For the past two days, the four authors of Buffalo Rumblings - sireric, jri111, Kurupt and myself - have been playing the role of General Manager... err, COO... of the Buffalo Bills in presenting to you our Authors Mock Draft. As we expected when we first put this project together, reviews have been mixed; we applaud y'all for your excellent critiques of our work. We look forward to hearing what you have to say about today's installment - hopefully our most intriguing yet.
In fact, I'll guarantee that one pick made today (that would be sireric's) will get y'all talking, whether it be about the player, the pick, or sireric's sanity. Here's how we chose in regards to Buffalo's third-round pick, number 71 overall:
Brian Galliford's Pick
3-71. Tyvon Branch, CB, Connecticut.
- Branch is a thickly built (5'11", 204 pounds) corner that's tough against the run and has superb straight-line speed (4.31 40). He's a little stiff in the hips, however, which means that his potential to be great is far higher in a zone scheme. He's also one of the better kick returners available this year, meaning that he could have a real impact as a rookie while he got accustomed to Buffalo's defense. He's athletic enough that he'll sneak up a lot of draft boards, so I'll grab him in the third round while he's still available.
Sireric's Pick
3-71. Josh Johnson, QB, San Diego.
- If I thought the Harvey pick would make some of you mad, this one could really get you steamed. Let's be honest, if J.P. Losman is 50-50 to be on the Bills' roster in '08, he's all but gone by the start of '09. Would it not be prudent to grab his replacement now so he can get a year of experience under his belt? At 6'2" and 213 pounds, Johnson has good size and was still able to run a 4.44-second 40. He's also Marshawn's cousin.
Jri111's Pick
3-71. Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue
- Everyone knows that the Bills need to get better at TE, it's just a matter of how and when. I picked Keller here, not because I liked him better then Davis or Bennett, but because I believe out of the three he has the best chance to still be around when the Bills pick in the third. The 6'3", 240-pound TE had a huge Combine which may have bumped his stock from a third to late second rounder. However, Davis and Bennett are more "complete" players and both have better size. Keller has great hands and is fluid in his cuts. He would give the Bills a receiving threat at the TE position they desperately need. Royal would still start as the "in-line" TE. Keller would move around and play more in the slot and out of the backfield.
Kurupt's Pick
3-71. Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State
- I'm still assuming we'll pick up a free agent WR before the Draft, as I can't imagine us relying on a rookie WR from the start. However, I think Nelson is one of the more NFL-ready receivers in this draft. Some people may consider him a one-year wonder, but he really has a ton of ability. He's got the size we are looking for at WR (6'3", 217 lbs), better than expected speed (4.49), excellent game speed, and good hands. He is by no means a finished product as he'll need to continue working on route running, blocking and timing, but he's got the athleticism and ability to be a good starting WR for us. I see him as a good possession WR with the ability to go over the middle and pick up a lot of YAC. Bills fans would love this guy, as he's a former walk-on who's worked his tail off to get to this level. Plus, how can you not love the name Jordy?
1-11. Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
2-42. Jason Jones, DE, Eastern Michigan
3-71. Tyvon Branch, CB, Connecticut
sireric
1-11. Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
2-42. Reggie Smith, DB, Oklahoma
3-71. Josh Johnson, QB, San Diego
jri111
1-11. Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
2-42. Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
3-71. Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue
Kurupt
1-11. Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
2-42. Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
3-71. Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State
Rounds 4 and 5 both coming at you tomorrow, with 6 and 7 coming on Friday. For now, take it away, faithful critics - we can't wait to hear what you say about our third round selections.