The clear theme of Buffalo Bills projections in nearly every 2016 NFL mock draft published this year? Nearly everyone expects them to take a defensive lineman. That trend continued this week in the latest mock from Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network, which sends Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed to the Bills with the No. 19 overall pick in the first round.
"There are flashier DTs available here," wrote Jeremiah, "but Reed is the most consistent, and he brings a rugged playing style, as well."
Jeremiah, a former NFL scout, ranks Reed as the 14th-best player in the draft class at present, citing his scheme and positional versatility, his dominance defending the run, his range, and his upside as a pass rusher as reasons for ranking him so highly in a very deep defensive tackle class. Reed measured in at just under 6'3" and 307 pounds at last week's Combine, where he ran a 5.21-second 40-yard dash and logged a 31-inch vertical jump.
The last time the Bills drafted an Alabama defensive lineman in the first round was back in 2011, and Marcell Dareus has made himself a centerpiece of the team's plans on defense. What would you think of the team doubling down on Bama defensive linemen, Bills fans?