Bills Draft Gems, No. 1: DE Bruce Smith

by Brian Galliford on Apr 28, 2011 7:46 AM EDT in Blog Series

With the 2011 NFL Draft quickly approaching, we thought it'd be a good idea to run down the Buffalo Bills' ten biggest draft successes and failures. I decided at the last minute to make this an "of my lifetime" series, meaning that the only busts and gems that you'll see listed here every day were picked in 1985 or after.

Y'all have heard of Bruce Smith, right? The No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft? The guy who went on to play in the NFL for 19 seasons, set a league record with 200 career sacks, and become a first-ballot Hall of Fame player? The king of intimidation? The epitome of the modern-era pass rusher? Arguably the best player in the history of the Buffalo Bills?

Yeah. He's our pick for the best Bills draft pick of the last 25 years. Really, it's not close.

Tonight, the Buffalo Bills will be picking third overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. It's the highest they've picked since they took Bruce No. 1 overall. Big things are expected with this pick - and ideally, the newest Bill tonight will mean "bad things" for our opponents. Just like Bruce.

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Comments

“Bad things man”…love it. Can’t wait for tonight.

by rjryan on Apr 28, 2011 7:08 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

I mean, bad things.

http://twoeightninetshirts.tumblr.com/post/2388383515/badthingsman

All your tshirt needs.
Twit wit, minus actual wit.

by twoeightnine on Apr 28, 2011 8:11 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Haha. Knew that was coming. :)

Probably my favorite shirt ever.

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford

by Brian Galliford on Apr 28, 2011 8:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Do you realize how many times I watched that commercial while working on it?

It had me so pumped up I finished it in a few hours.

All your tshirt needs.
Twit wit, minus actual wit.

by twoeightnine on Apr 28, 2011 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Do you still make them?

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With pick #244 the Buffalo Bills select Michael Jasper (6'4" 395 lbs) Bethel University.

by Buffalo for Eternity on Apr 28, 2011 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Yup.

Just click on the link under the shirt.

All your tshirt needs.
Twit wit, minus actual wit.

by twoeightnine on Apr 28, 2011 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks. Now to drop a hint to my wife for my next B-day present.

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With pick #244 the Buffalo Bills select Michael Jasper (6'4" 395 lbs) Bethel University.

by Buffalo for Eternity on Apr 28, 2011 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions

best t-shirt ever

i “accidentally” left the link up on my wife’s computer after you posted this shirt before…it was promptly on my torso a very short time after :) yeah, i guess she’s a keeper. the wife is okay too.

by rjryan on Apr 28, 2011 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Love it.

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With pick #244 the Buffalo Bills select Michael Jasper (6'4" 395 lbs) Bethel University.

by Buffalo for Eternity on Apr 28, 2011 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions

BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE!!!!!

Dang I wish we could clone him and put Bruce 2.0 on our team!

by phalupah on Apr 28, 2011 7:44 AM EDT reply actions

Well

if it’s sacks we want from the #3 pick it will need to be Miller.

Nice piece Brian, enjoyed this countdown.

The Buffalo Bills - Drafting for size, speed and destruction since 2011.

by Will G on Apr 28, 2011 7:47 AM EDT reply actions

Arguably the best player in Bills history?

You’ll get no argument here. He was more dominant at his position than OJ was in my opinion.

by The Adam Bomb on Apr 28, 2011 7:54 AM EDT reply actions

No Doubt....

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuce!!!!!!

You drank beer, you played golf, you watched football - WE EVOLVED!

Frank Zappa

by Goose22 on Apr 28, 2011 8:05 AM EDT reply actions

Bruce who?

Of course I jest. Well deserved… the man could contort his body like no other human to get through the line.

My top votes are for Dareus, or Peterson but here is hoping that regardless who is picked… this is the year that our first pick in the draft (that way I leave Wood out of the equation) isn’t wasted. Moreover, lets hope that we hit the jackpot with our later round selections ala Stevie and Kyle.

by Rob B on Apr 28, 2011 8:11 AM EDT reply actions

hey Buddy - History is important

People forget that back in 1985 many (possibly including Ralph) wanted Doug Flutie in this spot. Don’t make a similar mistake, take the best player, not the biggest name.

by BillinNC on Apr 28, 2011 8:32 AM EDT reply actions

I will claim fetusism as opposed to forgetting. :)

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford

by Brian Galliford on Apr 28, 2011 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions

I was the ripe old age of 22 and was about to be promoted to sergeant in the Army when the pick was made. It was really tough being a Bills fan stationed in Maryland through the early 80s.

"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England

by Calvert on Apr 28, 2011 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions

I was one of those guys, I'm sorry to say

I was just a 9 year old kid, and I saw that hail mary, and bam! Instant man crush on Flutie.

Although, Doug Flutie did end up being the best QB we’ve had since Jim Kelly retired. Just throwin that in there.

by The Adam Bomb on Apr 28, 2011 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Don't start that again!

;)

Here's hoping!

by mcmaurer on Apr 28, 2011 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Highest impact

player to ever wear a Bills uniform.

by Blood, sweat & Win on Apr 28, 2011 9:46 AM EDT reply actions

It’s the only Bills jersey I own.

You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Apr 28, 2011 9:47 AM EDT reply actions

Weak. Take a risk, man!

Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
Citi Field loves the mets so much it smothers them. -the caveman

by WhyBillsWhy on Apr 28, 2011 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Personally, I’d consider getting a hall of famer in the second round (Thurman) or at pick 14 (Kelly) more of a “draft gem” than picking one at first overall. No doubt Bruce is the best pass rusher ever, and probably the Bills’ best draft pick, but I apparently am misunderstanding the wording of the series – seems to me gems are found in the rough, ie, value vs. position drafted. Semantics I guess.

by BuffaloRepresent on Apr 28, 2011 10:54 AM EDT reply actions

Honestly, I had figured it would be Bruce.

With the knowledge now of what he became, I feel like even getting him for the first overall was a steal. How many draft picks would you give up now to have that kind of player on our roster? Someone who is the most dominant player to ever have played a position?

by Moiax on Apr 28, 2011 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions

I’d give up an entire draft for Peyton Manning. Probably a draft’s worth of 1-3 rounders for a guy as dominant as Bruce. The problem is that you never know which guys are going to be the unbelievably dominant ones and which are going to be busts or even just average.

Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
Citi Field loves the mets so much it smothers them. -the caveman

by WhyBillsWhy on Apr 28, 2011 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions