The 2019 college football season is already halfway over, which means NFL scouts and general managers have been hitting the road to scout college players in earnest. As one would expect, scouts employed by the Buffalo Bills have been attending some of the biggest games in college football. So, what players or positions might the team be scouting? Find out below.
As always, a thank you should go out to those few media members who report and tweet about such things, as without them we wouldn’t normally have access to this type of information.
Alabama-South Carolina
September 14th
Top Prospects
- Alabama (QB Tua Tagovailoa, WR Jerry Jeudy, WR Henry Ruggs III, WR DeVonta Smith, OT Alex Leatherwood, RB Najee Harris, CB Trevon Diggs, DT Raekwon Davis, ER Terrell Lewis)
- South Carolina (DT Javon Kinlaw, WR Bryan Edwards, WR Shi Smith, LB T.J. Brunson)
Grif’s take: The wide receiver prospects were the real draw for this particular game. Jeudy and Ruggs are projected as first rounders, but Devonta Smith and Bryan Edwards aren’t that far behind as possession receivers. Najee Harris could make a decent replacement for Frank Gore as the team’s between-the-tackles runner.
Iowa-Michigan
October 5th
Top Prospects
- Iowa (DE A.J. Epenesa, OT Tristan Wirfs, OT Alaric Jackson, QB Nate Stanley)
- Michigan (WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, TE Sean McKeon, OG Jon Runyan, OG Ben Bredeson, DE Michael Danna, DE Kwity Paye, WR Tarik Black)
Grif’s take: Offensive linemen are the obvious draw in this game, as Jackson, Wirfs, Runyan and Bredeson looks like second-day prospects at worst. Several analysts consider Wirfs to be the best offensive tackle coming out in 2020. The defensive ends were probably also a consideration as Paye and especially Epenesa look like they could walk in to the NFL as starters.
Oregon-Cal
October 5th
Top Prospects
- Oregon (QB Justin Herbert, TE Jacob Breeland, LB Troy Dye, OT, Calvin Throckmorton, OT Brady Aiello, OG Shane Lemieux, OC/OG Jake Hanson)
- California (LB Evan Weaver, SS Ashtyn Davis, DE Luc Bequette)
Grif’s take: Outside of the unlikely event that the Bills’ scouts were trying to sneak a peak at Justin Herbert, it was again most likely the offensive linemen that attracted them to this game. Oregon linemen are usually among the most athletic in the country, and both Hanson and Lemieux look like great fits for any zone-based blocking schemes.
Oregon-Colorado
October 11th
Top Prospects
- Oregon (QB Justin Herbert, TE Jacob Breeland, LB Troy Dye, OT, Calvin Throckmorton, OT Brady Aiello, OG Shane Lemieux, OC/OG Jake Hanson)
- Colorado (QB Steven Montez, WR Laviska Shenault Jr., DT Mustafa Johnson, LB Davion Taylor)
Grif’s take: Bills scouts attending a second Oregon game may be telling, but the presence of Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr. is enough to fill an entire room full of scouts. Although he hasn’t been having the most productive season, he did finish this particular game with four catches for 70 yards.