My Big Fat Bills Mock Draft

I like this pick but I think he will fall to undrafted FA

He has the tools but is a HUGE HUGE project. Kiper and McShay have discussed Skelton in their previous podcast.

I think we need to draft a WR at some point…with TO, Reed, and Parrish presumably leaving and with Hardy’s potential still unknown, i think we have a void a WR…but maybe we can pick one up in Free agency…but other than that, nice draft

Vladimir Ducasse Height: 6-5 Weight: 330

Thats a big ass Guard isnt it? But seems like he would be a valued peice to our O-line puzzle, if as good as advertised.

I like the draft for the most part. Im still hoping we end up with more picks via trading away some of our D that doesnt fit the 3-4 too well. (Schobel, Williams, Kelsey)

I believe were going to need some playmaking ability in this draft. At WR and RB. WR because we have Lee, and then a giant drop off. Dont think TO or Reed will be back. And a third, homerun speed RB would be nice. McCluster in the 4th if still available would be amazing.

Overall pretty decent. That NT isnt a bad option either, if the first two are gone. Wish he was a little bigger though.

Brandon Deaderick

I don’t really like this guys name….

I of course selected the last response in the poll…..

Nice joe – add some size to them boys. love it

I like it, but I wodner how disciplined the FO could be about taking trench guys and another project at QB. Don’t they have 2 projects already?

I’d rather they pick BPA each and every time they can. But yes, I like your draft overall.

That’s almost 1000 lbs of player in the first three rounds. I think that would be some kind of record.

for whoever we end up with at the QB position, ideally we build the D and O-line this year and make every effort to got locker next year

I might go elsewhere in round 2. If the plan is to play Ducasse at RT in the future, I’d be a little more down with it. 3 OG’s in the first 2 rounds of consecutive drafts seems a bit excessive though.

I don’t think Troup can come in and start right away, if that’s what you’re inferring. I still think we need to find a vet NT somewhere and bring a rookie along somewhat slowly. Like the pick though.

We have the extra 6th and 7th round picks from the Peters and Simpson trades, too….

Got no problem with the selections, just think you need to swap order at 4&5. You’re probably reaching to fill a need there and letting the better player pass.

Wood’s injury was nasty. I have serious doubts as to whether he will be ready to start come September. Either way, I think we need another Guard. I would like to see Wood moved to Center, with Hang as the backup.

I think Ducasse could play RT down the road too. So that gives you all sorts of versatility along the OL if some random player or future late round pick comes out of nowhere to force himself into the lineup. I wouldn’t mind the Ducasse pick, but I don’t think it’s a necessary one. The Jets and Cowboys are the only teams in the league that built their OL entirely out of early round picks and quality FA additions. That even includes Brandon Moore who went undrafted, but was resigned to a solid contract about the same time as the Jets line was rebuilt. Most of the good OLs in the league include mid and late round picks that earn playing time as youngsters and/or some junk FAs. So with that in mind, I don’t think it’s necessary for Buffalo to invest so heavily on the OL for two consecutive years in the draft because I think we can count on other guys to emerge. You can get away with a couple average starters along the OL a lot easier than you can at a spot like WR or a pass rushing position.

I’m a big believer in there not being one way to build a team, but if I did have a philosophy, it’d be balance. So, while three run stuffers (Troup, Weston and Johnson) and one run/pass versatile defender (Deadrick) would be pretty awesome, I’d love to see a pass rusher in there somewhere too. In today’s NFL, you need to slow down the best QBs to go far and the only ways to do that are to be conservative, bend but don’t break type of D (which I think I remember you not being a big fan of) or you need to get pressure on the QB. I think that finding a big time pass rusher (maybe it’s Maybin) is just as important for this D as a NT is. Maybe not for this year, but for winning a Super Bowl down the road.

I think there are too many 3-4 teams and too few true 3-4 ILBs in this draft for Johnson to slide.

I was dissapointed with Skelton at the Shrine game, but it’s mostly because his feet looked really heavy. That could be coachable though and with more fluid movement in the pocket and better footwork, his accuracy could come together and he’d be a great pick in the later rounds. Supposedly he has work ethic questions, but playing at Fordham, that’s understandable. I doubt anybody there tried to teach him how to put the necessary work in because they’re not worrying about the NFL or preparing for games like major college programs are.

I don’t think Troup could start this year, but you could probably get a lot out of him as a rotational guy. I also like that you didn’t just find the fattest NT you could find. At 310-315, Troup is stouter than most college guys who are 20 and 30 pounds heavier. That’s a good sign.

I gave it a solid B as a draft I’d be pretty happy to see the Bills pull off, but couldn’t give it an A because I think Ducasse and Deadrick are just OK picks and the lack of big play weapons (OLB, speedy RB and any type of WR).

Everyone knows that I love watching offensive linemen and that I am pretty much always hoping that Buffalo takes linemen early…..but two linemen in the first and second rounds is a bit much given the slate of needs on defense. The Bills need to come away from the offseason with a starting caliber LT—and the draft is apparently the only real chance for getting that done. As to the interior of the line, right now the staring lineup would be Levitre-Hang-Incognito with Wood hopefully returning and Butler available (until he gets hurt) to slide back to guard in a pinch.

I am, of course, hoping to see the Bills get their top rated LT in the draft. However, OBD reportedly had Levitre as their top rated lineman and snagged him late in the second round. Hopefully whomever ranked the offensive linemen is still around as Bills fans could use a Nostradamus in the front office evaluating draft prospects.

But how is Ralph and Russ going to market theses guys? haha. Any chance we can slip Ralph and Russ a few Tylenol PM’s a couple hours before the draft?

Rebuild!! Rebuild!!

The lines are the first thing you have to look at with playoff teams. The better the line the easier it is for the skills to produce. I think the O-line would be set for at least the next 7 or 8 years if this happens and Wood returns to full health. Sprinkle in some solid backups in the next few years and you have one of the best O-lines in football.

I especially love the no reaching as far as QBs go. I honestly think both Clausen and Bradford are not going to amount to much in the NFL. And they DEFINITELY wont progress into the players everyone THINKS they can become if they dont have solid blockers in front of them. Draft our future QB next year. Whatever it takes, get the top rated QB in 2011 draft.

I voted for A, but I give it an A-. I would swap Skelton for a WR.

What are your thoughts as to what the Bills should do with the QB situation for next year?

I like Bulaga if both Bradford and Clausen are gone (although if Buffalo really loves one of them, they better trade up and get him and not settle for a 2nd tier prospect a la the Roethlisberger/ Losman debacle)…I also like the emphasis on linemen even if I don’t know these players (I don’t follow the draft all that closely)…I also love that there are no DBs or RBs in this draft…a nice departure from the Jauron days….I’d be pretty bummed if Buffalo waited until the 6th round to address the QB position though. I’m optimistic that Nix won’t let that happen.

I we did this I’d be estatic. But I think it’s fairly unrealistic.

Bulaga is right in Buffalo’s draft range, but your next few picks are a tad too low. Ducasse has an outside chance to make it in the first round. It would be a nice surprise is he made it to pick 41. Plus, Bulaga and Ducasse have RT as their best position potentially, so we may be double tapping a position (RT).

Troup may end up a second round pick, and I don’t see him making it to pick 73. Deaderick is also probably a 4th rounder, and Johnson a 5th rounder.

Something to consider for this draft: After the 1st and 2nd rounds, there is roughly an 18 hour break. This gives teams a lot of time to restack their boards. Guys like Ducasse, Troup, etc. are going to move up boards during the round breaks as teams see that the OL and DT prospects have dwindled. It’ll spark a lot of trading for the top picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, IMO, similar to what the Jets did to acquire Shonn Greene.

7 – NT – Kade Weston Height: 6-5 Weight: 325 – Developmental NT. Can’t find much on this guy yet.. Maybe some of our Georgia fans can fill us in?

He’s somewhat of an enigma IMO… When Owens was out season before last, he did really well, outplaying the more heralded Atkins. AND!!! Weston was the starter this past year over Atkins!!! But it really didn’t matter alot who was listed the starter, since they rotated alot… I really doubt however, that after the combine, he will be available after rds 3-4… A (very) little shorter but heavier, Stroud type athlete but has never really lived up to his potential… He’s not your nose tackle type either however I’m afraid, but might work his way into a really good DE in a 3-4 though, or DT in a 4-3….
Of the 3 UGA DTs available this year, I’m almost opposite the way the “pundits” list them… I go Owens (there’s your NT), Weston, Atkins…

While I really like the Bulaga pick, I don’t even want to think about drafting another guard high for a few years… Besides, a Line of Bulaga, Levitre, Woods, Cogs, and Butler; with Hang, Mckinney, Bell, and Meredith in reserve would be the envy of the league I think… I’m hoping that a “wow” player falls to us in the second, regardless of position, a player we just have to grab… Spikes? Weatherspoon? Williams or Gilyard???

Personally, I see no problem with this crew, except that I think there’ll be a trade or two to get more picks. If that happens, I’d expect a QB earlier (like third round, where someone said Kyle Williams could easily fetch) and a WR in the sixth space. Then again, the WR position has actual value available in the FA market this year, so maybe an RB prospect in there. Or, of course, an additional NT.
Still, OT is the top priority.

2 – G – Vladimir Ducasse Height: 6-5 Weight: 330

No way. We have too many other needs. We have Hang as an OK center, Wood will hopefully be back, and Cogs as the other guard.
No 2nd round picks on a guard.

A house starts with a good foundation, lets solidify the O-line before anything else.

I love you man, but I’m going pants shopping with sireric!

Mainly because I just can’t accept a guard in the second round! If Wood comes back healthy we have Hang, Levitre, Wood with Incognito as a backup. I think thats unlikely, but in that event we have Cogs. We have so many bigger needs than a guard and the fact is, no matter how excited we get about the NFL draft we usually discover every year that outside of the first two rounds, players aren’t starting – even then its not a sure thing.

With the second rounder I need a guy to plug into a starting role that we cant already fill by signing a decent player – aka Cogs at guard. If Schobel retires we are in big trouble with this mock. No linebacker in the first three rounds? Despite the fact we’ll be starting four of them next year?

I also can’t get on board with your only QB being Skelton. He doesn’t have what it takes in my humble opinion to be an NFL quarterback. If your going to wait that long for a QB might as well get a project at another position who can work later down the road.

I like Troup and I like Bulaga….ok, its really not that bad of a mock. But I had to vote pants shopping with E because I will die if we take a guard in the second. We invested a first and a second on two guards last year. If we do it again we’ll be playing the Jauron game that he used to enjoy with corners. We have so many other needs. If you take something different in the second I give you a B. But until then I just can’t like this mock.

I see them drafting big WR out of GA Tech instead of Ducasse. Not sure he is a 2nd rounder but if I scratch a top 5 pick it is the guard to fit this WR in draft

I think we should at least consider looking for a WR at some point and I’m not sure about the Guard in the second round. This might be a spot where we could go BPA. I’m curious about your thoughts on possible free agent pickups? Overall, it’s a pretty solid draft. Definitely 100% needs driven and would give us a lot of depth.

I like how you emphasize the lines, meaning drafting two O-linemen and a D-lineman with the first three picks. However, personally I’d rather do it this way:

1. round – Bryan Bulaga, LT

1. round (trade up) – Terrence Cody, NT

3. round – Alex Carrington, DE

4. round – Mitch Petrus, OG

Now that’s a lot of beef.