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You are currently browsing all posts tagged with 'NFL draft'
 While a preponderance of draft pundits feel the Buffalo Bills had a winning three days of obtaining new college talent in New York City, critics have swiftly turned to the fact the team aborted their plan to select a quarterback in any of the seven rounds.
According to things I’ve heard, this is a breakdown as to why no quarterback was taken.
♦ There were only three quarterbacks in the draft Buffalo had a high grade on: Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder. Their grades on Andy Dalton, Ryan Mallet, Colin Kaepernick and Jake Locker weren’t nearly as high as speculated by the media.
Why The Bills Didn’t Draft A Quarterback – continue reading…
 The Buffalo Bills took a shift towards roster depth with the second overall pick of round five, taking North Carolina running back Johnny White.
With Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller already in tow, this is evidently a roster depth selection. Buddy Nix likes White’s versatility, having played running back, wide receiver and even cornerback in college and was a key member of their special teams. He missed the final four games of his senior season with a broken clavicle.
In a moment Bills fans will like, Todd McShay said about White following the selection— “I believe he’s the most underrated running back in the entire draft.”
Bills Take RB Johnny White In Fifth Round – continue reading…
 The Buffalo Bills took their first offensive player of the draft late in round four, using the pick (122 overall) they acquired in the Marshawn Lynch trade to select Clemson offensive tackle Chris Hairston.
Hairston started for three years at Clemson at left tackle and helped block for last year Bills’ top draft choice C.J. Spiller. He was a two-time, All-ACC tackle and has a mammoth frame at six-foot-seven and 333 pounds.
Analysis of Hairston from Rob Rang of The Sports Xchange:
Positives: Three-year starter at left tackle for the Tigers has a massive frame with quick feet. Agile for his size, good lateral agility. Can run and hit second-level targets. Extends his arms and can slide his feet in pass protection. Good punch, excellent hand placement. Very experienced, football smart, durable team leader who started four Clemson bowl games.
Bills Tab OT Chris Hairston With Second Pick Of Fourth Round – continue reading…
 The Buffalo Bills continued to draft defensive players exclusively early in the fourth round after selecting defensive back Da’Norris Searcy from North Carolina.
Listed as a cornerback on the TV draft telecasts, Searcy was a strong safety in college, where he led his team last year with four interceptions and nine pass breakups despite sitting out the first three games due to an NCAA investigation. Like second round pick Aaron Williams, Searcy has good size at 6-feet and 200 pounds.
Rob Rang from the Sports XChange writes on Searcy:
Bills Select Safety Da’Norris Searcy In Fourth Round – continue reading…
 If there were any doubt about two things concerning the Buffalo Bills heading into the 2011 NFL draft this week, they were unwaveringly answered following their first three selections. First, Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey weren’t lying when they said rebuilding the defense was their top priority. The other is the confidence spoken of Ryan Fitzpatrick over the past few months was in no way, shape or form any kind of smokescreen.
The Bills have made three picks so far in the draft and all were used on stout, physical defenders as they attempt to rectify a run defense that was the worst in the league last year. Mammoth defensive lineman Marcell Dareus was the third overall pick in the draft on Thursday night and the Bills continued the defensive theme on Friday with two more defensive picks — cornerback Aaron Williams and inside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard.
The Bills’ run defense gave up at least 200 rushing yards in exactly half their games last season. Unequivocally, they’re working hard to rectify that. Dareus may never reach the sack totals some of the flashier defensive ends accumulate from this draft, but still was the pick because he’ a big, nasty, unmovable bull on the defensive line that won’t let tackles push him around. He’ll be the five-technique end in the 3-4 defense and spend some time inside when they move to a 4-3.
Bills Making Two Things Obvious With This Draft – continue reading…
 After two nights of the NFL draft that’s seen the Buffalo Bills land Marcell Dareus, Aaron Williams and Kelvin Sheppard, Saturday will see this year’s festivities conclude with rounds 4-7, beginning Saturday at noon.
Before walking away from your television sets thinking any chance the Bills have of landing an impact player is over, keep in mind this is a franchise that’s actually done quite well in the late rounds. Ironically enough, one could argue that Buffalo’s had more success after the third round in recent years than with their early picks.
Arthur Moats showed plenty of potential as a rookie after getting drafted in the sixth round last year. Stevie Johnson and Demetrius Bell, both valuable offensive starters, weren’t taken until the seventh round in 2008. Kyle Williams wasn’t drafted until the fifth round in 2006. Terrence McGee didn’t come off the board until the fourth round in 2003. In fact, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was selected in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams in 2005.
Plenty Of Talent Available As NFL Draft Winds Down – continue reading…
 The Buffalo Bills have selected a guy we’ve been reporting on for months here at Buffalo Sports Daily, inside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard of LSU in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft.
Sheppard has excellent size (6-2, 250lbs) and is an excellent tackler. A three-year starter at LSU, Sheppard compiled 311 career tackles and was a 2010 All-SEC selection. His stock slipped a little bit because a lot of scouts feel he lacks NFL explosiveness.
Perhaps most importantly to Buffalo, Sheppard came across as an unmistakable leader during the Senior Bowl week while spending time with Chan Gailey and the Bills coaching staff.
If you don’t mind, let us bask in the glow of being spot-on with something for once. Usually, I’m eating crow.
Bills Select Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard In Third Round – continue reading…
 If you were wondering how high the Buffalo Bills had Cam Newton ranked on their draft board, I spoke to a source connected with the team and learned they directly stayed true to its board with the third overall pick Thursday night. According to the source, Newton topped the Bills’ draft board and Marcell Dareus was second. With Carolina taking Newton first overall, Nix selected Dareus after Denver took Von Miller with the second pick.
I’m told that the Bills’ big board top five consisted of, in order, Newton, Dareus, Blaine Gabbert, Patrick Peterson and Miller.
Buddy Nix said Thursday night that until a day or two ago, the team didn’t expect Dareus to be on the board. I’m told had Dareus be gone with the Bills on the clock, Gabbert was likely to be the pick with Peterson, not Miller in play despite heavy speculation in the weeks leading up to the draft that Miller would be the pick if Dareus and Newton were both gone.
 The NFL draft resumes tonight at 6pm and barring a trade, Buffalo Bills fans won’t have to wait long to find out who’ll be joining first round selection Marcell Dareus on the roster. It seems with Dareus that general manager got the best of the both worlds; he got a player ranked at the top of their board that happened to be at a position of need.
As you’ll learn by looking at anyone’s mock draft from yesterday, it’s hard enough to try and forecast the first round. I’m not going even bother with a second round mock. Instead, I’ve listed 10 prospects I feel are most likely to be making their NFL debuts in Buffalo this fall.
To save yourself the time, I’ll answer the Da’Quan Bowers question for you now. He’s not on this list. I don’t think he’s a good fit at all for Buffalo and I never have. Add in the gigantic medical risk and I doubt he’s on the Bills wish list at all. Some team will take a chance on him in round two and perhaps he goes on to great things. But I highly doubt it will be Buffalo that takes the gamble.
Top 10 Bills Second Round Prospects – continue reading…
 Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News is widely regarded as the most respected NFL Mock Drafter (if there’s such a thing as one) in the entire industry. Buffalo Bills fans who covet Marcell Dareus therefore should be happy to know Gosselin has the Alabama defensive lineman going to Buffalo in his final mock, released this morning.
Overall, Gosselin’s mock isn’t like any other I’ve seen. He has a lot of surprises, including five quarterbacks not just going in the first round, but being among the top 12 selections. That’s bad news for Bills fans who were hoping to catch Christian Ponder or Andy Dalton with the team’s 34th pick. Gosselin has Cam Newton going to Carolina with the first pick, then Blaine Gabbert to San Francisco with the seventh, Jake Locker to Tennessee with the next pick, Ponder to Washington at 10 and Dalton to the Vikings two picks later.
A few other things of note: Gosselin has Mark Ingram all the way up to the St. Louis Rams with the 14th selection. He also has New England keeping both their first rounders and using them to take Cameron Jordan and Danny Watkins.
Going by his mock, it would leave Colin Kaepernick and Ryan Mallett as second round options for Buffalo at quarterback. Kyle Rudolph, the talented tight end from Notre Dame would also be available as would Akeem Ayers, who many consider the second-best pass rushing linebacker after Von Miller.
Here’s his complete mock, via Turf Show Times.
 Before losing your collective minds and teeing off on Buffalo Bills general manager for “reaching” again, I’m not claiming the organization is going to draft California defensive end Cameron Jordan… at least not with the third pick. I have no inside information suggesting Jordan will be the draft’s first shocker, such as his college teammate Tyson Alualu was last year when he went to Jacksonville 10th overall, despite not being projected as a first rounder in any credible mock draft.
However, I did speak to a source at length Wednesday afternoon and was reminded in no uncertain terms again that Jordan is a player the Bills very much covet.
“Cameron Jordan has everything you can want in a football player,” he said. “Everything but a high-profile name. Don’t believe everything you see and hear… I can guarantee he’s ranked a lot higher on team boards than you’re seeing reported and in all these mock drafts.”
Source: Bills Still Covet Jordan – continue reading…
It’s been too long and the draft is so close. In other words— it’s definitely time for a live chat. Post your questions and comments about the Bills or the NFL draft in general and let’s discuss. Hopefully I’ll have some decent information for everyone.
 It’s finally here– well at least it almost is. After months of speculation, rumors, sources, smokescreens and more published mocks than anyone can handle, the NFL draft takes place this week. With the NFL currently out of business and a growing possibility the CBA battle could drag on for several months, this week may be the last time we get to discuss actual football matters before Independence Day (or later).
What the Buffalo Bills will do with the third overall pick remains a mystery, though you wouldn’t know by reading the latest round of expert mocks. Everyone and their mother has tabbed Von Miller as the newest pass rushing linebacker to pack his bags for Orchard Park. While I’ve recently gotten more on board with the pick than I had before, I’m still not quite convinced that’s how things will play out.
What I both love and hate about this particular draft, which begins Thursday evening, is an unprecedented amount of the unknown attached. For the first time, current NFL players are unavailable as part of draft day trades. There’s also the heavy anticipation of an unusual amount players getting selected that will be considered “reaches” as teams are forced to fill holes exclusively through the draft without knowing when…or if free agency will commence.
Five Bills Draft Day Trades That Could Work – continue reading…
 Over the past couple of weeks, Von Miller has unmistakably become the prospect most linked to the Buffalo Bills. Miller to the Bills in published mock drafts has become more common than Charlie Sheen trending on Twitter.
If the Bills were to draft Miller third overall like most analysts are predicting, he’d be the highest linebacker taken since the Washington Redskins tabbed Lavar Arrington second overall in 2000. He’d also be the first linebacker selected with the third overall pick since the New York Giants grabbed Carl Banks in 1981
You want to talk about a rarity? Over the last 30 years, just nine linebackers have been selected as high as three in the NFL draft.
If the Bills’ front office were trying to hide their feelings towards Miller, they’ve done a horrific job of disguising it.
History Shows Bills Taking Von Miller Is A Big Risk – continue reading…
 With less than a week to go before the 2011 NFL draft, it’s time to make our big board. Before scrolling down to the bottom of the page to view in its entirety, please review the compiled list of notes directly pertaining to it.
♦ This board is clearly not indicative of the best 34 players in the NFL draft. What should jump off the page immediately is that neither A.J. Green or Julio Jones are on it anywhere. The rationale is quite simple— I don’t think there’s even a remote the chance the Bills select a wide receiver in the first two rounds. Everything I hear indicates that not only is Lee Evans going nowhere, but the organization is mile high on Marcus Easley, who is in tremendous shape after missing his rookie year with a knee injury. The Bills don’t have a lot of top-end talent currently on the roster, but receiver is the exception, so there’s no sense of putting one on this big board.
The BSD Projected Buffalo Bills “Big Board” – continue reading…
 Our friends over at Buffalo Rumblings have been running an excellent NFL draft series over the past few weeks titled “The Baker’s Dozen”. Essentially it’s a breakdown of the top 13 draft prospects in every imaginable way, including character, physical and scheme fit.
The author of the “scheme fit” portion of the series; a poster who goes by the moniker of Der Jaeger, has particularly done a tremendous job of breaking down how several players could fit into the Bills schematically. It’s even complete with diagrams of various schemes and in-depth descriptions of each.
I’d definitely suggest reading the entire series.
I wanted to highlight today’s post in particular over at Rumblings because it’s regarding a potential Bills pick few people are even discussing. Although Von Miller has become almost universally the Bills pick in countless mock drafts, everything I’ve heard from people well in the know tells me to not count out Robert Quinn.
A Solid Breakdown Of Bills Draft Prospect Robert Quinn – continue reading…
 I don’t often enjoy making it my business to promote someone else’s football thoughts, especially when it’s my job to provide original insight of my own, and even more so when it’s someone from WGR I’m promoting. It’s not exactly a confidential that I’m not the world’s biggest WGR fan as a whole.
However, occasionally you have to give credit where it’s due. WGR reporter Joe Buscaglia penned an exceptional piece following the Buffalo Bills draft luncheon that featured Buddy Nix and Tom Modrak. With an admitted dose of envy, I’ll go as far to acknowledge that for my money, it’s the single-best Bills related draft insight article I’ve read anywhere during the entire process. Not just recently, but since the offseason began. That’s how spot-on I think Buscaglia is with this.
I not only invite, but unreservedly encourage every single Bills fans to read it in its entirety right here. It verges on educational.
In his editorial, Buscaglia writes at length about two players I think are enormously central parts of the Bills front office thinking process come next Thursday; Marcell Dareus and Blaine Gabbert— for entirely distinctive reasons.
Bills Draft Luncheon Reveals Telling Clues – continue reading…
 This absolutely, positively will be the last mock draft I do until the day before the actual draft itself on April 28. Yet again, I’ve changed the Bills pick. Perhaps it’s a gut feeling I have this weekend or maybe I simply think Buddy Nix is seeing so many Von Miller to Buffalo mocks out there that it’s going to piss him off.
From day one of the offseason, the single-biggest wild card in this draft has been how the organization truly feels about Ryan Fitzpatrick and whether the claims they can be a playoff team with are indeed true or rarely smokescreens. For some reason and I can’t explain why, I’m not feeling the love for him via One Bills Drive.
As you’ll see momentarily, I also have both Nick Fairley and Da’Quan Bowers slipping farther than most. I also have Ryan Mallet in my first round after not having him among my top 34 in my last few mocks. I think he’s gaining momentum down the stretch. I actually have three quarterbacks among the top ten this time around.
The BSD Next-To-Last NFL Mock Draft – continue reading…
 As you’re reading this, the NFL draft is formally just two weeks away from being upon us. It’s seemed like an eternity, especially since an unworldly abundance of prospect talk and mock draft speculation have been shoved down our throats, even more so with no trades or free agent signings to digest.
Without question, the pendulum on the Bills first draft pick has shifted among the media. What was dominated by Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert talk in January and February unmistakably has reallocated towards Von Miller and to a lesser degree, Patrick Peterson over the past few weeks.
Buddy Nix will come into this draft completely open minded and will do so because candidly speaking, the Bills are an abysmal team right now. Take away running back and perhaps the interior offensive line and there’s no shocking third overall pick in sight, because the team can use support nearly across the board.
Are you telling me Buffalo’s receivers are so good that A.J Green or Julio Jones won’t help? Is the middle of the run defense solid enough that they don’t need Marcell Dareus? Does the secondary pick off so many passes that Peterson isn’t useful? Is Ryan Fitzpatrick, going into his final year of his contract, such a sure thing that the team shouldn’t bother with a quarterback? Heck, are Demetrius Bell and Erik Pears really locked into the tackle spot for the foreseeable future?
Five Best Bills Draft Day Scenarios – continue reading…
 On Tuesday night, Buffalo Bills general manager Buddy Nix appeared on ESPN’s NFL draft countdown special. It was the usual cast of ESPN characters, headed by host Trey Wingo as well as a healthy serving of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay shoved down viewers throats. Rounding things off were in-studio analysts— known Bills basher Mark Schlereth and chronic Cam Newton hater, Merril Hoge.
Nix spoke on matters the media have been typically asking about for weeks and unsurprisingly, his answers offered little insight as to where he may be tipping his hand come April 28.
If you had no idea where Nix’s mind set is before speaking Tuesday, surely you’re no closer to knowing his intentions now.
Nix spoke on the following topics.
Making Sense Of Buddy Nix’s Comments… Sort Of – continue reading…
 ( Since we’re growing tired of talking about who the Buffalo Bills may take with the third overall pick, this is the ninth in a 10-part series about who the Bills are most likely to target with their second round draft pick. The Bills hold the second pick of round two, 34th overall)
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (QB)
While we can debate the majority of the upcoming NFL draft from here to eternity, there’s one thing that’s nearly universally agreed upon. Bar none, Ryan Mallett is the single-biggest enigma in this entire crop of incoming collegiate talent. Depending on who you speak to, Mallett either has top of the draft board caliber proficiency or has been reported by others, off a team’s draft board entirely.
Let’s first touch on the positives. This guy can sling the football like no other prospect in this draft and like few active gunslingers in the NFL. Mallett has the physical tools to literally make all the throws and often looks effortless in doing so. Statistically he had a monster junior season at Arkansas, throwing for 3,869 yards and 32 touchdowns in 13 games last year. This came off the heels of a 3,627 yard, 30 touchdown campaign as a sophomore in 2009.
Bills Second Round Prospects: Ryan Mallett – continue reading…
 ( Since we’re growing tired of talking about who the Buffalo Bills may take with the third overall pick, this is the eighth in a 10-part series about who the Bills are most likely to target with their second round draft pick. The Bills hold the second pick of round two, 34th overall)
Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh (DE/LB)
After it was announced that University of Pittsburgh star pass-rusher Greg Romeus would miss the 2010 season with a knee injury, many thought the rest of the team’s defensive line would struggle mightily.
Not in the case of Jabaal Sheard.
The senior instead rose to the challenge with a breakout campaign; finishing with 52 tackles and nine sacks, a stat line that earned him the 2010 Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. Using his trademark swim move from the left defensive end position, he routinely beat up on opposing offensive tackles and wreaked havoc in the backfield.
Bills Second Round Prospects: Jabaal Sheard – continue reading…
 Tuesday night, Sal Capaccio hosted his weekly edition of Buffalo Bills Now! on his JustinTV internet station. For those who may not happen to know Sal, he was the guy two years ago to first break the news that the Bills were in pursuit of Terrell Owens. He’s a friend to this site and carries plenty of credibility with us.
Anyway, after not having much going on over his past few shows, Capaccio cited Buffalo Bills’ sources with some noteworthy nuggets of information.
Among them… (and you could, and really should listen to the entire podcast by clicking here)
He hears Marcell Dareus and Blaine Gabbert are sitting atop the Bills draft board, in no particular order. Although they’re not married to either guy quite yet, Sal says if one is available and the Bills don’t trade down, those will be the top two candidates to be packing their bags for Orchard Park.
Comparing & Dissecting Bills Sources And Info – continue reading…
 The Buffalo Bills official team website confirmed this morning that defensive ends Cameron Jordan and Robert Quinn along with linebacker Quan Sturdivant are in Buffalo to visit with the team today.
If you’re a regular reader of Buffalo Sports Daily, you already know plenty about Jordan. Not only have we formally endorsed Jordan as the guy the Bills should tab with their first selection, we’ve also been reporting since February 15 that Buddy Nix is very interested in him.
Jordan could still very well be the guy the Bills ultimately target, especially if they receive a quality offer to trade down. While he’d be almost universally regarded as a reach with the third pick, the Bills could do much worse by drafting the talented defensive end. He’s not as explosive as some of the guys near the top of most draft boards, including Quinn, but he’s a solid player who has an equal ability to play in both the 34 and 43 defensive fronts.
Jordan, Quinn Among Bills Visitors Today – continue reading…
 ( Since we’re growing tired of talking about who the Buffalo Bills may take with the third overall pick, this is the seventh in a 10-part series about who the Bills are most likely to target with their second round draft pick. The Bills hold the second pick of round two, 34th overall)
Christian Ballard, Iowa (DE)
Of the second round Bills’ prospects we’ve profiled so far, Ballard is the least heralded of the bunch. His name doesn’t off the page, nor does his college statistics or performance at the NFL combine. But make no mistake about it— Ballard is a legit second round candidate and if the Bills don’t address defensive end with their first selection, Ballard could very well be in the mix the second time around.
At 6-foot-4 and 286 pounds, Ballard helped himself by having an excellent Pro Day workout. The University of Iowa product ran a 4.7/40 and notched a 34-inch vertical leap to demonstrate plenty of athleticism to go along with intriguing size.
Bills Second Round Prospects: Christian Ballard – continue reading…
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