in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft and, as it turned out, he indeed was. The first move saw the Bills jump up with a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and snag Wyoming signal caller Josh Allen with the No. 7 pick.

What happened next, we didn’t see coming and that was the Bills moving from No. 22 up to No. 16 in order to select Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. The price they had to pay for the immensely talented linebacker was the No. 65 and 154 picks. But it’s a price that might be worth it.

Edmunds has rare size with a phenomenal skill-set that some believe makes him more than just an inside linebacker. For starters, he isn’t even 20 years old yet (birthday May 2), and yet he’s already built like an old school thumper at 6-5, 253 pounds. His 34.5-inch reach is longer than the top two offensive tackles chosen and he runs a 4.5-second 40.

There are a lot of similarities between Edmunds and former Oakland Raider and Dallas Cowboy Rolando McClain, who allowed off the field issues to derail what would have been an amazing career. A more modern comparison is Houston Texans linebacker Benardrick McKinney, who has dominated so far with a 2016 All-Pro nod.

Next: NFL Mock Draft: Projecting Round 2 after the first round

Because of measurables and gifted athleticism, some believe Edmunds can line up as an edge rusher and blitz the quarterback on third downs. Ultimately he’s an inside backer who has the skills to be the next Brian Urlacher and isn’t limited to any scheme. But with duo of head coach and defensive guru Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frasier in Buffalo, there’s plenty of Pro Bowls in his future.

Grade: A