A (ridiculously early) Bills Mock Draft

by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 8:59 AM EST in NFL Draft Comment 35 comments

Is Rucker the athletic TE the Bills need? (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Yes, it's only January. Yes, the NFL playoffs have not even started yet. No, the Bills do not yet have answers to their question marks at GM and offensive coordinator. Nary a free agent has been added of importance, and won't be until March 3.

And?

We all love talking about the draft. With the off-season in full swing in Buffalo and with answers to the GM/OC conundrums being provided at a snail's pace, I figured it was a good day to discuss something that always gets our blood going: NFL prospects. It helps, of course, that we've got Matt Miller from Mocking the Draft (and New Era Scouting) on the SB Nation bandwagon; New Era Scouting has already compiled a 7-round mock draft, and we're going to dissect it this morning. So, without further ado, here are the 9 Bills that NES guesses the Bills will be taking nearly four long months from now:

Round 1, Pick 11: Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri
- Love it. Rucker, pictured at top right, is exactly the type of athletic playmaker we need offensively. Trent Edwards loves using his tight ends (no jokes, please), and Rucker's versatility allows him to line up in the backfield, on the line and in the slot. He truly is a matchup nightmare. He won't be considered a reach at #11 come April.

Round 2, Pick 44: DeJuan Tribble, CB, Boston College
- As good as the Rucker pick was, this one is just as bad. Tribble (5'9", 190) is small and not the best tackler by any means. His calling cards are superior ball skills and the return game - but Buffalo's Cover-2 scheme calls for bigger, physical corners, and they're set in the return department with Terrence McGee and Roscoe Parrish. I don't like this pick at all.

Round 3, Pick 72 (f/BAL): Will Franklin, WR, Missouri
- A college teammate of Rucker's, Franklin's 6'2", 205-pound frame makes him an ideal red zone threat and possession receiver. He's solid working the sidelines and the middle of the field, though he'll never overwhelm you with big-play ability. His skills mesh well with the current receivers on Buffalo's roster.

Round 3, Pick 75: Kenny Iwebema, DE, Iowa
- I'm not a huge fan of this pick, though I do believe the Bills could look for a pass-rushing end on Day One. Iwebema's strength is, well, his strength - the 6'4", 270-pound end isn't an elite pass rusher, and better fits the mold of Buffalo's current defensive ends. Iwebema will be solid in any scheme, but his worst fit is the Cover-2.

Round 4, Pick 108: Wesley Woodyard, LB, Kentucky
- On the plus side, Woodyard is one of Kentucky's best defenders, leaders and has a great motor. On the down side, he's a 212-pound linebacker - and the Bills certainly don't need any more lack of bulk at the position. Woodyard may be shifted to safety; if he were drafted by Buffalo, however, he'd almost certainly stay at linebacker because the team values speed there.

Round 5, Pick 139: Hilee Taylor, DE, North Carolina
- An undersized end with good ability. The 241-pounder is very athletic, has a good burst off the line and seems the ideal fit for a situational pass rushing role in a Cover-2 scheme. In any other situation, he'd likely be moved to outside 'backer for a 3-4 scheme. This pick is very, very intriguing.

Round 5, Pick 143 (f/CHI): Kirk Elder, OG, Texas A&M
- From the very little A&M ball I saw this season, Elder's a guy who plays hard, is very aggressive and has a nice mean streak. That, combined with his work ethic, make up for his overall lack of athletic ability. Elder probably isn't a long-term starter, but he'd be great young depth - better than Duke Preston, at any rate.

Round 6, Pick 172: Franklin Dunbar, OT, MTSU
- A redshirt sophomore, Dunbar is an early entry out of Middle Tennessee State. The 6'5", 318-pounder is considered a very green prospect that will need some development time at the NFL level - especially from a learning and leverage standpoint. He's an OK athlete and has a little upside, but according to Mocking the Draft, he hasn't exactly garnered a lot of draft interest.

Round 7, Pick 203: Derek Fine, TE, Kansas
- Fine is one of Kansas' best offensive threats, and emerged as a go-to target over the middle. Kansas, much like Missouri did with Martin Rucker, moved Fine around a lot in their offense - versatility that despite Rucker's addition would still be welcome to Buffalo's offense. Buffalo likes to stock-pile tight ends and H-Backs; this addition would give the Bills Rucker, Robert Royal and Mike Gaines at tight end, with Fine joining Derek Schouman at H-Back.

That's it. Take it for what it's worth at this point; I will say that I really, really, really like Rucker at this point. I've put in New Era Scouting's full reports on these players after the jump if you're looking for deeper analysis.

TE1. Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri, 6'5, 255
Big, athletic, smart and a leader. Can line up all over the field. Very athletic with good speed. Won't run away from safeties. Good over the middle. Not much of a blocker. Good vision and can move with the ball in his hands. Played off the line of scrimmage a lot. A first-round talent.

CB5. DeJuan Tribble, CB, Boston College, 5'9, 190
Compactly built corner whose speed may be suspect. Gambles too much. Not much of a tackler. His best asset is mirroring receivers as they try to lose him on breaks in routes. Possesses excellent ball skills. Added value as a return man.

WR10. Will Franklin, WR, Missouri, 6'2, 205
Has been overshadowed by the talented play of the tight ends and then freshman sensation Jeremy Maclin. A solid possession receiver who works well outside the hash marks. Can hurt a Cover 2 defense with his ability to sit in zones. Good speed.

DE6. Kenny Iwebema, DE, Iowa, 6'4, 270
Strong defensive end, especially at the point of attack. Could play end in a 3-4 or a 4-3. Plays physical and with a lot of effort. Doesn't have much edge speed or pass rush moves. Instead, he relies heavily on his strength. Has the frame to add about 15 pounds of bulk. Will play too upright, which negates leverage.

OLB8. Wesley Woodyard, OLB, Kentucky, 6'1, 212
Looks like a linebacker who can only make it in the Tampa-w defense. May project as a safety in other systems. Needs to get stronger because he'll struggle to tackle bigger players. Team leader who shows amazing work ethic, especially in the film room.

DE10. Hilee Taylor, DE, North Carolina, 6'3, 241
Undersized player who struggled to play up to his ability until his senior season. Has great athletic ability for the position and could probably even make the switch to 3-4 OLB if needed. Very quick off the snap. Spends most of his time in opposing backfields making plays against the run and the pass.

OG9. Kirk Elder, OG, Texas A&M, 6'5, 307
Thick, muscular guard who plays well in traffic. Stocky and squat. Mean, plays with amazing aggression. Doesn't play well in space, struggles to pull or get to the second level. Best in a box. Slow instincts. Doesn't see the blitz well.

Franklin Dunbar, OT, Middle Tennessee State, 6'5, 318
No scouting report yet from New Era Scouting.

Derek Fine, TE, Kansas, 6'3, 245
Moves around a lot in the Kansas offense. Is a go-to receiver over the middle. Clutch. Can make big plays in traffic. Has good speed and can run away from average linebackers. Is not very physical.

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Comments

RE: TE

How does Rucker compare to USC's Fred Davis?

by Zumone on Jan 4, 2008 9:14 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Rucker/Davis

Rucker's a better athlete. Whereas Rucker is a guy with great YAC/big play potential, Davis is more of a Daniel Graham, where he's a solid blocker, but he's slow off the line and pretty average once he gets the ball in his hands. Davis has a great set of hands and will be a very good TE, but Rucker has a chance to be a Gates-like threat.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 9:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

RE: Gates-like?

Brian,

Great post. I was going to ask, but you already touched on it. How does Martin Rucker compare to the NFL's elite tight ends (Antonio Gates and Kellen Winslow)? I would like to obtain a complete scouting report detailing his strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, how legitimate are his hands, speed, quickness, explosion, and change-of-direction ability? How tough and competitve is he? As far as tight ends are concerned, Gates and Winslow should be the measuring stick. As I have mentioned previously, the entire Bills organization and fans should be picky when evaluating potential acquisitions if they want the Bills to be the best. If there are no elite tight ends available, do not settle for a decent tight end just because you need one. In this case, go after an elite player at another position (WR, WLB, DT or CB).

I watched Rucker in the Cotton Bowl and I thought he looked okay. It appeared that he was used primarily on intermediate and short/underneath/outlet routes. I did not see him utilized in the deep middle of the field, downfield, in the red zone, stretch the seam, or show exceptional run-after-the-catch ability, which are all areas where the Bills need significant improvement. However, I do understand the Cotton Bowl is only one game, not Rucker's full body of work.

Additionally, I do not think that the Bills should only look at players which exclusively fit their system or scheme, offensively or defensively. Team versatility should not be overlooked. For example, I do not think that the Bills should pass on a cornerback (no particular name) with tremendous closing speed, ball skills, confidence, and is outstanding in man coverage, just because he is smaller than ideal and is not a classic Cover 2 cornerback. Just because Cover 2 is your base defense does not mean that you do not need different types of talents. For instance, traditional big, stiff Cover 2 cornerbacks typically struggle in coverage versus fast, quick receivers. Why not have a different type of cornerback in your arsenal to match up better? In addition, specific situations may require you to not play your base scheme. The same concept applies to all positions and all phases of the game. Team versatility.

Comments from anyone are welcome. Go Bills!

by Fort Worth on Jan 4, 2008 12:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Scouting report

Here is a full Rucker scouting report from Mocking The Draft.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 12:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Scouting Report

Excellent. Thanks Brian!

by Fort Worth on Jan 4, 2008 12:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Very interesting...

That's a good scouting report. The one thing that concerns me is that he doesn't seem to be much of a blocker - add that to the fact that he "Is a big target and can be jammed, which is why Missouri often put him in motion and set him off the line in the slot." So - why not draft him, but use him just as a wide receiver? That gives the Bills the big (6'5") receiver they need... Of course, at that size, he probably can't outrun cornerbacks, but he certainly could outmuscle them.

Also a note - the Bills should have the #41 pick in the second round, not the #44.

by Krenn on Jan 4, 2008 12:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re:

The draft order isn't fully set yet; NES just threw together a list as accurately as they could (this isn't a brand-new mock).

As far as Rucker as a WR goes, we don't have to do that. We already have Royal as our "blocking TE"; therefore, we can just use Rucker as a TE like the Chargers use Antonio Gates - keep him in motion and line him up in the slot, because he can beat most linebackers. That's a dimension this offense has never had, period.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 12:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Rucker/Davis

Davis is the more productive of the two, but he is coming from a pro-style offense that has no threats at wide receiver and a running game that is known to stall in the red zone. Davis is a big, lumbering tight end and is a better in-line blocker, but he has hit his ceiling as a player. Do not expect him to improve much as an NFL player.

Rucker is more of an athlete, but do not confuse him with a Kellen Winslow type player. His game is not built on speed and flash, but on consistency and precision. He is more likely to catch 7 balls a game than to catch 2 and take them for long runs after the catch. He is not a slouch though, his straight line speed will be talked about, but he has great 5 and 10-yard quickness, which is much more important for a TE.

by MattMiller on Jan 5, 2008 7:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously?

Rucker at #11? What did you drink this morning to love that?!? That's the only site I've seen him even in the top 25.

He's not even the top TE prospect in the draft and is likely a late 2nd rounder by all indications. I've read in a couple of places that he's not much of a threat after the catch, so what gives?

To take a TE that early he has to be an absolute gamechanger. I don't see Rucker as being that guy and I don't see a TE as THAT big of a need (though it is a pretty huge need). I would much rather go OLB or DE at #11 and a TE in round 2 (Rucker, Davis or Carlson)...

Also, Will Franklin that early? I've seen him from the 4th-6th rounds, so that would be a MAJOR surprise to me. In the 3rd/4th round areas, I'd like WR's Stevie Johnson (Kentucky), Marcus Smith (New Mexico), Jordy Nelson (K St) too. Any reports on those guys?

I'm not a fan of Tribble. I don't like taking midget corners so early, especially those with question marks (tackling, cover skills). I do think we need to add a top kick returner in the draft. I like a guy like Tyvon Branch from UConn in the 4th/5th rounds, if that's where he's projected. He's a 6 foot CB who's played pretty well the past couple of years and was one of the top kick returners in the country this year.

And please, no more undersized LB's. We do not need a guy who's 215 lbs trying to play LB for us, no matter how talented he may be. It's time we add some size to the position, IMO. There are plenty of bigger guys who have enough speed and quickness.

An H-Back pick would be a waste, IMO. I fully expect the new OC to bring back a traditional FB unless it's Schonert.

by Kurupt on Jan 4, 2008 12:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

RE:

We're on the same page, K, as far as CB and LB go. I wasn't a huge fan of those picks - we need more size, and by extension more physicality, on defense.

Please don't judge Rucker on where draft sites have him going right now, because as we all know, everything changes after the Senior Bowl, Combine, etc. Given our lack of size on offense, lack of red zone threat, and Edwards' fondness of hitting the tight end in the passing game, I don't see Rucker "filling a need" - I see him as the one player who would help this team most, as it stands right now.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 12:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

More on Rucker

To calm your nerves about Rucker's YAC ability, K, here's excerpts from the scouting report linked above:

Natural gifted and agile. Rucker plays fast and light on his feet. Can move inside and out of traffic with ease. Is at his best when running and in space. Can make cuts in and out of his routes.

Has top-notch body control. Can make a move in the air or on the ground to get open and find the football. Excellent control in his routes and has the ability to re-route himself to get to the ball in the air.

Sees the field very well and can find space and soft spots in a zone. Has experience here from the spread offense ran at Missouri. Runs well with the ball and has been used as a runner out of the backfield.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 1:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Keep In Mind...

Although this scouting report is from a credible source, it is one evaluation. It is important to gather and consider additional evaluations from multiple scources, including your own (from game film review), to obtain the most complete, accurate picture of what the player is. One person's opinion is not necessarily the gospel.

by Fort Worth on Jan 4, 2008 1:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In that vein

Certainly I'm aware of that. I just don't go by anything other than reports that are as in-depth as the one I've linked. It's still early in the process; my opinions are sure to change.

I've found a couple of Missouri highlight tapes that show off the skills of not only Rucker (the Illinois tape does him justice), but Franklin as well:

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 1:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

To me...

Rucker looks kind of stiff. Yeah, he does seem to have pretty good speed for a TE, but he doesn't seem to be in the same athletic class as the Winslow/Gates/Davis/Watson's of the NFL. He looks good catching it though, which is something Royal and Gaines don't do well (duh).

Franklin does look really good though. I like him more and more now.

I've seen Chase Coffman considered the better TE and he looks pretty darn good. Too bad he probably isn't coming out.

Jeremy Maclin is a stud, nuff said. Wish we could get a guy like that down the road...

by Kurupt on Jan 4, 2008 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

well

it is obviously his opinion on Rucker, but every other site I've been to has him a 2nd round prospect, or at best an end of the 1st guy.

I found this scouting report on him:

Weaknesses:
Could stand to put on some weight and bulk up...Will need to get stronger...Plays a finesse game and is not real tough or aggressive...Average route runner...Won't do much after the catch...A sub par blocker..Drops some balls..Does not separate.

I couldn't find any other reports with much worth saying. This one had some good things to say, but it also sounds as if he's still developing.

I really don't want to see us use the #11 pick on a guy who doesn't seem like a sure thing. He's got good athleticism, but his straight line speed is still in question. He does sound like the red zone threat we've been dreaming of, but doesn't sound like a Winslow/Gates/Davis type player. He sounds to me like a better Leonard Pope with more athleticism...

I would much rather go Derrick Harvey, Vernon Gholston, James Laurinaitis, Keith Rivers or some other impact defender over a TE in the 1st. I would take my chances in the 2nd hoping Rucker is there or Davis/Carlson, who are higher rated by most outlets. There are other potential TE's with good receiving skills, Jacob Tamme, Dustin Keller, Kellen Davis, where I don't think they are that far behind Rucker. Since he seems like such a poor blocker, why waste a high pick on that type of player when very similar ones could be had in the 3rd/4th rounds?

by Kurupt on Jan 4, 2008 2:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you on Gholston

Gholston may be my favorite prospect - though obviously, the Bills likely won't draft him considering the investments they've made in the Duo of Mediocrity.

I guess I'm alone on the bandwagon that says draft good players, no matter how much flack you may take. As I commented before to jri111, most of the players you guys are mentioning as alternates were already off the board in this mock - Gholston went 18, Laurinaitis went #13, so those ones would have made some sense. I don't like Rucker as a blocker, by the way - but as I also said before, we don't need a blocker, because we've got Royal.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 3:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

not to pil on brain...

here's what mel kiper says about the TE's in this years draft (personally, I don't like Mel and find mayock on NFL network much more accurate, but it's still a so called "expert" opinion):

Erik (Pompton Lakes, NJ): Who could be the first TE taken and where does he end up? What about John Carlson?

Mel Kiper: Carlson has good hands, is a decent blocker, but did not have a great year. The pieces weren't in place in his system. He suffered because of that. The top TE would be Fred Davis-excellent player with a strong game yesterday. Brandon Pettigrew is in the mix as well. There is a good group of TEs from the junior class. Bennet from A&M, Beckum from Wisconsin. John Carlson is third right now. Martin Rucker from Missouri is fourth. Jacob Tamme from Kentucky could be a Chris Cooley type. Another interesting guy is Mike Peterson from Northwest Missouri State.

John I.

by jri111 on Jan 4, 2008 4:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Let me re-iterate

That this was a mock draft done by New Era Scouting. Rucker probably wouldn't have been my top choice had I been doing the picking; he certainly would have been a consideration, as I believe he'll be a sure-fire first-round pick by the time April rolls around. I'm not advocating Rucker as our #11 pick no matter what; just that I really like Rucker, and think he could make a big-time difference for our beloved Bills.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

so

I don't like Rucker as a blocker, by the way - but as I also said before, we don't need a blocker, because we've got Royal.

Why would we spend the #11 pick on a guy who's one-dimensional like that? It wouldn't make sense. I still think we can get a player of somewhat comparable skill in the 3rd or 4th round.....

by Kurupt on Jan 5, 2008 1:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

One-dimensional?

You can't consider a player one-dimensional when he's able to line up any way you ask him to as a receiver. When a player brings versatility to the receiving game, how is he close to being one-dimensional?

Care to talk about the blocking skills of Ben Watson or Kellen Winslow? They're not great, but yet they're heralded as two of the best tight ends in the league - because they're playmakers. I know you don't like Rucker as the #11 pick, but it's hard to deny what he would bring to the table for our woeful offense.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2008 7:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i don't know...

I agree with K. Rucker at 11 seems very high. Agreed things could change, but to me, he doesn't seem worthy of vernan davis/kellen Winslow type attention.

As I've said a number of times, I do believe that TE is Levy's number 1 priority and even though he's gone now, I think he will convey that message to Wilson and Jauron.

That said, I don't think they should reach for a guy like Rucker with the 11th pick. I'd much rather go after a guy like Sedrick Ellis (DT) or Dan Connor (LB) or Keith Rivers (LB). Maybe (and this is a big maybe) even a WR like Malcome Kelly (by no means am I sold on a first round WR), but the kid has the size 6'4'' and there is a chance that when the bills pick, no WR's have been taken yet and he could be number 1 at his position.

I like Rucker, but I agree with Krupt, probably could be had in the second round. At the very least the Bills have a very high second and two high thirds - if they were really scared they could do what they've been doing the last few years and trade up to get him after filling another hole in the first round.

John I.

by jri111 on Jan 4, 2008 1:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In this mock...

All four of the names you mentioned were off the board. Kelly went #5 to Oakland; Ellis went #6 to the Jets; Rivers went #9 to Cincinnati; Connor went #10 to New Orleans.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 4, 2008 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

K...

A lot to get to here, so please do not think I'm singling your post out. I just want to answer questions.

Please note that this was made well before the Jan. 15th deadline for underclassmen to declare, and also during the NFL season. The Bills currently need a GM and an OC, so we are really projecting their needs three months from now and making a lot of assumptions as to what direction they will go with this pick. A lot could change, we know this and will update accordingly.

What we do know, for sure, is that Buffalo will target the TE position in the off-season. Having been at many Missouri games this year, I was fortunate enough to talk with scouts from the Buffalo regime and gauge their interest in Rucker. NFL Scouts only go to home games for players they are interested in, they don't usually scout the "away" players, and they were very clear that Rucker and Franklin were on their radar.

Rucker may not be flashy like the TEs you've mentioned, but what Buffalo needs is a middle-receiver. Lee Evans is your deep threat, adding a TE that can out run him isn't important. Adding someone to work the intermediate zones, especially against three division opponents that run a 3-4.

I may be biased against Franklin, but I like what he brings as a possession receiver. Like you said in a later post, the more I see him the more I like him.

Tribble may not be tall, but after seeing Wes Welker torch the Bills twice this year, a nickel corner is pretty high on your to-do list.

by MattMiller on Jan 5, 2008 7:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: nickel corner

Appreciate your support on Rucker, Matt, but I'll disagree with you about nickel corner - there's no way that the Bills will or should be comfortable with Jabari Greer, Jason Webster or Ashton Youboty starting at corner opposite Terrence McGee next year. The Bills have gotten good play out of the diminutive Greer - better suited to the slot - and also like the toughness that Kiwaukee Thomas brings to the nickel spot as well. If the Bills are drafting corner, it will be a bigger, physical guy who can tackle well and man the edge of a Cover-2.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2008 7:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

for responding matt

I agree with you that the Bills will be targeting TE's this offseason and Rucker may indeed be one of the top choices, but I just don't think it's best for the Bills to take him at #11, nor do I think he's worth that high of a pick. I don't think the value is there and I don't believe he's that much more talented than some other TE prospects who look to be 2nd/3rd prospects. If he were picked at #11, I would kind of be stunned. I think a defensive player is where they'll go there.

Interesting comments regarding the Bills' scouts at the Mizzou games. No wonder you picked those two for the Bills. Do you think Franklin could be available in the 4th at this point? I know that depends on the underclassmen who declare, but is he a solid 3rd rounder who could move up, or he is someone who would fall back due to increased numbers of WR's available?

I don't like Tribble and I don't think a nickel CB is what is needed. I think a starting CB is needed to push Greer back to the nickel/slot. I would think a mid level vet CB would be a better idea and then a 4th/5th round pick to be added for depth/development.

Have any bigger OLB prospects that you think would be around in the 2nd/3rd round region? The Bills need to add more size to the position, not another smallish backer...

Thanks

by Kurupt on Jan 5, 2008 8:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Feedback

Thanks for the insight. I don't pretend to know everything about all 32 teams, and being in the Midwest and South for most of the fall I miss a lot of AFC East stuff. This is why I think you guys are so valuable to us, because I have no one on my staff that cares about Bills football. I'll take into account what you guys are saying. We looked at Youboty as a young, high pick that would be given the chance to start. In our research, this amounted to a need for a nickel CB.

As for Franklin, we are seeing the WR position flooded with juniors this weekend. I do think that if we continue to see this trend until Jan. 15, Franklin could fall to the 4th round. What's hard to predict, and a reason I do not like mock drafts, is perceived value. I know the 49ers also really like Franklin, and who is to say he's not a third-round player on their board?

Another seemingly false assumption was that Buffalo was looking for Cover 2 style small outside linebackers. Woodyard fits that bill (no pun). Jasper Brinkley's name was mentioned, but he is going back to SC for another year after a redshirt. If you're thinking LB early, Connor or Rivers could play OLB for you and are the big, physical OLB. In Rd 2 you have guys like Xavier Adibi and Beau Bell, but neither are that "big". This class is pretty small at OLB.

Here is a link to our value boards to give you an idea of where things stand today: http://www.newerascouting.com/index.php?c=9.

I'll also take a minute to completely self-promote: We are always looking for writers and/or qualified scouts. We need people that know the AFC East.

by MattMiller on Jan 6, 2008 11:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This draft

is loaded with good linebackers, so as much as I like Conner and Laurinatis, I can't justify taking one of them in the first round if Ellis or Gholston are still on the board. I like Brian didn't like the Tribble pick at all, honestly I don't see corner being that big of a need.

I like Rucker, I would prefer Ellis or Gholston, but I wouldn't complain to much if the pick is Rucker.

who would have thought I'd miss Pete Metzelaars?

by sireric on Jan 4, 2008 5:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

One little Change

I really don't like undersized LB's (see DiGiorgio or since I can't say his name Digiorno). I'd love to see us Draft Owen Schmidt from WVU. I like Neufeld, but I'm a WVU fan, and I love Owen. He runs a 4.7-4.8 as a FB. He also broke over 10 facemasks in college from blocking so hard. Here's a few clips.

He's Crazy( watch the whole thing):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3137053269914518659&q=owen+schmidt&total=46&sta rt=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
Can Block:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbwbWOJM-bM

And is a monster at running:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=989696086682433971&q=owen+schmidt&total=46&start =0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=4

by jwest529 on Jan 4, 2008 8:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I've mentioned him before

I really like him also, I think he would make a great H-Back for the Bills.

who would have thought I'd miss Pete Metzelaars?

by sireric on Jan 4, 2008 10:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Schmitt

We all love his game. Just this week I heard from a scout that has him in his top 32 players. It's rare to see a true fullback that high, which speaks to how good he really is.

by MattMiller on Jan 5, 2008 7:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not that it matters...

But Im pretty sure we have 2 7th round picks, the 2nd from Philly for Holcomb.

by Thronsen on Jan 5, 2008 4:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

It does

I looked on three draft sites, and none of them had us with two 7th rounders - it confused me as well. I just went with the flow for now, but I'll certainly be doing more digging...

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2008 7:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Mocking the draft

You really need to move away from pimping that site -- it's just downright horrible.

by Metzelaars on Jan 5, 2008 11:03 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

It's more New Era Scouting

Matt Miller, who writes MTD, is a scout at New Era Scouting. He's a busy boy - and NES is one of the more underrated services out there. The scouting reports I've linked on MTD come directly from New Era Scouting.

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by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2008 11:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you

We all love constructive criticism, please let us know what we can offer you that would improve your time on our site. It is only January, and until this past week draft news has been slow. Instead of bashing us, why not sign up and try to promote "good" posting?

by MattMiller on Jan 5, 2008 7:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs