This is part three of our multi-part series taking a look around the internet to see what people said about the newest Buffalo Bills before they were drafted. We continue the series with fourth-round selection WR Marcus Easley and fifth-round selection OT Ed Wang. Previous Installments: C.J. Spiller, Torell Troup and Alex Carrington
Where applicable, I have copied part of the report summaries and provided a link. I've also included quotes from Bills staff members on each player.
Marcus Easley
WalterFootball.com: 2010 NFL Draft: Wide Receiver Rankings
"With barely any playing experience, Marcus Easley is a bit of a project. But he's undoubtedly physically gifted; at 6-3, 210, Easley ran a 4.46 and notched a 10-3 broad jump on Sunday. He's a mid-round guy with a lot of upside." 14th ranked WR.
Marcus Easley Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect - FFToolbox.com
"His hard work and tenacity should earn him a spot on somebody's roster, or at least practice squad. Whether or not he gets drafted is another story. Right now he is sitting on the fence, but he is worth a sixth or seventh round selection."
Marcus Easley, Connecticut, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com
CBS Sports provides as quality an analysis as you'll find out there on Marcus Easley.
WR Easley excels with late opportunity - BuffaloBills.com
"There’s something to be said about working your way up a depth chart and finally capitalizing on an opportunity when it comes your way. For UCONN receiver Marcus Easley, he was wondering if he’d run out of time. His opportunity finally came with nine games left in his college career, and Easley didn’t make the most of it. He took over."
Where Easley could fit – Inside The Bills
"Easley could be utilized in spread formations to run vertical routes and to block on run plays, though Buffalo has good blocking wideouts with Lee Evans and Steve Johnson two of the better ones. Most likely Easley will find a role on special teams right away as he covered kicks and was on the punt block team at UCONN."
Bills kept quiet about interest in Easley : Bills & NFL : The Buffalo News
Marcus Easley interviewed with Buffalo at the Combine but never had a private workout with the team. Allen Wilson looks at the UCONN WR.
Marcus Easley | Connecticut Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect
17th ranked WR.
New Era Scouting " Wide Receiver
Easley is the 23rd ranked WR according to New Era.
Scouting Report - Marcus Easley WR Connecticut - Draft Board Insider
Easley is the 19th WR.
2010 NFL Draft Rankings- Wide Receivers
Easley is 28th on the NFL Draft Geek rankings.
Conference Call Transcript With Marcus Easley - WGR 550 SportsRadio
Marcus Easley talked with the Buffalo media after being drafted by the Bills.
Press Conference Comments:
- "Well if you watch the film, he was sort of a late bloomer, but if you watch him on tape the first thing you see is he's got great explosion, his first movement is good, he's a powerful man, he's a big man that can run and he gets started very quickly, he's not a get to top speed at 4.45. He gets to top speed fairly early. He can catch; obviously if you can't catch you can't play so that probably goes without saying. The other thing is he's hard to tackle. I wouldn't call him the niftiest guy in the world when he's got the ball in his hands but he's hard to tackle, you see people bounce off of him, you see him run through arms and shoulders and that was an impressive trait for us as we looked for big, fast receivers and Buddy and I both believe in having on the outsides the biggest guys you can get out there to play that position. Now, that doesn't happen every time so don't say that's all we look for, that's not the case, but if you've got a choice, you take a bigger one over a littler one." - Chan Gailey
Ed Wang
2010 NFL Draft: Offensive tackles - Mocking The Draft
"A converted tight end, Wang is one of the more athletic senior tackles in the nation. He's played both tackle positions showing continued improvement in all aspects. Where he needs to get much better is his physical play. If he becomes more of a mauler, he'll be a starter-level player." He is the 15th OT on MTD's board.
WalterFootball.com: 2010 NFL Draft: Offensive Tackle Rankings
"Though Ed Wang plays right tackle at Virginia Tech, he's a former tight end with a quick 40, so you know he's athletic enough to play left tackle at the next level in any sort of system. He had a ton of issues with penalties, mostly holding." He's the 11th ranked tackle.
Ed Wang Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect - FFToolbox.com
"At 6-5 and 310 pounds, Wang is a relatively big tackle who is playing faster and stronger this year than he did last season. He looked sluggish and slow at workouts and during the Senior Bowl. Wang has all the tools to be a great left tackle in the NFL and he should be off the board in the second or third round."
Ed Wang, Virginia Tech, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com
"Scouts would like to see him add more strength and toughness. Furthermore, Wang struggled with penalties in 2009. However, teams will have a hard time ignoring his intriguing combination of size and pure athletic ability in the middle rounds. Wang's athletic ability comes naturally, as his parents were each members of the Chinese Olympic team in the 1970s. Wang should be able to provide a team with a legitimate developmental prospect at left tackle."
OT Wang a pioneer in NFL game - BuffaloBills.com
"It took a while, but the Buffalo Bills on day three of the 2010 NFL draft addressed their offensive line. With the 140th overall pick, Buffalo selected Ed Wang, an offensive tackle out of Virginia Tech, in the fifth round Saturday afternoon."
Wang had good numbers – Inside The Bills
"Wang had 29 reps on the bench press at the combine. He runs around a 5.0 flat 40-time and a 28-inch vertical and almost nine feet in the broad jump. But it’s his consistency in execution that’s attractive. He still needs to improve so NFL ready might not be something he is as a rookie. In time though he looks like a potential starter."
Wang viewed as left tackle – Inside The Bills
"Bills coordinator of College Scouting, Doug Majeski scouted Bills fifth round pick OT Ed Wang and believes he can be a blind side protector. Wang is a converted tight end that has 28 career starts at left tackle and a half season at right tackle and Majeski said the Bills see him as a left tackle. He’s an athletic player that is consistent with his assignments. However, he is a guy that is still developing having made that conversion just three seasons ago."
Draft Countdown - 2010 NFL Draft | Offensive Tackle Rankings
Wang was the 16th ranked OT.
New Era Scouting " Offensive Tackle
Wang is rated 15th overall in the tackle category.
Scouting Report - Ed Wang OT Virginia Tech
Wang was the 20th ranked OT.
2010 NFL Draft Rankings- Offensive Tackles - NFL Draft Geek
Wang is the 19th OT on the board here.
Press Conference Comments:
- "In the fifth round, he's got redeeming qualities. He's got size. He's got intelligence and he's got left tackle ability. (Good) Feet. He's got balance. He can pass protect. The guy's got a lot of things going for him. Obviously, there are some things he'll have to get better on but he's got the things to start with and now it's up to us to develop those and get him to doing the things he's deficient in and getting him to doing it better." - Buddy Nix