Tony Steward to Buffalo: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The Buffalo Bills stayed with the ACC theme, drafting their fourth player from the conference in as many tries with the pick of linebacker Tony Steward.

Hailing from Clemson, Steward contributed more on the Tigers' special teams than he did on the defensive side of the field. Buffalo was looking for linebacker depth who could contribute on their coverage units as well, and Steward fits that need well.

The pick is a little bit of a reach considering Steward did not even receive priority free-agent status from any of the major draft analysis outlets, including ESPN, CBS and Bleacher Report. Matt Miller only had a handful of Clemson players in his Top 400 rated players, and Steward was not among that group.

Who is Tony Steward?

Steward was a highly touted linebacker prospect out of Florida in 2011, choosing Clemson over the likes of Florida State and UCLA. He was classified as a 5-star recruit by ESPN and was the ninth-best player on ESPN's Top 150 players.

However, Steward’s career at Clemson was marred by two ACL injuries—one in each knee. His elite speed and athleticism weren’t completely stripped from him, but the dominance he showed in high school never flashed at the next level because of the injuries.

According to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, Steward seems certain that his injury problems are behind him.

Coming out of high school, Steward was known for being able to quickly diagnose plays behind the line of scrimmage and was extremely adept at sifting through blockers. The latter skill was apparent in college when he became one of the Tigers’ top players on their special teams unit.

Steward finally received his chance to start during his senior season and stayed healthy through the entire year. In 12 starts, the outside linebacker contributed 73 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Despite sharing the field with first-round picks Vic Beasley and Stephone Anthony, Steward had a team-high 13 quarterback rushes, as well.

His injury history likely scared off many teams, as he had never made it through a full season dating back to the middle of high school. However, Steward became one of the Tigers' best defensive players last fall and convinced the Bills to take a chance on his natural skills.

What Comes Next?

Buffalo doesn’t have any room in its starting lineup for a linebacker, but Steward will have every opportunity to prove himself as a depth piece.

Randell Johnson is an intriguing prospect who showed freak athleticism in limited time on the field. The Bills' other depth at the position is a mix of unknowns, Ty Powell and Jimmy Gaines.

Steward will join all three on the bubble to make the team, but his special teams prowess should give him a leg up on the competition.