The Buffalo Bills recently hosted defensive end Marshawn Kneeland as part of their top-30 pre-draft visits ahead next week’s 2024 NFL Draft. Ryan Fowler was first to share the early news that Kneeland was scheduled to visit One Bills Drive.
Western Michigan ED Marshawn Kneeland had a Top 30 visit with the Kansas City Chiefs, a source said.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 11, 2024
Kneeland also has 30s scheduled with the Saints, Bills, 49ers, Jaguars, Bucs, and Panthers.
It should come as little surprise that the Bills have interest in Kneeland, and in adding players to their defensive line in general. All positions along the defensive trenches need a constant infusion of talent — and One Bills Drive appears to be focused on getting younger at defensive end.
Kneeland is a massive prospect at 6’3” and 267 pounds, and he put together a solid collegiate career. A four-year graduate of Western Michigan with a degree in sports management, Kneeland made 149 tackles (81 solo), 28 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, three pass defenses, and three forced fumbles.
(stats courtesy of Sports Reference)
A 2023 Second-Team All-MAC award winner, Kneeland’s combine results illustrate his potential in the NFL. In terms of timed measurables, a 4.75-second 40-yard dash, 1.66-second 10-yard shuttle, 7.02-second 3-cone drill, and 4.18-second 20-yard shuttle showcased his explosion off the snap and decent change-of-direction pace. Additionally, a vertical jump of 35.5”, broad jump of 9’11”, and 21 reps on the bench press helped Kneeland finish as the sixth-ranked DE/EDGE player in total score according to NFL.com.
Would Marshawn Kneeland be a good fit with the Buffalo Bills?
Will Kneeland be a player who comes in and immediately pushes for a featured role as a starting defensive end? That seems unlikely, given the team’s depth chart and how the current regime has approached the end roles on the defensive line. Is he someone who could see time as part of a rotation, void of a true four-quarter starter? Absolutely.
This isn’t to say that Kneeland couldn’t accomplish a featured role out of the gates with an NFL team, but that’s not likely to be asked of him with the Bills. And that might suit him well, as he transitions to the pro game and finds more opportunity to refine his somewhat limited lunchbox of pass-rush moves.
Marshawn Kneeland resembles the sort of defensive ends the current Buffalo Bills regime has sought out — those being players who carry good size while being plus athletes who are agile and fluid, and with enough room to develop such that they can mold them into the sort of defender preferred as part of a very active and heavy rotation unit.
The question becomes if Kneeland fits that bill with his current projection finding him to be a Round 2 or Round 3 draft pick.