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2013 NFL Draft results: Buffalo Bills pick Jonathan Meeks

The Bills are loading up with numbers at the safety position, indicating that Mike Pettine may be planning to use them plenty.

Ned Dishman

With the No. 143 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills have selected Clemson safety Jonathan Meeks.

The second safety that the Bills have added on day three of the draft (following fourth-round pick Duke Williams of Nevada), Meeks was one of five safeties that the Bills brought in to One Bills Drive for a pre-draft visit. A two-year starter for the Tigers, Meeks accumulated 123 tackles and five interceptions in 27 games played over the past two seasons.

Like his new teammate Williams, Meeks is better as an in-the-box athlete than he is as more of a free safety, but the 6'0", 209-pound senior has enough athleticism (4.55 speed, 33.5-inch vertical jump) to play acceptably in the deep half of the field.

This off-season, the Bills have placed the franchise tag on Jairus Byrd, moved 2011 second-round pick Aaron Williams to safety, and have now drafted two mid-round prospects with good athleticism and versatility in what is widely considered the best safety class in years. Mike Pettine was known to use three safeties on the field quite a bit with the New York Jets; given the activity at the position in Buffalo, it's reasonable to believe that he has plans to do so again.

Buffalo's next pick comes in the sixth round, at No. 177 overall.