On a night that saw Buffalo Bills fans anticipating a 9:30 selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, a fantastic trade down pushed that timeline back quite a bit. Analysts have provided near-universal praise for the Bills in their handling of the first round and the haul they received from the Kansas City Chiefs in trading back last night.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. simultaneously praised the Bills and questioned the Chiefs in his Round 1 winners and question marks, giving the Bills high marks for adding “draft capital” in a draft where they had fewer picks coming in then any team other than the Atlanta Falcons. Kiper said the Bills had six picks, but they actually had seven after declining to match the New England Patriots contract offer to running back Mike Gillislee. Error aside, the addition of a 2017 third round pick (91 overall) and a 2018 first round pick is an excellent haul, especially when considering the talent of the player the Bills were able to add at number 27, cornerback Tre’Davious White.
Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting tweeted that the Bills’ pick of White was among the best “steals” of the first round of the draft. He noted that the “‘Bama guys,” presumably Jonathan Allen and Reuben Foster, along with Ryan Ramczyk were also tremendous value picks.
Biggest 1st round “Reach” per our board? TJ Watt to #Steelers. Biggest “steal” (after Bama guys): #Saints OT Ramczyk and #Bills CB White.
— Eric Galko (@OptimumScouting) April 28, 2017
NFL Network’s Mike Mayock gave the Bills a “B+” for the pick, saying that White is not “flashy or sexy, but he’s one of the more solid cornerbacks in this draft.” This is a recurring theme with White, who is most often referred to as solid and steady more so than as a dynamic athlete. He feels that White is versatile, as he can play off or press, outside or in the slot, and a very good football player.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports gave the Bills a “B+”, as well. Prisco liked the trade down, and he also referred to White as one of the best corners in the draft.
Dan Kadar of SB Nation was more impressed, giving Buffalo a solid “A” for the selection and the trade. He noted that General Manager Doug Whaley had a great night in executing the trade down. Kadar repeated the notion that White isn’t a “super athlete,” but he also made sure to note White’s versatility. He also mentioned that the LSU product is willing to come up and play against the run.
Lastly, Danny Kelly of The Ringer weighed in on both scheme fit and value for each first round pick. Kelly gave the Bills an “A” for fit and an “A+” for value. The trade down and the picks acquired as a result clearly played into the value portion of the grade, as Kelly believes that White is a day one starter who fills an immediate need while also adding two other picks.
The Bills seem to have made a great decision in trading back, and White appears to be a player that will help both in the short term and in the future. Overall, it’s hard not to feel good about how the first round went down for Buffalo.