Bills Big Board: Top 10 NFL Draft Prospects For Buffalo
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 9:00 AM EDT
in 2010 NFL Draft
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PrintWe're less than three weeks away from day one of the 2010 NFL Draft, and you don't need me to tell you that the Buffalo Bills have their work cut out for them. I'm tired of waiting. I planned on holding this post until much closer to draft time, but I'm seeking the cathartic release of getting this post out there, taking my public beating, and simply waiting for Buddy Nix to get the ball rolling on his first critical draft class as Buffalo's new GM.
I'm no expert in the art of evaluating NFL Draft prospects, and my short-lived track record of extreme amateur scouting is spotty at best. I did, however, spend my fall Saturdays stuffing my DVR full of college football, so I like to think that I've seen and gleaned a bit more than usual about the top prospects entering the professional ranks this year. Years from now, this post and the rankings you'll find after the jump will be horribly inaccurate. Luckily, I won't be alone in that department.
The entire purpose of this post is for me to share with you the ten prospects that I believe are the ten best possible choices for the Bills at the No. 9 overall pick. There are four important factors at play here - draft philosophy, trade likelihood, prospect availability and 'need v. value' among them - that we'll discuss. It's time for full disclosure. Let's make this a fun, productive discussion, folks - I'm looking not only for comments on the post itself, but your own personal big boards as well. Let's do this.
Philosophy: BPA at critical need positions
I've written in the past that good NFL teams take the best player available at critical need areas on draft day. That's a philosophy that both Nix and head coach Chan Gailey have spoken about over the past couple of months, and it's not exactly a stretch to expect the Bills to apply this philosophy to their own big board, particularly very early in the draft.
That's the ideal plan, but draft day rarely goes according to plan. Nix and Gailey can speak until they're blue in the face about the team being close to contending, but while they do have some good young players, their needs are at the game's most critical positions. There also isn't enough depth anywhere on the roster - with the possible exception of the entire defensive backfield - to get comfortable at any one position. I believe Gailey referred to it as "stacking players on players" earlier this week, and it's precisely why fans shouldn't focus too heavily on particular positions. Buffalo can't be too choosy, and if a tremendous value presents itself at a non-need position, Nix probably won't hesitate to pull the trigger.
Philosophy can't exclude 'need v. value'
In that light, the majority of our list below will contain players that play Buffalo's critical need positions. But the list doesn't exclude top value players, nor should it. For the purposes of this list, we'll use the four positions that have been well-established in this community over the past several months as the Bills' biggest needs: quarterback, offensive tackle, nose tackle and pass-rushing outside linebacker. You'll see players at other positions sneak onto the list. (Two, to be exact.)
The trading conundrum
Every fan wants the man running their favorite team's war room to be a genius - wheeling and dealing, moving around draft picks like they're on a heater in Vegas. It's true that, aside from obvious gaffes (like Dallas' trade for Roy Williams, for instance), trades can benefit an organization. In a year in which blue-chip prospects aren't numerous, but depth is incredible, Nix and company could do much worse than stockpiling picks through the first three or four rounds to get as much value out of the depth of this class as possible.
For the purposes of this big board, however, my plan is not to advocate for a trade down. (I think it's safe to say that a trade up from the ninth pick is monumentally unlikely, so we won't even discuss that here.) Rather, in laying out the list of ten prospects, I'll simply denote the point where value at No. 9 and reach at No. 9 occurs; that spot will be the time at which a trade down would be ideal for the team if the opportunity presented itself.
You get the idea. We're focusing on four critical need positions without being so narrow-minded to suggest that the Bills have to pick a player at one of those positions. Those positions, as you'll see, are heavily considered here, but they don't exclude other players. We'll be explicit about where value outweighs need, as well as where value blurs into reach territory. We've only got one thing left to do before unveiling this puppy - crossing prospects off the list.
The 'likely to be gone' group
Waiting for eight players to be selected is hard enough, but in a year where blue-chip prospects are hard to come by, Buffalo's poised to miss out on the cream of the crop this year. I've got a list of five players that Buffalo would need lottery-level luck to be fortunate enough to select, and I'm leaving those players off of my big board.
Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford - Very likely to be the top overall pick to St. Louis.
Oklahoma State OT Russell Okung - Could go as high as No. 2 to Detroit, but shouldn't last past pick 6.
Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh - Top overall prospect this year will be a huge trade priority if he starts to slide.
Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy - See Suh, minus the allure to every NFL team - he's not scheme versatile like Suh.
Tennessee S Eric Berry - Shouldn't last past Cleveland at No. 7, unless they decide to go QB.
Yes, these are the only five players that I believe are absolutely certain of being gone when Buffalo picks. There are other players that come close, but not close enough.
That's it. All criteria has been laid out. Without further ado...
Brian's Top 10 2010 NFL Draft Targets for the Buffalo Bills
1. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. There are players I'd take before Clausen. I don't think any of those players will be available. I get why folks are wary of Clausen - really, I do. I believe there is a degree of legitimacy to the intangible concerns that scouts have about this kid. I also think that what Clausen offers as a prospect, and what he did on the field as a junior at Notre Dame, blow those concerns into oblivion. Purely from a football standpoint, he's not perfect. But for a junior entrant, Clausen's mechanics and overall game have an amazing amount of polish, and he really is a very skilled quarterback. I think he's got the arm to get him by in a cold-weather city like Buffalo, particularly working with a solid, understanding play-caller like Gailey. Buffalo's need for a franchise quarterback is dire, and there's way too much to like about Clausen as a prospect for the team to be fussy, if you ask me. Clausen could start for Buffalo from day one, and given who I believe will be available, if Clausen's on the board, I don't think there's a better pick for this team. I make no promises about his future, but I'd be one happy camper if Clausen became a Bill on April 22.
2. Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. Yep. I'm putting two guys with serious off-field question marks at the top of my big board. The reason is pretty simple - Buffalo needs the best players they can find, and I think both Clausen and Davis are guys that should assimilate well to a strong-minded locker room. Davis' off-field concerns, to me, are much more significant than Clausen's. No one should question Clausen's work ethic. That's the single biggest question mark for Davis. He's only 20 years old, so his immaturity is to be expected, even if it's disappointing. His motor and weight issues are concerns as well. On a team that lacks veteran leadership on the offensive line, taking a player like Davis represents a much bigger risk than for teams with established vet(s) in the trenches. Still, Davis is second on this list - that should give you an idea of just how talented he is. No blocker has as much going for him on the field and athletically as Davis. If he keeps his head on straight and reaches his potential, he'll become one of the most well-rounded, balanced left tackles in the league. Gamble? Yes. Gamble worth taking for the Bills? In my estimation, absolutely.
3. Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. I'm not as high on Bulaga as the majority of Bills fans from an on-field standpoint. Bulaga is slightly rough around the edges - he's technically sound, but lacks polish. His pass protection needs work, as he'll need to be supremely technically proficient to make up for his barely passable reach. He comes into the league with a lot of hype, but wasn't as dominant as a junior as he could have been. He might struggle with NFL speed rushers, particularly early in his career if a team drafts him as an immediate starter on the left side - which Buffalo would obviously be doing. Where he makes up for all of that is in his head - Bulaga is supremely intelligent, understands blocking assignments and angles, and can absolutely dominate opponents simply by being a step ahead of them mentally. Add that to solid (if unspectacular) athleticism and footwork - not to mention excellent college coaching and great program pedigree - and Bulaga is quite clearly the safest pick the Bills could make on draft day. Particularly considering the type of smash-mouth offense Gailey plans to run, Bulaga would be a great fit for Buffalo, and an instant starter.
4. Dan Williams, NT, Tennessee. Williams is a guy that snuck up draft boards after an outstanding showing at the Senior Bowl - and he got so high in some mock drafts that I went back to some saved UT games (which I kept mostly for Eric Berry footage in the event of a Donte Whitner trade, FYI) to see what all the fuss was about. Williams was supremely average as a junior in 2008; he might have been a mid-round prospect entering his senior year. He's not a guy that will fill up the stat sheet, but for the purposes of Buffalo's 3-4 defense, he'd be an excellent fit. He's a great athlete, first and foremost, and given his scheme versatility, he wouldn't be your typical 3-4 nose that'd have to come off the field on third downs - he actually has potential (albeit limited) as a pass rusher. He's a classic two-gap run-stuffer with a wide base, excellent girth and strength, and the capability to eat up two or more blockers on every play. Given Buffalo's solid depth up front, Williams wouldn't need to be an every-down lineman as a rookie, but he might be capable of it. There's a slight bust factor here - Williams was a late bloomer at UT, to be sure - but this would still be a relatively safe investment for Nix.
5. Derrick Morgan, OLB, Georgia Tech. There are mixed reviews on Morgan's athletic prowess and whether or not he'd be able to make the switch from college DE to pro 3-4 OLB. I firmly believe - and this is a fairly universal opinion - that Morgan would be at his best at end in a 4-3. In that capacity, his run-defense skills would be at the forefront, and obviously his solid pass-rushing skills would be of use, as well. In a 3-4, his lack of top-notch agility and change-of-direction skills would be exposed, but he's a solid enough athlete to handle a rush role in that scheme. He's not an elite pass rusher, but he's very polished in that department, and will be a productive player for a long time regardless of the scheme he's in. Again, this pick would represent a very safe investment for Nix and the Bills, and considering Buffalo's dearth of pass-rushing talent and the possible retirement of Aaron Schobel, they'll need as many good pass rushers as they can get. Should Morgan go to a 3-4 team, he'd be asked to shed about 10 pounds to maximize his athletic prowess. His connection to Chan Gailey, Giff Smith and Eric Ciano doesn't hurt, either.
6. Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. Strangely, if I had to pick any one of these ten players for the title of "most likely to be gone when Buffalo picks," I'd go with Williams. His name is hot right now, and he put up unexpectedly excellent numbers at the Combine. Those two facts alone make him a priority target for Oakland at No. 8; everyone projects Bruce Campbell there, but Williams' workout numbers were just as impressive, and he's far better looking on the field of play than Campbell. I still have serious reservations about Williams' ability to play the left side at the NFL level. He certainly has the natural talent and athleticism to do it, but he was much less than stellar on the blind side at Oklahoma. There were extenuating circumstances, yes - including some minor injuries - but I'd like to be sure a guy can do what I plan on asking him to do before giving him millions of dollars. Part of me wouldn't mind seeing Buffalo take a shot on this guy, simply because their need at OT is that great. A bigger part of me hopes that my read on the 2010 version of Al Davis is accurate.
It is at this point, folks, that I'd like to point out that aforementioned deliniation between value and reach. The following players aren't necessarily reaches (particularly No. 7 on our list), but it's at this point that Nix seeking a trade down would be ideal - if he can swing it.
7. Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama. This is the first of two instances in which value outweighs positional need. McClain is quite simply an excellent pro prospect. He's got excellent size, supreme athleticism, great program pedigree, benefited from superb coaching, has great intangibles, and offers schematic versatility. McClain will be at his best at ILB in a 3-4 defense in the pros, and he'd fit into Buffalo's scheme quite nicely. McClain will be a coveted commodity on draft day, and given Buffalo's depth at inside linebacker (Paul Posluszny, Kawika Mitchell, Andra Davis), McClain might be a bit too luxurious for Buffalo to take despite his grading out so well. Were McClain to be available, he'd offer the Bills much more value as trade bait than as a potential future star at inside linebacker. Still, there are much worse picks that the Bills could make on draft day, despite his skills creating a redundancy of talents at ILB.
8. Brandon Graham, OLB, Michigan. The only thing that truly stands out about Graham as a prospect is his production. In his last three years at UM - a program increasingly inflicted with mediocrity over that time span - Graham put up 8, 10 and 10.5 sacks against pretty stiff Big Ten competition. He added 55.5 tackles for loss in that same time frame. Everything about Graham athletically - from his short height to his average agility and uncomfortable look in space to his lack of overall explosion - screams "low ceiling." But there may not be a pass rushing prospect more NFL-ready than Graham, and if put in a favorable situation should be one of the league's most productive freshmen in 2010. NFL teams value production in power conferences, and despite his being a fairly average athlete, his Big Ten production will get him drafted fairly highly. He'd be a great fit as a power-rushing 3-4 OLB opposite the far more athletic Aaron Maybin; those two players' respective skill sets complement the other well.
9. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. If you're asking me who the most talented offensive skill player available this year is, I'm involuntarily screaming 'Dez Bryant' back in your face at warp speed. His potential is ridiculous. His college production was borderline ridiculous, too. His size, speed, hands, leaping ability and instincts are second to none in this class, and rank among the best in each category of any receiver that's come out over the past 5-10 years. He truly is an incredibly impressive football player. But like with Anthony Davis, questions about Bryant's work ethic and dedication to the game are hard to ignore. This is an especially risky game to play at receiver, where egos are the biggest in the NFL, as are salaries. I'd have no problem with my team taking Bryant if it was full of established veteran leadership. The lack of exactly that quality on Buffalo's roster is concerning. Bryant is an outstanding prospect, and I certainly wouldn't mind seeing him in a Bills uniform, but he's a much safer investment for a better team.
10. Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas. Kindle is coming off of a disappointing senior season in which he registered just 5.5 sacks after moving to DE to replace departed teammate Brian Orakpo (he registered 10 at OLB as a junior). Like his former teammate, Kindle is a very chiseled, top-notch athlete that didn't quite reach his full potential at Texas. I'm not sure he's the elite edge rusher that he's made out to be, either - he's certainly athletic enough to wreak havoc down in and down out, but he's very streaky in this department, and will look dominant on one play and lost on the next. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and attribute some of that to the position switch, but something about him still gives me pause. I don't think he's scheme versatile - he's a 3-4 OLB or he's nothing in my view - but that's not really a factor given Buffalo's defensive system. I also don't think he's a particularly fine complement to Maybin, much the opposite of Morgan and Graham. Kindle's a pretty safe pick - there's enough athleticism here where you're probably going to be able to milk solid production out of him at some point - but he's too rough around the edges for me to consider him in the Top 15. I could get on board with Kindle in Buffalo, but I'd be happier doing it in a trade down.
Questions? Comments? Your own big boards to share? The comments section is yours - let's make this an epic discussion thread, shall we?
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If Buffalo trades down farther than about 15-20 none of these guys will be available. The question is how much of a drop off CHIX sees between guys like Dan Williams and Mount Cody. If the drop off isn’t severe it could be well worth trading down.
It can always get worse. Let me tell you how.
I think your first point is debatable. Kindle is a guy I see sliding a bit.
Obviously I can’t answer for Nix or Gailey, but I, personally, am a huge fan of Terrence Cody. He’s an elite-level run stuffer. His ceiling is low, and his conditioning will always be a concern, but the dude is just a monster.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Not exactly. Williams is a better athlete.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 4, 2010 8:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Haha, well, touche.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 4, 2010 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions
On Kindle, I’d actually bet that close to half of the NFL has Jerry Hughes higher on their board. Neither are top 10 or even top 15 prospects and I doubt there is any clear cut ranking of guys like Kindle, Hughes and even JPP for 3-4 teams.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
Hughes had a big injury last year
So I can see a lot of teams ranking Kindle higher than Hughes. Also, with the success of Orakpo last year, I can see why teams see Kindle a hair higher than Hughes.
JPP is the wild-card. I can see some team taking a risk on him, and select him higher.
Bills fan half way around the world
I don’t believe we should trade down, unless they’re really high on guys like Rodger Saffold, Vladimir Ducasse or Charles Brown, who are all quite raw.
To me, if Clausen is on the board, we take run to the podium and take him immediately. However, if he isn’t, our first priority should obviously be strengthening the O- and D-line. Quite frankly, after watching a lot of tape of Dan Williams, I must say I don’t view him as more than a mid- to late first round pick. He’s imo. not nearly as good as B.J. Raji was last year. Don’t get me wrong, I like Williams a lot, but he just doesn’t have the value to be drafted in the top 10. If we assume Okung, Trent Williams, and Bruce Campbell are off the board, we take Bulaga or Anthony Davis. I love Bulaga’s toughness, mentality and ability as a run-blocker, and during the process of evaluating him he reminded me a lot of a more nasty and dominant version of Sam Baker, who’s a very solid LT for the Falcons today. Davis’ work ethic worries me and we just can’t afford to miss out on the first pick of the Buddy Nix-era and seeing that I believe there’s not a big drop off at all from Davis to Bulaga, we take the safe guy, who we are sure will be an anchor of the O-line for the next ten years alongside Levitre and Wood.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Apr 3, 2010 9:25 AM EDT reply actions
If we assume Okung, Trent Williams, and Bruce Campbell are off the board, we take Bulaga or Anthony Davis.
I have no idea why Bruce Campbell would be off the board, unless Al Davis really is that stupid. He’s got a looooooooooooooooooooooong way to go.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions
That’s exactly why I think he’s off the board, because Al Davis is just that stupid. I mean just look at last year. The guy chose freaking Darius Heyward-Bey over Michael Crabtree?!?! It’s all about speed for old Al and Bruce Campbell is a ridiculous athlete, i.e. Al will think he’s the new Anthony Munoz.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Apr 3, 2010 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions
I think you’re underestimating Williams’ combine. It was pretty ridiculous from a speed/quickness/athletic ability standpoint. He just got overshadowed in the media by Campbell.
by Jeff Winters on Apr 3, 2010 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I still firmly believe Campbell is a better athlete. He’s incredibly raw but arguably the best athlete since Joe Thomas came out in 2007.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Apr 3, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Saffold is raw?
How can he be raw when he started for three and a half years at LT in the Big Ten? How can he be raw when he allowed only one sack his entire senior year? In point of fact he is the most experienced, proven LT prospect in the draft this year.
Whoa. I think there’s a happy medium to be struck there. Saffold’s not raw, but he’s not that great a prospect, either. There are specific schemes – like the zone-blocking scheme – for which his physical attributes are perfectly aligned. In an offense like Buffalo’s, he’s not nearly as strong a prospect.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions
The case for Saffold
Yes, but that’s not the same thing as saying he is raw.
I guess we have a different reading of him as a prospect. He’s good-sized (listed at 316 lbs.) and fairly strong for an OT coming out of college (he bench-pressed 27 times at the combine, which was one of the best scores for an OT), so I don’t see that he is limited to a zone scheme. And he was of course dominant at the East-West game (one observer called him the best player on the field at any position) — not only in pass protection but also in run-blocking. As the comment on him on NFL.com’s draft page puts it: “While he doesn’t really jump off the screen at you, the end result is that he consistently gets the job done and often makes it look easy.” That strikes me as the kind of player Nix looks for.
I’m not saying that he’s the greatest thing to hit the pro’s since Wonder Bread, but I do believe he is being underestimated and belongs in the same class as Bulaga and Trent Williams and especially Davis (all of whom have significant weaknesses of their own). Since we could probably gain an extra second round pick by trading down and making him our choice at OT, he seems to me a terrific value.
He definitely does NOT belong in the same class as Bulaga and Williams. Strength numbers are great, but I care much more about his blocking strength. Anthony Davis benched 21 reps, but is a far, far more powerful player than Saffold. As I said, I think Saffold would excel in a zone scheme or a pass-happy offense, but it’d take him a while to get used to a power offense like Buffalo’s.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree that Saffold isn’t raw. I think he could start from day one and do a solid job as a pass blocker. I think he’s an underrated athlete and the technical side of his game isn’t fantastic or anything, but it’s what you would expect from somebody with his experience with good coaches and against good competition.
I disagree that he’s a good run blocker. I think he’s a one pop player whose first punch isn’t impressive. He’ll set the edge, but he’s more of a technique blocker than somebody who does (maybe even can) use power to create a running lane. I don’t think he sustains blocks well either. I’m not even a fan of Saffold in the 2nd round and think he’s more of a late 2nd – early 3rd round prospect. I agree with Brian that he’s nowhere near the caliber of prospect that Bulaga is.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
I don’t want to seem picky, but note that I said that his run-blocking was at the “dominant” level at the East-West Shrine Game, which it was. That surprised a lot of people who had written him off as a run-blocker and suggested that he may be able to develop as a power blocker once he gets to the NFL. However, you and Brian are right that that has been his greatest weakness so far. He does well sealing off the edge, as you say, and he also is athletic enough to get to the second level on running plays and do some damage there, but the big complaint is that he doesn’t have much of a pop in his initial contact. In that respect he is definitely not as good as Trent Williams and perhaps Bulaga, but then again that is the kind of problem that can be cured by a year in an NFL strength-building program.
Where he is definitely better than Williams and Bulaga is pass-blocking. There seems to be no reason to think that Saffold can’t get the job done in pass protection at LT in the NFL, while doubts remain about Williams and Bulaga, with a lot of people saying they will end up as RT’s. I would argue that if you take an OT at #9 you better be sure he can play the left side. Saffold, on the other hand, would be available after a possible tradedown with Dallas or San Diego at #27 or #28 and could definitely handle LT, while at the same time giving the Bills an extra second round pick that they could really use this year. Picking anyone in the first round is a gamble, but it strikes me that Saffold is less of a risk than the other two. That said, if we end up with Bulaga or especially Williams I will be perfectly happy.
We’ll just have to agree to disagree on Saffold. In the games I watched, I didn’t think he was a good run blocker at all. Maybe that was just because of the spread system that Indiana ran though.
And I do have questions about Saffold as a pass blocker. He’s quick, but I don’t think his recovery ability is much better than Bulaga’s. For the same reasons that I’ve got concerns about his run blocking, I’ve got concerns about his ability to anchor. I’ve also heard that he’s got questionable awareness.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
I’m surprised Pouncey isn’t on your list. In a division with strong NT’s, you could do a lot worse than picking a center who could dominate for ten years.
Pouncey’s a good player. Really like him, and think he’s an instant starter. But I also think Wood will eventually be this team’s center, and adding that to the critical need and major talent requirements, Pouncey wasn’t really a consideration for this list. Definitely wouldn’t mind him in a Bills uniform, though.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions
If I were picking off your list....
… I’d select Davis. He’s got issues, but we’ve seen eye-to-eye on him from the beginning. I think Bulaga ends up at RT. Davis could be a good LT, and transition to RT if he’s not. So there’s a back-up plan. Watching Davis dominate against Jason Pierre-Paul and George Selvie really sold me on Davis. JPP is as elite of an athlete as Davis will see in the NFL, and Davis looked great against him. n
LT is really more of a skill position in today’s NFL anyway. Walter Jones was considered lazy and quirky for years…. the same years that he was the best LT in football. I’m not scared off by Davis, especially considering Levitre, Hangartner, and Wood are lunchpail types. That would be a good group for Davis.
I think part of Nix’s choice rests on the depth of the draft. At 41, Saffold and Charles Brown might be available. At that same pick, Cody might be available; Cam Thomas, Linval Joseph, and Torell Troup will be available, and maybe even at 73. The NT and DL depth is much deeper than OT.
OLB is another way I would think about if I were the GM. I’m not sold that Morgan is an OLB, though he did have a decent 10 yard split time. Kindle’s 10-yard split was average and makes me hesitate about him. He can burst by Big 12 and Alabama OT’s, but that might not be the case for him in the NFL. Kind of similar to Manny Lawson; great athlete but not a pass rusher.
Graham is really intreging to me. He screams LaMarr Woodley to me. Total power and effort guy. He and Maybin could be terrorizing. But again, there’s a ton of OLB prospects to be had later in the draft: Sapp, Norwood, Cunningham, Misi, etc.
I would be happy with Clausen. Mark Sanchez 2.0, IMO.
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
I’m really not a fan of Campbell, Brown and Saffold as Bills prospects. All three are solid athletes, but I don’t believe that they possess the run-blocking prowess to be effective in a Gailey offense. I wish Ducasse had played like eight more Senior Bowls – I think he’s got the potential to play the left side in a power-running offense. He’s super raw though, and I have doubts that he’d even be able to beat out Bell despite his excellent potential. I’d still take Ducasse over any of those 3 guys as a LT prospect, though, because I believe he’s a better fit for this franchise.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed
And I’m on board with your thought that Trent Williams, not Bruce Campbell, is the likely Raider pick at 8.
I really like Ducasse as well. I’ve been thinking about whether he or Iupati could play LT. I’m not sure…. he’s raw and needs a ton of work. I really wanted Nix to sign Barry Sims for this reason: Bell and however we draft might not be ready.
The same logic applies for Ducasse, though. If he doesn’t cut it at LT, move him to RT or even RG once Wood moves to C.
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
"whoever"
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
Right on. Ducasse isn’t comfortable in space, hasn’t been asked to move much, and really, really struggles with counter-moves. He’s got the requisite reach, feet and hips to play the left side. But there’s so much technique work to be done, and experience to be accrued, that he’d be a project anywhere but guard. I’m not a huge proponent of drafting a guy to play one position, then planning on flipping him to another. That works in college, but not as well in the pros.
It’s really not a good year at OT. If Buffalo goes elsewhere at 9, they might be forced to draft a power guy like Ducasse to work with and compete with Bell. That might be the best they can do.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions
At a minimum, if he doesn't work at LT, he could be Green's replacement in a few years
Hope is not a method, but I sure do hope Bell’s trend of playing well before he got hurt continues.
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
Don’t rule out Bruce Campbell. Al is infatuated with speed and Bruce Campbell is the best athlete of all LT’s. Of course, on tape he looks like a third or fourth rounder more often than not.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Apr 3, 2010 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
True
But Trent Williams is just as good of an athlete, and he’s a way better player.
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
Yep. Campbell ran a 4.85, but Williams ran a 4.88. I think Al would much prefer Williams to Campbell, because while stupid, he’s not THAT stupid.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t agree on him being as good an athlete, but that’s just my observations on game tape.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Apr 3, 2010 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Agree with all but one, Derrick Morgan. I think, for the 3-4, he’d be a bigger reach than Maybin was last year. I’m not at all convinced that his skill set could be effectively adapted to 3-4 OLB.
"the true is we havent had SQUAT, SQUISHY,SAQUASUM SAQGUANDO, DIDLY DORI BING TURY CRAP" - abayarde
You’re definitely not alone there, and I don’t think there’s any question he’s better suited to a 4-3. I’m not sure we’d be asking him to play in space all that often, though, and he’s just a solid, productive player. Those G-Tech ties are hard to ignore, too.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Wait next year for a QB
FAce it, the Bills are a good 2-3 players away from being a playoff team. I think they should address their offensive line, of which I would take Trent Williams and Bulaga over Davis, since they have more experience and Davis is more of an athlete and has to refine his technique still.
Next year’s crop of Quarterbacks is better than this year’s, with Locker probablu available from Washington and Mallett from Arkansas. I believe the Bills will be drafting in the top-10 again next year. They should build there line first. like the Jets did and then draft a QB, like the Jets did with Sanchez. By the way, the Jets made it to the AFC Championship. Bills took first step in the right direction of drafting offensive linemen last year – Don’t stop now!
by BuffaloWhiner on Apr 3, 2010 9:39 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I'm with you mostly on this
BUt I do think Clausen has much a chance as locker on being a franchise QB, so if the OTs/NTs that are going to be the best fit are gone at 9-I’m okay with Clausen.
But if Okung, Suh, McCoy or Davis are available I think you have to go there first.
Go with draft strength
I am not super happy with the OT prospects that will probably be available at 9, but I like the value we would get out of a OT at 9, and DT at 41 this year, then a QB with our first pick next year. (trade up if necesary) That plays to this years draft strength, and next years also.
I think I agree.
Next year’s QB class is supposed to be the best one in a long time. We could address our bigger needs which is the offensive line and getting some good pass rushers and just rolling with the 3 qbs we have now. I know it’s not a popular thing to do but it could pay off well in the future.
Replying to you as well as BuffaloWhiner here re: waiting for a quarterback.
I get the sentiment. I disagree with it, but I get it. What needs to be realized is that’s not how the NFL works. The Jets built up their offensive line because they had Chad Pennington and had drafted Kellen Clemens as their QB-of-the-future – they went QB first. That example is irrelevant. NFL teams know that QB is the most important position, and they’ll take one they like and build the line later, much like Detroit did with Stafford a year ago.
If you have an opportunity to pick a franchise signal caller that you’re comfortable with, you do it. That’s what Nix has done his whole career. Nix obviously wasn’t calling the shots, but San Diego drafted Drew Brees and Eli Manning (swapped for Phil Rivers, who is VERY similar to Clausen) while never drafting an offensive lineman in the first round. Why would that change, particularly given the realities of the league?
The only way Buffalo passes on a QB for a different position is if they don’t like the guys that are available at No. 9 enough to take them that high. That’s just the reality of the situation.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions
I’ll admit it: I’m going to go completely bananas if we pass on Clausen.
This franchise desperately needs a face of the franchise and I don’t care if we need O-line help and whatever. QB is our biggest need and this new regime needs to send the right message to the fan base that they’re serious about making this franchise great again and the best way to do that is by acquiring a franchise QB.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Apr 3, 2010 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions
QB draft strength?
Brian, first I would like to say thanks to you, and all the guys I have been reading for almost a year now!!! I depend on RUMBLINGS for all my bills info. Great job!!!!! I was wondering what the draft strength was like the years Brees, and Eli were drafted by SD. Were they the top prospects for the years they were drafted? I have no preferance of picking a QB or OT first. I would like to get the best possible fit to our scheme, and weather conditions (at QB ). With that in mind could you give some insight as to how you would see Locker, Mallett, and any other QB prospects for 2011 fitting in at Buffalo. I have to admit being from Arkansas I would love to see Mallett as a BILL!!! How would you compare Clausen to Brees, and Eli as prospects back then?
There are certainly a lot of intriguing QB prospects this year. It’s nothing close to ‘04 – Manning, Rivers and Roethlisberger were all blue-chip prospects, and Losman, Schaub and McCown added intriguing tier two depth to the class. This class is, however, better than the ’01 class that produced Brees; beyond Drew, the best QB that year is now probably a toss-up between Vick, Sage Rosenfels and A.J. Feeley. There are much better prospects this year than in ’01, but this class doesn’t come close to touching the ’04 class.
Thanks for the kind words re: the site.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Don't trade, go BPA
I don’t want the team to trade down because we need elite, blue-chip prospects. Those will be tougher to find at 15 or 22 than at 9. At 9 we should have our pick of at least 6 of these prospects, and I could see most of these prospects being impact players immediately. We need guys like that, not depth guys or projects.
I did not propose a trade down, and given who I think will be available, I think they’ll be fine staying put as well. Given the excellent depth of this class, though, I think they’d be stupid not to listen to offers, at least.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Wasn’t insinuating that you did, just saying that I’d rather see them grab the most elite talent they can rather than move down 7 slots and pick up an extra fourth rounder. ‘Course someone could always blow them away with an offer, and as long as they still think they can get the guys they’re targeting I suppose they’d have to listen.
Wasn’t insinuating that you did
I know. :)
What I should have said was, “I did not propose a trade down, and I don’t think I will, either.” Was not being contradictory; we’re in agreement.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
The Bills aren't moving down 7 spots for a 4th rounder....
Here’s a hypothetical for you….Let’s say the Bills trade #9 to Baltimore for #25 and Jared Gaither….would you be opposed? Gaither isn’t an elite LT, and the Bills would lose out on any of the top prospects in this draft? But they got a good, solid NFL experienced LT that is young, and can still grab a guy like Tebow, Kindle, Cody, or whoever. If the #9 pick produces a starting LT AND another productive type player, wouldn’t that be ok even though we didn’t add an elite prospect???
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
That might work for me, but I continue to be puzzled over the fact that the Ravens are so anxious to get rid of Gaither. I gather there is a motivation problem and Harbough apparently does not believe it can be fixed. If that’s true, do we really want him?
The Ravens aren’t anxious to get rid of him. They’ll get him signed to an extension at some point, if you ask me. It’s still too early for them to hitch their wagon to Oher.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
But if they had the chance to get a guy like Davis who could develop into an elite LT, I’d argue that having an elite player in the second most important position on offense is better than two serviceable players (or a serviceable replacement and another, lesser-than-#9-talent elsewhere).
This team has a noticeable lack of star players, and I’m firmly in the camp of “let’s get more blue chip talent” rather than the “let’s try to plug as many holes as possible” camp. I believe that you can’t win in this league without superstar talent at at least a few positions, and we won’t win until our best player is someone other than the punter.
I agree. If Buffalo wants to move down two or three spots, pick up a 5th rounder and still get there guy, then great. But I wouldn’t be a fan of moving down 8 or 9 spots to pick up a 2nd rounder. At least not at the expense of Clausen or a top prospect. Maybe Bufalo thinks they can snag a sliding Anthony Davis or think that the past way to go is a stud pass rusher like Kindle or Hughes, but they better have a really good plan if they’re trading down.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
This is just about what I would have had done
Very good job Brian!
I’ve only bee thinking of a top 5 board myself, so I don’t have the full depth you do here. Those are the five guys that will undoubtedly be gone by pick 9, good job identifying them.
My only modest difference is I have Davis at 1 and Clausen at 1A. Clausen has really grown on me, and I think he has the best chance of any of the top 3 QBs to be a franchise player-but the OT just keeps kicking in the back of my head as a bigger need than QB.
Bugula is 3 with Dan Williams at 4 and Trent Williams at 5(I’m believing the hype, sadly).
Also, if Okeung, Suh or McCoy fell this far, I’d take them over everyone else on the list. Bradford is about 1B b/c I’m a little distrustful of that shoulder and the lack of college playing time.
And secretly, selfishly, I’m glad to see a certain Florida Gator not on this list….not that I thought you had that big a crush on him, but still….
On Bradford: I think he has a better shot at becoming an elite player than Clausen does, but only in the right situation. I believe St. Louis is 100% one of those situations – he’d be in a dome, out west, and wouldn’t be exposed to the elements as much. He could really thrive if they build around him the right way.
Clausen should be able to succeed in more environments, and also much earlier in his career, but I think his ceiling is lower.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Well you don't need a perfect QB to be sucessful
You just need a good one. Plus W/r/t Clausen-he’s had experience playing behind a crap line, and he hasn’t been broken a la Trent Edwards. So he seems pretty tough, which is a plus.
Yep. You sound like you get it, Frank. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions
The dome consideration is huge
And they’ve got a good running game in place, and a solid plan to build the team.
Bradford would play most of his games in domes or great weather. Eight homes games, plus a dome game every year in Arizona. SF is usually good weather. Seattle is sometimes bad depending on the time of year. That’s 9 of 11 games in a dome every year.
The NFC also has dome teams in Dallas, Minnesota, Detroit, New Orleans, and Atlanta. Tampa Bay and Carolina play in good weather.
The chances of STL building a high powered offense around Bradford are really high.
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
thoughts
I have to say off the bat, that I refuse to judge or grade draft picks right off the bat. Generally, I admit I only have an idea about the players in these things rather than a real knowledge of what they can bring to the table in the league. That being siad, I have my favorites and least favorites like any Bills fan. 3 of the players I DON’T like appear on Brian’s lits above in slots 3 through 5. I HATE everything I know about Bryan Bulaga as a top 10 pick. Steady, unspectacular, hard working…bleh. I won’t rip a pick until I see the guy in a Bills’ uniform, but I am not interested in Bulaga. I’m sick of lunch pale types in Buffalo who aren’t talented enough to dominate. I also don’t like Dan Williams (who never stood out to me in college) or Derrick Morgan (OLBs in a 3-4 need to be spectacular to go in the top 10 in my opinion- Morgan doesn’t qualify). Personally, I’m hoping for Clausen although my gut says Buffalo doesn’t want to pay a top 10 QB before the collective bargaining restructuring. Other than Clausen, I’m rooting for Trent Williams to be the pick.
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
Other than Clausen, I’m rooting for Trent Williams to be the pick.
I get your sentiment re: the safe, unspectacular guys.
Why, though, would you pull for Trent Williams over Anthony Davis, particularly since you didn’t seem to have a problem with him being No. 2 on the list?
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah agreed
Williams is along the same lines as Bulaga to me, safer, lower ceiling, etc….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Williams’ ceiling is considerably higher than Bulaga’s, though. Much, much better athlete.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Lower than Davis' that is.....
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Right. I realize now my response makes it sound like I thought you meant Williams’ ceiling is lower than Bulaga’s, but you and I are on the same page. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions
From what I read, I like Anthony Davis. I just like Trent Williams more because I was really impressed with him in 08 when I saw a bunch of Oklahoma games…I have o admit, I’ve seen Rutgers 2 or 3 times over the past two seasons and don’t recall Davis at all. I like Williams more just because of I’m familiar with him…not that this means anything, but in terms of rooting…
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
That makes sense. Thanks. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Davis has no fire in his belly because it is filled with Big Macs
We just spend the last two seasons getting rid of underperforming nice guys and one ungrateful greedy self-centered dbag. Now, you want to start restocking the shelf with Davis. And then even more disappointing is this
he’ll need to be supremely technically proficient to make up for his barely passable reach
I am not going to bother to list all the very good/great NFL LTs that have the same reach. Why is it that nobody ever questioned Jason Peters arm length?
He comes into the league with a lot of hype
Not until recently. Bulaga’s thyroid condition set him back. Now that he is fully healthy, people are taking notice. It doesn’t matter anyway…..Bulaga will most likely be gone by the time the Bills are on the clock. With Saffold’s stock rising, he may very well go at the end of the first or before the Bills pick in the second……I have no idea what the Bills are going to do if Bell isn’t ready.
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
Why is it that nobody ever questioned Jason Peters arm length?
Because Peters is a much, MUCH better overall athlete than Bulaga is. And in case you don’t recall, Peters was a UDFA signed as a tight end. Who the hell questions the arm length of a UDFA tight end? :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Exactly!!!
If Bulaga had the same athletic ability and the ability to recover if beaten initially, we wouldn’t hear about those arm length concerns….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Well then say he isn't as athletic, which I would like to see some proof of by the way
I know Peters was a UDFA, but was his arm length questioned when he was moved from RT to LT….NO.
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
Again
Why would Peters arm length be questioned then? His athleticism was off the charts for the OT position, and he had already begun playing well in the NFL.
You know just as much as I do that we can’t fully quantify Bulaga’s athleticism. You can watch video of him. You can take his workout numbers, which I would hesitate doing. I just don’t think he’s as fluid as a guy like Davis….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Was Peters as athletic after he bulked up to play LT ?
He sure didn’t look very athletic his last year as a Bill.
I just don’t think he’s as fluid as a guy like Davis….
If you mean Davis retains more water, then I agree ;-)
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
It's ok Joe
You can like prospects other than Bulaga and it’ll be ok if the Bills draft one of them….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Sorry, but I keep having Oher flashbacks....same argument different draft
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
OK, but Oher was twice the prospect Bulaga is…
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
easy to say now, but many an "expert" said Oher was a RT. Time will tell :-)
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
Well, Oher played RT last year, did he not? :)
I meant that Oher possessed far more natural talent than Bulaga does.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Well then say he isn’t as athletic, which I would like to see some proof of by the way
You’ve got to DVR more Iowa games, Joe. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions
You know he was recovering from a thyroid condition, right?
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
Yes, I’m aware. He missed three games because of that.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
which i am mystified by – it got more play in other parts of the country than it did among hawk fans.
from what i understand coming out of iowa city – they think its kinda funny.
not following you.......in what way?
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
that being said, as a lifer hawkeye, i have reservations about bulaga. i think brian and DJ are spot on. he’ll be good, but a better RT, ghosts of robert gallery. not worth the 9th pick in my opinion.
if i were nix, and he were still there at 9, i wouldn’t take him – but i’m guessing the chefs will take him earlier via scot piloli’s connections to kirk ferentz makes the point moot.
Why I'm not a Bulaga fan
Measurables are one thing. Average ability is another. Bulaga handled Derrick Morgan fairly well. Remember though, that Morgan is a power DE, not a speed rusher. Morgan wasn’t the right guy to expose Bulaga’s lack of an anchor against a rusher that transitions speed to power, or inability to shuffle his feet fast enough to handle counter moves
Brandon Graham dominated Bulaga in their match-up. Graham is shorter than Bulaga, which should make Bulaga’s average reach irrelevant. But Bulaga couldn’t anchor against Graham, and displayed slow feet when having to deal with Graham’s counter moves.
Bulaga is a solid RT prospect. He’s an average LT IMO. It all might be moot, anyway. I think there’s a good shot that Scott Pioli takes Bulaga at 5 and plays him at RT opposite Albert. And Bulaga would be a great pro in that offense at RT.
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
Good reply
Bulaga does need to get stronger in the legs to help him anchor. Given is youth and issues he had with his thyroid, I have no doubt he will get stronger. Graham had Bulaga’s number that day, no doubt. But it is beyond my comprehension how people can take one bad day and assume it will apply for the rest of his career. Can anyone say for sure that if Bulaga and Graham squared off again, the result would be the same? If KC does take Bulaga, most of the talking head are saying Bulaga will play LT and Albert will be moved.
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
I don't buy what the talking heads are saying
Albert played well the second half of the season. KC isn’t going to move a player tha’s probably starting to find his game.
Sure, that’s just one game. But Bulaga’s got a lot of work to do to add lower body strength, and he’ll only marginally be able to improve his footwork. I’m not concerned that he got beat by Graham. I’m concerned about the speed of his feet. Very similar situation to Robert Gallery. Gallery started at RT for the Raiders initially. He played pretty well. Once they moved him to LT, he got exposed. Now he’s a really good guard.
That said, if Bulaga is played at RT, he’s proababy going to be a very good pro for a long time.
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
I guess I’m having trouble with Bulaga being graded higher than Trent Williams. If both their ultimate destinies are RT, doesn’t Williams get the nod?
"the true is we havent had SQUAT, SQUISHY,SAQUASUM SAQGUANDO, DIDLY DORI BING TURY CRAP" - abayarde
It's all in the eye of the guy who puts the board together
I’m willing to bet that Scott Pioli has Bulaga rated higher than Williams. Bulaga’s mentality fits what KC is trying to do much more than Williams’.
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
LT's who might be better RT's
I’ve been hearing a lot more talk about Bulaga and Trent Williams being better RT prospects as of late. I’ve been on the Bulaga boat for awhile, mainly because he’s a mauler with good work ethic. He’d be a great fit with the boys we got last year. So out of the top 4 or 5 OT’s in this draft ( Okung, Davis, Bulaga, Williams and Campbell/Brown )… is there any concern that none of them are really “blue chip” LT’s after Okung?
By the way, great list Brian. Great discussion so far. I am sooooooo ready for the draft to start, I think I’m gonna take the Friday off and make it a long ( drunken stupor ) weekend.
Schmucks don't make it to the Pro Bowl... except Jason Peters!
by Run Thurmal Run! on Apr 3, 2010 11:12 AM EDT reply actions
is there any concern that none of them are really "blue chip" LT’s after Okung?
Good Lord, yes. They’re good players, but all of them have serious question marks. We’re not talking about Ryan Clady or Jake Long here, folks – we’re talking about Jason Smith, Andre Smith and Eugene Monroe. Okung’s not in the same class as Long or Clady, but he’ll be good for a long time on the left side. One or two of the others may be, but they’re not locks.
Don’t get too drunk on draft weekend – that goes for all. We don’t want any more Jairus Byrd poll questions. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions
No worries
I can keep things under control when I’m drinking and typing. =P
Now I just have to start preparing myself for the first Bills pick that I haven’t been thinking about. For some reason, I can’t help but think that Clausen will be gone. And I’m not convinced that the OT’s that will be available will be the best pick.
So what does that leave us. I don’t think Morgan and Graham are best suited to a 3-4 defense, so perhaps we’ll be looking at Dan Williams. I’m keeping the faith though.
Schmucks don't make it to the Pro Bowl... except Jason Peters!
by Run Thurmal Run! on Apr 3, 2010 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
You asked for it.....
We don’t want any more Jairus Byrd poll questions. :)
TWSS
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
CJ Spiller
I’m sure I’ll get some feedback on this, but I would put him in there somewhere. Gailey has already stated his preference for quicker back, and Spiller would provide the big play potential we just haven’t had in the last few years. He’s likely to immediately produce (only player in the FBS to score a touchdown in every game last year), and he offers a ton of versatility. He wouldn’t just be carrying the ball, he’s got the hands and route running ability to be split out wide. Not to mention he could return kicks and punts.
On Dez Bryant- I think you are absolutely right about him Brian. The best thing that can happen to him is to fall into the 20s to a team with a strong locker room and probably some depth already on hand at the position. NE, GB and Bal all seem to me to be good places for him. On a side note, am I reading this quote out of context or is he referring to himself in the third person?:
“Any teams who don’t draft me who think I have background problems or any of that, you’re not going to draft me because of stuff that happened in my childhood?” Bryant said. “What about now? What’s been going on with Dez now? Nothing bad’s been going on with Dez. Nothing at all.”
There's nothing an agnostic can't do if he doesn't know whether he believes in anything or not
Spiller’s excellent, but they’ve got two backs, and Gailey can get his water bug in the mid-to-late rounds. Even still, Spiller was a close call, almost making this list.
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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions
clausen not the one ...
1. Anthony Davis, T
2. Brian Bulaga, T
3. Brian Price, DT
4. Derrick Morgan, DE
5. Brandon Graham, DE
6. Daryl Washington, LB
7. Eric Norwood, LB
8. Sergio Kindle, LB
9. Sean Witherspoon, LB
10. Demaryius Thomas, WR
the Bills cant and wont pass on Clausen
his resume and ability to fit such a big need is just too attractive to ignore
we the FANS the VOICE the PEOPLE the true BLOOD of the Buffalo BILLS are just doing all this SO mAYBE just MAYbe the Coach THE teAM will just see how us the FANS the the SPARTAN aka BUFARTAN we will not Surrender to know onE.
-abayarde
by uPitt_BillsFan on Apr 3, 2010 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
That is… a very unique list, at least.
Brian Price? He’s a 4-3 DT. He might be able to play 3-4 end, but we’ve got 3 of those already.
Daryl Washington? 4-3 weak-side linebacker. Excellent athlete, terrible scheme fit.
Eric Norwood? One of my favorites, but he’s a second-round prospect.
Sean Weatherspoon? Again, not a very snug scheme fit, though he’s going to be an excellent pro.
Demaryius Thomas? Slightly overrated, and that injury is a huge concern.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Linebacker fan, are we?
And Demaryius over Dez?
I call it... The Avaslug!
I am the 1st and probably only official member of the David "Dr." Jones fanclub. Until I get the newsletter out, anyway.
Donte Whitner sez: Camp Jauron is over!
by UZ on Apr 3, 2010 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions
What's with the yoda talk, UZ?
Like linebackers, you do?
: )
Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." --Oogway
Hmm! Yoda, I speak as!
English major, I obviously am not! :)
I call it... The Avaslug!
I am the 1st and probably only official member of the David "Dr." Jones fanclub. Until I get the newsletter out, anyway.
Donte Whitner sez: Camp Jauron is over!
by UZ on Apr 3, 2010 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions
To Tebow or not to Tebow?
That may be a bigger question than most Bills fans realize. Let me be clear at the outset — I am NOT advocating for selecting Tebow (I think he is an especially tough prospect to evaluate and as a result he is far above my pay grade) — but I do wonder if Nix and Gailey may be sorely tempted by him. As Vic Carucci among others has speculated, if they really like him and want him to be their QB of the future, they could take him at #9 on the thought that he will probably be gone before they are on the board again at #41.
Doing that — or picking Clausen if he falls to them — would probably hinge on their judgments about their existing OT’s. If they are favorably impressed by what they saw of Bell and Meredith on tape and believe both could become solid starters this year having gotten their rookie seasons behind them then they will be much more willing to go QB at #9. If they think they have a desperate need at OT, then it becomes less likely (especially given how expensive QB’s are when you take them in the Top Ten — something that probably will not be the case after this year).
If it were left to my judgment (and what do I know?) I would pull the trigger for Clausen, Bulaga, Dan Williams and Trent Williams at #9. I would take any tradedown available rather than pick the other six that Brian mentions, and then draft Saffold, followed by Cam Thomas in the second round and a pass-rushing OLB with the extra second round pick.
My top 10
I don’t think I can put together a top 10 for guys I think the Bills should pick at #9. There’s just not enough players I like to take that high.
1. Clausen. It’s a no brainer for me. The biggest position of need, by far, and a a quality prospect could be available at 9? I’d have that index card up to the commish before the ink is dry if he were to be available.
2. Davis. I agree with where you had him ranked. Although I’m still bothered by how thoroughly he was abused in the Syracuse game, his potential blows the other OT prospects out of the water. I’m not going to pretend I know much about his supposed work ethic and character issues, but grabbing a potentially dominant LT is worth that risk.
3. Bulaga. I was a huge fan of his before, but that has faded some. He’s limiited athletically and that really gives me cause for concern. Facing so many 3-4 Defenses every year, I’m not sure he can handle all the smaller, quicker pass rushers as well as a Davis could.
4. Dan Williams – I don’t necessarily think he’s a top 10 prospect, but he’s close. I really like what he could give our front 7….a true anchor.
After those four, I find it hard to like many of the prospects for the #9 slot.
5. Trent Williams. I’m just not a huge fan. I hate that his junior tape at RT and his workout numbers are why he’s been climbing the boards. I don’t think he’s a great fit at LT, but could be a solid player there. To me, he just seems destined for the right side, at least until I see a lot more out of him. A mediocre senior season at LT is pretty alarming, especially for a potential top 10 pick.
After those 5, there’s only one or two prospects I could see being solid picks at 9.
6. Brandon Graham. I love his pass rush ability, but don’t really see him as a top 10 player in this draft. I wonder if he’ll be able to play OLB in the 3-4, outside of rushing the passer. I’m not sure how often Edwards would have his OLB’s dropping into coverage, but I’m guessing they’ll at least need to have some ability to do so. I’m not sure Graham will be able to do it, but that shouldn’t impact his potential selection. It’s just a question. The bigger question I have is whether or not he can have consistent success against the better LT’s in the NFL, like a Clady or Long, guys with the size, strength and athleticism to neutralize players like Graham. Of course, Graham could always be rushing from the other side, which would really increase his explosive capabilities. I love him as a prospect, I’m just not sure I see him being a top 10 pick…yet.
7. Hold on
8. McClain. I think he’s overrated a bit, but still a very good prospect. I also don’t think he’s a good fit for what the Bills need right now. ILB seems to need depth, at best, not a starter right now. If I thought McClain was as good as Patrick Willis, he’d be higher on my list. Obviously, I don’t.
9. Dez Bryant. I really like him, really, really like him that is. I think he’s going to be a fantastic pro, if he keeps his head screwed on correctly. I see a little Anquan Boldin in him, with more speed and big play ability. He could be fantastic in the right system. If the Bills didn’t need such trench and QB help, I would be pushing harder for Bryant. I also think his question marks make him a top 15-20 pick, instead of a top 10 pick.
10. Derrick Morgan and Sergio Kindle. I don’t like Morgan as a 3-4 OLB, at all. He’s a great fit in a 4-3, and I don’t see the need to try remaking him into an OLB here. Sure the GT ties might make it happen, but I don’t think it’d be a great idea, especially with some of the players who should also be available to us. I do like Kindle as a 3-4 OLB, just not this high. If the Bills were to trade down 8-10 slots, Kindle might be the best option, assuming none of these other guys are available. I think he’ll be a good pass rusher in the pros.
Back to #7…Tebow. I don’t love Tebow as a prospect, and I’m not sure I even like him yet. I don’t want to get into this much more, because I’m sick of the talk, but I’ve seen a number of good reasons why Tebow would be a nice pick for the Bills at #9. I could see it, and as a potential franchise QB, I’d be more willing to take that risk than pick someone like Morgan or McClain. Get used to this as a possibility, because every day we get closer to the draft, the more I think this is likely to be the pick…..
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on Apr 3, 2010 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Good list
Obviously I disagree about Davis and add Bryant to the list. Maybe I am sick of having a$$es on the team. I don’t care how talented they are…..in most cases they are not worth the trouble. Give me Jerry Rice over T.O. any day.
I like Tebow and I still cringe at taking him at #9. It is a huge risk that could go either way. How about some wild speculation…..The reason Gailey hasn’t named an OC is because he is waiting to see if we get Tebow. After we take Tebow at #9, Gailey will hire Trestman as OC to continue working with him.
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
Curtis Modkins was hired as offensive coordinator.
by Jeff Winters on Apr 3, 2010 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, this. That happened months ago.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Guess is spaced that one out.....who could forget the Modkins hire.
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
by Joe P. on Apr 3, 2010 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Haha
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
then make Trestman assistant HC or QB coach in charge of Tebow....whatever :-)
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
Why would he leave his head coaching job to be an assistant QB coach and/or asst. head coach?
You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Apr 4, 2010 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
because the NFL is like 1000 times better than the CFL......sorry CBF
"I'm a peripheral visionary." - Steven Wright
As a NFL Asst HC, and maybe as a NFL QB coach also, he would be paid significantly more than a CFL HC. I would also hazard a guess that, if he did a good job, he would be higher up any interview candidate list regarding future NFL promotions (HC jobs?) if he were already in the NFL.
"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues." --Abraham Lincoln
Kurupt, it looks like we are on exactly the same page except for Davis (where the huge red flags suggest to me that he is too big a risk for a #9 pick). I echo everthing you say about Tebow.
Perhaps it's too risky
But are those red flags being blown out of proportion? Do we know exactly what the issues may be? Has Greg Schiano ever come out and said Davis is a character risk? I don’t know. His talent and elite potential mean a lot more to me than character risks that I don’t even know exist. If Nix feels Davis is worth it, I’m fully on board. We shall see, I guess….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Showing up at the combine in poor shape and giving a very bad performance when so much was on the line is a major red flag for me. Also, the press reports (which are not always trustworthy, I’ll readily admit) indicate that he was the opposite of impressive in his interviews with various teams there. If true, that’s the kind of thing that signals trouble ahead. But yes, if Nix sees him as so talented that those kinds of problems can be overlooked than I’m on board as well.
If elite potential means more to you than character risk
Than you should’ve picked Dez Bryant ahead of Anthony Davis.
And I agree with Macktruck that the character risk is too big to ignore in Davis’ case.
For the #9 pick, there are only 2 in the whole draft (assuming Brian’s top 8 big board players are gone) that is worth it — Bryant and Tebow.
I’m not as high on Clausen as many of you are. Why? Two words: Brady Quinn. Clausen is behind Quinn in most of Notre Dame’s school passing record.
I’m not a Tebow fan (yet), but I have to admit his upside is far better than Clausen.
Bills fan half way around the world
And Brian Griese was a much better college QB than Tom Brady. Why does it matter that Quinn and Clausen both went to Notre Dame? If the Jets thought Matt Leinart was a bust, should they not have taken Mark Sanchez? Aaron Rodgers didn’t have a problem following Kyle Boller. Seriously, why does Brady Quinn matter at all? Why don’t people use that same type of argument for positions other than QB?
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
Thanks you, I get so frustrated by these arguments, they have no merit, people are different.
" A wise man once told me, never argue with a fool, becuase from a far, you can't tell who is who" - Jay-Z
by SouthBuffaloNDgrad on Apr 4, 2010 10:34 PM EDT up reply actions
To me, the most important QB stats are Comp% and YPA
Comp% shows accuracy while YPA reflects multiple aspects of a QB (one of which is arm strength and another is the ability to find the open man).
Michigan
Griese’s college stats: 3yr starter, 7.23ypa, 33TD, 18INT, 58.6%comp
Brady’s college stats: 2yr starter, 7.55ypa, 35TD, 17INT, 61.9%comp
Brady was a more accurate passer and had a higher YPA than Griese in college. Brady had more TDs in 2yrs than Griese had in 3years. How can you say Griese “was a much better college QB than Brady”? If anything, the college stats do indicate that Brady should be a better pro than Griese, and it is definitely so.
CAL Golden Bears
Boller’s college stats: 3yr starter, 3.7ypa, 36TD, 38INT, 45.1%comp
Rodgers’ college stats: 2yr starter, 8.2ypa, 43TD, 13INT, 63.8%comp
Their college stats are overwhelming to show Rodgers should be a much better pro-QB than Boller. And history says so thus far.
Notre Dame
Quinn’s college stats: 3yr starter, 7.34ypa, 58TD, 32INT, 56.4%comp
Clausen’s college stats: 3yr starter, 7.34ypa, 60TD, 27INT, 62.6%comp
The college stats indicate that Clausen is a more accurate passer than Quinn, but fairly similar otherwise. With how Quinn’s career has turn out thus far, I don’t think it bodes well for Clausen. If I’m from Vegas, I’d bet that Clausen will only be slightly better than Quinn as a pro — starter yes but franchise no.
My theory to comparing college stats of the same school is that, assuming they are of consecutive era and with same coaches, the QB’s exposure to competition and offensive systems are very similar. Some offensive players were likely to have had overlapped between the 2 QBs. So the stats will then reflect how they perform under relatively similar environment.
Such as, a company may evaluate a fresh grad with a 3.0gpa from Harvard higher than a fresh grad from a local college with a 4.0gpa. The college’s reputation and also how these college’s previous graduates perform in the company affect the evaluation and hiring process.
I see this comparison as being totally relevant.
Bills fan half way around the world
Well
I don’t consider Anthony Davis a ‘character risk’. I don’t know anything about him. All I know is he has supposed work ethic issues, which may or may not have been blown out of proportion. I’m not sure how that makes him a character risk. It’s not like he’s been arrested 3 times or failed out of school or did something ridiculous during a game. Please tell me how that is too big of a risk to simply ignore?
So yes, his elite potential means a lot more to me than motivation issues that I don’t know the full extent of.
I’m not as high on Clausen as many of you are. Why? Two words: Brady Quinn.
Why does this have to be used as an argument? How does Quinn have anything to do with Clausen’s pro potential? Big deal, they both went to ND and played under Weis. Well, Weis also coached Tom Brady at one point, so Clausen should benefit from that right?
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
see my reply to kaisontown above
Bills fan half way around the world
QB and OT
The reason we have to take Clausen if he is there is because we cannot afford to pass on a potential franchise quarterback, especially considering we don’t have anyone on our current roster that fits that description. If the Bills were to pass on him and he became a good NFL starter, it would haunt us for years. I think that OT is the bigger need, but if the QB is there we have to take him. The reason I like Bulaga more than Davis the the way he dominated Derrick Morgan in the bowl game. He totally neutralized Morgan and made him a non-factor. I don’t think we should take Morgan because we can’t afford to take another project player, and by that I mean he wasn’t an OLB in college so why draft him for that position. We need guys who can help us right away. For that reason, I think OT is the only position other than Clausen we can take at 9.
NT’s are big body guys you can train and teach to play the position and take in the later rounds. Dan Williams only shot up draft boards because of the need for NT in the NFL and he is the best NT in the draft, not because he is one of the top 32 players in the draft. As far as rush LBs go, I like Brandon Graham the most but I wouldn’t mind taking Jerry Hughes in the 2nd round. He was productive in college and could be a great force for us opposite Maybin.
I sincerely doubt that Jerry Hughes makes it to the second round. He’ll be a first-round pick.
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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
You think? Where do you think he’ll go? Anywhere specific or are you just assuming he’ll be in round one? Lots of mocks online don’t have him in 1st
I can see Hughes going anywhere from 19-32.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
My Big Board
My first five picks I would be very happy with taking at the #9 spot. 6-10 I think could be gained while trading down and picking up extra picks but would also be ok with.
1) Bryan Bulaga OT Iowa
2) Trent Williams OT Oklahoma
3) Dan Williams NT Tennessee
4) Jason Pierre-Paul DE/OLB South Florida
5) Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma
6) C.J. Spiller RB Clemson
7) Rolando McClain ILB Alabama
8) Charles Brown OT USC
9) Jared Odrick DE/DT Penn State
10) Anthony Davis
by TexasBillsFanatic on Apr 3, 2010 1:07 PM EDT reply actions
I find your lack of QB disturbing. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Call me a ridiculous optimist but I have a modicum of hope for both Edwards(I know, I know!!) and Brohm with Gailey acting as yoda. Love the Vader reference, such a great movie!
by TexasBillsFanatic on Apr 3, 2010 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Brohm?
And Edwards?
But why?
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Well, in Edwards case I think he actually has the tools if he will remove his head from where he has placed it up his sphincter and get his mind right he could be good again. I’m hoping the Gailey can help him to do that. With Brohm it’s more a case of high potential but since none of us has seen anything from him due to no playing time we can’t know. It could just be me being highly optomistic but the new, tougher attitude Gailey seems to be installing I think could be just the atmosphere that they need.
by TexasBillsFanatic on Apr 3, 2010 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I just checked – in almost four years of Bills coverage, that was just the second time the word “sphincter” was used in a comment on this blog. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh, and y’all would never guess (hint: dripping sarcasm there) who said it the first time. :P
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 3, 2010 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Was it me????? Can't remember......I may have said flatulating bu!!hole a few times. Does that count?
"I'm a peripheral visionary." - Steven Wright
Yes, it was you. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 4, 2010 8:35 AM EDT up reply actions
And it's no surprise who used it first....
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Just the fact you can gather that kind of info is flat out scary
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
and what's disturbing and more than scary
is seeing “dripping” and sphincter in the same thread…but I guess it depends on your point of view.
"you can't fill every hole, especially if you haven't been very good" - Buddy
LOL....nobody wants to see that.....doesn't matter from what view you look at it.
"I'm a peripheral visionary." - Steven Wright
You would look something like that up.
You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Apr 4, 2010 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions
But
why not?
"I don't agree with a damn thing you say, but I would die for your right to say it."
"If I had to do it all over again, I'd do it all over again."
Derrick Morgan
just doesn’t belong here. If he were to fall to the 2nd round, then you might try to draft a square peg and fit him into a round hole… but Morgan just is not a guy who can play LB. And you don’t draft situational players in the 1st round. He ran a good 40 time so ppl assume he’s athletic enough… well, Carlos Dunlap ran a good 40 time but no one considers him an OLB. We’ve already got an athletic DE in Chris Ellis who’s trying to make that switch… we don’t need 2.
And it still drives me bananas how much non-elite QBs are over-valued in the draft. Clausen at the top of your list is just the worst example of it. If Jake Locker comes out then Clausen is the 3rd-ranked QB in the draft and people would be talking about grabbing him in the late 1st – early 2nd… exactly where he should go. The kid thinks he’s a better QB than other prospects because he played under Charlie Weis… that, in itself, is troubling to me. Most prospects talk up their leadership, athleticism, work ethic, et cetera. And personally, I don’t want someone who comes off as a prick to be the face of my franchise… and I think that plays more of a role during interviews than people think.
1. Anthony Davis
2. Dan Williams
3. Rolando McClain
4. Bryan Bulaga
5a. Trade Down
5b. Trent Williams
6. Jimmy Clausen
7. Dez Bryant
8. Brandon Graham
9. Sergio Kindle
10. Maurkice Pouncey
"I don't agree with a damn thing you say, but I would die for your right to say it."
"If I had to do it all over again, I'd do it all over again."
eric berry
Suppose the first 8 teams of the draft get hammered drunk the night before the draft and forget that eric berry is an option. He falls to us at 9. Obviously, there is a boatload of teams calling our phone. I guess my question is -what do you do in this situation? Can you pass on drafting berry in favor of questionable talent like either of the williams?
That just straight up won’t happen. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 4, 2010 8:37 AM EDT up reply actions
ill give my opinion
if anyone care haha.
1. Clausen – still have issues with him. dont know if he possesses the arm strength and maturity to become a goo qb in this league. but def understand him being up here. to people saying “wait will next year” that shouldnt happen in my opinion. qbs you can stock pile and eventually you will get a really good one. no one knows who will be the next jim kelly, so might as well take clausen, tebow or whoever and if they arent progressing, nothing wrong with taking locker or mallet next year. it is the most important position to fulfill and have more than one good one is a great problem to have, not to mention great trade bait.
2. Davis – hate his off field “issues” but i would hope chix would flesh that out in the interviews in order to determine it. (anyone know if he has been in for one yet?) other than that i think hes got a great athletic ability but kind of side with joe, i dont think id want this dbag on the team. i def wouldnt have him at 2 on my board. i would reserve that spot for bulaga. but switching bulaga and davis isnt that big of a deal, so i can live with him here.
3. Bulaga – i think people are under-estimating him (well i guess i should say i think Brian is, because many believe as i do). i think bulaga will be a great lt for many many years. ive said over and over he may never make a pro bowl or get that great name recognition, but i am more than fine with that if he turns out to be the dependable good lt i think he can be. would love to take this guy with number 9, if hes there.
4. Williams (NT) – color me not impressed with this guy. i would much rather take cody a lil later (2nd round) than this guy. i watched a lot of UT games and never really came out impressed with him. i understand he tore up the senior bowl, but i always think the SB is better for the defensive players anyways. dan williams would not be this high on my list, but would still make it. im thinking a better place for him would be like number 10 or 9.
5. Morgan – doubt he can make the switch to olb. plus everytime i watched him in big games, the other teams always handled him. im a big ga tech fan and he absolutely disappeared in big games. (whether that was double teams or what, the fact remains). adding in his disappearing act and his likely unfitness with the 3-4, i would not draft morgan with number 9. im not sure he would be on my top ten.
6. Williams – dont know what to say about him. he looks terrible on tape to me, struggled all year at LT but was a pretty dominate RT. but i dont hink you should pick a RT in the first round…i would not have williams on my LT big board. and i think davis or bulaga will still be available, so i dont think this will be an issue.
7. Mclain – love mcclain but he doesnt fit a “need” so high in the draft. in fact yesterday there was a convo about how ILBs are easier to find to plug into a 3-4 than almost any other position. great athlete and will be a superb ilb for years, but not what the bills need i dont think, so if i were chix i wouldnt pull the trigger on him
8. Graham – dont know much about graham, so i cant say much. i know that one guy likes him, so he should be happy graham made the big board. pass rushing has been an issue with the bills for years, so if he would help i see why he is here.
9. Bryant – personally i think dez should be higher on this board. higher than both williams, mcclain, and maybe graham (maybe not as i dont know much about him). dez can turn our offense into a good one. i think he could be the wr2 the bills have been looking for since forever. getting dez would be a great pick up and does fill a need. wr is a need people. without a good passing game, people fill the box and no matter how good our line or freddy or marshawn is, there wont be much offensive performances.
10. Kindle – dont know much about him either, but he looked really good in the NC game. would love to pick him up, but have a feeling he could slide as far as 2nd round. if that happens and bulaga and davis are gone, im a big proponent of trading back, picking up a guy like kindle with the extra pick the bills can finagle out of the trading partner. i think he would be a great olb, especially learning behind schobel for a year…
thats all i got. i dont know if tebow should be on this list, thats really up to chix. i wouldnt be upset with taking him tho. best scenario is still either trading the 2nd for gaither and taking tebow number 9 or getting bulaga/davis with 9 and hoping they can pick tebow with 41. still concerned about that line….
Buffalo, that's where it's at baby. - Adam 'Pacman' Jones
Option
How about trading the 41st pick for Gaither as our obvious LT and drafting Bulaga at #9 to play RT where a lot of people like him anyway? Offensive line problems fixed…
by TexasBillsFanatic on Apr 4, 2010 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
I like it.
" A wise man once told me, never argue with a fool, becuase from a far, you can't tell who is who" - Jay-Z
by SouthBuffaloNDgrad on Apr 4, 2010 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Lunch pail types
The best players on our team last year were all “lunch pail” types. Consider Fred Jackson, Andy Levitre, George Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kyle Williams, etc. Our stars (Lynch, Owens, Evans, Whitner) did not contribute to our success as much. So I think “lunch pail” is the way to go in this draft and in future drafts. It will pay off in spades down the road.
cant really argue with this list......
I guess if Clausen gets selected……..I will have a QB/Coach combo platter to not be thrilled with……
yay?
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Apr 3, 2010 4:36 PM EDT reply actions
Hey, if you choose to support this restaurant, you have to support what the daily specials are, nothing you can do to change them.
Did I drag the metaphor out long enough yet? :D
I call it... The Avaslug!
I am the 1st and probably only official member of the David "Dr." Jones fanclub. Until I get the newsletter out, anyway.
Donte Whitner sez: Camp Jauron is over!
by UZ on Apr 3, 2010 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I dont have to support the daily specials at all.......
they can be on the menu……sure……..doesnt mean I have to like em…….or choose them for my meal
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Apr 3, 2010 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I might as well throw my hat into the ring
1. Jimmy Clausen: I like him more than anyone else in the QB class, partially because he’s already got most of his proverbial stuff together, played in a pro-style offense, etc. He’s not too bad of a QB skill-wise either, and while I don’t see him morphing into a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, I can see him being as good as an Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers etc. If he is there and the Bills pass on him, I will be as angry as the Orakpo brigade was about the Maybin pick.
2. Dan Williams: I’m really not high on either Bulaga or Davis as picks at #9, if it’s between one of them and Dan Williams I take Dan. He’ll be good for the Bills and instantly give them hope for their defense next season. In fact, if he panned out I wouldn’t be surprised if the D managed to be better than last year’s next season.
3. Anthony Davis: I honestly think that “off the field issues” are the worst reason to attempt to take down a player, yet that seems to be the only thing I ever hear about Clausen and Davis. Davis is an elite athlete and while I would obviously be scared of him turning into the next Mike Williams, he’s too good to not take that risk. Considering our option right now is Bell, especially.
4. Bryan Bulaga: Bryan Bulaga’s shorter arms don’t concern me as much as his actual talents. What he’s good at, he’s good at. What he’s not, he’s not at all. The man is a beast in the running game which is almost enough for me to put him above Davis, but the lower ceiling makes me think he’d be better suited to RT, which we really don’t need at the 9th pick.
5. Rolando McClain: I know that he’s not filling a need, but he’s still one of the best players in the draft by far. If the 4 people above him here are gone, I’d rather the Bills went BPA with McClain than potentially stretch too high for anyone below here. In fact, if everyone in this 5 is gone, I’d rather trade down.
6. Dez Bryant: Dez is going to be a playmaker at the NFL level, but I don’t know if getting a WR this high in the draft when we still have no QB is a very good idea. Dez can be the greatest WR in the draft, but if he’s got nobody to throw it to him, I can’t see it.
7. Graham: I like Brandom Graham and think he will beast it up in the NFL, but with the depth of OLB’s available this year, I can’t see the Bills getting one at 9 if there is an LT or QB on the board that they like. If Graham was the selection at #9 I think it might be a reach anyway, but I wouldn’t be severely disappointed.
8. Trent Williams: I still don’t like him. He wasn’t considered an LT prospect before the combine, and I’m still wary of his ability to switch to LT in the pros. He’s a good enough athlete and a great enough RT prospect at the very least that I suppose I’d be fine with him high though. That plus I think Al Davis will take him.
9. CJ Spiller: He’s only here because if everyone else above him here was gone he would indeed be BPA.
10. Tim Tebow Colt McCoy Juice Williams Bruce Campbell: He’s a bust waiting to happen, I think. I’d rather wait for Saffold, Fox or someone else later than grab Campbell, but he’s a good enough athlete to be in the first round.
I call it... The Avaslug!
I am the 1st and probably only official member of the David "Dr." Jones fanclub. Until I get the newsletter out, anyway.
Donte Whitner sez: Camp Jauron is over!
i hope we take a left tackle at 9 and solidify the position once in for all.
"the man who created a legend; the legend who resurrected a franchise. tim tebow...was his name."
God Bless You....and I'm Buying
no doubt……………………………………………………..
QB dependent on O line.
O line NOT dependent on QB.
CHINESE PROVERB
Buffalo Bills or Die.
Who makes who look better, Peyton Manning or the Colts OL? Drew Brees or the Saints OL? Ben Roethlisberger or the Steelers OL? Tony Romo or the Cowboys OL? Aaron Rodgers or the Packers OL? Carson Palmer or the Bengals OL? Matt Schaub or the Texans OL? Kurt Warner or the Cardinals OL?
The offensive line is dependent on the QB. If they don’t help with the reads pre-snap, feel pressure coming their way or get rid of the football the OL cannot do their job.
Seriously, if the OL was so imperative to the success of the QB, why was Mark Sanchez sacked more often than Matt Stafford?
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
What kind of numbers are we talking about?
Mark Sanchez sacked more often than Matt Stafford?
Stafford missed a few games due to injury and Sanchez played all 16 didn’t he?
"I'm a peripheral visionary." - Steven Wright
Yeah, but Stafford still had more pass attempts than Sanchez. Stafford had 377 passes, 20 rushing attempts and 24 sacks. Sanchez had 364 passes, 36 rushes and 26 sacks. And Sanchez did miss one game with an injury.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
And don’t get me wrong, I think the OL is very, very important. I just think that the Bills terrible OL from last year has lead fans to think that it’s more important than it is. Anytime something is lacking, people will turn into the one fatal flaw of the team and think that once it’s fixed, things will magically get better. Buffalo definitely needs to improve the OL, but no more than they need a new QB, need to develop their young skill players or need to build a pass rush.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
Seems to me that those numbers are close enough to call even.
Doesn’t tell the whole picture though. Wouldn’t you say the Jets Oline was better at run blocking than pass blocking, which makes sense if you think about the Jets offensive philosophy.
"I'm a peripheral visionary." - Steven Wright
What if we take one at 9 and he ends up stinking?
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Apr 4, 2010 8:37 AM EDT up reply actions
CJ Spiller Should be on List
CJ Spiller is a home-run threat RB that Chan Gailey would love to have. We may have two pretty good RB’s, but we still need a speed back.
I think Spiller is a more realistic draft choice than Rolando McClain. McClain is a good player, but he would not make the team THAT much better considering we already have guys at the position.
Here is how I would set up the list:
1 – Jimmy Clausen – I actually like him better than Bradford and ….. gasp … even Jake Locker. I think quarterbacking in the NFL is largely about making decisions and I think Clausen is great at it and only going to get better.
2 – Bryan Bulaga – I prefer him to Davis, if only by a little. People talk about his ceiling, but I think he can be one of the league’s best run blockers and if he’s even an average pass blocker that gives him plenty of upside. I love his demeanor on the football field and the way he plays the game. He may not have that recovery ability that the elite NFL pass blockers have, but he’s a smoother athlete than given credit for. If you watch his slide step, he actually looks like a better athlete than somebody like Trent Williams. He stays low and takes small steps while Williams hops around.
3 – Anthony Davis – No clue why everybody doesn’t view him as a top 15 prospect and great option for the Bills. I’d be careful with the a-hole or d-bag stuff when talking about him as a potential Bill. There’s a difference between adding somebody who is a thug and adding somebody who doesn’t put the effort in watching film. All character concerns cannot be lumped together. If the Bills drop him due to character, then good for them, they know more than I do and can make phonecalls that I can’t.
4 – Dan Williams – Two things to add about Williams. The first is that we shouldn’t be worried about his quick rise into the first round. He’s a three year starter who was productive that whole time. And NTs are typically late risers. They simply don’t produce statistically in the way that causes the internet scouts to take notice and we’re always behind the curve on players like Williams. Consider some of the other top NTs, Torell Troup and Cam Thomas have really risen since the college season started. Of if you look at last year’s draft, all the NTs shoot up the internet boards too. BJ Raji sat out the previous year and wasn’t considered a better prospect than Williams was when the process started. Ron Brace, taken in the early 2nd by the Pats, was a late riser too.
The other thing about Williams is less positive. Like Cody and Davis, who have gotten flack for it, Williams has struggled with his weight in the past. He was up around 360 earlier in his college career and balooned up over 340 between his JR and SR season. I don’t think it’s a big deal, but I thought it was worth mentioning since people have been tough on other prospects for weight issues.
5 – Dez Bryant – I think he’s a top 10 prospect and I think WR is a need issue, so it’s an obvious name for this area of the list.
6 – Rolando McClain – Another top 10 prospect and I think ILB is enough of a need to draft him after a trade down.
7 – Brandon Graham – I think he’s the best 3-4 OLB prospect in the draft and I think he’s a better prospect than the remaining top OTs.
8 – Jerry Hughes – Same logic as Graham. I’d guess he gets drafted before Kindle. Flip the schools they played at or the hype from the early portions of their careers and I think everybody else would agree.
9 – Derrick Morgan – I love Morgan, but I don’t think he’s that good of a fit at OLB. His ability to slide down to DE on passing downs keeps him in the top 10.
10 – JPP – Another player I like more than Kindle and Trent Williams.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
I totally agree about Clausen
I’d take him over Bradford. And I also would prefer him over Locker. I still don’t understand the love that Locker gets. He has a Tebow like game without the great production. Sure, the potential is there, but I fail to see why everyone is so hung up on him.
I see you didn’t even include Trent Williams. I don’t agree with that. I don’t think he’s nearly the prospect that he’s being out to be at this point, but he should definitely be much higher on the Bills’ radar than a Hughes or Morgan….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I got a lot of respect for your opinions K, reading them over time.
About Locker though, I disagree and think he’s going to be a great NFL QB, I was with you thought process that he was a “poor mans” Tebow. I think that was just playing in Ty Wills horrible WC offense, and had him rolling out a lot and running for his life, they were 0-12. But working with Sarkisian these past few years, I really feel and watched a few games (one in person, a great game,this last year) of his, and was always a skeptic. When I watched him live, I realized that he does have a NFL arm, he could make the tough throws and has much better mechanics than Tebow, IMO, the only thing Locker and Tebow have in common are that they are the same build and both can run. I think Lockers expierence in a pro-style system under Sark at Washington for these 3 years, and his athletic ability, will be why he should be a good NFL QB, IMO. I totally agree on your 2nd point about Trent Williams, Hughes over him for Buffalo, I just don’t see it. I’m preparng myself for a suprise Derrick Morgan pick, like Brian said, it’s hard to ignore the ties to our staff. I personally hope not, If were talking pass rusher, I’m personally going Graham over any other one. Like I said, always much respect for your opinion. One thing I forgot about Locker, his game reminds me more of a McNabbs style of play more than Tebow (I know it’s unheard of to compare guys of different races, people always make comparisons of same genders, it’s only natural). Feel free to pick apart my argument, and you obviously know I like both of your opinions on the player at kaisers Big Board.
" A wise man once told me, never argue with a fool, becuase from a far, you can't tell who is who" - Jay-Z
by SouthBuffaloNDgrad on Apr 4, 2010 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Q.B.Period
I am not a fan of any QB out of Notre Dame but,i think if we are so high on Clausen(which i am not)why not make a deal with the Browns and get Quinn?To me they were the same player in college,same system,same results.At least Quinn played and wont have to sit a year.We still need a much better(and bigger)defense,and another wide reciever,again!!!!.But i will say if they make no moves and Clausen is there i guess we have to take him.
Brady Quinn is a Bronco now.
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by TheAfghanTwilight on Apr 4, 2010 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions
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