The National Football League isn’t supposed to be easy. Someone forgot to tell that to Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.

At 6-foot-5, 250-pounds, Edmunds has fit the physical mold of what an NFL team covets in the center of their defense since the day Bills fans fit heard his name. Don’t forget to factor in a 4.54 40-time at the combine this spring.

Simply by connecting the dots, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott is looking for his new Luke Kuechly, who was a Pro Bowl middle linebacker during McDermott’s tenure as the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. Size and speed alone won’t earn Edmunds that status though, he has to produce.

Four days into training camp, so far, so good. Edmunds has his teammates and coaches buzzing and there’s been one buzz word when just about everyone describes the 20-year-old.

Maturity.

“Well we were obviously all excited about Tremaine and watching his maturation over time. To see him in pads the first time yesterday, he didn’t disappoint,” defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said on Sunday.

When drafted by the Bills in April, Edmunds was still a teenager, his birthday was May 2. During his time at Virginia Tech., Edmunds had two monster seasons. In 26 games over that span, he had 202 total tackles, 40.5 for loss, three forced fumbles and 10 sacks.

But the concerns are with Edmunds can’t be found on paper. As the middle linebacker on Buffalo’s defense, he has to do something he never did with the Hokies. Call plays.

How would a kid who can’t even order a drink at dinner order a play call in an NFL huddle? So far, pretty easily.

“He’s doing well ,” Frazier said. “Just in talking with some of his teammates in the huddle, because that was one of our concerns: How would he handle this atmosphere? This is another part of the transition for him, but he’s doing very well with that. No problems as far as communication, taking command. He’s on target to do well, so we’ll see how he continues to progress.”

Speaking of teammates, they see Edmunds’ maturity, too. Fellow linebacker Lorenzo Alexander is 15 years older than the rookie and is entering his 13th season. Edmunds hasn’t been intimidated by that.

“(Tremaine is) progressing well and doesn’t seem overwhelmed,” Alexander told NYUP.com. “Mike (linebacker) is probably the hardest spot outside of maybe safety because he obviously has to do his job, but he’s also the conductor out there. (Edmunds has to get) people in the right position and be the mouthpiece to the coaches on the sideline. That’s a lot for a young player, and it’s my job, (Kyle Williams’) job is to help him with that, but he’s doing a good job.”

Coming right into his first training camp, Edmunds knew he had to be prepared and do his homework, literally. Studying helped Edmunds told WIVB-TV.

“Can’t really take breaks,” Edmunds said. “I was in my playbook just going over things, refreshing my mind and staying locked in.”

Along with Edmunds, Buffalo’s front office also added defensive tackle Star Lotuleli down the center of the defense via free agency. It’s probably a good strategy after the Bills finished 29th (124.6 yards per game) against the run last season.

Lotulelei, who also entered the NFL as a hyped first-round pick with Carolina (2013 – 14th overall) like Edmunds is, said Edmunds’ athleticism stands out, too.

“He’s shown that he’s a real athletic guy. He runs around, runs great — he’s sideline to sideline and hustles,” Lotulelei said to NYUP. “The plays will come and the technique comes with more experience. As a front you want guys behind you that are going to fly around and come downhill, and we ask our linebackers to come downhill and fill gaps — and that’s what he does.”

Edmunds hasn’t just made an impression on defense either, his teammates on offense getting to know him as well. To this point, none know him better than fellow rookie Wyatt Teller though. Edmunds and Teller were teammates at Virginia Tech.

“Some of the guys were like ‘he’s fast.’ I was like imagine blocking him for three years, it was rough,” Teller told WIVB-TV. “They were like ‘what do you do?’ And I was like, get on your horse, that’s all I can tell you.”

If Edmunds’ skills translate to the regular season, he would fill a huge void for the Bills. The rookie replaces Preston Brown who left Buffalo via free agency. Brown was steady, never dominate. In recent memory, the Bills haven’t sported one of the NFL’s best linebacking groups. If things go according to plan, Edmunds could be the heart of the defense, next to second-year pro Matt Milano, for McDermott for the next decade.

“In my time around Tremaine at this point, mature beyond his years both on the field and off the field, and again, I credit his upbringing for that and his parents,” McDermott said on Saturday. “He’s a guy that expects a lot of himself, and certainly, we expect a lot of him. He’s off to a good start; picked up where he left off in the spring. The communication part will be big, that he can run our defense and, not only know what he’s doing, but what the people around him are doing and anticipate so he can check us in and out of some defenses.”

Edmunds and the Bills will have Monday off after four-straight days of practice. Buffalo returns to the practice field on Tuesday morning at St. John Fisher College.