Our weekly 2011 NFL Mock Draft can get a little bit repetitive with the Buffalo Bills' No. 3 overall selection. We've rotated between a few prospects several times, so I threw us a little curveball this week by picking a player for Buffalo that I've been contemplating carefully over the past couple of weeks: Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers.
Here's my rationale: "Bills head coach Chan Gailey is committed to running a defense featuring 3-4 and 4-3 looks - and what the Bills really lack defensively is a player that can pressure the quarterback out of both fronts."
That serves as the basis for my entertaining the notion of not just Bowers, but Robert Quinn, as well. As many of you have quickly and adroitly pointed out, Buddy Nix has said that he likes his group of outside linebackers. Last season, the Bills used a lot of 40 front and asked the likes of Dwan Edwards and Chris Kelsay to generate pressure from a 4-3 end position.
I think a reasonable argument can be made that what Buffalo lacks defensively is a defensive lineman - that is, a lineman that will line up with a hand in the dirt regardless of the front - that can pressure the passer. (I love almost everything about Kyle Williams, but a consistent pass rusher he is not.) That's why I think a pick like Bowers could make a great deal of sense for Buffalo - but I'm curious to gauge everyone's reaction to that concept.