Why Jim Leonhard’s Defense Makes Zion Young a Must for Bills at Pick No. 26

Early in the draft process, the Buffalo Bills were expected to use their first-round pick on a wide receiver as they aim to help Josh Allen make the most of his immense talent. After they traded for DJ Moore, however, the focus has shifted to defense.

One name that's gained steam recently is Missouri defensive end Zion Young. He's not a flashy player, but he's a consistent presence who has been climbing draft boards.

Recently, he was mocked to the Bills at No. 26 overall by Ryan McCrystal of Sharp Football Analysis. Initially, this might seem like a high spot for Young, but it makes sense given his fit in Jim Leonhard's defense.

How Zion Young fits in Jim Leonhard's defense

Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young moves in to tackle Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold. | John Reed-Imagn Images

Jim Leonhard is known for using a hybrid 3-4/4-3 defense, which utilizes multiple fronts while attacking offenses rather than reacting. Young fits this as a player who is capable of putting his hand in the dirt for four-man fronts, but can also stand up in odd fronts. That flexibility is key for a defense that wants to confuse offenses and make switches pre-snap.

He would also give them a third player capable of generating pressure, along with Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb. As we saw with the Denver Broncos last season, where Leonhard was the assistant head coach and pass game coordinator, the scheme Leonhard brings to Buffalo relies on multiple pass rushers. While Nik Bonitto led the way with 14.5 sacks, the Broncos had three other players with at least seven sacks.

Pro Football Sport's Network's Garima Verma praised him as a technical defender when it comes to hand fighting and setting the edge against the run. When going after the quarterback, however, she said Young wears his opponents down with force.

"Against the pass, he trades elegance for force, less blur and more collision. Young’s pass rush is built to wear an opponent down. His bull rush is relentless, almost personal. He not only pushes the pocket, but he also compresses it, slowly and insistently, until quarterbacks are making decisions faster than they want to," Verma wrote.

"It is the kind of pressure that does not always result in a sack but still ruins a play. When paired with a player like Greg Rousseau, it starts to feel less like an isolated effort and more like a coordinated squeeze."

I used to say of Michael Bennett that he weighs 260, moves like he's 240, and hits like he's 280.

Zion Young could become that kind of player. pic.twitter.com/Oz0jegOOdj
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 30, 2026

Buffalo elected not to re-sign Joey Bosa, who was a solid pass rusher, but not an ideal fit in the system Leonhard operates, at least not at this point in his career. Getting a player such as Young who can be more than a situational pass rusher, and can wear offensive lines down, would be a far superior fit.

Young is also known for being in the right place at the right time, which lines up with Leonhard's focus on gap integrity. He expects a player to know where they're supposed to be and to get there. Young might not be overly explosive, but he rarely gets beaten by being out of place.

Zion Young is more than a pass rusher

Missouri defensive lineman Zion Young during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

What really makes Young fit in Buffalo is the versatility he brings. While the Bills will miss the pure pass rush they lost when Joey Bosa left in free agency, Young gives them someone who can contribute just as much against the run, which was noted by Verma.

"The edges are not just there to rush the passer; they are there to hold the line, to set the boundary, and to quietly dictate where the play is allowed to go. Young fits that philosophy as if it were written with him in mind," Verma said.

Oftentimes, the EDGE is seen as pass-rush centric, but being able to hold the edge against the run is just as important. Young does this as well as anyone, earning an 85.1 run grade from PFF, which was 27th among all defensive ends in the nation.

His ability when setting the edge was also praised by NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, who said he destroys blocks with his pure power.

"Young is a fiery alpha who brings immense energy to the field and locker room. He majors in block destruction using base power and aggression to play through opponents. He extends and locks out as an edge-setter and sheds when needed, but his pursuit speed and range are average," Zierlein wrote.

Bills history drafting EDGE in Round 1

Taking Young in Round 1 would be rare for Buffalo, since it would be just the third time they've done so since 2016. That was when they took Shaq Lawson out of Clemson at No. 19 overall. Lawson never lived up to his draft status, but he was a decent player who had 152 tackles and 21 sacks in 81 games, and multiple stints, with the Bills.

More recently, Buffalo used the 30th overall pick in 2021 on Miami's Greg Rousseau. He's recorded 228 tackles and 32 sacks in five seasons and just signed a four-year $80 million contract extension with $54 million guaranteed in 2025. Critics have questioned that move, but Rousseau has been a consistent player who will also fit Leonhard's scheme like a glove.

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