After weeks of contemplation and rearranging, I’ve finally settled on my Buffalo Bills Big Board for the 2017 NFL Draft. It looks slightly different than what I used for the SB Nation writer’s mock draft in early April.
If I was calling the shots in the Buffalo Bills draft room tonight, my Top 10 Big Board would look like this:
(And yes, I would go “Best Player Available”)
2017 Buffalo Bills Top 10 Big Board
- Myles Garrett
- Mike Williams
- Corey Davis
- O.J. Howard
- Malik Hooker
- Solomon Thomas
- Jonathan Allen
- Haason Reddick
- Reuben Foster
- Obi Melifonwu
Despite picking Shaq Lawson in Round 1 last year, Buffalo could use another premier edge-rusher. Myles Garrett will be long gone though.
To me, the receiving corps needs a big boost, and I’m a proponent of high-pointing skills being more important than speed at the receiver spot, hence Mike Williams at No. 2 here. Corey Davis is a squeaky clean prospect himself and would be an ideal fit in Rick Dennison’s West Coast offense. Yes, there are more glaring needs on defense than offense for the Bills, but this draft is considerably deeper defensively than it is offensively. After Williams and Davis, there’s a significant drop to the No. 3 wideout.
O.J. Howard is simply a stud prospect all around. With him, the Bills would have two three-down tight ends on their roster. Quite the luxury.
Malik Hooker is an Earl Thomas-like eraser in the secondary with imposing size, long arms, and enormous hands. McDermott would love him as the roaming free safety in his Cover 3.
Solomon Thomas is the ideal heir apparent to Kyle Williams. Jonathan Allen would be as well.
Haason Reddick is a Thomas Davis-type athlete who overachieved in college, and stands out in every game, especially when he playing off-ball linebacker.
Reuben Foster plays with two rockets attached to his cleats. He reminds me of Ryan Shazier.
Obi Melifonwu is the best athlete in this entire class, stands 6’4”, weighs 225 pounds and can play anywhere from free safety to corner to weakside linebacker in nickel.
So where is [insert prospect]?
I’m not nearly as high on Jamal Adams as just about everybody else. He’s eerily reminiscent of Donte Whitner or Mark Barron.
Tre’Davious White is my No. 1 cornerback in this class, but with the immense depth at that spot in this class, I think the Bills should wait on one — even into Round 3. Marshon Lattimore is quite the impressive... man-to-man cornerback. McDermott predominately runs zone.