A converted defensive end and Buck Buchanan Award finalist who signed with Buffalo after one season at linebacker.
Theron Gaines only moved from defensive end to linebacker in his final college season at Tennessee Tech, and the switch turned him into one of the top defensive players in the FCS. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee native signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft.
Path to the league
Gaines is a Murfreesboro, Tennessee native who played his college football at Tennessee Tech, spending most of his career as a defensive end before shifting to linebacker for his final season. He went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent, agreeing to a three-year, $3.12 million contract.
Career highlights
Gaines built his college reputation as a disruptive defensive end at Tennessee Tech before making a late-career transition to linebacker, a move that expanded his projected NFL role and made him an intriguing developmental prospect and special-teams candidate for Buffalo.
2025 season recap
In his first season at linebacker, Gaines was named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top defensive player in FCS football, before signing with the Bills as an undrafted free agent that offseason.
Sources
- ESPN: Theron Gaines
- Buffalo Rumblings: 91 Buffalo Bills players in 91 days - Theron Gaines
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Tennessee Tech
- Hometown
- Murfreesboro, TN, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
