If NFL.com's Gil Brandt is considered the go-to source for evaluations on soon-to-be pro football players, then Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News is the go-to guy for predicting where said prospects will end up.
A week ago, we were discussing Gosselin's first mock draft of the year, in which he awarded Iowa OT Bryan Bulaga to the Buffalo Bills with the No. 9 overall pick. That mock draft, he explains, was based on the notion of taking the best player available. His second mock draft, released early this morning, was based more on team need - and he has Buffalo passing on Bulaga in favor of Tennessee DT Dan Williams.
They're curious, those decisions. In his BPA mock, he has Buffalo selecting Bulaga - who may or may not be able to play left tackle - while passing on Rutgers' Anthony Davis (a character risk, to be sure), Williams (who fell to the Giants at No. 15), and Clemson's C.J. Spiller (No. 20 to Houston), among others. Then, in his team needs mock, he has Buffalo passing on a left tackle - arguably the team's most important need - in favor of Williams, while allowing Bulaga to slide all the way to Atlanta at No. 19. Also passed up: Derrick Morgan and a slew of other pass rushers.
Curious, indeed.
It should be noted that in both of Gosselin's mock drafts, Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen was taken before Buffalo's pick, while Florida's Tim Tebow was not a first-round pick in either mock.