Mock featuring Dant'a Hightower

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 21, 2012 8:14 PM EST

thoughts?

(10) 1- TRADE rd1 #10 to CIN (for rd1 #17 & rd2 #53) Bengals choose ... (RB) Trent Richardson

--------Richardson is top5 talent @a position that doesn’t go top5. CIN has the ammo & a need@ RB

(17) 1- (DE) Dant’a Hightower 6-4 260 (Alabama)

--------Pass rush is the #1 need & Trading down gives Great value to a player who does it all. He’s the size

--------Nix wants, is versatile (ILB/ 3-4OLB / 4-3DE) & was the field General of a complicated Alabama defense

--------ALT** Nick Perry / Bruce Irvin / Melvin Ingram / Ryan Tannehill

(42) 2- (TE) Michael Egnew 6-6 245 (Missouri)

--------Nix wants a pass catching WR/TE that is open even if he’s not. 1 of these guys will drop & be that guy

--------ALT* Alshon Jeffery/ Dwight Jones/ Coby Fleener/ Dwayne Allen

(53) 2- (QB) Brock Osweiler 6-8 240 (ASU)

--------Developmental project for our new QB coach. Plan to have him sit for 2-3 years then take the reigns

--------ALT* Vontaze Burfict/ Chandler Jones/ Vinny Curry

(74) 3- (CB) Coryell Judie 5-11 190 (Texas A&M)

--------Athletic, ball hawking CB who tackles well in the flat. Can return kicks &will start over Florence by wk9

--------ALT* Zebrie Sanders / Matt McCants / Shea McClellin

(105) 4- (OLB/SS) George Iloka 6-3 220 (Boise St.)

--------nickle OLB/SS that’s great in press-man. With his height/ speed, he’ll replace Scott & stop Gronkowski

--------ALT* Danny Trevathan / Emmanuel Acho / Donnie Fletcher

(124) 4- (DE) Malik Jackson 6-5 270 (Tennessee)

--------Developmental / Rotational 4-3 DE who can threaten/ set the edge AND play 3-4 DE/ 4-3 DT if needed

--------ALT* Leonard Johnson / Tony Dye / Robert Golden

(137) 5- (RT) Ryan Miller 6-8 300 (Colorado)

--------Gigantic OG / RT tweener worth taking a shot on (D’Alessandris can coach him up cause he’s the man)

--------ALT* Ladarius Green/ Robert Blanton/ DeQuan Menzie / Winston Guy

(169) 6- (TE) Kevin Koger 6-4 260 (Michigan)

--------TE with all the tools. Drops cause he wasn’t in a position to show them off in Michigan’s offense

--------ALT* Russell Wilson / Matt Conrath / Ryan Steed / Antonio Allen / D. Paige-Moss

(173) 6- (CB) Jerrell Young 6-1 201 (UCF)

--------Developmental DB destined for the PS...Unless he shows enough skills to replace McKelvin outright

--------ALT* Jordan White / Terrance Ganaway / Josh chichester

(201) 7- (WR) Lavasier Tuinei 6-5 220 (Oregon)

--------has the hands, height & speed. Interviews well & had a sick bowl game. PS guy that will surprise

--------ALT* Chris Gallippo / Marcel Jones / Tank Carder

#1- resign (WR) S.Johnson 6-2 212 (BILLS)

#2- Sign (WR) V.Jackson 6-5 235 (Chargers)

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

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Comments

i wouldnt mind this

Ay Ay Ay Ayyyyy

by BuffaloBillsBigestFan on Jan 21, 2012 8:22 PM EST reply actions

I imagine the choice of Hightower will cause the Upshaw lovin’ Rumblers to grumble, but… I re-watched the LSU game and my eye constantly goes TO Hightower who made plays all over and from a # of different positions. That & when he played DE / OLB he seemed to be quicker off the snap than Upshaw. Add in the intangibles of having been the field general of a soon to be legendary Alabama defense, and….

Let the debate begin =)

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 21, 2012 8:26 PM EST reply actions

I didn't think I'd like it

but I really do like the selections overall. The only thing I have to say is I’m not sure how ready Hightower would be to play 3-4 OLB when he’s been an ILB, but you’re right in that his size matches up nicely with the OLB spot.

"Give a monkey a typewriter and infinite time, and he’ll eventually release Maybin." - stetzwebs

by DanRoc on Jan 21, 2012 8:29 PM EST reply actions

Like it a lot........

……. except I don’t think Buddy will be as imaginative as you are with trading our first pick.
:-(
Nice draft by the way, but I think you missed a true OLB who can start game 1.
And can rush the passer.
And stop the run.
And play on 3 downs.
Not sure if Hightower is an every down player in whatever the heck defense we are playing this year. Who knows what that will be.
Rec’d for your effort and research.

"My new cat just farted on my lap. Smells like Bills football." BG.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Jan 21, 2012 9:08 PM EST reply actions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzJ3o1heM5E
It’s not long. (It’s also not much, but… )

0:55 sec— watch Hightower (#30@ ILB) co-ordinate the defense & signal the DB (DeQuan Menzie, another Alabama Senior I’m high on) to blitz. It’s obvious Hightower read the play perfectly & “audibled” to stop the offense. Hightower is the heart, soul and brain of the best defense in college football history. I want that for the BILLS defense.

1:20 sec— Hightower blitzes from the ILB spot and absolutely destroys the RT

1:40 sec— Hightower’s playing LDE in a 4-3 (Upshaw is RDE), both get to the QB and collapse the pocket equally…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMhepp_GMUs
it’s only 5 sec long. Hightower is again playing 4-3 LDE. Watch him pancake D.J.Fluker (a fringe first round tackle)

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 21, 2012 10:03 PM EST up reply actions

Please, don’t think at all that I would be disappointed if we drafted him. He appears to be a great player.
I just get scared thinking about college guys after this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDj_X0Da6Nw

Yuck!

"My new cat just farted on my lap. Smells like Bills football." BG.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Jan 21, 2012 11:18 PM EST up reply actions

I love that fluker pancake. also posted it a while back. Fluker is 335 lbs and he got pancaked. not beat on a speed rush, just overpowered.

I have low expectations. But high hopes.

by greysquirrel on Jan 22, 2012 11:19 AM EST up reply actions

nice

i dont think buddy will trade down and we still dont have a viable pass rusher but donta hightower is a great player. i think taking 2 tight ends is a little to much even if we dont sign chandler back. but i would rather have a value like Kroger (whom i love) than a much higher pick we can use on a defensive star.

by youngbillsfan83 on Jan 21, 2012 10:00 PM EST reply actions

I’m making the assumption that Chandler isn’t coming back. I’m also making the assumption that MOST of us would gladly take Gronkowski with our 2010 rd2 pick than Torell Troup. I’m hoping CHIX learned from past “mistakes”

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 21, 2012 10:06 PM EST up reply actions

I guess to follow up on it, Draft trends say that TE’s start going off the board in the middle of round 2 (unless they’re a complete freak and go early). That means we’d be getting the top 1 or 2 TE’s in the draft as opposed to the 20th best defensive player…. it’s all about maximizing return on the investment and TE seems to be a better value (again, see Gronkowski v. Troup)

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 21, 2012 10:14 PM EST up reply actions

I would really like this

but I don’t see Nix trading the pick. But Hightower and Osweiler are two guys I would like us to get.

You are now Watching The Throne.

by tomcs on Jan 21, 2012 10:06 PM EST reply actions

I could live with this

If Buffalo didn’t trade down, and went Hightower, Osweiler, I’d go to sleep after Day2 pretty happy.

Love that you went Jackson in round 4. He’s my sleeper of the entire draft. I don’t see him as a 3-4 DE. I see him as a 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB.

And, as more and more folks are actually watching video of Hightower, they are seeing what I saw a few weeks ago: he’s a 3-4 OLB.

Re-starting the official Buffalo "Draft a quarterback in the First Round in 2012" campaign.

by Der Jaeger on Jan 21, 2012 10:20 PM EST reply actions

Haha! I love that you’re seeing the same things I am. I wrote an email to some friends of mine after RG3 torched TCU and said “This guy’s could win the heisman, and is definitely worth a look by the BILLS”. A couple weeks later he was zooming up draft boards so I started couch-scouting another under the radar value QB.

Those friends then got another email where I wrote “RG3’s out of the box now, and might have durability issues in the long term, (he seems slow to get up too often after routine-ish hits). This Tannehill guy however really impresses me….” (This was right before you wrote your fanpost on him).

Once Tannehill started zooming up the boards, I re-evaluated the QB’s again and my sights were set on Osweiler. He’s raw but definitely has the tools to succeed IF he sits a few years.

The reason I keep doing this is because— frankly— I’m greedy. I want my franchise QB AND my “franchise” pass rusher, and I want them both in THIS draft.

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 21, 2012 11:05 PM EST up reply actions

If Buffalo went 1-2 in these ways:

Hightower-Osweiller

Tannehill-Chandler Jones

I wouldn’t complain.

Re-starting the official Buffalo "Draft a quarterback in the First Round in 2012" campaign.

by Der Jaeger on Jan 22, 2012 10:27 AM EST up reply actions

despite being a Syracuse alum, I haven’t seen enough of C.Jones to really form any real opinion on the guy

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 22, 2012 4:24 PM EST up reply actions

So you’ve come around on Hightower? I remember you didn’t like him outside a while back…
http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2011/11/3/2536463/2012-mock-bills-draft#81953992

I have low expectations. But high hopes.

by greysquirrel on Jan 22, 2012 8:20 AM EST up reply actions

Yes

I watched the Alabama-Florida game again, and saw Hightower rushing from LE against Xavier Nixon, and NFL RT. He beat him pretty cleanly twice, on two rush attempts. I dug back into Hightower, and looked at him again, and it changed my mind.

I have been writing about Hightower at OLB for almost a month.

Re-starting the official Buffalo "Draft a quarterback in the First Round in 2012" campaign.

by Der Jaeger on Jan 22, 2012 10:26 AM EST up reply actions

It will be interesting to see where these guys (Upshaw, Hightower) go after getting the chance to showcase pass-rushing / speed at the combine and in a defense where they can just go after it. At Alabama its just tough to tell how their pass-rushing translates because they do so many different things play in and play out.

I have low expectations. But high hopes.

by greysquirrel on Jan 22, 2012 11:22 AM EST up reply actions

True

One of the statements that I’ve made about Upshaw is that the Senior Bowl and combine will be important to him because at Alabama, the scheme may have been holding him back. e.g.: if his initial responsibility as an OLB is to contain run, then rush, he’s not coming off the ball fast.

If he comes off the ball fast at the Senior Bowl, then confirms it with a fast 10-yard split at the combine, then some of us have been wrong, and he is a quick twitch athlete off the edge.

Re-starting the official Buffalo "Draft a quarterback in the First Round in 2012" campaign.

by Der Jaeger on Jan 22, 2012 2:18 PM EST up reply actions

I dig the trade down

Only if brockers isnt there at 10 not a fan of osweiler in the 2nd rather defense again

With the first pick in the 2012 draft the Indianapolis Colts select Robert Griffen III

by Gpluehri on Jan 21, 2012 11:04 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Trade down?

I’m all for it, if it plays out the way you have it. I’m very impressed with Hightower, and curious about Osweiler & Egnew.

by atsnigduh2u on Jan 22, 2012 1:15 AM EST reply actions

ask and you shall receive...

OSWEILER- completed 326 / 515 passes for 4036 yards (63.2% / 7.82 ypa) 26TD /13 int & seems like the type of quick decision QB chan likes. Judge for yourself:

vs Utah (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PZB0XcHTVc&feature=player_embedded

vs USC (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqYAUD97lRQ

vs Boise St. (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc_j2b_7lPM&feature=related

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 22, 2012 9:41 AM EST up reply actions

I like Hightower

but I’d imagine a number of teams like him enough to consider him in the teens. If he’s better than Upshaw, which I believe he is, we should pick him at #10 straight up.

Players judged as potential elites will rise in draft stock considerably over the next 3 months, just as Miller was mocked in the second round last year, I believe names like Hightower and Curry are going to rise from where they are mocked this year.

by NoiseIsTheBestRevenge on Jan 22, 2012 9:30 AM EST reply actions

it doesnt happen often on here, but i actually like this mock a good deal.
ive been vocal in how much i like hightower, im glad to see someone recognize that theres more than 1 player on that alabama defense.
osweilers growing on me more by the day, when its all said and done i seriously doubt he drops that far..
my only real complaint is that i think thats wayyy too high for egnew. id be an even bigger fan of this mock if you slotted egnew at 74, moved osweiler up to 42, and grabbed a better CB prospect than judie at 53.
nicely done tho

Its fun to think quarterback, but i think the odds of nix taking one in the first are close to 0%.

by boomsauce on Jan 22, 2012 11:32 AM EST reply actions

I can see your point (and I’m high on Casey Heyward so it works) that means the beginning of the mock would look like:

(10) 1- TRADE to CIN (for rd1 #17 & rd2 #53) (RB) Trent Richardson

(17) 1- (DE) Dant’a Hightower 6-4 260 (Alabama)

(42) 2- (QB) Brock Osweiler 6-8 240 (ASU)

(53) 2- (CB) Casey Hayward 5-11 190 (Vanderbilt)

(74) 3- (TE) Michael Egnew 6-6 245 (Missouri)

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 22, 2012 11:56 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

now were talkin

Its fun to think quarterback, but i think the odds of nix taking one in the first are close to 0%.

by boomsauce on Jan 22, 2012 11:58 AM EST up reply actions

that would be awesome.

You are now Watching The Throne.

by tomcs on Jan 22, 2012 12:45 PM EST up reply actions

I like hightower also and would be fine with taking him at ten. Seems like a nix pick to me. Versatil player has the size nix wants and could be used anywhere on the field.

"This is a chance to shine some light on the city, They say it’s too cold. I’m going to bring some warmth to it." Marcell Dareus

by matthew62 on Jan 22, 2012 3:56 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

assuming we do take him at #10 (which i’m still ok with) then we’d lose the late rd2 pick. Not horrible in the grand scheme of things. We’d just have to take a DB in a later round. Personally, I’d go with DeQuan Menzie in place of Ryan Miller & either hope Sam Young pans out for the year, OR we luck into a waiver wire Right Tackle (which Chix seems fond of). In this case, the mock would look like:

(10) 1- (DE) Dant’a Hightower 6-4 260 (Alabama)

(42) 2- (QB) Brock Osweiler 6-8 240 (ASU)

(74) 3- (TE) Michael Egnew 6-6 245 (Missouri)

(105) 4- (OLB/SS) George Iloka 6-3 220 (Boise St.)

(124) 4- (DE) Malik Jackson 6-5 270 (Tennessee)

(137) 5- (CB) DeQuan Menzie 6-1 200 (Alabama)

(169) 6- (TE) Kevin Koger 6-4 260 (Michigan)

(173) 6- (CB) Jerrell Young 6-1 201 (UCF)

(201) 7- (WR) Lavasier Tuinei 6-5 220 (Oregon)

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 22, 2012 4:20 PM EST up reply actions

^this is of course, based on the premise that we re-sign Bell

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 22, 2012 4:20 PM EST up reply actions

If you switched Egnew with Tommy Streeter, I'm OK with that draft.

I don’t think Tuinei will last that long. He’s a secret to fans, but the scouts know about him plenty.

Re-starting the official Buffalo "Draft a quarterback in the First Round in 2012" campaign.

by Der Jaeger on Jan 22, 2012 9:23 PM EST up reply actions

Streeter

You said that he was mainly a deep threat WR. But we don’t throw the ball the deep. Fitz’s throws are on average less than 7 yards. I would rather get a big possession receiver, that has some outside speed. Alshon Jeffery is the guy who fits the mold in my mind. I know his explosiveness is a question, but we don’t throw over 10 yards anyway. Do you think Streeter can be that guy, too?

You are now Watching The Throne.

by tomcs on Jan 22, 2012 9:41 PM EST up reply actions

I don't think Buffalo needs another possession receiver

Buffalo needs a speed receiver opposite Johnson. In order for the short passing game to work, the safeties can’t be allowed to sit at 10 yards and compress everything. That was a huge part of Buffalo’s problem all year, and I wrote about it in my post-game story a lot.

Buffalo has enough guys that can run possession routes: Johnson, Chandler, Nelson, Jones. They only have one guy that can really get deep with foot speed, and that’s Easley. I don’t think Jones is fast enough to overcome his average height.

That’s why Buffalo needs to look at guys like Meachem in free agency and Streeter in the draft, or maybe Stephen Hill from Georgia Tech. The offense needs someone that can run deep and pull coverage out of the short zones. That’s be far more effective than drafting another possession receiver, regardless of how talented he is.

Re-starting the official Buffalo "Draft a quarterback in the First Round in 2012" campaign.

by Der Jaeger on Jan 23, 2012 7:51 AM EST up reply actions

true

I just fear that with Fitz we would not be able to utilize a player like him to his full potential. But I might be overstating that thought process

You are now Watching The Throne.

by tomcs on Jan 23, 2012 3:55 PM EST up reply actions

Tuinei

I don’t get it myself, but every single draft website I’ve found has Tuinei going undrafted.

And if I was going to switch Egnew with anyone I’d switch him with:
(WR) Brian Quick 6-5 215 (App.St.)

But it’s a crapshoot between B.Quick (small school, run 1st offense) and Streeter (not much production at a big school). Regardless, I see CHIX going after a free agent WR to play opposite S.Johnson (there’s a good crop this year), which is why I prioritized TE over WR

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 23, 2012 8:34 AM EST up reply actions

Like it

2nd round for egnew is way too high. You suggest that we need a pass catching TE/WR. We have a pass catching TE and pass catching WR. We don’t need a TE with the second pick.

by Winnie33 on Jan 22, 2012 12:55 PM EST reply actions

i like the draft but the one thing i would switch is instead of drafting Brock Osweiler i would want nick foles to be our developmental qb

by gene3083 on Jan 22, 2012 1:25 PM EST reply actions

(respect your opinion but..) No no NO!

please no! The kid has all the measureables and LOOKS the part, but he CAN"T throw a spiral to save his life. I’ve never seen anyone throw so many wobbling lame duck passes…. he gets away with it is that he’s got a cannon for an arm and OVERPOWERS the wobble to get the ball downfield. But, overpowering the wobble causes all sorts of accuracy issues as well as increasing the number of WR drops (it must be like fielding a lightning fast squib kick on the fly)

I don’t know what it is exactly (grip maybe) but the kid’s got serious mechanical issues, and I’d much rather our developmental QB develop mentally and physically than mechanically.

by Nepenthe88 on Jan 22, 2012 4:11 PM EST up reply actions

Not a bad draft!

I especially like Hightower and Egnew – So many teams have a fast. pass-catching tight end that gives defenses problems now.
Vernon Davis
Jimmy Graham
Gronk
They definitely give defenses problems – Scott Chandler is not the answer!

by BuffaloWhiner on Jan 22, 2012 4:23 PM EST reply actions