Though he had long been a proponent of the idea, ESPN's Mel Kiper on Wednesday backed off on the idea that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton will be the Buffalo Bills' pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
""I had Newton going there (at 3) a few weeks ago, and somebody I respected, different people you talk to over the years told me, ‘Well I don’t think you’re right on that,’" Kiper said during yesterday's conference call with media.
The new thought process makes a considerable amount of sense. Last season, Bills GM Buddy Nix - who at that point had a much more urgent need at quarterback than he does today - passed on the likes of Tim Tebow, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy in the 2010 NFL Draft.
Tebow was as close to a fan favorite as a controversial QB prospect can be pre-draft in Buffalo, but Nix insisted that the team's attempts to trade up into the latter portions of Round 1 last year were for other players, and not the former Florida star to whom Newton is consistently compared. Clausen was passed up twice, with only perceived attitude issues as a red flag. McCoy's arm strength and need to adjust from Texas' offensive system caused the Bills to pass twice, as well, despite Tebow-level intangibles.
I think Kiper is right. A lot can change in seven weeks, but gun to my head, I'd bet against the Bills taking a quarterback at No. 3. That's today. I'll likely feel differently tomorrow.