A CBF Mock Draft

by CanadianBillsFan on Apr 5, 2009 11:23 AM EDT

Alright guys, this is my first mock draft, ever. Please keep in mind that the first time I even watched a draft was last year, soI still don't fully understand it all, and actually had to do some research for the later rounds, but I'm giving it a try anyway.

Ok I'll start out by making the trade that we all know will happen: Jason Peters. For argument's sake here I'm trading him to the Lions for the 20th pick and 82nd pick (both form Dallas).

Ok, so here goes:

Round 1, pick 11: OT Andre Smith, Alabama

I'll really like Smithhere simply because his playing style and ability most resembles Peters'. if he's gone though, I'd have no problems with Michael Oher. If he's gone too, I'd consider trading down to take Eben Britton. Whatever happens, my first pick is the best available offensive tackle.

Round 1, pick 20: TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State

I think Pettigrew is by far the best TE prospect in this draft, expecially when you take into consideration the way Buffalo uses their TE's. I also think that the talent that Pettigrew brings to the table, both in the running game (his increadible blocking) and in the passing game could mean the difference between a good and a great offence for the Bills.

Round 2, pick 42: OG Duke Robinson, Oklahoma

I know having two rookies on the left side of the line is a risk, but I REALLY like Robinson here. He's strong, fast a great on run blocking. I'd also consider Unger here.

Round 3, pick 75: SS Chip Vaughn, Wake Forest

I love this kid's speed and hiting ability. After watching some online tape of him, one thing became very apparent to me: he LOVES to hit anything carrying a ball. His hands are pretty good too. I've also got the feeling that Jauron took notice of this kid too. He'd let Donte Whitner move permenantly to FS, which isn't a bad thing either.

Round 3, pick 82: OLB Tyrone McKenzie, South Florida

I like this kid's speed and hitting ability. I'm not sure how strong he is on coverage, but if we play him situationally along with Ellisson, then I think our strong side will be fine.

Round 4, pick 110: DE Phillip Hunt, Houston

I'd much prefer Sidbury, but he's not going to fall this far so I'll settle for Hunt. I've liked this kid ever since the Jeffcoat interview. After looking at his stats before being coached by Jeffcoat and looking at them with Jeffcoat as his d-line coach, I've very optimistic at what he can bring to the table. He's got the basics down and has shown that he can be coached. And while I'll agree that it will take him a few season to reach full potential, but I think that he'll eventually prove to be a good rotational DE in the NFL. I also think that we could use him along with Chris Ellis on the pass rush immidiatly.

Round 5, pick 147: FB Quinn Johnson, LSU

I know a lot of you will say that this is too early to draft him, but I believe that in the later rounds, if you really like a player, then you draft him, and I REALLY like Johnson as a fullback. He's a great blocker and a decent runner. His hands leave something to b e desired, but I'm drafting him more for what he would bring to our running game more than anything else.

Round 6, pick 183: DT Sammie Lee Hill, Stillman

Ok here's where I had to start doing some research. But A lot of people have mentioned wanting a big, run stopping DT, and at 6'4", 330lbs, I think Hill fits the bill.

Round 7, pick 220: DE Jamaal Westerman, Rutgers

I'm picking this guy on size and stats alone. I have no clue what his abilities are or if he'd even be around at this point, but Like I said, I'm a rookie at this mocking thing, so I think you can forgive me for tacking a stab in the dark for the 7th round.

Well thats it. I know I'll get a few complaints for not addressing the D-Line until the 4th round, but I honestly think that we're better served picking on offence in the first two rounds. I'm going with the logic that if we can have a great offence, we can get by with an ok deffence.

So let me know what you guys think.

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

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Comments

Kurupt isn't going to send you a Christmas card

by Ron From NM on Apr 5, 2009 11:33 AM EDT reply actions

Didn't expect him too

Maybe I should have put a disclaimer that if we don’t trade Peters, then my first pic is Everette Brown.

by CanadianBillsFan on Apr 5, 2009 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions

That would certainly address the D Line. If we don’t trade Peters, do you pick up another OT anywhere else or do you assume that Peters is signed and plays?

by liquefaction on Apr 5, 2009 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions

If we keep Peters I’d take a Tackle instead of Hunt and I’d drop Vaughn from my draft, but keep McKenzie.

by CanadianBillsFan on Apr 5, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Eh, what can you do? After the 1st round, there won’t be that many immediate impact DE’s. I’m already prepared for OBD to pass on trying to improve the pass rush yet again….

~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"

by Kurupt on Apr 5, 2009 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions

As far as DE's go

I’m looking at 3 possible draftees. Brown, Sidbury and Hunt. And as far as the most complete draft goes, I thought that Hunt was the best option. But once again, if it weren’t for the Peters situation, my first pick would be Brown.

by CanadianBillsFan on Apr 5, 2009 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m not looking at Sidbury, I don’t believe in him. He didn’t dominate his level and to me, that is very concerning. He’s put up good size and workout numbers, but I like production the most.

I also don’t believe in Hunt as anything but a situational pass rusher, where he could be very good. Weighing only 245 lbs is not going to help him get on the field much.

I kind of like Barwin’s potential, because he looks very capable of bulking up further. He’s got great speed and quickness, and is still learning the position. Unfortunately, I think he’s a Patriot early in round 2. If he’s not, I still don’t know if he’ll be available to us in round 2. I’d take that as an alternative to E. Brown or Maybin, but it’s unlikely.

I hate having the hunch that the position will go unaddressed early again. This team is in dire need of impact players off the edge, yet I don’t fully believe they feel the same way. I still can’t fathom them going into the year with Schobel/Kelsay/Denney and maybe Ellis or a mid rounder as the main rotation, but I’m thinking that’s what’s going to end up happening. At least I’d have a ton of material for another year!

~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"

by Kurupt on Apr 5, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I also don’t believe in Hunt as anything but a situational pass rusher, where he could be very good. Weighing only 245 lbs is not going to help him get on the field much.

I think that’s exactly why he won’t go until the 4th. And that is all I would use him for in his rookie season, a situational pass rusher.

by CanadianBillsFan on Apr 5, 2009 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Weighing only 245 lbs is not going to help him get on the field much.

I think that’s exactly why he won’t go until the 4th.

That’s what Maybin weighs, and he’s 6’6", Hunt is 6’1", which is a much more solid package that would hold up better against the run. As far as NFL potential, Hunt might be more likely to realize his.

by syrbillsfan on Apr 6, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybin is 6’4’’ and already weighs 250. The difference is that both have been trying to add weight and one has while the other hasn’t. Hunt will never play at a weight higher than 250 pounds and will therefore always be a situational player. Maybin has the potential to play at 260+ and be an everydown superstar.

by kaisertown on Apr 6, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly….

Sure Maybin is only 10 lbs heavier right now, but he’s also got the frame to add another 10-15 lbs. Hunt doesn’t have that, unfortunately. Hunt is a situational guy all the way, unless he goes to a 3-4 D, while Maybin has full-time starter potential and elite upside.

~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"

by Kurupt on Apr 6, 2009 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow, the site where I got my numbers was WAY off

That’ll teach me for going outside this fine domain.

by syrbillsfan on Apr 6, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Brian will love to hear you say that

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Apr 6, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I hate having the hunch that the position will go unaddressed early again. This team is in dire need of impact players off the edge, yet I don’t fully believe they feel the same way. I still can’t fathom them going into the year with Schobel/Kelsay/Denney and maybe Ellis or a mid rounder as the main rotation, but I’m thinking that’s what’s going to end up happening.

I unfortunatly see that happening too, that’s why I didn’t take a DE until the 4th. I was trying to make my mock more or less realistic with what OBD might do.

by CanadianBillsFan on Apr 6, 2009 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions

It's sorted of a tunnel vision approach

To think that

a. Drafting a DE at 11 will immediately improve the pass rush (especially if it inhibits our run defense)
b. Improving other areas (offense on the whole, linebackers) won’t bring the pass rush that you are looking for.

I am not saying that we don’t need a couple of DE’s, just that for our needs we could bring in a second day guy lacking polish if they are just going to be in about 25% of the time anyway.

I think that our pass rush is most inhibited by the abilities present in our linebacking core, and our scheme. Frequently it seemed last year that in favor of sending K Mitchell back in coverage, they would opt to rush him and drop a DE back. I don’t know if that is because Kawika’s coverage skills are more awful than a DE. Maybe they were just trying to be cute. The typical approach in the cover 2 is to have all 4 defensive lineman rushing, with the linebackers covering the short areas and slants and the cb’s and safeties covering the intermediate and deep zones. I think in Buffalo, however, in order to hedge our bets against the run, we need to keep DL in the gaps to help the LBs. Then we only send a couple of guys. So, at least to me, our biggest problem is that Perry Fewell hasn’t found HIS defense yet. We call it a “Tampa 2” but it really isn’t. If it was, we would be able to get QB ratings of 50 from the opposition most of the time. The key to the pass rush, and probably this season is for Fewell to find an identity for our defense. For as porous as they are between the twenties, they do strengthen when teams get in the red zone. The key this year is keeping teams on their own end of the field.

I think overall, except for the possibility of a few more DE highlights on Sportscenter, drafting a DE at 11 would be a mistake, at least in the short term. A linebacker is probably the best overall value at 11, next would be Pettigrew, at least for the Bills. (That is if Peters isn’t traded, if he is then we should grab Linebacker or OT whoever the Bills value more).

Linebackers are so important, especially ones who are big (240-250) AND can cover so they can play 3-4 downs. More important than DE’s who only play 1-2 downs like Freeney, etc. Is there any LBs who fit that bill?

To finish, even with my priorities listed out above, I wouldn’t be unhappy if the Bills drafted Everette Brown at 11 of all the DEs he seems to be the most solid, maybe not the biggest potential, but he already seems to play at a very high level and is technically sound. I just don’t think the package these top end DE’s in this draft bring are really that much better than what you’d find later in the draft. Smaller college products drafted later may work out better for us given who else we would get at pick # 11.

by syrbillsfan on Apr 6, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

So are you for or against my draft? or are you just positioning yourself to agree that a draft that adresses overall needs as opposed to a single need (like the pass rush) is better for the team right now?

by CanadianBillsFan on Apr 6, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I was responding to Kurupt

I like your draft a lot. It’s about how I would go about. Especially position wise, I think it lines right up position wise with what we’d need to address. The one thing I might change is drafting a fullback because I think fullback, given current personnel, would be extraneous. I think we’ll go 1 RB / 2 TE / 2 WR or 1 RB / 1 TE / 3 WRs 75-90% of the time on offense.

That would put the following lineups on the fields

Lynch/JacksonFinePettigrewOwensEvansLynch/JacksonPettigrewOwensEvansReed

I think either of these options puts our most skilled players on the field

by syrbillsfan on Apr 7, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

OOps!

My table tags didn’t work :(

by syrbillsfan on Apr 7, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't remember too many times seeing a DE drop back into coverage.

To answer a different point, how many times did we have three LBs on the field in passing situations?

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Apr 7, 2009 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Depends on how you define "LB"

Outside of Mitchell and Poz, any of the “LB’s” we put on the field were safety sized so it was hard to tell who was on the field.

Really, we must have had our base 4-3 package on the field for most of the snaps except obvious 2nd and long 3rd and long situations. Otherwise that wouldn’t be our base package. I know that later in the year we moved to a modified nickel with Scott following tight ends around the field.

As far as the zone blitzes, they had a least a handful every game, especially earlier in the year when Schobel was still around and the year prior. Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention when they started moving away from tampa 2 a little towards the end of the season.

Overall, personnel is an issue on the defense, but it is not THE issue. The issue with our defense is that it doesn’t have an identity, besides the “scrappy” connotation. Given how bad our defense is at forcing 3 and outs, I guess our red zone defense IS pretty good. If only we could get the other team off the field faster. I think one key (besides Whitner playing like an early 1st rd pick) would be great instead of solid play from our linebacking core. We just might get some of that with Poz entering his second full year, and Mitchell can be great, if only he was great more consistently.

I also believe that Schobel, if he can stay on the field, will be able to produce. McCargo should be salvageable with new coaching. If we platoon our DE’s and get some time in from Ellis and Co. we should be able to maximize Kelsay’s production. The problem as I see it is our linebackers. They are solid. There is talent there, but will they be able to put it all together? I think that with help, maybe a 1st rounder in Ellison’s spot, they can be great.

by syrbillsfan on Apr 7, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Center Depth

While I understand that got Hangartner, and he could very well be the C of the present and considerable future. I also understand that we have no one else listed on the depth as being behind him at the position. Maybe Brandon Rodd is a C, I don’t know, I’ve never heard of him and I’m not sure I’m comfortable handing the line calls over to him should Hangartner go down. I think we need to pick up a C/G somewhere in the draft. Otherwise we could be in a worse position than last year at the spot.

That all said, we could do a lot worse than this draft. 3 D-linemen and 2 O-linemen in 9 picks? Now you’re speaking my language.

by PozDispenser on Apr 5, 2009 1:05 PM EDT reply actions

We could always re-sign Fowler. :-)

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Apr 7, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Say that again and I will ban you Matt.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Apr 7, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

How about a trade for Preston?

We could send Green Bay Chris Kelsay!

by syrbillsfan on Apr 7, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I might actually do that.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Apr 7, 2009 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah that's an upgrade.

:-)

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Apr 7, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe Preston has a talent – as a defensive tackle! We just didn’t discover it :)

by syrbillsfan on Apr 9, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Impossible!

All he knows what to do is back up… not a very good quality for a DT

by CanadianBillsFan on Apr 9, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Good job CBF

I would take Matthews at #20 and Beckum at #82, but I would be very happy if Draft Day went down as you have it above.

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

by Joe P. on Apr 5, 2009 3:30 PM EDT reply actions

if he's there in the 7th round...

…the Bills should take a look at Nick Reed, DE Oregon 6’2" 248lbs. Reed led the Pac-10 with 13 sacks, and had 20 TFL’s. He was awarded the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10’s top defensive lineman, and he was voted by his teammates as the Ducks’ Most Outstanding Player.

Despite the accolades, Reed was not invited to the combine, but here are some of his pro day numbers:
Bench Press: 24 reps
40 Yrd Dash: 4.71
3-Cone Drill: 6.96

He’s projected to go in the 6th round because NFL teams are always concerned about drafting a DE of Reed’s size. His play has been compared to Tedy Bruschi, Aaron Kampman, and even a poor man’s version of Jared Allen.

by fami1y_first on Apr 5, 2009 8:35 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with Reed in the late rounds. I won’t agree if he’s the only addition to our woeful pass rush. He’s yet another player who’d probably be better as a 3-4 OLB, but he could have some value to a team like the Bills late.

~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"

by Kurupt on Apr 5, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions