The Worst Draft In Buffalo Bills History
by MattRichWarren on Apr 6, 2011 10:45 AM EDT
in Buffalo Bills History
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It's not a stretch to say the Buffalo Bills have had some pretty bad draft picks through the years. Every team in the NFL has had bad picks, and when you put a bunch of bad picks together you get a bad year. In 2005, the Bills had a doozy. | The Best Draft In Buffalo Bills History
The worst common era draft in Bills history began a year before the draft even took place. In 2004, the Bills traded their 2005 first-round pick as part of a package to obtain quarterback J.P. Losman in the 2004 first round. It left them without a top selection in 2005, and hampered their ability to get an impact player from the get-go.
Without a first-round selection, the team plucked Roscoe Parrish from the University of Miami in the second round. He is the only member of that draft class to earn a second contract in Buffalo thanks in part to his 11 touchdowns in 75 games. His biggest impact has been as a punt returner, but he seemed to have found a role in Chan Gailey's offense before a wrist injury derailed his 2010 campaign.
Kevin Everett was the team's third-round choice in 2005. While his injury and recovery stories have been inspirational, his two career receptions were anything but.
Fourth-rounder Duke Preston managed to start 20 games for the Bills on the offensive line, but earned little praise before his contract ended. He was on a couple other NFL rosters, but retired from football in May of 2010 without ever playing in a game for another team.
DB Eric King played one year for the Bills after being drafted in the fifth round, batting down four passes and making 27 tackles, but was released a year later. He's played for three teams, most recently Cleveland in 2010.
Sixth-round pick OG Justin Geisinger and seventh-rounder Lionel Gates never played a down for Buffalo. Gates hung on for two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Geisinger is currently employed by the Carolina Panthers, but has never played in a regular season game for them.
| Round | Player | Career Notes |
| 1 | Traded to Cowboys | Part of the J.P. Losman Trade, he didn't do so well |
| 2 | Roscoe Parrish | 11 touchdowns in 75 games, still with team |
| 3 | Kevin Everett | Inspirational Spinal Injury Recovery, 2 receptions |
| 4 | Duke Preston | Four years with the Bills, currently retired |
| 5 | Eric King | Four teams in six seasons |
| 6 | Justin Geisinger | Six career NFL games, none with Buffalo |
| 7 | Lionel Gates | Never played for Bills, appeared in one NFL game |
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I'll go with 2000
1 26 Erik Flowers Defensive End Arizona State
2 58 Travares Tillman Free Safety Georgia Tech
3 89 Corey Moore Linebacker Virginia Tech
4 121 Avion Black Wide Receiver Tennessee State
5 156 Sammy Morris Fullback Texas Tech
6 194 Leif Larsen Defensive End Texas-El Paso (UTEP)
7 233 Drew Haddad Wide Receiver Buffalo
7 251 DaShon Polk Linebacker Arizona
2010’s whimpering rookies have a lot to live up to…
"There's only one C.J. Spiller." -Buddy Nix
Yeah that was pretty puke-tastic as well.
Id say their about tied. Erik Flowers = 2 first round picks for JP Losman.
If Roscoe can keep up with what he was putting up last year… it wont be a total waste.
Lets Go Buff a lo!!!
I’m pumped for Roscoe. I hope he tears it up next year.
"What we've got here is failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach, so you get what we had here last week which is the way he wants it. Well, he gets it. And I don't like it any more than you men." -Unnamed NFL CBA negotiator
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Apr 6, 2011 12:16 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
he was on his way last year
without him the offense was noticably weeker. They had guys who could make catches, but not the playes he could, or the fear he can demand with his speed in the slot
"The Buffalo Bills have just exploded all over the Cincinnati Bangles"
-Steve Tasker-
He was on his way. But with teams focusing on Johnson and a (hopefully re-energized) Lee Evans, I think Roscoe could DOMINATE the middle of the field with his speed. Teams will have their hands full with our receivers, especially if we can add a decent pass-catching tight end to the roster. Pumped.
"What we've got here is failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach, so you get what we had here last week which is the way he wants it. Well, he gets it. And I don't like it any more than you men." -Unnamed NFL CBA negotiator
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Apr 6, 2011 8:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Nelson is weird to me
i just dont understand is absence
i know he had migranes, but is that the main reason or just part of it
he dominates on madden! lol
"The Buffalo Bills have just exploded all over the Cincinnati Bangles"
-Steve Tasker-
Another gem. At least Morris started nine games for the Bills.
You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Apr 6, 2011 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes, the crime there belongs to Tom Donahoe for releasing him. He was a very good back-up RB, as his subsequent career for the Dolphins and Pats has demonstrated.
He wasn’t released. He just played out his rookie contract and wasn’t re-signed.
You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Apr 6, 2011 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Also
I’m not telling any tales out of school when I say his production had more to do with the Patriots being a machine than him being an outstanding talent.
Whoa!
Both drafts sucked so bad that I cannot chose which is Suckariffic!
"There is not a loser in this room." Marv Levy.
by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Apr 6, 2011 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Bills Philosophy for the Last Decade: Why waste your time scouting who you are going to draft, when you can scout and sign guys who go undrafted? Bills get more from their undrafted guys than they do from their First Round picks
by NDbuffalo on Apr 6, 2011 10:54 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Yeah...
You realize why those undrafted guys look so “good” right? Because the people actually picked ahead of them suck.
by twoeightnine on Apr 6, 2011 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
I’d buy that T-shirt.
"Sit down and watch my Buffalo Bills destroy your Kingdome" - Abayarde
by nickdaniels on Apr 6, 2011 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Mike Williams or Jason Peters?
Marshawn or McGahee or Fred Jackson?
And there are plenty of great players that were available every time the Bills botched a pick, they just botched it. Aaron Maybin?! Seriously? Brian Orakpo was sitting there staring the Bills in the face. I know i screamed at the TV when that pick was made.
All I was saying is the Bills in the last decade haven’t scouted their first round picks well enough to make a good decision. It’s almost like they go looking for an undrafted gem and find it every year, but spend so much time “getting cute” with their undrafted rookie signings that they forget that they have a first round pick
Man that was B-A-D!
I am SOOOO glad we don’t have the guy setting up that draft board for that draft at OBD anymore ;-)
"...You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game. You don't play it to just play it. That's the great thing about sports: you play to win, and I don't care if you don't have any wins. You go play to win. When you start tellin' me it doesn't matter, then retire. Get out! 'Cause it matters." ~ Herm Edwards
"Talk's cheap. We all know that. It's like I've always said: 'Don't tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby.' " ~ Buddy Nix
by Jason from OH-IO on Apr 6, 2011 11:02 AM EDT reply actions
2000 wins
Yeah, at least Parrish is still in the league. I think Butler was pretty much like, “Well, I know ralph isnt going to give me a raise, so lets just mail it in this year.”
Try living in NYC, while being a Bills fan.
Ouch
It hurts when looking at the draft mistakes, 2005 was horrid to to the JP factor. At least Parrish still has a chance to be a very good player in Gailey’s offense. He would have been an ex-Bill if Jauron was still the HC.
2002 was another bad year:
1 Mike Williams T Texas
2 Josh Reed WR Louisiana State
2 Ryan Denney DE Brigham Young
3 Coy Wire DB Stanford
5 Justin Bannan DT Colorado
6 Kevin Thomas DB UNLV
7 Mike Pucillo G Auburn
8 Rodney Wright WR Fresno State
9 Jarrett Ferguson RB Virgina Tech
10 Dominique Stevenson LB Tennessee
OT Mike (*%$#@) Williams #4 overall, set the O-Line back to this day
WR Josh Reed never lived up to his lofty college stats an was a Fred Biletnikoff Award winner.
DE Ryan Denny, Bills traded up to take Denny, he was a decent back-up at best.
DB Coy wire strictly a special teamer in Buffalo
…
"I’m a firm believer that all sports will eventually be global. Someday, we may have a quarterback from China named Yao Fling."
Former NFL Commissioner--Paul Tagliabue
At least there were some contributions from Reed, and to a lesser degree Denney, Wire and Bannan. 2000 is the winner (or loser as it were) for me.
by BuffaloRepresent on Apr 6, 2011 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Good points, at least there was some production from the players you mentioned. Williams being pick #4 overall in a position of need still irks me.
"I’m a firm believer that all sports will eventually be global. Someday, we may have a quarterback from China named Yao Fling."
Former NFL Commissioner--Paul Tagliabue
Reed and Denney were solid, if unspectacular, performers. Coy Wire is currently a starter for the Falcons and a mainstay of their defense. I believe Justin Bannan was a starter for Denver last year and had several good years in Baltimore. Aside from Mike Williams, that was not a terrible draft, although two of the players made their contributions on other teams because the Bills couldn’t figure out how to use them and cut them rpematurely.
I completely disagree with your view of “solid”. Not starting, not really contributing on special teams in any standout way doesn’t equate to “solid” in my book.
Reed was a very below average slot WR. Teams never had to game plan for him because he never made big plays. Same goes for Denney. No game planning. No big plays. Virtually non existent WHEN on the field.
Both below average back ups.
I imaginge the story below this one...
would look something like this in the days leading up to the draft:
“Report: Bills are High on Meth, Crack Rocks”
by perkispower on Apr 6, 2011 12:34 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Tom Modrak
Modrak , should have been shown the door when Donahoe left. He is safe, because he is one of Ralph’s guys. The rest of the other busts were poor scouting, numerous head coaches taking their guy, instead of best available. Then you had Russ Brandon a non football guy running things? Oh yeah then there was Ralph, taking the player he wanted, instead of the best available player available. So this way you are where you are at. They would have been better off going with Kiper, McShey and the other draft gurus. Would of cost a couple of dollars for a draft guide.
The rest of the other busts were poor scouting, numerous head coaches taking their guy
Exactly. The coaches were the ones doing the poor scouting.
Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford
by Brian Galliford on Apr 6, 2011 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions
“Whose name shall not be mentioned”, supposedly had “set up the board”.
"...You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game. You don't play it to just play it. That's the great thing about sports: you play to win, and I don't care if you don't have any wins. You go play to win. When you start tellin' me it doesn't matter, then retire. Get out! 'Cause it matters." ~ Herm Edwards
"Talk's cheap. We all know that. It's like I've always said: 'Don't tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby.' " ~ Buddy Nix
by Jason from OH-IO on Apr 6, 2011 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions
You forgot Levy
He had no clue either
It was Cookie's turn to lead the "easiest exercise" during the Monday practice after a game-- he said-- "we're going to do deep breathing--everybody inhale--dehale "---As told by Jack Kemp at my high school sports banquet circa 1966.
BPA not always the right decision
By this logic the Detroit Lions drafting WRs with their first round pick for what seemed like half a decade they were making the right choice. Their BPA, then its the right choice.
“The Best Player Available” is in part determined by who is scouting. Bad Scouts. Bad player analysis. Bad scouting reports. Bad draft board. Bad BPA. Bad draft pick. Bad Draft.
Hopefully Buddy Nix just takes the scouting reports he is handed from CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS in the scouting department and promptly shreds them in his industrial paper-shredder 5000.
I have been banned
From talking about “whose name should go unmentioned”, see above:
I am SOOOO glad we don’t have the guy setting up that draft board for that draft at OBD anymore ;-)
"...You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game. You don't play it to just play it. That's the great thing about sports: you play to win, and I don't care if you don't have any wins. You go play to win. When you start tellin' me it doesn't matter, then retire. Get out! 'Cause it matters." ~ Herm Edwards
"Talk's cheap. We all know that. It's like I've always said: 'Don't tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby.' " ~ Buddy Nix
by Jason from OH-IO on Apr 6, 2011 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions
How did he get to be "one of Ralph's guys'?
Didn’t he come over from Philadelphia or something?
I have been hesitant to jump on the Modrak-bashing bandwagon, but wow, these lists are just mind numbing! Bill Polian, why couldn’t have just bit your tongue?!!
Here's hoping!
Modrak
Yes, Modrak did come over from Philadelphia. He is respected around the league, from what I hear. Ralph parting ways with Polian was a sad day. The organization had continuity, and all Ralph had to do was sit back and enjoy. John Butler was a great G.M. too.
Don't forget
That AJ Smith and Nix were part of the Polian/Butler group…
"I’m a firm believer that all sports will eventually be global. Someday, we may have a quarterback from China named Yao Fling."
Former NFL Commissioner--Paul Tagliabue
AJ Smith
I hear from some sources that A.J. Smith earned his reputation on the back of Buddy Nix.
That would be interesting if it turned out to be true. I always got the impression that AJ was more of a boardroom than war room type VP.
He may know how to manage the cap and negotiate contracts well, but when it comes to player evaluation and knowing talent, I’d love to see it play out that Nix was the man behind it all.
Marv levy
I did remeber him, but I have respect for him and what he and his did as a coach for the Bills in the Super Bowl years. Marv came in to help Ralph is all. He was a great coach but not G.M. material.
1974, 1975, 1982
Yecch!
In 1982, Bills drafted kicker Gary Anderson. He didn’t want to play in Buffalo, went 0-5 in exhibition games and was cut. Then he had a 20 year career.
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