Lance Lysowski
At the lowest point in his football career, Stephen Gosnell created an account on the employment-oriented social networking website, LinkedIn.
Gosnell no longer could envision a future in the NFL. He tore the ACL in his left knee during the final game of Virginia Tech’s 2023 season, a 41-20 victory over Tulane in the Military Bowl.
Buffalo Bills Rookie Minicamp
Wide receiver Stephen Gosnell warms up during rookie minicamp on Friday. Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
For two weeks, the 6-foot-2 wide receiver couldn’t dress or feed himself. He had only one year of eligibility remaining and faced a long, arduous recovery. The self-doubt lasted only a few days before Gosnell began to research methods to return within six months.
His resolve and determination ensured that he wouldn’t need that LinkedIn account.
Gosnell appeared in all 13 of the Hokies’ games in 2024, and he had a team-leading 506 receiving yards on only 28 catches with one touchdown. The acrobatic catches, tenacious blocking and selflessness Gosnell showed last season earned the attention of the Buffalo Bills, who officially signed him last week as an undrafted free agent.
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“I’ve never seen any player in my playing career or my coaching career handle adversity like Stephen Gosnell,” Virginia Tech wide receivers coach Fontel Mines told The Buffalo News. “He is the most determined guy that I know. He has no choice but to have a great career because he’s going to do everything necessary. No job is not important enough for him to accomplish. ... He was probably one of my most favorite players that I’ve coached in my career.”
Ignore the stat line for Gosnell. He and his fellow receivers at Virginia Tech played in a run-heavy offense that totaled only 339 pass attempts across 13 games. The Hokies averaged only 189.4 passing yards per game. His 28 catches were only 10 fewer than Jaylin Lane, a fourth-round draft pick of the Washington Commanders.
The pro-style offensive scheme required receivers to develop and use skills that will translate to the NFL. Gosnell was an excellent blocker on the perimeter. He lined up at every receiver position – X, Y, Z and F – across his three seasons at Virginia Tech. If the Hokies needed a reliable set of hands to catch a punt, Gosnell was their choice. If Mines needed a receiver to block a defensive end on a pin and pull, he called on Gosnell.
The game plan run by offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen is similar to the one used by the Bills, according to Gosnell. He watched how they used Mack Hollins as a blocker on the boundary and the personnel groupings to create favorable matchups for Allen. There also were the plays in which Allen threw the ball deep. Gosnell averaged 18.1 yards per catch last season and, according to the North Carolina native, he only had 45 targets.
“Coming from a predominantly run-based, pro-style offense, you really didn’t get many opportunities to showcase your receiving skills,” Gosnell told The News in a phone interview. “I did a lot with the opportunities I had, but I’m ready to show I’m a true receiver who can run any routes. I’ve always had the best hands on any team I’ve been on. I’m ready to show that I should have been taken in the draft. I think I’m better than all those receivers who were picked, for sure.”
The Bills have 11 receivers under contract for 2025: Gosnell, Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore, Curtis Samuel, seventh-round draft pick Kaden Prather, Laviska Shenault, Jr., Jalen Virgil, Tyrell Shavers and KJ Hamler.
Yet the Bills prioritized Gosnell as an undrafted free agent. His skill set is different than seemingly anyone on the roster. The closest comparable player may be Palmer, who’s a reliable blocker and a proven separator. Gosnell’s 40-yard dash at Virginia Tech was only 4.56 seconds, but his 4.15 short shuttle would have been tied for fourth among wide receivers at the combine. Old Dominion coach Ricky Rahne called Gosnell’s full-extension, diving catch in September “amazing” and “one of the best” he’d seen in a “long time.”
Gosnell was able to dunk a basketball as a high school freshman. He quit baseball to run track and works year-round to become more athletic. He understands how to attack the ball for contested catches and routinely contorts his torso to adjust to throws. Gosnell also is tough. Last season, he played through multiple broken ribs on both sides of his body. The second injury included a bruised lung. Admittedly, he had “no business” being on the field when he dropped a pass against Clemson because his eyes shifted to a safety who was closing in for a hit.
“I would define him as crafty,” said Mines. “He’s crafty with his ability to get open and create separation and by far the best hands on the team, and I think any of those guys on offense or defense would tell you that. He’s just the guy that you trust.”
One day after the ACL tear, Gosnell told Mines and Virginia Tech coach Brent Prys that he’d miss less time than his brother, Benji, a junior tight end who missed his freshman season with the Hokies. Gosnell sat through quarterback meetings during spring ball to view the offense from a different perspective. He was cleared to participate in fall camp, though Mines had to hold Gosnell back at times.
Gosnell golfed during Day 2 of the NFL draft. He knew he wouldn’t be a second- or third-round selection. But three teams called to notify him that he was being considered in the sixth or seventh round. Gosnell watched as nine receivers were taken in those rounds — including Prather with the 332nd overall pick — and he realized that he was going to have to sign as an undrafted free agent. There were multiple offers, but the Bills were his choice. He was drawn to their offensive scheme, talent, winning pedigree and culture. There was no satisfaction in accepting the offer, though.
“That was kind of disappointing,” said Gosnell. “I wouldn’t even say I was really happy throughout the rest of the day that I was going somewhere. I was kind of [angry]. I like being in that mood because it lights a fire under me and makes me play better.”
Gosnell’s crisp route running and sticky hands were on display in the Bills’ first practice of rookie minicamp. He caught multiple passes in tight coverage along the sideline. The spotlight will be on their top receivers once training camp begins in late July, particularly Keon Coleman, but Gosnell showed with his determination to return from injury, selflessness in a run-first offense and athleticism that he has a chance to prove that he should have heard his name called during the draft.
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