The Bills are taking their time with Josh Allen, easing the rookie quarterback into the rotation behind AJ McCarron and Nathan Peterman. The same can't be said for Buffalo's other first-round draft pick.
When general manager Brandon Beane traded up for Tremaine Edmunds at No. 16 overall, the Virginia Tech linebacker was immediately expected to fill a glaring hole as the focal point of Sean McDermott's defense.
Edmunds has surpassed expectations in spring practices, rarely leaving his middle-linebacker position during first-team reps.
Appearing on Tuesday's edition of Good Morning Football, second-year cornerback Tre'Davious White predicted that Edmunds would be "one of the best young linebackers in the league" by training camp this summer.
"This is an alpha male here," White said. "The guy goes sideline to sideline, he's a 4.4 [forty-yard dash] guy. He has tremendous brains, athleticism, his knowledge of the game is next to none.
"Since the first day he's got here, man, he's commanded the huddle on the defensive side of the ball. You could tell by OTAs he's been getting tremendously comfortable in the playbook and every day he's getting better and better. By that first game, he's going to be knocking folks around."
One of the NFL's youngest players at age 20, Edmunds projects as the beating heart of Buffalo's defense over the next half-decade. Given his unique physical gifts and a prime opportunity to make plays on a weekly basis, he will enter the season as a favorite for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
