{{Short description|American football player (born 2002)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Dorian Strong | image = | alt = | caption = | current_team = Buffalo Bills | number = 43 | position = Cornerback | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|3|14}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lb = 185 | high_school = Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. {{nowrap|(Upper Marlboro, Maryland)}} | college = Virginia Tech (2020–2024) | draftyear = 2025 | draftround = 6 | draftpick = 177 | pastteams = * Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present) | status = Active | highlights = * Third-team All-ACC (2023) | statseason = 2025 | statweek = | statlabel1 = Tackles | statvalue1 = 10 | statlabel2 = Sacks | statvalue2 = | statlabel3 = Forced fumbles | statvalue3 = | statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue4 = | statlabel5 = Pass deflections | statvalue5 = | statlabel6 = Interceptions | statvalue6 = | statlabel7 = Touchdowns | statvalue7 = | pfr = StroDo01 }}
'''Dorian Strong''' (born March 14, 2002)<ref name=birthday>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Dorian-Strong-DB-VirginiaTech|title=Dorian Strong Cornerback Virginia Tech|website=nfldraftbuzz.com|access-date=March 27, 2024}}</ref> is an American professional football cornerback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies and was selected by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft.
==Early life== Strong attended Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, where he played cornerback and wide receiver. As a senior, he had 33 tackles on defense and had 17 receptions for 425 yards and eight touchdowns. He committed to Virginia Tech to play college football.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2392717/2021/02/17/dorian-strong-virginia-tech/|title=Dorian Strong rewarded Virginia Tech's recruiting faith with an instant impact|publisher=The Athletic|date=February 17, 2021}}</ref>
==College career== As a true freshman at Virginia Tech in 2020, Strong started five of 11 games and had 22 tackles and one interception.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/virginia-tech-corner-dorian-strong-is-done-being-overlooked/article_2f283e0a-ff05-11eb-87fd-7ff629a0442c.html|title=Virginia Tech corner Dorian Strong is done being overlooked|date=30 August 2021 |publisher=The Roanoke Times}}</ref> As a sophomore in 2021, he started 10 of 13 games, recording 23 tackles and one interception.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/he-can-be-a-hell-of-a-corner-virginia-tech-defensive-back-dorian-strong-s/article_251cd58e-f279-11ec-a106-bb77ef4a328b.html|title='He can be a hell of a corner': Virginia Tech defensive back Dorian Strong's next step|date=23 June 2022 |publisher=The Roanoke Times}}</ref> In 2022, he played in the first four games of the season before suffering a season-ending hand injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://richmond.com/sports/article_2664ceda-24fd-5e3e-9525-1ffa255170ba.html|title=Hokies' Strong gained perspective after suffering season-ending injury|date=22 March 2023 |publisher=Richmond Times-Dispatch}}</ref> Strong returned from the injury to start all 13 games in 2023 and had 25 tackles and three interceptions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/12/26/virginia-tech-tulane-military-bowl-preview/|title=Virginia Tech is happy to stay local in the Military Bowl against Tulane|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=December 26, 2023}}</ref> He returned to Virginia Tech for the 2024 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/football/hokies-strong-announces-return-for-2024-season/article_97e760be-9ae5-11ee-a226-c759b9fb470f.html|title=Hokies' Strong announces return for 2024 season|date=14 December 2023 |publisher=The Roanoke Times}}</ref>
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 1 | weight = 185 | dash = 4.50 | ten split = 1.55 | twenty split = 2.61 | shuttle = 4.08 | cone drill = 6.56 | vertical = 36.0 | broad ft = 10 | broad in = 0 | bench = 15 | arm span = 30 7/8 | hand span = 9 1/4 | note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reuter |first=Chad |last2=Zierlein |first2=Lance |title=Dorian Strong Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/dorian-strong/32005354-5261-0589-bc22-e86b3fc0cdb5 |access-date=March 1, 2025 |website=NFL.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1045351&DraftYear=2025 |title=Dorian Strong College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 1, 2025}}</ref> }}
Strong was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 177th pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft.<ref>{{cite web | last=Byham | first=Matt | title=Buffalo Bills select CB Dorian Strong with 1st pick in Round 6 of 2025 NFL Draft | website=Buffalo Rumblings|publisher=SB Nation | date=2025-04-26 | url=https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2025/4/26/24418095/buffalo-bills-select-cb-dorian-strong-with-1st-pick-in-round-6-of-2025-nfl-draft | access-date=2025-07-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/professional/nfl/bills/article_5d00560e-6591-4a6c-b8b9-0459a2901a04.html|title=Why Bills sixth-round pick Dorian Strong might be a 'steal' for team's defense|date=May 18, 2025|agency=''The Buffalo News''|author=Lysowski, Lance|accessdate=June 4, 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250518121443/https://buffalonews.com/sports/professional/nfl/bills/article_5d00560e-6591-4a6c-b8b9-0459a2901a04.html|archivedate=May 18, 2025}}</ref> In his rookie season, Strong recorded 10 tackles in 4 games. In Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints, Strong suffered a neck injury, which ended his season. On February 1, 2026, general manager Brandon Beane revealed that Strong's playing career was in jeopardy due to the injury. Beane also revealed that Strong was scheduled to have an upcoming procedure that would determine whether he could continue with his playing career.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Boccacino |first1=John |title=Bills cornerback Dorian Strong facing a potential career-ending injury |url=https://www.buffalorumblings.com/buffalo-bills-news/128916/bills-cornerback-dorian-strong-facing-a-potential-career-ending-injury |website=buffalorumblings.com |publisher=Vox Media |access-date=February 4, 2026 |date=February 1, 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.buffalobills.com/team/players-roster/dorian-strong/ Buffalo Bills bio] *[https://hokiesports.com/sports/football/roster/dorian-strong/14105 Virginia Tech Hokies bio]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Strong, Dorian}} Category:2002 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Upper Marlboro, Maryland Category:American football cornerbacks Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football players Category:Buffalo Bills players Category:21st-century American sportsmen