SBNation.com User Blog: boomsauce

We're Caught Between a Mock and a Hard Place v3

boomsauce — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:06:44 -0000

Welcome to my third and final mock draft of this glorious 2013 draft season. With the draft about a month away, I am no closer to a grip on what the Bills will do at #8 than I was with my first or second mock; nonetheless, the mock must go on.

1) Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee) 6’2 216lbs

I want so badly for the Bills to man up and draft their favorite QB with this pick, but my gut tells me that Buddy Nix’s style (the one where he avoids “reaching” and effectively undervalues the quarterback position) continues. Instead, the Bills wind up with Patterson.

Good luck finding a guy whose 6’2” and 215+ pounds that is as good with the ball in his hands as Cordarrelle Patterson. Seriously: go look; let me know when you find one. He makes people miss in tight areas like a waterbug back, is strong enough to break through arm tackles, and has the acceleration to blow right by the defense. His raw route running and iffy jump ball ability are meaningless to me when weighed against his elite body control and twitchy movement skills.

2) Landry Jones (QB, Oklahoma) 6’4 225lbs

With Buddy Nix passing on QBs with the 8th pick, the Bills settle for a guy everyone else passes on (some teams twice).

Landry Jones, in my mind, is the type of QB that Buddy Nix will wind up with a very high grade on. He has all the physical tools, good off-field intangibles, and ridiculous production at a big time program in the American South. I think Jones’ reputation of crumbling under pressure is a bit overhyped, and that his biggest problem lies in his internal clock. He tends to hold onto the ball too long before taking an unnecessary sack or forcing a throw into good coverage. If you can coach Jones into playing faster, then I believe there is a good NFL quarterback here.

3) Jelani Jenkins (LB, Florida) 6’0 243lbs

Jenkins is an excellent athlete with a convenient blend of burst, speed, and change of direction ability. He can flip his hips like a defensive back, which makes him a natural in coverage. Jenkins is also a very physical player that makes the most of his size in his tackling and the aggression he displays when challenging blockers.

4) Michael “Duke” Williams (S/CB, Nevada) 6’0 190lbs

Duke Williams is an absolute stud. He is an incredibly fluid and explosive athlete with track speed and the ability to easily flip between safety and CB. He also plays aggressively and is more than willing to throw his weight around. Williams is a perfect fit in Mike Pettine’s defense, which emphasizes both versatile athletes and quality defensive backs. His less-than-ideal size and some (relatively) minor off field problems could easily cause him to slide into the mid rounds.

5) Mychal Rivera (TE/FB, Tennessee) 6’3 242lbs

Oddly enough, I have the Bills selecting two Tennessee Volunteers in the same draft (and why not, Nix did the same with UNC…). Rivera is an underrated TE/FB hybrid player who could prove useful as both a fullback and flex tight end in the pros. As the Bills don’t really have either of those currently on the roster (unless you count Dorin Dickerson... which I don’t), Rivera makes plenty of sense for them in the later rounds. He has the potential to produce in various roles because of his sure hands, reasonable athleticism, in-line physicality, and natural skills as a lead blocker from the backfield.

6) Darrin Moore (WR, Texas Tech) 6’4 230lbs

If you have seen me gush about Darrin Moore at any point in the last couple months, then you probably knew this was coming. I am still flabbergasted at the complete lack of hype (as in, none whatsoever) surrounding his name. Moore is up to 230 pounds now, in case you were wondering.

Bonus! Some potential undrafted free agents to keep an eye out for:

Kyle Juszczyk (TE/FB, Harvard), Malcolm Bronson (S, McNeese St.), John Boyett (S, Oregon), Justin Tuggle (OLB, Kansas St.), Andrew Starks (LB, Princeton), Emory Blake (WR, Auburn), Quentin Sims (WR, UT-Martin), and if you take one name seriously off this list: Michael Carter (CB, Minnesota).

Questions? Comments? Mock drafts are always best when treated as conversation starters.

1) Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee) 6’2 216lbs

2) Landry Jones (QB, Oklahoma) 6’4 225lbs

With Buddy Nix passing on QBs with the 8th pick, the Bills settle for a guy everyone else passes on (some teams twice).

3) Jelani Jenkins (LB, Florida) 6’0 243lbs

4) Michael “Duke” Williams (S/CB, Nevada) 6’0 190lbs

5) Mychal Rivera (TE/FB, Tennessee) 6’3 242lbs

6) Darrin Moore (WR, Texas Tech) 6’4 230lbs

Bonus! Some potential undrafted free agents to keep an eye out for:

Questions? Comments? Mock drafts are always best when treated as conversation starters.

BS Prospect Rankings (CB, Safety, DT, QB Edition)

boomsauce — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:02:35 -0000

This is the second of two posts where I take a stab at positional rankings for this year’s draft. The first edition was for WRs, LBs, and DEs. Here, I round out the rankings with CBs, Safeties, DTs, and (gulp) Quarterbacks.

No Analysis- just rankings.

Cornerback

1) Dee Milliner (6’0 201lbs, Alabama)

2) Desmond Trufant (6’0 190lbs, Washington)

3) Logan Ryan (5’11 191lbs, Rutgers)

4) Xavier Rhodes (6’1 210lbs, Florida St.)

5) Tyrann Mathieu (5’9 186lbs, Louisiana St.)

6) Darius Slay (6’0 192lbs, Mississippi St.)

7) Adrian Bushell (5’9 186lbs, Louisville)

8) Michael Carter (5’11 189lbs, Minnesota)

9) Rod Sweeting (5’11 189lbs, Georgia Tech)

10) Johnthan Banks (6’2 185lbs, Mississippi St.)

11) Leon McFadden (5’10 193lbs, San Diego St.)

12) Robert Alford (5’10 188lbs, Southeastern Louisiana)

13) Tharold Simon (6’2 202lbs, Louisiana St.)

14) Sanders Commings (6’0 216lbs, Georgia)

15) Travis Howard (6’1 200lbs, Ohio St.)

Safety

1) Jonathan Cyprien (6’0 217lbs, Florida International)

2) Duke Williams (6’0 190lbs, Nevada)

3) D.J. Swearinger (5’10 208lbs, South Carolina)

4) Kenny Vaccaro (6’0 214lbs, Texas)

5) Bacarri Rambo (6’0 211lbs, Georgia)

6) Phillip Thomas (6’0 208lbs, Fresno St.)

7) Eric Reid (6’1 213lbs, Louisiana St.)

8) Shawn Williams (6’0 213lbs, Georgia)

9) Matt Elam (5’10 208lbs, Florida)

10) John Boyett (5’10 204lbs, Oregon)

Defensive Tackle

1) Star Lotulelei (6’2 311lbs, Utah)

2) Sheldon Richardson (6’2 294lbs, Missouri)

3) Sylvester Williams (6’3 313lbs, North Carolina)

4) Jesse Williams (6’3 323lbs, Alabama)

5) Jordan Hill (6’1 303lbs, Penn St.)

6) Kawann Short (6’3 299lbs, Purdue)

7) Sharrif Floyd (6’3 297lbs, Florida)

8) Bennie Logan (6’2 309lbs, Louisiana St.)

9) Johnathan Hankins (6’3 320lbs, Ohio St.)

10) Datone Jones (6’4 283lbs, UCLA)

Quarterback

1) Geno Smith (6’2 218lbs, West Virginia)

2) Mike Glennon (6’7 225lbs, North Carolina St.)

3) Tyler Bray (6’6 232lbs, Tennessee)

4) Landry Jones (6’4 225lbs, Oklahoma)

5) Ryan Nassib (6’2 227lbs, Syracuse)

6) Matt Barkley (6’2 227lbs, Southern California)

7) Brad Sorensen (6’4 229lbs, Southern Utah)

8) Matt Scott (6’2 213lbs, Arizona)

9) Zac Dysert (6’3 231lbs, Miami Ohio)

10) EJ Manuel (6’5 237lbs, Florida St.)

Notes:

- The DE/OLB ‘tweeners’ were once again left off. To at least name a couple: Jamie Collins is a potential fit; his name has picked up some steam after the combine. Brandon Jenkins is a notable name that’s been forgotten from this group because of injury, and Michael Buchanan was a pretty good DE for the Illini who I think projects as a 3-4 OLB.

- Once again, injury and character concerns (if there are any) were essentially ignored.

- I am hardly confident in ranking TEs, as I simply have not seen a good number of them. However, later round TE/H-backs that caught my eye include Mychal Rivera, Kyle Juszczyk, and Chris Gragg.

- David Amerson and T.J. McDonald are intentionally absent from the CB and Safety rankings, respectively. Amerson looks to me like he should move to safety and McDonald like he should move to nickel linebacker. Although they are both solid prospects, I opted to leave them out of the rankings entirely.

- Any questions or comments are encouraged. Feel free to tell me how hilariously wrong I am and why.

No Analysis- just rankings.

Cornerback

1) Dee Milliner (6’0 201lbs, Alabama)

2) Desmond Trufant (6’0 190lbs, Washington)

3) Logan Ryan (5’11 191lbs, Rutgers)

4) Xavier Rhodes (6’1 210lbs, Florida St.)

5) Tyrann Mathieu (5’9 186lbs, Louisiana St.)

6) Darius Slay (6’0 192lbs, Mississippi St.)

7) Adrian Bushell (5’9 186lbs, Louisville)

8) Michael Carter (5’11 189lbs, Minnesota)

9) Rod Sweeting (5’11 189lbs, Georgia Tech)

10) Johnthan Banks (6’2 185lbs, Mississippi St.)

11) Leon McFadden (5’10 193lbs, San Diego St.)

12) Robert Alford (5’10 188lbs, Southeastern Louisiana)

13) Tharold Simon (6’2 202lbs, Louisiana St.)

14) Sanders Commings (6’0 216lbs, Georgia)

15) Travis Howard (6’1 200lbs, Ohio St.)

Safety

1) Jonathan Cyprien (6’0 217lbs, Florida International)

2) Duke Williams (6’0 190lbs, Nevada)

3) D.J. Swearinger (5’10 208lbs, South Carolina)

4) Kenny Vaccaro (6’0 214lbs, Texas)

5) Bacarri Rambo (6’0 211lbs, Georgia)

6) Phillip Thomas (6’0 208lbs, Fresno St.)

7) Eric Reid (6’1 213lbs, Louisiana St.)

8) Shawn Williams (6’0 213lbs, Georgia)

9) Matt Elam (5’10 208lbs, Florida)

10) John Boyett (5’10 204lbs, Oregon)

Defensive Tackle

1) Star Lotulelei (6’2 311lbs, Utah)

2) Sheldon Richardson (6’2 294lbs, Missouri)

3) Sylvester Williams (6’3 313lbs, North Carolina)

4) Jesse Williams (6’3 323lbs, Alabama)

5) Jordan Hill (6’1 303lbs, Penn St.)

6) Kawann Short (6’3 299lbs, Purdue)

7) Sharrif Floyd (6’3 297lbs, Florida)

8) Bennie Logan (6’2 309lbs, Louisiana St.)

9) Johnathan Hankins (6’3 320lbs, Ohio St.)

10) Datone Jones (6’4 283lbs, UCLA)

Quarterback

1) Geno Smith (6’2 218lbs, West Virginia)

2) Mike Glennon (6’7 225lbs, North Carolina St.)

3) Tyler Bray (6’6 232lbs, Tennessee)

4) Landry Jones (6’4 225lbs, Oklahoma)

5) Ryan Nassib (6’2 227lbs, Syracuse)

6) Matt Barkley (6’2 227lbs, Southern California)

7) Brad Sorensen (6’4 229lbs, Southern Utah)

8) Matt Scott (6’2 213lbs, Arizona)

9) Zac Dysert (6’3 231lbs, Miami Ohio)

10) EJ Manuel (6’5 237lbs, Florida St.)

Notes:

- Once again, injury and character concerns (if there are any) were essentially ignored.

- I am hardly confident in ranking TEs, as I simply have not seen a good number of them. However, later round TE/H-backs that caught my eye include Mychal Rivera, Kyle Juszczyk, and Chris Gragg.

- Any questions or comments are encouraged. Feel free to tell me how hilariously wrong I am and why.

BS Prospect Rankings (WR, LB, DE Edition)

boomsauce — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:05:53 -0000

Welcome to the first of two posts with my positional rankings for the 2013 draft. Offensive linemen and running backs will be excluded, and TE/FBs will only get a quick look. Use them as discussion starters, to learn some new names, or don't look at them at all. It is entirely up to you.

This post will cover DEs, WRs, and LBs. The second will include DTs, safeties, CBs, and (of course) QBs. No analysis- just rankings.

Wide Receiver

1) Cordarrelle Patterson (6'3 205lbs, Tennessee)

2) Darrin Moore (6'4 216lbs, Texas Tech)

3) Da'Rick Rogers (6'3 206lbs, Tennessee Tech)

4) DeAndre Hopkins (6'1 200lbs, Clemson)

5) Justin Hunter (6'4 200lbs, Tennessee)

6) Keenan Allen (6'3 210lbs, California)

7) Terrance Williams (6'2 205lbs, Baylor)

8) Aaron Dobson (6'3 200lbs, Marshall)

9) Markus Wheaton (6'1 182lbs, Oregon St.)

10) Quinton Patton (6'2 195lbs, Louisiana Tech)

11) Robert Woods (6'1 190lbs, USC)

12) Tavarres King (6'1 200, Georgia)

13) Chris Harper (6'1 234lbs, Kansas St.)

14) Cobi Hamilton (6'3 209lbs, Arkansas)

15) Kenny Stills (6'1 190lbs, Oklahoma)

Linebacker

1) Kiko Alonso (6'4 242lbs, Oregon)

2) Alec Ogletree (6'3 232lbs, Georgia)

3) Jelani Jenkins (6'0 237lbs, Florida)

4) Arthur Brown (6'1 228lbs, Kansas St.)

5) Khaseem Greene (6'1 230lbs, Rutgers)

6) Zaviar Gooden (6'2 230lbs, Missouri)

7) Manti Te'o (6'2 255lbs, Notre Dame)

8) DeVonte Holloman (6'2 241lbs, South Carolina)

9) Sean Porter (6'2 230lbs, Texas A&M)

10) Vince Williams (6'1 250lbs, Florida St.)

11) Kevin Minter (6'2 245lbs, LSU)

12) Kevin Reddick (6'2 246lbs, UNC)

13) Sio Moore (6'2 229lbs, UConn)

14) Justin Tuggle (6'3 237lbs, Kansas St.)

15) Andrew Starks (6'2 240lbs, Princeton)

Defensive End

1) Bjoern Werner (6'4 256lbs, Florida St.)

2) Ezekiel Ansah (6'5 274lbs, Brigham Young)

3) Alex Okafor (6'4 260lbs, Texas)

4) Damontre Moore (6'4 250lbs, Texas A&M)

5) Quanterus Smith (6'5 249lbs, W. Kentucky)

6) Margus Hunt (6'8 275lbs, So. Methodist)

7) William Gholston (6'7 278lbs, Michigan St.)

8) Cornellius Carradine (6'4 265lbs, FSU)

9) Malliciah Goodman (6'4 270lbs, Clemson)

10) Dan Giordano (6'4 260lbs, Cincinnati)

Notes:

- You may have noticed that ‘tweeners' (namely Dion Jordan, Jarvis Jones, and Barkevious Mingo) were left off of this. It was intentional. I defined "defensive ends" and "linebackers" as you would in a 4-3. The 3-4 DE/OLB hybrids were left off entirely.

- Wideout was also focused on guys with some size. The Stedman Baileys and Marquise Goodwins of the world are absent because I think we can all agree that the Bills should be looking for size.

- Character and/or injury concerns were not factored in at all. If I start to try and account for Quanterus Smith's knee, Ogletree's drinking habits, and Da'Rick Rodgers' questionable taste in women my head will explode before long. These rankings are based only on what kind of players I think these guys are and how I feel that should be valued by the Buffalo Bills.

- There undoubtedly are players that I missed entirely from each of these positions (most small school guys, for one), but be aware that I have seen a lot of guys in the past 9ish months. If you are wondering why a guy you like is not on here, it is pretty likely that I just prefer the names I listed to your favorite (tell me why I'm wrong, please!).

- I invite you to tear this to pieces and tell me what a moron I am (in fact, I encourage it). Please post your own rankings (or offer up questions/discussion points) in the comments section. I would expect the next post to be up soon enough, where we can hopefully have some fun with the all important QBs.

This post will cover DEs, WRs, and LBs. The second will include DTs, safeties, CBs, and (of course) QBs. No analysis- just rankings.

Wide Receiver

1) Cordarrelle Patterson (6'3 205lbs, Tennessee)

2) Darrin Moore (6'4 216lbs, Texas Tech)

3) Da'Rick Rogers (6'3 206lbs, Tennessee Tech)

4) DeAndre Hopkins (6'1 200lbs, Clemson)

5) Justin Hunter (6'4 200lbs, Tennessee)

6) Keenan Allen (6'3 210lbs, California)

7) Terrance Williams (6'2 205lbs, Baylor)

8) Aaron Dobson (6'3 200lbs, Marshall)

9) Markus Wheaton (6'1 182lbs, Oregon St.)

10) Quinton Patton (6'2 195lbs, Louisiana Tech)

11) Robert Woods (6'1 190lbs, USC)

12) Tavarres King (6'1 200, Georgia)

13) Chris Harper (6'1 234lbs, Kansas St.)

14) Cobi Hamilton (6'3 209lbs, Arkansas)

15) Kenny Stills (6'1 190lbs, Oklahoma)

Linebacker

1) Kiko Alonso (6'4 242lbs, Oregon)

2) Alec Ogletree (6'3 232lbs, Georgia)

3) Jelani Jenkins (6'0 237lbs, Florida)

4) Arthur Brown (6'1 228lbs, Kansas St.)

5) Khaseem Greene (6'1 230lbs, Rutgers)

6) Zaviar Gooden (6'2 230lbs, Missouri)

7) Manti Te'o (6'2 255lbs, Notre Dame)

8) DeVonte Holloman (6'2 241lbs, South Carolina)

9) Sean Porter (6'2 230lbs, Texas A&M)

10) Vince Williams (6'1 250lbs, Florida St.)

11) Kevin Minter (6'2 245lbs, LSU)

12) Kevin Reddick (6'2 246lbs, UNC)

13) Sio Moore (6'2 229lbs, UConn)

14) Justin Tuggle (6'3 237lbs, Kansas St.)

15) Andrew Starks (6'2 240lbs, Princeton)

Defensive End

1) Bjoern Werner (6'4 256lbs, Florida St.)

2) Ezekiel Ansah (6'5 274lbs, Brigham Young)

3) Alex Okafor (6'4 260lbs, Texas)

4) Damontre Moore (6'4 250lbs, Texas A&M)

5) Quanterus Smith (6'5 249lbs, W. Kentucky)

6) Margus Hunt (6'8 275lbs, So. Methodist)

7) William Gholston (6'7 278lbs, Michigan St.)

8) Cornellius Carradine (6'4 265lbs, FSU)

9) Malliciah Goodman (6'4 270lbs, Clemson)

10) Dan Giordano (6'4 260lbs, Cincinnati)

Notes:

- Wideout was also focused on guys with some size. The Stedman Baileys and Marquise Goodwins of the world are absent because I think we can all agree that the Bills should be looking for size.

We're Caught Between a Mock and a Hard Place v2

boomsauce — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:41:53 -0000

Welcome to my second mock draft of the season which, as is my custom, comes right on the heels of the Senior Bowl. I got held out to dry after my first mock by Jordan Matthews not declaring, but these things happen.

This is the eight mock I have posted on Rumblings over the years, and it is the first that explores the possibility of trading down. Everyone's favorite trade down target is (and should be) the Rams. They have two first round picks with neither coming in the top 15. It could make plenty of sense for them to make the jump from #16 to get a blue chip guy.

The Bills' first rounder is almost exactly the value of the Rams' first and second. Buddy Nix pulls the trigger.

1) Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia) 6'3 236lbs - from the Rams

I am not a huge fan of the Ogletree pick, but I had already decided to trade down and backed myself into a corner. He is a big talent that has a number of question marks that get glossed over. Ogletree's suspension from UGA ( reportedly for substance abuse) is a bit of a red flag. There are some rough spots to his game, as he struggles with leverage on inside runs and can over pursue at times. That being said, the former safety moves like it and plays angry. An athlete with this size, speed, fluidity, and production in the SEC is sure to be a hot commodity come draft day.

2) Margus Hunt (DE, Southern Methodist) 6'8 277lbs

Hunt is extremely raw and extremely gifted. His 82 inch wingspan basically makes him the wandering albatross of football players, and (if that's not enough) he runs like a linebacker at 280 pounds. He has the ability to take over games completely, but will also disappear for long stretches. Hunt's biggest problem in the pros will be learning to keep his pad level down and developing pass rush moves. Whether or not he can naturally bend is the big question here, but the Estonian thrower has likely done some squats in his day; it is reasonable to assume that he can learn to play lower with time. Raw? Yes. Worth a shot in the second round? Absolutely.

2) Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International) 6'0 209lbs - from the Rams

Even assuming Jairus Byrd is a Bill in 2013, I still think safety is quietly a top need on this team; we still do not know what kind of player Searcy is, and I think most would agree that Wilson's on the decline.

Cyprien is an absolute stud. In my opinion, he is the cream of the crop in a potent safety class. He plays like his helmets on fire and can make an impact on all levels of the field. He breaks on plays really well in the deep half, and comes downhill like he's shot out of a cannon. Cyprien is a yoked 209 that grabbed a lot of attention at the Senior Bowl weigh ins. More importantly, he also plays fast and aggressively on the field. This guys an NFL starter by the end of training camp.

3) Brad Sorensen (QB, Southern Utah) 6'5 230lbs

I finally get around to that sort of important QB position, and do so with a guy from Southern Utah.

I really wish I could have seen more of Sorensen, but everything I have seen from him has been rather impressive. He is a big guy with a strong arm that is tough to bring down in the pocket and moves better than you would expect. The sticking point with Sorensen is his release; it's the fastest (best) in this draft class and provides coaches with a highly desirable trait that is usually very difficult to teach. Catching up to NFL speed will be a huge challenge for him, but Sorensen won't have to worry about messing with his throwing mechanics to get there.

4) Adrian Bushell (CB, Louisville) 5'11 184lbs

Bushell is an outstanding athlete. He is explosive and fluid and short areas, and has very good linear speed which translates to some great work in special teams. Bushell's also aware and savvy in coverage, where some work with technique will make him very difficult to separate from.

5) Darrin Moore (WR, Texas Tech) 6-4 216lbs

I can't (and I mean, not for the life of me) figure out why no one at all is talking about Darrin Moore. A JuCo transfer to Texas Tech, I have him rated as the second best WR in this class without even blinking an eye. While not having explosive speed, he is a tall, strong guy that gets off the line quickly and is a load to bring down after the catch. Having said that, Moore's best attribute is his hands. He is a natural hands catcher that can pluck the ball out of the air away from his frame, and who knows how to high point the ball and leave the DB without any real chance of making the play. I can't find anyone whose ranked him highly and I have no freaking idea why.

He was suspended for a game early this season after a DWI over the summer, so there's some potential character flags there. It doesn't seem as though he has stepped out of line since being disciplined by the coaches at Tech, however. He responded with 92 catches and 13 TDs in his shortened season.

6) Kyle Juszczyk (TE/FB, Harvard) 6-1, 248lbs

Even if the Bills hang onto McIntyre, they could really use another player in the TE/FB group. Juszczyk is the type of guy that Buffalo would fall in love with. Obviously smart, he's also a tough player that's a better athlete than you'll see anyone give him credit for. I see him as a versatile H-back that is useful as a lead blocker but can also be flexed out to create mismatches in the passing game. He moves well in the open field and has some really good hands.

Questions? Comments? I always see these as conversation starters.

The Bills' first rounder is almost exactly the value of the Rams' first and second. Buddy Nix pulls the trigger.

1) Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia) 6'3 236lbs - from the Rams

2) Margus Hunt (DE, Southern Methodist) 6'8 277lbs

2) Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International) 6'0 209lbs - from the Rams

3) Brad Sorensen (QB, Southern Utah) 6'5 230lbs

I finally get around to that sort of important QB position, and do so with a guy from Southern Utah.

4) Adrian Bushell (CB, Louisville) 5'11 184lbs

5) Darrin Moore (WR, Texas Tech) 6-4 216lbs

6) Kyle Juszczyk (TE/FB, Harvard) 6-1, 248lbs

Questions? Comments? I always see these as conversation starters.

Time to go Mobile, Alabama

boomsauce — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 21:45:13 -0000

As we enter Senior Bowl week, a number of big name prospects have gathered in Mobile, but what of the rest? The following is a list of players (with a short summary) that may not be as well known, but are worth keeping an eye on nonetheless.

Notes: Quarterbacks, running backs, and offensive linemen are not included in this. Everyone knows who the QBs are and I see no good in re-hashing arguments that are already stale. Also, I have not taken a close look at many RBs and OLinemen, as they are likely not a high priority for the Bills (pending re-signing Levitre).

The North

Kyle Juszczyk (TE/FB, Harvard) 6'1 248lbs- A fluid mover that gets off the line and into his route quickly. Juszczyk is a good hands catcher and also a decent blocker. He shows some nasty in his blocks and could stick to an NFL team as a Swiss Army Knife TE/FB/H-back kind of player.

Marcus Hunt (DE, Southern Methodist) 6'8 277lbs- Has a freakish blend of length (82 inch wingspan), strength, and fluidity. As far as athletes are concerned, Hunt is a man amongst boys, even in the NFL. Whether or not this Estonian thrower (shotput, disc, hammer, etc.) makes it in the pros likely depends on how quickly he can develop as a football player once he gets there.

Markus Wheaton (WR, Oregon St.) 5'11 183lbs- Has the speed to burn a defense deep, but can also make tacklers miss in the open field. Wheaton runs nice routes and adjusts well to the ball when it's in the air, but is a bit thin and could have trouble blocking and beating press coverage in the NFL.

Jordan Hill (DT, Penn St.) 6'1 294lbs- Thick in his lower body, explosive off the ball, and makes life hard for whoever's trying to block him. Hill is a better player than his measurables will suggest.

Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida Int.) 6'0 209lbs- I think Cyprien is an excellent football player. He plays physical around the line, tackles well, takes good angles, and breaks on the ball well in the deep half. Cyprien's an all around safety that is getting lost in the shuffle of a strong class.

Phillip Thomas (S, Fresno St.) 6'0 210lbs- What I just said about Cyprien also applies here, but I think there are more flaws in Thomas' game. He can lose in man-to-man coverage and seems like an inconsistent tackler, but he still has NFL movement skills and will lay the wood when he gets the chance.

Duke Williams (DB, Nevada) 5'11 201lbs- I am not sure whether Williams is best as a corner or safety, and I do not care. He is an outstanding talent with explosive athletic ability that is among the best defensive back prospects in this class.

The South

Conner Vernon (WR, Duke) 6'0 193lbs- With incredible production at Duke, Vernon is likely a late round pick that might endear himself to a coaching staff and stick somewhere. He is a good athlete with solid hands, but will need to improve his playing strength significantly before he's really ready for Sundays.

Ezekiel Ansah (DE, Brigham Young) 6'5 270lbs- I have been on the Ansah bandwagon for some time, and was not going to leave him out of this thread. I find it extremely unlikely he is still on the board in the middle of the first round.

Zaviar Gooden (LB, Missouri) 6'1 233lbs- A very good athlete that was somewhat inconsistent for the Tigers, Gooden can be a quality starter in the NFL if he pieces it all together. He had 15 tackles this season against Syracuse, so you can bet Doug Marrone is well aware of who Gooden is. He projects as a Will in the pros, and is far from a bad candidate to develop behind Nick Barnett for that job.

Corey Grissom (DT, South Florida) 6'1 313lbs- A developmental DT, Grissom has NFL size and is a mean SOB on the field. He is not a great athlete (don't expect much pass rush), but he could be a load to move off the ball in the run game as his technique improves and his lower body gets stronger.

There is a number of good players at the Senior Bowl that I left off this list. I tried to keep it as short as possible.

Questions? Comments? Who do you have your eyes on, Rumblers?

The North

The South

There is a number of good players at the Senior Bowl that I left off this list. I tried to keep it as short as possible.

Questions? Comments? Who do you have your eyes on, Rumblers?

BS BROP

boomsauce — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 05:12:48 -0000

Disclaimers

(1) This is for fun. I told myself I would not do this but then I completely caved. This is not necessarily "best case scenario" for me; it is just one of a million scenarios, and I personally prefer to aim for something reasonable but unique on something like this. (2) I do not play caponomics, but my dealings in free agency are boring enough for me to justify not detailing how the Bills may find the cap room for these guys. (3) Many of these are long (which is fine), but I am keeping it as short as a can. Further discussion or explanation can be hashed out in the comments.

Front Office

Buddy Nix is told that if he does not fire Chan Gailey he will be shown the door. Buddy Nix, being both invested in Coach Gailey and a loyal boss, goes down with the ship. Buddy Nix is replaced by Doug Whaley and all other key parts of the front office (namely Chuck Cook and Tom Gibbons) stay intact.

Coaching

Whaley's first order of business is telling Gailey something that he already knew: that his time in Buffalo is up.

After some short period of interviews, Doug Whaley hires David Shaw to his first NFL head coaching gig. Shaw took over at Stanford for Jim Harbaugh. He is a young up-and-comer with a fair amount of NFL coaching experience who maintained Stanford's lofty football status even after losing Andrew Luck.

Since Shaw is an offensive minded coach, I am not overly concerned with his choice for offensive coordinator. At defensive coordinator, the only demand I would make here is that he keeps a 40 base while mixing things up on a per play basis more than Wannstedt did. A possible name for this spot is Derek Mason (Shaw's current DC at Stanford), and another one might be Mike Waufle (long time NFL defensive line coach, currently coaching Jeff Fisher's Dline in St. Louis and worked with Shaw on the Raiders under Gruden).

Re-signs

Primary: Andy Levitre, Jairus Byrd, Leodis McKelvin, and Tarvaris Jackson*

*In this case, the smart thing to do (in my opinion ) would be to immediately name Jackson the starting QB and force any addition to outplay him to get on the field.

Secondary: Colin Brown, David Snow, Kyle Moore, Donald Jones, David Nelson, and Dorin Dickerson/Corey McIntyre*

*I personally would pick McIntyre. Judging by the kind of offense Shaw runs at Stanford, I would assume he makes the same choice. Nonetheless, I leave the door open for Dickerson should Shaw decide to run an offense closer to Gaileys.

Notable Cuts

Chris Kelsay, Terrance McGee, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Erik Pears (I am not saying to cut Pears immediately. I include him on here because I assume he gets beat out for his roster spot in camp).

Free Agent "Splashes"

Danario Alexander, Drew Stanton

Draft

1) Mike Glennon (QB, NC State) 6'6 232lbs

2) Margus Hunt (DE, SMU) 6'8 280lbs

3) Chris Gragg (TE/WR, Arkansas) 6'3 236lbs

Last three picks recycled from my previous mock:

4) DeVonte Holloman (LB, South Carolina) 6'2 240lbs

5) Mike Carter (CB, Minnesota) 5'11 189lbs

6) Justin Tuggle (LB, Kansas State) 6'3 237lbs

Projected Final Roster*

There are two vacancies here. One is presumably for a better 3rd RB option than Tashard Choice, and the other is a flex that could be used in any number of ways (including keeping both Dickerson and McIntyre). Let us assume that it ends up being a good undrafted free agent that plays his way onto the team on the defensive line.

QB: Jackson, Glennon, Stanton

RB: Spiller, Jackson

TE/FB: Chandler, Gragg, Smith, McIntyre/Dickerson

WR: Johnson, Alexander, Nelson, Graham, Jones, B. Smith

OT: Glenn, Hairston, Young, Sanders

OG/C: Levitre, Wood, Urbik, Brown, Snow

DE: Williams, Anderson, Hunt, Moore

DT: Dareus, Williams, Carrington, Troup/Ross (if Troup's healthy, I think he can make the team)

LB: Barnett, Sheppard, Bradham, White, Holloman, Tuggle

CB: Gilmore, Williams, McKelvin, Brooks, Rodgers, Carter

S: Byrd, Searcy, Wilson, Silva

Specialists: Lindell, Powell, Sanborn

Outlook

The offense, in my opinion, does not lose much (if anything) at starting QB in the short term while gaining two viable threats and maintaining stability on the offensive line. The defensive reinforcements are closer to sub-package/developmental types, but the unit can still improve immediately with the younger players' continued development and by adding a competent defensive coordinator.

In regards to long term outlook, the Bills get young up-and-comers at both General Manager and Head Coach while adding a very good QB prospect to build around and mold (respectively). The defense gets a possible game breaker at defensive end, and Whaley's inherited team looks much better on paper than Nix's.

Disclaimers

Front Office

Coaching

Whaley's first order of business is telling Gailey something that he already knew: that his time in Buffalo is up.

Re-signs

Primary: Andy Levitre, Jairus Byrd, Leodis McKelvin, and Tarvaris Jackson*

*In this case, the smart thing to do (in my opinion ) would be to immediately name Jackson the starting QB and force any addition to outplay him to get on the field.

Secondary: Colin Brown, David Snow, Kyle Moore, Donald Jones, David Nelson, and Dorin Dickerson/Corey McIntyre*

Notable Cuts

Chris Kelsay, Terrance McGee, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Erik Pears (I am not saying to cut Pears immediately. I include him on here because I assume he gets beat out for his roster spot in camp).

Free Agent "Splashes"

Danario Alexander, Drew Stanton

Draft

1) Mike Glennon (QB, NC State) 6'6 232lbs

2) Margus Hunt (DE, SMU) 6'8 280lbs

3) Chris Gragg (TE/WR, Arkansas) 6'3 236lbs

Last three picks recycled from my previous mock:

4) DeVonte Holloman (LB, South Carolina) 6'2 240lbs

5) Mike Carter (CB, Minnesota) 5'11 189lbs

6) Justin Tuggle (LB, Kansas State) 6'3 237lbs

Projected Final Roster*

QB: Jackson, Glennon, Stanton

RB: Spiller, Jackson

TE/FB: Chandler, Gragg, Smith, McIntyre/Dickerson

WR: Johnson, Alexander, Nelson, Graham, Jones, B. Smith

OT: Glenn, Hairston, Young, Sanders

OG/C: Levitre, Wood, Urbik, Brown, Snow

DE: Williams, Anderson, Hunt, Moore

DT: Dareus, Williams, Carrington, Troup/Ross (if Troup's healthy, I think he can make the team)

LB: Barnett, Sheppard, Bradham, White, Holloman, Tuggle

CB: Gilmore, Williams, McKelvin, Brooks, Rodgers, Carter

S: Byrd, Searcy, Wilson, Silva

Specialists: Lindell, Powell, Sanborn

Outlook

Poll

Grade it

A

17 votes

B

29 votes

C

22 votes

D

7 votes

F

3 votes

78 votes | Poll has closed

We're Caught Between a Mock and a Hard Place

boomsauce — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 01:38:45 -0000

Greetings on the dawn of yet another season of utter disappointment in our beloved Bills and utter obsession in the high stakes game of internet mock drafting. As I have in the previous two years, my plan is to post 3 mocks leading up to the draft.

Last year I was relatively unsuccessful picking players (although James Carmon was a Bill throughout the preseason...), however my final mock did go as follows: Stephon Gilmore, OT, WR, LB, CB, and then another OT and LB back-to-back. Perhaps this year I will have better luck...

1) Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah (DE, Brigham Young) 6'6 270lbs

I am of the simple opinion that the best route to keep improving the defense is to keep collecting pass rushers. Ansah is a yoked 270 pound track athlete (21.9 seconds in the 200 meter) from Ghana who has only played football for about 3 years (he had never watched a game or seen a football prior to 2008), and has also had to make a position switch in that time. He is a natural fit at 4-3 DE, where his natural power makes him a tough block in the run game, and his speed allows him to win around the edge and chase plays to the sideline like a linebacker. This is the kind of athletic talent that Buddy Nix (and any GM) is certain to drool over.

2) Jordan Matthews* (WR, Vanderbilt) 6'3 205lbs

*Note: Matthews is a junior. Cannot say with any certainty that he will declare for the draft.

Adding a big outside receiver is a high priority for the Bills heading into this offseason. He isn't a giant by any stretch, but Matthews has a big frame and is faster than he's given credit for. As a player, he has gotten better and better as his career has gone on, and if that trend continues he could certainly become a weapon for an NFL team. The Bills need more firepower at receiver, and they want a guy whose "open when he's covered'. I think Matthews can become that type of player.

3) Zac Dysert (QB, Miami(OH)) 6'4 228lbs

I said I intend to do 3 mocks; this will be the lowest round in which I slot a QB to the Bills.

Dysert, in my opinion, is a solid but unspectacular prospect as an NFL passer. I see him as someone with enough arm strength to make the necessary throws, who throws a pretty ball on the run, and generally responds well to pressure in the pocket. However, he is held back from being a first day prospect by his arm strength not quite measuring up to the big time talents, is a little too inconsistent with his ball placement for my liking, and seems to throw INTs trying to force the ball to covered targets. For a third round pick, he would at least represent a quarterback prospect with some room to grow (finally.).

4) DeVonte Holloman (LB, South Carolina) 6'2 241lbs

This is my replacement for Bryan Scott at Nickel 'backer. Holloman has flipped back-and-forth a bit from safety to the "spur" position for the Gamecocks. I think he is an ideal fit for Scott's role on the Bills. He's a very good athlete for someone his size, has quick read/react skills, and is an aggressive tackler who will get physical around the line of scrimmage.

Holloman does have a DUI on his record, but I am not inclined to make a huge deal out of an isolated incident where a 20 year old was detained at a sobriety checkpoint.

5) Michael Carter (CB, Minnesota) 5'11 189lbs

It's early in the going, but Carter's quickly become one of my favorite players in this class. He's a really good athlete who looks about as natural and comfortable in coverage as I remember seeing. Carter's not the greatest of tacklers and he lacks some size, which is why I believe he winds up being a mid rounder.

6) Justin Tuggle (LB, Kansas State) 6'3 237lbs

With my last pick I'm taking a project linebacker. Tuggle's been a quarterback for most of his career, and only switched to linebacker about a year ago. He's definitely got the size and movement skills to find a home in the NFL, and I like the idea of bringing in a high upside project player to compete with Moats and White for a roster spot next season.

Questions? Comments? I bash a lot of mock drafts on here and openly welcome people doing the same to mine.

1) Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah (DE, Brigham Young) 6'6 270lbs

2) Jordan Matthews* (WR, Vanderbilt) 6'3 205lbs

*Note: Matthews is a junior. Cannot say with any certainty that he will declare for the draft.

3) Zac Dysert (QB, Miami(OH)) 6'4 228lbs

I said I intend to do 3 mocks; this will be the lowest round in which I slot a QB to the Bills.

4) DeVonte Holloman (LB, South Carolina) 6'2 241lbs

Holloman does have a DUI on his record, but I am not inclined to make a huge deal out of an isolated incident where a 20 year old was detained at a sobriety checkpoint.

5) Michael Carter (CB, Minnesota) 5'11 189lbs

6) Justin Tuggle (LB, Kansas State) 6'3 237lbs

Questions? Comments? I bash a lot of mock drafts on here and openly welcome people doing the same to mine.

Jasper to the Titans

boomsauce — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 06:21:55 -0000

Jasper to the Titans

Titans apparently taking a flier on Big Mike Jasper. Maybe if hes lucky he can stick on their practice squad for the season and keep developing.

A Fan's BS 2011 Re-Watch

boomsauce — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:41:42 -0000

Editor's Note: Excellent work, boomsauce. Thanks! - BG

Disclaimers: (1) These are all mental notes. I watched every snap from last season and didn’t write anything down, so don't expect many specifics. These are just the random points that stuck with me as the viewing progressed. (2) Everything the defense did against Washington was essentially ignored. The Redskins offense was so pitiful that game that I’m taking it out of consideration. (3) There are plenty of things to be said about the defense from a coaching perspective, but things pertaining specifically to George Edwards’ scheme and play calling are thankfully no longer our concern. (4) Sorry if it's too long; I tried to keep it as short as I could.

Editor's Note: Excellent work, boomsauce. Thanks! - BG

Chan Gailey

- Chan Gailey is an offensive guru. I have little doubt of that, but sometimes his play calling made me want to throw up (sidenote: Do not watch week 10 at Dallas or week 11 at Miami on a full stomach). There was an annoying devotion to screen passes. His faith in Tashard Choice was unwarranted. The run game would seem to be clicking, and then the Bills would line up with 4-5 wide and throw a string of incomplete passes. I don’t know how much to blame on Fitzpatrick (more on that later), but why the Bills tossed up so many passes of 15 or more yards when they needed less than 5 is beyond me; that happened entirely too often.

- It was refreshing to have a relevant tight end again, but a number of negative plays were directly the result of the terrible misuse of Scott Chandler. Chandler is a decent receiving threat because of his imposing size and apparently super-glued hands, but he is a below average blocker who can only be counted on to erase a defensive lineman if he gets a full head of steam. It felt like at least one drive a game was killed because Scott Chandler drew a blocking assignment that he simply was not capable of executing. That’s on Chan Gailey.

- I think Chan Gailey should have leaned more heavily on a power running attack at times. I hope we see more of it in 2012, and it’s for that reason that I hope Corey McIntyre makes the 2012 Bills. Special teams aside, McIntyre is a highly underrated lead blocker that I think should see the field more on offense. There’s a power running package on this roster that can keep defenses honest and wear them down over the course of a game. Corey McIntyre is part of that and I think it’s a valuable commodity despite Gailey’s obvious preference for a spread attack.

- Why did it take them so long to make Justin Rodgers the kick returner? Seriously, can someone tell me?

The Offense

- Ryan Fitzpatrick’s gunslinger mentality crippled the 2011 Bills as badly as any injury could have. Cracked ribs might have affected his throwing some, and the inconsistent pass blocking didn’t help much either; however, so many of his bad plays (including a number of the-Bills-are-now-out-of-this-game INTs) boil down to poor decision making. A quarterback should not be neglecting an easy 5 yard completion to throw a 20 yard pass into triple coverage on 3rd and 4. On 3rd and 4 (or 2nd and 10, for that matter), get 5 yards if they’re available. Also, if the receivers have absolutely no separation, then throwing the ball out of bounds can be a good thing. Fitzpatrick routinely took them out of ball games by refusing to move down the field methodically and opting to throw into good coverage instead. At one point in the season, the Bills managed to go 18 straight third downs without a conversion; eventually that becomes an indictment on the quarterback play and I worry that his rib injury wasn’t the primary cause.

- Cross your fingers that Cordy Glenn can play, because to my eyes Chris Hairston cannot be a good LT in the NFL. The foot speed just isn’t there in his pass blocking. He lunges and he holds and he often gets burned entirely. Was he a rookie? Yes. Could he improve from 2011? Definitely. Can you make him into a better athlete with quicker feet? I seriously doubt it.

- Barring something unforeseen, I have a tough time imagining Colin Brown losing his spot to Mark Asper. To me that’s really a two man race, and Brown looked like a very good run blocker to me with some room to improve as a pass blocker. For two games (Denver, New England) I keyed in on Brown on almost every snap, and I’m confident in saying that Asper would have to be way ahead of the curve for a 6th round rookie to outplay Colin Brown in camp.

- Losing Donald Jones was huge. I won’t say I saw a developing star receiver with Jones (far from it in fact), but once he was out of the picture defenses figured out how to stop the Bills’ passing attack real quick. Jones was the only receiver on the roster who could beat 1-on-1 coverage by just outrunning the CB down the field. When the Bills lost that capability, Gailey had a much more difficult time generating space in the short/intermediate passing game. I noticed a number of times when teams would line up with 10 defenders closer than 5 yards of the LOS, despite the Bills being in a 3 or 4 wide set. I think Spillers incredible burst got them to back off a bit later in the season, but make no mistake: being able to keep a deep threat on the field for a full season (as the 2012 Bills should be able to) might make a world of difference.

- Quick Points: (1) Fred Jackson was somehow even better than I expected. (2) Kevin Brock managed to look like he belongs in very limited playing time; I won’t be shocked if he makes the team. (3) CJ Spiller has rare talent. He made some plays last season that barely any running back in the league could.

The Defense

- The Bills’ inability to generate pressure is well documented, but please don’t let the secondary off the hook. The Bills’ secondary got torched last season time and time again at all levels of the field. They got younger. Did they get better? For their (and our) sakes I really hope there’s a substantial improvement in the coverage.

- I think we can call the ‘3rd DT’ battle early, because that job should go to Dwan Edwards. He clearly was the best interior defensive lineman the Bills had outside of Dareus, and my personal re-watch of the 2011 season got me to completely reverse my opinion of his chances this year. Dwan Edwards is a good football player. He’s stout against the run, chases plays down all over the field, and was in my opinion the most consistent defensive lineman they employed last season. I believe that one of the younger guys would have to really step their game up to overtake Edwards’ role and/or roster spot. The potential cost savings are clearly outweighed in my mind by how much better Edwards really is compared to the other backup DTs.

- If he can get healthy, Torell Troup is a player I’ll be very intrigued by. His 2011 season was hardly better than his rookie year, but there was a short glimpse of a very good football player. Against the Bengals, I noticed Troup for maybe 5 or 6 snaps early on where he looked completely unblockable. He was just too strong and too low for the offensive linemen to handle before losing leverage to him. Either he ate his Wheaties that morning, or his back initially tightened up after or during that ball game. After week 4 if Troup got on the field, I didn’t notice the same pop I saw against Cincinnati. If that’s the player the Bills have in a healthy Torell Troup, then there could very well be cause for some excitement with him.

- Quick Points: (1) We as a fan base need to get more excited about Justin Rogers as both a defender and returner. (2) Da’Norris Searcy could become an excellent all around safety, but might be held back because of his poor awareness in coverage. (3) I was highly disappointed in the seasons put together by Alex Carrington and Arthur Moats. Carrington too easily gets erased from the action and has serious problems finishing a play on his own. Moats got ample opportunity to get after the QB (something he’s supposedly good at) and never really accomplished much. (4) Leodis Mckelvin might make the roster on his special teams play alone.

Prediction

- I am really not a big fan of predictions, but what the hell: I think the 2012 Bills are an 8-8 football team. They still match up horribly with the Jets and Dolphins, and the Patriots will be tough to beat so long as Tom Brady is running the show. If you can't win in the division, you can't expect to be serious contenders. I do not think the Bills can do better than .500 in the division. Beyond that, there's too much developing talent being counted on in starting roles, and I worry that Ryan Fitzpatrick just can't keep it together for 16 games. The team is improving; I truly believe that staying the course with Nix and Gailey is the right move, but the barrage of 10+ win predictions I've been seeing around here is a bit too lofty for me.

There’s obviously a lot more to be said about the 2011 Bills, but I can’t get to nor remember everything. If there’s something I didn’t bring up that you think is important or interesting, then please feel free.

Interesting Tid-bit From the Notes on Day 5 of OTAs

boomsauce — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 21:15:57 -0000

Interesting Tid-bit From the Notes on Day 5 of OTAs

"Flying under the radar to this point however, has been a free agent signee on offense that’s getting just as much playing time with the first unit on his side of the ball as Williams is getting on defense. FB/TE Dorin Dickerson is being given a unique opportunity to add a different dimension to Buffalo’s offense as an H-back"

So Dickerson's been getting as many snaps with the first team offense as anyone? Is it possible he's not just a flier tryout guy whose a long shot to make the roster, but rather someone Gailey has bigger plans for? Just thought that quote was noteworthy..

Chip Kelly at Bills Practice?

boomsauce — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:49:50 -0000

Chip Kelly at Bills Practice?

This is more curiosity than anything from me.. Did anyone hear about this? Is it typical for college coaches to observe NFL practices and sit in on meeting rooms? If not, then what exactly would he have been doing here?
I saw nothing about Chip Kelly's presence at the Bills' first OTA, but I'm assuming that Donald Jones and Jarius Byrd didn't make this up for kicks.

A BS Round1 Mock

boomsauce — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:22:35 -0000

Only full round 1 mock I’ll post. No explanations, if you want that then we’ll hash it out in the comments. I like mocks that are different, so I tried to shake things up a bit.

1) Colts- Andrew Luck, QB Stanford

2) Redskins- Robert Griffin III, QB Baylor

3) Vikings- Morris Claiborne, CB LSU

4) Browns- Ryan Tannehill, QB Texas A&M

5) Bucs- Trent Richardson, RB Alabama

6) Rams- Matt Kalil, OT USC

7) Jaguars- Michael Floyd, WR Notre Dame

8) Dolphins- Brandon Weeden, QB Oklahoma St.

9) Panthers- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB Alabama

10) Bills- Stephon Gilmore, CB South Carolina

11) Chiefs- TRADE to Jets who select Quinton Coples, DE UNC

12) Seahawks- Michael Brockers, DT LSU

13) Cardinals- Justin Blackmon, WR Oklahoma St.

14) Cowboys- Dontari Poe, NT Memphis

15) Eagles- Fletcher Cox, DT Mississippi St.

16) Jets- TRADE to Chiefs who select Alameda Ta’amu, NT Washington

17) Bengals- David Decastro, OG Stanford

18) Chargers- Cordy Glenn, OT/G Georgia

19) Bears- Kendall Wright, WR Baylor

20) Titans- Melvin Ingram, DE South Carolina

21) Bengals- Stephen Hill, WR Georgia Tech

22) Browns- Riley Reiff, OT Iowa

23) Lions- Luke Kuechly, LB Boston College

24) Steelers- Dont’a Hightower, LB Alabama

25) Broncos- Jerel Worthy, DT Michigan St.

26) Texans- Rueben Randle, WR LSU

27) Patriots- Mark Barron, S Alabama

28) Packers- Courtney Upshaw, LB Alabama (yes that 3 Alabama players taken in 5 picks)

29) Ravens- Jonathon Martin, OT Stanford

30) 49ers- Janoris Jenkins, CB N. Alabama

31) Patriots- Nick Perry, DE USC

32) Giants- Dwayne Allen, TE Clemson

I only predicted one trade; trying to have more of them would just make my head spin. Have at it.

Only full round 1 mock I’ll post. No explanations, if you want that then we’ll hash it out in the comments. I like mocks that are different, so I tried to shake things up a bit.

1) Colts- Andrew Luck, QB Stanford

2) Redskins- Robert Griffin III, QB Baylor

3) Vikings- Morris Claiborne, CB LSU

4) Browns- Ryan Tannehill, QB Texas A&M

5) Bucs- Trent Richardson, RB Alabama

6) Rams- Matt Kalil, OT USC

7) Jaguars- Michael Floyd, WR Notre Dame

8) Dolphins- Brandon Weeden, QB Oklahoma St.

9) Panthers- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB Alabama

10) Bills- Stephon Gilmore, CB South Carolina

11) Chiefs- TRADE to Jets who select Quinton Coples, DE UNC

12) Seahawks- Michael Brockers, DT LSU

13) Cardinals- Justin Blackmon, WR Oklahoma St.

14) Cowboys- Dontari Poe, NT Memphis

15) Eagles- Fletcher Cox, DT Mississippi St.

16) Jets- TRADE to Chiefs who select Alameda Ta’amu, NT Washington

17) Bengals- David Decastro, OG Stanford

18) Chargers- Cordy Glenn, OT/G Georgia

19) Bears- Kendall Wright, WR Baylor

20) Titans- Melvin Ingram, DE South Carolina

21) Bengals- Stephen Hill, WR Georgia Tech

22) Browns- Riley Reiff, OT Iowa

23) Lions- Luke Kuechly, LB Boston College

24) Steelers- Dont’a Hightower, LB Alabama

25) Broncos- Jerel Worthy, DT Michigan St.

26) Texans- Rueben Randle, WR LSU

27) Patriots- Mark Barron, S Alabama

28) Packers- Courtney Upshaw, LB Alabama (yes that 3 Alabama players taken in 5 picks)

29) Ravens- Jonathon Martin, OT Stanford

30) 49ers- Janoris Jenkins, CB N. Alabama

31) Patriots- Nick Perry, DE USC

32) Giants- Dwayne Allen, TE Clemson

I only predicted one trade; trying to have more of them would just make my head spin. Have at it.

Draft Season is BS Season v3

boomsauce — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:19:55 -0000

This is my third and final mock for the season. A lot has happened since I first posted one back on December 5th (my second one's right here), and it has changed accordingly.

1) Stephon Gilmore (CB, South Carolina) 6'0 190lbs

I've had names swimming in my head for some time as to who I want the Bills to take here, and I finally settled in on Gilmore. He slightly edges out Kirkpatrick because he has better ball skills, quicker feet, looser hips, and no apparent character concerns. Gilmore's been largely overlooked during the pre-draft hypefest, but I think he's actually a big time cornerback talent.

2) Bobby Massie (OT, Ole Miss) 6'6 316lbs

We all agree that offensive tackle has become a big priority for the Bills. What we don't agree on is which tackles in this draft can actually play. I'd take Massie before any of Reiff, Martin, or Adams in a nanosecond. He's big, he's strong, he's physical, and he's coordinated. Against LSU I watched him handle the speed of guys like Mingo and Mongtomery with no issue, only to blow Brockers off the line later. I've seen a lot of Brockers and I didn't see him get buried into the turf very often, but Massie accomplished just that. He can compete with Hairston right now for the starting gig, and I'd bet he can win it before long.

3) Joe Adams (WR, Arkansas) 5'10 174lbs

4a) Demario Davis (LB, Arkansas St.) 6'3 230lbs

Picks taken from my second mock. Adams replaces Roscoe Parrish with his playmaking ability as both a receiver and punt returner. Having him slip to the third is something of a stretch but it could happen, especially if Devon Wylie hears his name called before Adams does.

I don't think there's a single player in this draft I want to become a Bill more than Davis. He plays like a man possessed, and absolutely lays people out when he gets the chance.

4b) Mike Harris (CB, FSU) 5'10 188 lbs

Pick taken from my first mock, except he's bumped up two full rounds. Harris is a versatile corner who can really tackle the football. If not for Gred Reed and Xavier Rhodes, Mike Harris would be a much hotter name heading into the draft.

5a) BJ Coleman (QB, UT-Chattanooga) 6'3 233lbs

Developmental QB. Coleman was originally a Tennessee recruit, but left right around the time the Lane Kiffin debacle got started there. He's raw in his footwork and going through progressions, but he has a good feel in the pocket, can sling the ball accurately at all levels of the field, and supposedly has excellent intangibles. I'm perfectly happy with the Bills making him their developmental QB to see what kind of progress he can make while holding a clip board.

5b) Miles Burris (LB, San Diego St.) 6'2 246lbs

Burris plays football at a million miles an hour and is an all around good player. He's big, fast, and instinctive. He can provide solid depth for each linebacker spot and has the makings of a special teams ace.

6) James Carmon (OT, Mississippi St.) 6'5 316lbs

Big developmental tackle. Very raw and very inexperienced, Carmon is a JUCO transfer who played defense for Mississippi St. before switching to offensive tackle in his senior year. Has all the athleticism and strength you could want, but will need time before he's NFL ready. Bills can bring him in to take Sam Young's roster spot as Carmon represents significantly higher upside in time.

7a) Jarrett Boykin (WR, Virginia Tech) 6'2 217lbs

Boykin's a guy who I think would have an outside shot at making Buffalo's roster out of camp. If he had gone to a more pass happy school, I feel his production could have been much higher. Not very fast, but he's a good blocker with strong hands to bring passes down in traffic. I don't see Boykin as having much upside, but he's a player who can contribute to an NFL offense.

7b) Cyhl Quarles (S, Wake Forest) 6'1 213lbs

Someone to at least challenge Nesbitt for a depth spot at safety. Quarles has the size and plays just fast enough for the NFL I think. His tackling in run support is excellent, but if he wants to make it in the pros he'll need to become better in the deep half. His instincts and playmaking ability back there currently leave a lot to be desired.

For what it's worth, here's some guys that may go undrafted that I like for the Bills:

Delano Johnson (LB, Bowie St.), Chris Greenwood (CB, Albion), Lance Lewis (WR, ECU), Tiree Eure (TE, Minnesota), Jamaar Jarrett (DE, ASU)

Questions/comments? I spent a lot of time nit-picking other people's mocks on this site. If I've done so to you, here's your last chance this year to properly get back at me.

This is my third and final mock for the season. A lot has happened since I first posted one back on December 5th (my second one's right here), and it has changed accordingly.

1) Stephon Gilmore (CB, South Carolina) 6'0 190lbs

2) Bobby Massie (OT, Ole Miss) 6'6 316lbs

3) Joe Adams (WR, Arkansas) 5'10 174lbs

4a) Demario Davis (LB, Arkansas St.) 6'3 230lbs

I don't think there's a single player in this draft I want to become a Bill more than Davis. He plays like a man possessed, and absolutely lays people out when he gets the chance.

4b) Mike Harris (CB, FSU) 5'10 188 lbs

5a) BJ Coleman (QB, UT-Chattanooga) 6'3 233lbs

5b) Miles Burris (LB, San Diego St.) 6'2 246lbs

6) James Carmon (OT, Mississippi St.) 6'5 316lbs

7a) Jarrett Boykin (WR, Virginia Tech) 6'2 217lbs

7b) Cyhl Quarles (S, Wake Forest) 6'1 213lbs

For what it's worth, here's some guys that may go undrafted that I like for the Bills:

Delano Johnson (LB, Bowie St.), Chris Greenwood (CB, Albion), Lance Lewis (WR, ECU), Tiree Eure (TE, Minnesota), Jamaar Jarrett (DE, ASU)

Questions/comments? I spent a lot of time nit-picking other people's mocks on this site. If I've done so to you, here's your last chance this year to properly get back at me.

BS Prospect Rankings

boomsauce — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:03:29 -0000

Ok not complete rankings, but some that I feel are very relevant to the Buffalo Bills. In the midst of mock draft season, I figured I'd try a different approach to discuss prospects with this post. I've taken the Bills crying needs (DE, SOLB, etc) that we generally all agree on and split draft prospects that I feel fit those needs into three simple tiers. This is entirely opinion. They are players that I personally like that think fit what Buddy and Chan should be looking for.

Tier 1: Worth a premium draft pick. I'll define that as a pick in the top 75, basically through the top half of the third round.

Tier2: Mid-Round draft pick. Through pick 150 or so, or the middle of round 5.

Tier3: Late-Round pick. Either a developmental pick or a role player.

I've listed about twice as many guys for positions that I think the Bills could very well use two draft picks addressing. No analysis and no explanation, just the players. They are ranked according to how much I think they'd help the Bills. Obviously there's a ton of names I left off for one reason or another. It likely either means I think that players overrated or that he doesn't fit what they should be targeting. The positions chosen are: DE, CB, SOLB, OT, WR, Slot Receiver. I did not list any 'premium' pick OTs, because I find it so remarkably unlikely that Nix uses one of his first 3 picks on that position.

Defensive End/Pass Rusher		Cornerback
Tier 1:
Nick Perry	USC 6'3 250lbs	Dre Kirkpatrick	Alabama 6'3 192lbs
Vinny Curry	Marshall 6'3 265 lbs	Stephon Gilmore	S. Carolina 6'1 193lbs
Cam Johnson	Virginia 6'4 267lbs	Casey Hayward	Vandy 5'11 188lbs
Whitney Mercilus	Illinois 6'4 265lbs	Jemell Fleming	Oklahoma 5'10 202lbs
Shea McClellin	Boise St. 6'3 248	Brandon Boykin	Georgia 5'9 183lbs

Tier 2:
Malik Jackson	Tennessee 6'5 270lbs	Shaun Prater	Iowa 5'11 185lbs
Kyle Wilber	WF 6'5 240lbs	Ryan Steed	Furman 5'10 190lbs
Brett Roy	Nevada 6'4 280lbs	Josh Robinson	UCF 5'10 192lbs
		Asa Jackson	Cal Poly 5'10 193lbs

Tier 3:
Jonathon Massaquoi	Troy 6'2 270lbs	Robert Blanton	ND 6'1 200lbs
Jack Crawford	PSU 6'5 268lbs	Mike Harris	FSU 5'11 195lbs
Olivier Vernon	Miami (Fl) 6'4 265lbs	Charles Brown	UNC 5'10 205lbs

Sam Outside Linebacker		Offensive Tackle
Tier 1:
Dont'a Hightower	Alabama 6'4 260lbs	N/A
Bruce Irvin	WVU 6'3 245lbs

Tier 2:
Demario Davis	Ark. St. 6'3 230lbs	Levy Adcock	Ok St. 6'6 322lbs
Terrell Manning	NC St. 6'3 230lbs	Mitchell Schwartz	Cal 6'5 317lbs
Bobby Wagner	Utah St. 6'0 241lbs	Brandon Mosley	Auburn 6'6 310lbs

Tier 3:
Delano Johnson	Bowie St. 6'4 252lbs	Matt McCants	UAB 6'6 310lbs
Josh Kaddu	Oregon 6'3 235lbs	James Carmon	Miss St. 6'7 320lbs
		Jermarcus Hardrick	Nebraska 6'7 320lbs

WR		WRS
Tier 1:
Michael Floyd	ND 6'3 224lbs	Kendall Wright	Baylor 5'10 190lbs
Mohamed Sanu	Rutgers 6'2 215lbs	Joe Adams	Arkansas 5'10 174lbs

Tier 2:
Stephen Hill	GT 6'5 206lbs	TY Hilton	FIU 5'10 183lbs
Marvin Jones	Cal 6'2 198lbs	Devon Wylie	Fresno St. 5'9 185lbs
Juron Criner	Arizona 6'2 220lbs

Tier 3:
Jarrett Boykin	VT 6'2 218lbs	Dwayne Frampton	Ark St. 5'9 180lbs
B.J. Cunningham	MSU 6'2 215lbs	Eric Page	Toledo 5'10 180lbs

This post serves two purposes. (1) To highlight some names that maybe don't get much attention on this site. (2) in order to predict. These are players that I think fit the mold that Nix and Gailey should be looking for, and where I think they should be drafted. Who did I miss? Whose ranked too high or too low? What obvious position am I ignoring?

Tier 1: Worth a premium draft pick. I'll define that as a pick in the top 75, basically through the top half of the third round.

Tier2: Mid-Round draft pick. Through pick 150 or so, or the middle of round 5.

Tier3: Late-Round pick. Either a developmental pick or a role player.

Defensive End/Pass Rusher		Cornerback
Tier 1:
Nick Perry	USC 6'3 250lbs	Dre Kirkpatrick	Alabama 6'3 192lbs
Vinny Curry	Marshall 6'3 265 lbs	Stephon Gilmore	S. Carolina 6'1 193lbs
Cam Johnson	Virginia 6'4 267lbs	Casey Hayward	Vandy 5'11 188lbs
Whitney Mercilus	Illinois 6'4 265lbs	Jemell Fleming	Oklahoma 5'10 202lbs
Shea McClellin	Boise St. 6'3 248	Brandon Boykin	Georgia 5'9 183lbs

Tier 2:
Malik Jackson	Tennessee 6'5 270lbs	Shaun Prater	Iowa 5'11 185lbs
Kyle Wilber	WF 6'5 240lbs	Ryan Steed	Furman 5'10 190lbs
Brett Roy	Nevada 6'4 280lbs	Josh Robinson	UCF 5'10 192lbs
		Asa Jackson	Cal Poly 5'10 193lbs

Tier 3:
Jonathon Massaquoi	Troy 6'2 270lbs	Robert Blanton	ND 6'1 200lbs
Jack Crawford	PSU 6'5 268lbs	Mike Harris	FSU 5'11 195lbs
Olivier Vernon	Miami (Fl) 6'4 265lbs	Charles Brown	UNC 5'10 205lbs

Sam Outside Linebacker		Offensive Tackle
Tier 1:
Dont'a Hightower	Alabama 6'4 260lbs	N/A
Bruce Irvin	WVU 6'3 245lbs

Tier 2:
Demario Davis	Ark. St. 6'3 230lbs	Levy Adcock	Ok St. 6'6 322lbs
Terrell Manning	NC St. 6'3 230lbs	Mitchell Schwartz	Cal 6'5 317lbs
Bobby Wagner	Utah St. 6'0 241lbs	Brandon Mosley	Auburn 6'6 310lbs

Tier 3:
Delano Johnson	Bowie St. 6'4 252lbs	Matt McCants	UAB 6'6 310lbs
Josh Kaddu	Oregon 6'3 235lbs	James Carmon	Miss St. 6'7 320lbs
		Jermarcus Hardrick	Nebraska 6'7 320lbs

WR		WRS
Tier 1:
Michael Floyd	ND 6'3 224lbs	Kendall Wright	Baylor 5'10 190lbs
Mohamed Sanu	Rutgers 6'2 215lbs	Joe Adams	Arkansas 5'10 174lbs

Tier 2:
Stephen Hill	GT 6'5 206lbs	TY Hilton	FIU 5'10 183lbs
Marvin Jones	Cal 6'2 198lbs	Devon Wylie	Fresno St. 5'9 185lbs
Juron Criner	Arizona 6'2 220lbs

Tier 3:
Jarrett Boykin	VT 6'2 218lbs	Dwayne Frampton	Ark St. 5'9 180lbs
B.J. Cunningham	MSU 6'2 215lbs	Eric Page	Toledo 5'10 180lbs

Poll

What do you think of this post?

Nicely done. I'd like to see more like it

47 votes

The names with no analysis thing is meaningless to me

27 votes

Mock draft or bust

8 votes

Take your nonsense elsewhere

26 votes

108 votes | Poll has closed

Draft Season is BS Season v2

boomsauce — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:42:14 -0000

This is my second of three mocks for the season with 9 different names from the first. Asterisk marks the guys in the mock who are playing this Saturday at the Senior Bowl, if you happen to watch they might just be some guys to keep an eye out for.

1) Dont’a Hightower (LB, Alabama) 6’4 260lbs

I’ve previously posted my thoughts on Hightower, so I won’t go very detailed here. Suffice to say I think he can be a big time three down defender in the NFL and has the ability to mature into a solid pass rusher off the edge.

2) Casey Hayward (CB, Vanderbilt) 5’11 188lbs **

Hayward has been a highly productive collegian, with 13 INTs in his last two seasons. He’s got good ball skills, a nice feel in zone, and reads/reacts well in the run game. His long speed won’t blow anyone away and I wouldn’t be overly confident manning him up 1-on-1 consistently with some NFL talent on the outside. Nonetheless, Hayward is a good clean CB prospect that could contribute to the Bills quickly and push Florence for playing time by season’s end.

3) Joe Adams (WR, Arkansas) 5’10 174lbs **

I know Buddy Nix openly announced Buffalo’s need to get a big target WR for Fitzpatrick to throw to, but Nix also (more quietly) said that the Bills need to have a guy like Roscoe Parrish on their team (like Roscoe, but not actually him). Adams could be a nightmare for NFL defenses out of the slot. He’s not the huge bodied receiver we’re all pining for, but Adams is a playmaker. Imagine how much better Fitz’s numbers might have been this season if Parrish had been healthy for 16 games. Adams can be that kind of player and he’s a great value pick here at the top of round 3.

4a) Demario Davis (LB, Arkansas St.) 6’3 230lbs **

Davis is hands down one of my favorite prospects in this draft class. Ark St.’s first defensive snap against NIU in the GoDaddy.com bowl resulted in Chandler Harnish keeping it on an option, where Davis met him in the hole and hit Harnish so hard he broke the QB’s helmet. Davis is one fun guy to watch.

He can cover lots of ground quickly and also redirect extremely well considering his build. Davis plays the game under control and with good instincts, but when he gets to line up a hit, he wants to lay people out. He plays the game like he hates the other team.

4b) Brandon Taylor (FS, LSU) 5’11 202lbs **

I think safety is quietly a bigger need on the Bills than most would want to admit. Answer this question: what would the Bills do if Jairus Byrd was lost in week 2 for the season? I think strong safety’s in good shape, but the Bills need an athlete with better range in the deep half to backup Byrd. Taylor would be a very good addition to the Bills secondary. He was lost in a crowd of first rounders at LSU, but Taylor’s rangy in coverage, makes good plays on the ball, and is a physical tackler.

5a) Mike Martin (DT, Michigan) 6’1 307lbs**

Another one of my favorites in this class, Mike Martin actually reminds me of Kyle Williams in a couple ways. Firstly, he’s a bowling ball to try and block in the middle. Secondly, he plays like his helmets on fire. Thirdly, he’ll slip a lot further than he should on draft day because there isn’t anything all that spectacular about him athletically. Regardless, Martin is a guy who a coaching staff will fall in love with. Bills could bring him in to be part of the DT rotation and compete for playing time/a roster spot with Edwards, Troup, Heard, Johnson, and Gilbert.

5b) Stephen Hill (WR, Georgia Tech) 6’5 206lbs (note: we don’t know if the Lynch trade gave the Bills a 5th yet for certain)

Bills may have waited until later in the draft but still land a big-bodied and talented receiver. Hill is a hands catcher who can go up and get the football, and has the speed to get vertical and stretch the defense. Hill came out early despite average numbers, because it would have been tough for him to improve his stock much as a senior anyway in GT’s triple option offense. Hill’s a big play receiver though, as his unbelievable 29.3 yards/reception stat would indicate.

6) Brandon Mosley (OT, Auburn) 6’6 310lbs

Unfortunately an illness kept Mosley out of the Senior Bowl this week.

Nix stated plainly that he plans to keep drafting tackles in order to build his depth on the Oline. I wouldn’t bank on him using premium picks on OTs though. It’s far more likely he continues his mid/late round trend with this position. Mosley is a solid prospect. Won’t blow anyone away with his athleticism, but he plays balanced and understands how to use angles to wall defenders off. I think he could become a starting caliber RT with some development, and could play on the left side in a pinch without ruining the offense. Mosley likes to finish his blocks, he consistently gets one last shove off before the whistle and you can actually see it get under the skin of defenders as the game goes on. Bills bring him in and boot Sam Young off the roster.

7) Olivier Vernon (DE, Miami Fl.) 6’4 265lbs

The reason question with Vernon is character. He was one of the Hurricane players who was suspended for a while in 2011 after the improper benefits scandal. If he can convince NFL teams that he’s just a kid who made a mistake, Vernon could end up getting drafted in the later rounds. He’d be a project, but there is some talent to work with and it may be worth taking a flier on the guy real late.

Questions? Comments? Have at it

1) Dont’a Hightower (LB, Alabama) 6’4 260lbs

2) Casey Hayward (CB, Vanderbilt) 5’11 188lbs **

3) Joe Adams (WR, Arkansas) 5’10 174lbs **

4a) Demario Davis (LB, Arkansas St.) 6’3 230lbs **

4b) Brandon Taylor (FS, LSU) 5’11 202lbs **

5a) Mike Martin (DT, Michigan) 6’1 307lbs**

5b) Stephen Hill (WR, Georgia Tech) 6’5 206lbs (note: we don’t know if the Lynch trade gave the Bills a 5th yet for certain)

6) Brandon Mosley (OT, Auburn) 6’6 310lbs

Unfortunately an illness kept Mosley out of the Senior Bowl this week.

7) Olivier Vernon (DE, Miami Fl.) 6’4 265lbs

Questions? Comments? Have at it

The BS "Top 10"

boomsauce — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:48:46 -0000

Naturally, the draft talk is heating up. In an effort to mix things up a bit, why don't we take a break from the "Yes QB / No QB" and "Yes Upshaw / No Upshaw" talk, and take a stab at trying to sort out the premier talents in this draft. I've posted one mock draft so far and plan on posting another two, but I'm waiting on the all star games for the next one.

The idea of this list is to slot the 10 best players as I see them right now, and then point out some guys who (in my opinion) have the skill set to shoot up draft boards and into the top 10 come April. Between now and then there will absolutely be one or more players who go from 'fringe first rounder' to 'absolute top15/10 pick', thereby shaking everything up. Von Miller did it last season, and I believe someone will do it again this season. The good news here is: the Bills will not have to settle for second tier talent in the first round of the 2011 draft. There is definitely more than 10 complete studs in this draft class, which means one or more will certainly be on the board when the Bills pick. But who are they? That's the tricky part.

1) Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford) 6'4 235lbs

Nothing to see here. We can dream of this man wearing a Bills uniform all we want, but it's impossible.

2) Matt Kalil (OT, USC) 6'7 295lbs

Probable franchise LT. Bills have no chance at Kalil.

3) Morris Claiborne (CB, LSU) 6'0 185lbs

Skill set to develop into a premier man-to-man cornerback in the NFL. Quite possibly the best pure cover guy of the LSU studs (Peterson, Claiborne, Mathieu).

4) Trent Richardson (RB, Alabama) 5'11 224lbs

Adrian Peterson kind of talent, except he's actually stronger. His being a running back could push him down to the Bills at 10, and although they would likely pass on him for obvious reasons (and probably should in that situation), I think that would be a tougher decision to make than most realize. Richardson can be special.

5) Robert Griffin III (QB, Baylor) 6'2 220lbs

Nothing to see here. We can dream of this man wearing a Bills uniform all we want, but it's very close to impossible.

6) Dre Kirkpatrick (CB, Alabama) 6'3 192lbs

Significantly better tackler and zone defender than Claiborne, but doesn't have the same kind of man-to-man capability. Can still very much be a big time NFL cornerback with his strength and aggression.

7) Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma St.) 6'1 215lbs

Best and most pro ready receiver in this year's draft. Nowhere near the talent of last year's sensation AJ Green, but can still be a difference maker in the pros.

8) David DeCastro (OG, Stanford) 6'5 310lbs

Unlikely to be a top10 pick because of his position, but make no mistake: DeCastro is a rare interior OL prospect, and one of the best future pros of this draft class.

9) Riley Reiff (OT, Iowa) 6'6 300lbs

I'm not completely sold on Reiff becoming great NFL left tackle, but nonetheless I believe he warrants a high draft pick because of his upside to be at least a good one. Has the ability to become a starter at RT if the speed on the left proves to be too much for him.

10) Michael Brockers (DT, LSU) 6'6 306lbs

This man is incredibly powerful. I think he made a good decision coming out early (RS sophomore) because he's immediately the best defensive tackle in this class. Definitely more run stuffer /block occupier than gap shooter, though.

This next list is 5 guys, in no particular order, who I think all have a chance to crack the top 10 in the coming months with the combine, all star games, and pro days.

Ryan Tannehill (QB, Texas A&M) 6'4 222lbs

I'll get him out of the way. As the third best QB in this class (which he almost certainly is with T. Wilson returning to Arkansas), Tannehill could definitely rise into the top10. Without the senior bowl, the interviews at the combine will be huge for him, as well as any time he can throw in front of scouts (whether it be the combine or A&M's pro day). I'm not sold on him by any stretch, but not including him in this list would be silly. If Buddy Nix is sold on Tannehill as a franchise QB by April, this is 100% the player the Bills should be drafting.

Nick Perry (OLB, USC) 6'3 250lbs

Another name that will crop up around here a lot in the coming weeks/months. I think he's the best pure 3-4 OLB in this draft class. His first step is not elite, but it's very good. He's got the strength and frame to develop into a solid run defender in the pros. Even though he wasn't very productive against Stanford (3 total tackles), I was still impressed by the game he played against Jonathan Martin, often being too much for the 'elite LT' to handle cleanly. Perry's lack of production in that game was more about Andrew Luck's prowess than Martin's, in my opinion.

Jerel Worthy (DT, MSU) 6'3 310lbs

Devon Still will probably be the guy most people talk about as being second (or first) best DT in this draft. I'm a bigger fan of Worthy. He is just as quick off the ball and violent in his hand usage as Still, but Worthy plays the run with better leverage and has more power/bulk in his lower half. I think his skill set translates very well to the pros and that he can be disruptive in a number of different ways.

Dont'a Hightower (LB, Alabama) 6'4 260lbs

As we all know, Courtney Upshaw's name caught fire around here pretty quickly. I think Upshaw is very clearly the second best linebacker prospect on his college team. Hightower is just as versatile and powerful as Upshaw is, and I think he would be the one with all the sacks if Saban had him rush the passer more often. I'd venture a guess that Hightower tended to play in the middle of that defense because he's the more rangy athlete. When he was asked to rush the passer I was much more impressed with his first step and burst than I was Upshaw's. I believe Hightower's ceiling is significantly higher and that he has the ability to do just about anything very effectively in the pros.

Bruce Irvin (LB, WVU) 6'3 245lbs

Bruce Irvin has two major problems: (1) with his thinner frame, he'll have a difficult time setting the edge and playing the run effectively in a 3-4 scheme. (2) he was way out of place in WVU's 3-3-5 defense which limited his playing time and production. I think Bruce Irvin is a similar athletic talent to Von Miller, but he's also a much bigger risk because of he's more of a projection with his lesser experience. His burst off the line is hands down the best in this draft class, and his change of direction skills are elite (and I mean elite) for his size. He also plays the game like his helmet's on fire. If he develops properly I think he can be an impact defender in the NFL for a coaching staff smart enough to play him off the line (in space, where he won't necessary have to meet blockers head on) in running situations, and to get after the quarterback from several different spots in passing situations.

There you have it. My top10 as of now, and 5 of the guys (I had a very tough time trimming that down to 5) I think have a real shot to rise up the draft boards this offseason and into the top15.

Who did I miss? Who do you want to fall to the Bills? Who on this list actually stinks and doesn't have a prayer? This post is for discussion purposes. Questions/comments are strongly encouraged.

1) Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford) 6'4 235lbs

Nothing to see here. We can dream of this man wearing a Bills uniform all we want, but it's impossible.

2) Matt Kalil (OT, USC) 6'7 295lbs

Probable franchise LT. Bills have no chance at Kalil.

3) Morris Claiborne (CB, LSU) 6'0 185lbs

Skill set to develop into a premier man-to-man cornerback in the NFL. Quite possibly the best pure cover guy of the LSU studs (Peterson, Claiborne, Mathieu).

4) Trent Richardson (RB, Alabama) 5'11 224lbs

5) Robert Griffin III (QB, Baylor) 6'2 220lbs

Nothing to see here. We can dream of this man wearing a Bills uniform all we want, but it's very close to impossible.

6) Dre Kirkpatrick (CB, Alabama) 6'3 192lbs

7) Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma St.) 6'1 215lbs

Best and most pro ready receiver in this year's draft. Nowhere near the talent of last year's sensation AJ Green, but can still be a difference maker in the pros.

8) David DeCastro (OG, Stanford) 6'5 310lbs

Unlikely to be a top10 pick because of his position, but make no mistake: DeCastro is a rare interior OL prospect, and one of the best future pros of this draft class.

9) Riley Reiff (OT, Iowa) 6'6 300lbs

10) Michael Brockers (DT, LSU) 6'6 306lbs

This next list is 5 guys, in no particular order, who I think all have a chance to crack the top 10 in the coming months with the combine, all star games, and pro days.

Ryan Tannehill (QB, Texas A&M) 6'4 222lbs

Nick Perry (OLB, USC) 6'3 250lbs

Jerel Worthy (DT, MSU) 6'3 310lbs

Dont'a Hightower (LB, Alabama) 6'4 260lbs

Bruce Irvin (LB, WVU) 6'3 245lbs

There you have it. My top10 as of now, and 5 of the guys (I had a very tough time trimming that down to 5) I think have a real shot to rise up the draft boards this offseason and into the top15.

Who did I miss? Who do you want to fall to the Bills? Who on this list actually stinks and doesn't have a prayer? This post is for discussion purposes. Questions/comments are strongly encouraged.

Draft Season is BS Season

boomsauce — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:00:34 -0000

Here we all are, on the edges of our seats as our beloved Bills gear up for another December of complete and total NFL irrelevance. One positive to take from this 5 game skid: it’s officially not too early to start thinking about the best sporting event of the year: the NFL draft. Nine young men are out there right now who will become Bills in April, and I’m glad to take a guess at some names now that the Bills season is kaput.

Last draft season I posted 3 mocks here on rumblings. Sheppard, Lee Smith, Chris White, and UB’s own Dominic Cook all made appearances, all have become part of the team (and one has been let go) since then. I’m hoping to predict better than 4 future Bills this draft season. Once again I plan to post 3 in total, spreading them out till draft day.

1) Morris Claiborne (CB, LSU) 6’0 185lbs.

I really, really wish I didn’t think the Bills would be in position to draft Claiborne. The sad truth is: I don’t think Buffalo’s winning another game this season. If he ends up being the consolation prize for such a collapse, so be it. Claiborne’s clearly risen to become the best CB prospect in the country. Athleticism, ball skills, big play ability, good tackler. He has everything you could ask for in a corner. He might even be a better pure defender on day 1 than his predecessor, although he lacks the awing physical abilities that Peterson has. The Bills could plug him in immediately opposite Williams and have an imposing young cornerback tandem lining up on Sundays.

2) Vinny Curry (DE/OLB, Marshall) 6’4 263lbs.

Right now Curry is my favorite pass rusher in the class. I’d bet he’ll end up in the 1st round somewhere when it’s all said and done. Has a good burst off the line, shows a powerful bull rush, and closes real well on the football. Not quite the athlete to play as a pure 3-4 OLB, but could fit in nicely with the Bills hybrid scheme. Is an impact player for Marshall, with 11 sacks and 5 forced fumbles on the season. Curry could’ve come out as a junior in 2010, after having more tackles (94) than any Dlinemen in the nation to go with his 12 sacks. He elected to stay in school because he “(had) the chance to be only the second person in my family to earn a college degree … and I want to help my teammates compete for a championship next year”. Everything about him comes off as a Nix/Gailey guy to me.

3) Levy Adcock (OT, Oklahoma St.) 6’6 322lbs.

I’m assuming at this point that Demetrius Bell will not be on the Bills next season. That means that behind starters Hairston and Pears they have exactly no depth to back up either tackle spot (OK, that have Sam Young who might be able to play RT if they are desperate). Such a situation, in my mind, should make OT a higher priority so that losing one of the starters wouldn’t torpedo the entire season. I give you Levy Adcock. A JUCO transfer to OSU in his sophomore year, Adcock has the enormous, powerful frame and blue collar attitude that Nix and Gailey clearly look for in their offensive linemen. Good athlete and like Hairston has feet that are probably just quick enough to play on the blind side. He’s improved significantly year by year for the Cowboys, if that trend continues he’d give the Bills a 3rd NFL caliber OT. Could you imagine that?

4a) Michael Egnew (TE, Missouri) 6’6 245lbs.

Egnew could slip this far through the draft because his production is really down this season. I attribute that primarily to his losing Blaine Gabbert. A big target with very good hands, Egnew can create mismatches down the field because of his size and route-running. It’s unlikely that he’ll ever be much use as a blocker because of his thin build, so in Gailey’s offense he’d function more as a de facto receiver (which I think is alright because Lee Smith is a really strong blocker- do the Bills really need another TE of that sort?). Tough for Fitzpatrick to overthrow this guy at least, Egnew does a good job of plucking the ball high out of the air.

4b) James-Michael Johnson (ILB, Nevada) 6’2 240lbs.

Kirk Morrison and Andra Davis are likely both off the team next season. That leaves Arthur Moats (I guess?) to back up Barnett at the Will. I’m not so sure that’s going to cut it as far as depth is concerned. JMJ has had 4 years of constant production for the Nevada Wolf Pack. He isn’t a dynamic athlete by NFL standards, his read/react abilities seem to be average, and I question his ability to hold up in man in the pros, but when he sees the ball carrier and has a path to get there he closes in a hurry. At his best attacking downhill in the run game (has an impressive 36.5 TFL in his career), but also has a good feel in zone coverage. May not have a starters upside at the position, but could be a reliable backup and special teams ace. Good locker room presence and hard worker, was voted team captain in his RS Junior season.

5) Cobi Hamilton (WR, Arkansas) 6’3 209lbs.

Talented guy lost in a crowd of excellent receivers over at Arkansas (Wright, Adams, Childs). Not going to say I see him as a legit #2 in the NFL, but he’s got playmaking ability, and could bring good value to a roster as a #4 or 5 WR option. Bills desperately need some playmaking ability out of their depth receivers, and more importantly, the Bills need more guys who can play on the outside. I think Hamilton fits that criterion quite nicely.

6a) Mike Harris (CB, FSU) 5’11 195lbs.

Similar to the Hamilton pick above, in that Harris is sort of blended in to an ultra talented college unit. Transferring to FSU from JUCO, Harris never rose above nickelback for the Seminoles due to the presence of more highly touted recruits Greg Reed and Xavier Rhodes. Either way, Mike Harris can flat out play football. Probably doesn’t have the speed to man up on the outside, but could turn into an absolute stud nickelback in the NFL. Does a good job finding the ball in the air and has the athleticism to stick with NFL slot guys in man-to-man coverage. His most impressive quality is his tackling. He really coils up when the ball carrier gets close and then explodes into the guy, jarring him on contact with a good, clean, form tackle. Claiborne, Williams, Harris, and Rogers would give the Bills a very promising group of young, talented cornerbacks. That unit would be fun to watch.

6b) Cordarro Law (DE/OLB, So. Mississippi) 6’2 261lbs.

Depth pick at OLB. Law has a thick, strong frame, and plays the game with intensity. He’s quick enough off the ball to make me think there’s some pass rushing upside here. Took a closer look at him after watching So. Miss. beat up on Houston in the Conference USA final. Law was a man amongst boys despite facing what was supposedly a high caliber Houston offense. Law should be able to make the Bills roster outright thanks to their horrible lack of skill at the position.

7) Hebron Fangupo (DT, BYU) 6’1 331lbs.

A strong, massive guy who transferred from USC to BYU. Played 2 gap football as a 3-4 end at BYU. No chance as a pass rusher at the next level, but could find a niche eventually as a 2 down player who basically acts as a lead pipe sticking out of the ground. Mature guy who’s already married and likes doing the dirty work. Bills bring him to challenge Kellen Heard and any other depth DL in camp for a roster spot.

Questions, Comments, Arguments? All are strongly encouraged. The mocking season has begun.

1) Morris Claiborne (CB, LSU) 6’0 185lbs.

2) Vinny Curry (DE/OLB, Marshall) 6’4 263lbs.

3) Levy Adcock (OT, Oklahoma St.) 6’6 322lbs.

4a) Michael Egnew (TE, Missouri) 6’6 245lbs.

4b) James-Michael Johnson (ILB, Nevada) 6’2 240lbs.

5) Cobi Hamilton (WR, Arkansas) 6’3 209lbs.

6a) Mike Harris (CB, FSU) 5’11 195lbs.

6b) Cordarro Law (DE/OLB, So. Mississippi) 6’2 261lbs.

7) Hebron Fangupo (DT, BYU) 6’1 331lbs.

Questions, Comments, Arguments? All are strongly encouraged. The mocking season has begun.

Some praise for George Edwards and Drayton Florence

boomsauce — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:06:03 -0000

Some praise for George Edwards and Drayton Florence

Matt Bowen from NFP breaks down the second Barnett INT to seal the game.

Merriman busted with steroids?

boomsauce — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:38:33 -0000

Merriman busted with steroids?

hasnt been a good day for bills fans. whether he took them or not, if this story's true it could cause problems in the near future

Very high praise for Kyle Williams

boomsauce — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:47:55 -0000

Very high praise for Kyle Williams

PFF calls him the third best player in the NFL in 2010

Some BS Thoughts

boomsauce — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 19:52:51 -0000

After doing a couple mock drafts (1, 2 and 3) it started to feel a little stale, but that won’t stop me from posting because frankly, I enjoy doing so. What we have here are takes that I don’t see at all (or very little of) on this site that I happen to lean towards on certain prospects, draft strategy, or just the 2011 offseason in general. Counter-points are more than welcome, and let’s jump right in, shall we? Go Bills.

Why do so many people like Martez Wilson so much? When I watch him play, I don’t get the foggiest idea as to what his skill set projects him as in the NFL. Can he play downhill, challenge lead blockers (NFL OGs…), and plug the hole while keeping Poz clean? Absolutely not, I think the best guy in this class for that role is Chris White, by the way. Wilson does not have the lower body thickness or the physicality to anchor down and hit NFL lineman in the mouth. Can he play the WLB (Poz’s position), relying on his instincts and flowing the football to ultimately make the tackle? Possibly, but I don’t think his instincts and read-react abilities are any better than average, and time after time in games he looks timid to me. He looks so keen on not messing up that he is afraid to go make the play that’s right in front of him. His senior production was superb, but I don’t see his skill set translating well as a WLB in the pros. To me, this leaves Martez Wilson as a 3-4 OLB prospect, a role in which I think he’ll be a developmental player; and a position where I think Brooks Reed would be a far better choice at 34. Try not to let your liking a player block out the possibility of liking others players, I’ll repeat that

Try not to let your liking of a player block out the possibility of liking others players at that position or in that round. There’s a handful of names that are very popular on this site (Locker, Barksdale, Wilson, Matthews, Carpenter, etc.), and some guys seem to treat it as blasphemy when someone else thinks another player might be a better pick than an afermentioned name. Don’t zero in on a guy with tunnel vision and fully ignore other possibilities, other trains of thought. I’m certain Buddy Nix and other GMs try to be as objective and open minded when grading talent all across the board; they try not to let themselves get bogged down because a (hot) name jumped out to them. I think we as fans would be well served to try the same.

Boy, is this a bad year to want a safety. I mean, it’s an ugly draft for safeties and an extremely ugly one for strong safeties. I think the best of the bunch is DeAndre McDaniel, and I see him as probably a mid second round talent. But I will say this, if Ahmad Black can be had at the top of the 4th, bottom of the 4th, top of the 5th, he would be an excellent pick in my opinion. Let other teams pass on him because he’s small and runs a slow 40. Watch him on film, he flies around the field making play after play and is always near the football. He plays meaner and larger than his size would indicate. Is a slow 40 time really enough to turn teams away from a guy who was an excellent SEC player for 3 seasons? After him I consider it a wide open field of complete mediocrity. But it’s not all bad, after all

Boy, is this a good year to want a RT. I’ve heard for a long time that this is a weak tackle class, and on a whole I disagree with that. Sure there’s no top5 LT prospect, but there is a ton of depth at OT that will be on the board in the 2-4 range. For the record, I do not like Barksdale, Carpenter, and Brewer; but I still think this is a solid OT class. There’s an outside chance Sherrod makes it to #34 because he’s not as sexy a pick as guys like Solder and Costanzo. Ijalana, Hairston, Gilbert, and my favorite Jah Reid are all guys I like whom I believe fit somewhere in this range. Please keep the name Nick Claytor in the back of your mind as a possible UFA. He was one of Gailey’s biggest recruits at GT, but never really panned out there. He shocked everyone by declaring as a junior but it would hardly shock me if Gailey has a notion to bring him into camp and see what he can do. I think at the top of round 3 or 4 the value will be there and they should pull the trigger on an OT; but they shouldn’t force it, I think it’s a bad idea to take poor value because you feel a ‘need’ at a given position. Which leads me right too

I think it’s a bad idea to take poor value because there’s a ‘need’ at a given position. One thing I would hate to do if I were a GM is move down my draft board to grab a certain position, as opposed to move up my draft board to grab a certain player. If it’s the top of round 3 and there’s a RB on the board that they have a first round grade on, I would rather have that guy than an OT they have a third round grade on. The Bills lack players at so many positions that I lump it all into simply saying “The Bills lack talent”. Don’t pass on a starting caliber player at position A to take a backup caliber player at position B. I think that is a spectacular philosophy to stay in the basement for another decade. We all know what the Bills’ needs are, actually…

The Bills “needs” are not set in stone. Am I the only person that thinks defensive line is in no way, shape, or form of greater need than the secondary? Or ILB? Or OLB? Or TE? Or QB. I wouldn’t discount a single position on this roster as one that couldn’t use more talent, and I think WR is the only one you can even make a case for.

The 2011 QB class is a complete and utter mess. The draft this year is going to be awesome purely because there is no way in hell to know where and when these guys are going to be picked. The most talented is Cam Newton. Period. If there were no character concerns he would have been declared the obvious #1 overall a long time ago (the day Luck made his decision). No one has benefited more from Mr. Luck than Blaine Gabbert. However, I think he is a total and complete bust at the NFL level. His pocket presence isn’t bad, it’s terrible. It’s a skill that in my opinion, Gabbert won’t have time to acquire before the NFL swallows him whole. All the athleticism, intelligence, and arm strength in the world won’t save you if you can’t handle the speed and intensity of an NFL defense. If the Bills don’t have a QB yet going into the mid-late rounds, keep your eyes on Tyrod Taylor. He’s got a very intriguing skill set and I’m not sure what the guy needs to do (he broke record after record at VT that had been held by Vick) to get some more love from draftniks and media persons.

With the third pick in the draft, the Bills should take Patrick Peterson. No player in this draft gives NFL teams a talent boost the way Peterson does. He is outstanding in press man and deep zone coverage. He needs to improve his off man and covering intermediate routes, but the athletic abilities and the redeeming qualities are there for PP to be as good as he wants. Dareus is a good player, but I hardly see him as the unstoppable force everyone’s making him out to be. He was not really an impact player at Alabama, his biggest games were just typically on the biggest stages (Championship game v. Texas and Capital One Bowl v. MSU) against inferior OL competition. In the average SEC game he was usually just a solid 5tech DE who made the occasional play but mostly ate up blockers. I expect him to be very good in the NFL, but at the same role: a steady 3 down performer who does his job, making few mistakes, but rarely having a game changing impact. Miller is a name that picked up a lot steam quickly, but is anyone else worried that his bust factor is much larger than most are making it seem? In college he would routinely beat the OT clean because of his quickness, he will not be able to do that in the NFL. He will need to learn to be more physical, and add more pass rush moves to keep lineman off balance. I don’t see his skill set translating into the instant impact linebacker people are pegging him as. I see a speed rush specialist who is going to have a lot to learn when he makes it to the big stage. These thoughts on Dareus, Miller, and the unlikelihood Newton is there at 3 leads me to a simple conclusion: with the third pick in the draft, the Bills should take Patrick Peterson.

Mock Draft (that you will all hate) v3

boomsauce — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:09:09 -0000

I always enjoy reading through these for the ‘what-ifs’ as well as the ideas they may pop into my head and the conversations they seem to spark, so I figured I may chip in with (yet another) one. Made the first three selections what I would consider a virtually perfect two days for the Bills, but saved two picks from the first and two from the second.

1) Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU) 6’0 219lbs

I remember near the beginning of the football season I thought Peterson was the best player in college (including Luck). I still think he’s the best player in this draft and nothing will change that for me. I know most rumblers want a QB or a front 7 guy with this pick, but I think Peterson is both a special player and athlete; If I were Buddy Nix this pick would be childishly easy for me to make if he’s on the board at #3.

2) Nate Irving (ILB, NC State) 6’1 240lbs

If Ponder’s on the board he’s my pick here, but I think he’ll be gone by now.

One thing has defined Poz’s career thusfar: injuries. The Bills desperately need a good backup for Poz who can read plays quickly and defend sideline to sideline. For me, Nate Irving is the best ILB of that type in this class and I would jump on him here. He is very agile, extremely intense on the field, natural leader from the MLB position, and big time producer for the Wolfpack (guy had 21 TFL, 7 sacks, and 3 FF last season…) He can get lost in traffic and isn’t the greatest tackler, but Irving’s a playmaker. It’s a lot of fun watching him fly around the field after he diagnosed the play, and I’d love to see him doing it in a Bills uni. Oh yeah, one thing he can do which Poz can’t: cover.

The knock on him seems to be ‘injury concerns’, but as far as I can find, his only noteworthy injury was a major car wreck which caused him to miss his 2009 season. He came back better than ever in 2010, and by all accounts the near death experience reaffirmed his love for both football and life.

3) Ricky Stanzi (QB, Iowa) 6’4 223lbs

I can’t figure out why Stanzi doesn’t get more love by draftniks. He was a solid starter for two seasons before a great senior campaign. Will need to bulk up, and has an annoying tendency to throw intermediate passes low (which I consider to be a much better problem than throwing passes high). But he has all the physical and mental tools to succeed as a starting NFL QB, and the work ethic needed to do so. What impresses me most is his coolness in the pocket, he slides around avoiding pressure while working through his reads downfield. To me calmness and awareness in the pocket is an attribute that cannot be coached. Very worst case scenario is he turns into a solid backup, remember that’s not worst thing in the world. Best case scenario is the Bills get the steal of the draft with a guy becoming what Trent Edwards should have been.

Cam Newton is still my #1 QB because of talent alone, but I’d be shy about pulling the trigger at 3 because of the bust factor and character concerns. I just don’t see it with Gabbert and Locker; I think Mallet will be a trainwreck in the locker room and off the field. While I like Kaepernick a good deal I don’t think his skill set projects all that well to the pros; I feel he’ll need more time than the Bills will be able to give him. That all being said, if I were the Bill's GM Ponder and Stanzi would be getting a whole lot of attention from me.

4a) Chris White (ILB, Miss. St.) 6’3 240lbs

4b) Jah Reid (OT, UCF) 6’7 327lbs

White and Reid are repeated from my second mock. Nothing has changed here I still like both these picks very, very much. White as an ILB who plays downhill and hits lead blockers in the mouth, Reid as a highly underrated RT prospect who I think has a skill set and body type that translates very well into the pros.

5) Lee Smith (TE, Marshall) 6’6 266lbs

6) Cedric Thornton (DE, S. Arkansas) 6’3 309lbs

Smith and Thornton are repeated from my first mock. Smith is an exceptional in-line blocker and very sure handed short range target. Thornton is a solid 5-tech prospect who figures to be a contributor eventually at the NFL level.

7a) David Carter (DE/DT, UCLA) 6’5 301lbs

With Stroud and McCargo gone, we need two more defensive linemen. Carter improved steadily as a player over his college career, and didn’t earn a starting gig until his senior season. In that season he led UCLA’s D-linemen in tackles and also added 3.5 sacks. Solid athleticism and a frame that can hold more bulk, he is a good sleeper pick in my opinion because there is the upside in his game to be a starter.

7b) David Sims (SS, Iowa State) 5’9 200lbs

A pick this late in the draft likely holds more weight than it normally would, as this year undrafted rookies are going to be caught in limbo (assuming the lockout persists). They won’t know whether they’ll be in an NFL training camp come late summer or have to go get a job or play in another league or whatever. Having an extra pick this late allows the Bills to target their favorite guy of the bunch and lock him down.

Assuming Whitner’s gone it’s a position in bad need of added depth; David Sims would be a good pick in my opinion as a guy who could tremendously outplay his draft pick in time. I feel confident saying he’ll be a good special teamer, but I also feel there’s real potential here for a diamond-in-the-rough sort of safety. He’s a very hard hitter with a nose for the football in run support, and he’s solid (though not great) in deep coverage. Doesn’t have blazing speed, but plays fast on the field. The extra pick here brings us a guy with real starter potential at a position of need.

For what it’s worth, guys that may go undrafted that I like as possible UFDA:

Josh Gatlin (CB, North Dakota St.), CJ Gable (RB, USC), Joe Morgan (WR, Walsh), Terry Griffin (NT, Elizabeth City St.), Wayne Daniels (OLB, TCU), Ryan Colburn (QB, Fresno St.), Laupepa Letuli (OG, Hawaii), DeMarco Sampson (WR, SDSU), Dominic Cook (DB, Buffalo)

1) Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU) 6’0 219lbs

2) Nate Irving (ILB, NC State) 6’1 240lbs

If Ponder’s on the board he’s my pick here, but I think he’ll be gone by now.

3) Ricky Stanzi (QB, Iowa) 6’4 223lbs

4a) Chris White (ILB, Miss. St.) 6’3 240lbs

4b) Jah Reid (OT, UCF) 6’7 327lbs

5) Lee Smith (TE, Marshall) 6’6 266lbs

6) Cedric Thornton (DE, S. Arkansas) 6’3 309lbs

7a) David Carter (DE/DT, UCLA) 6’5 301lbs

7b) David Sims (SS, Iowa State) 5’9 200lbs

For what it’s worth, guys that may go undrafted that I like as possible UFDA:

Mock Draft (that you will all hate) v2

boomsauce — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:54:50 -0000

I always enjoy reading through these for the ‘what-ifs’ as well as the ideas they may pop into my head and the conversations they seem to spark, so I figured I may chip in with (another) one

I tried to make it look like a very, very different draft than the one before. Part of that was being less optimistic about just how far certain guys would drop (Ijalana, Sheard). Only recycled name in the 8 picks was previously listed as a possible free agent.

1) Cam Newton (QB, Auburn) 6’6 250lbs

Nix (and probably more importantly, Ralph) may just like Newton enough to pull the trigger here. He’s a winner, a leader, a hard worker, and is loaded with talent. The biggest questions for me are how big money will affect him and what off field troubles might lie ahead. I initially thought the pick unlikely but my stance has changed assuming he impresses during the interviews. Part of that is him checking his ego and holding a clipboard for his first season. The very definition of a boom-or-bust pick, but if it works out the Bills have good times ahead.

I think if the Bills do go QB here, it will be Newton. We (and football fans in general) will debate Gabbert vs. Newton for the next two months. I personally don’t see Gabbert becoming a good NFL QB. I believe the game will be too big and fast for him to ever be consistently productive. With Newton on the other hand, my concerns are mainly the off field issues of maturity and loyalty. Since I don’t know the man personally it’s impossible for me to make a call on such things, I’ll leave that to OBD.

2) Muhammad Wilkerson (DE/DT, Temple) 6’5 305lbs

In the average draft, I’d be certain that Wilkerson would go in the bottom half of the first round. Luckily for the Bills, this draft is very deep on the D-line. He’s a perfect fit for the Bills because of his scheme versatility and his upside. Looking at his frame I see no problem adding some weight in the future (presumably lower body muscle), and being a disruptive defensive lineman you can move around to create mismatches. I consider this pick to be the biggest ‘if’ of this mock as to whether or not the guy will be available where I have them slotted; the fact is I consider him good value at around pick 25.

3) Curtis Marsh (CB, Utah State) 6’1 193lbs

I do not consider our secondary situation to be bad; I consider it to be desperate. If Florence walks then we have exactly one reliable(ish) starter in McKelvin. I love McGee but he’s clearly on the downside and has not been able to stay healthy. From here on out McGee’s probably better used as a nickelback, but if Florence walks he’s likely penciled in as a starter to begin the season.

Marsh is very athletic and has real quick footspeed. He’ll need some time to adjust to the NFL, but has all the physical tools and savvy you look for in a starting cornerback and could be a solid contributor somewhere in his rookie season. We really need a player like this in our defensive backfield- probable early contributor with good upside.

4a) Chris White (JLB, Mississippi St.) 6’4 245 lbs

‘JLB’, not ‘ILB’. White originally jumped on my radar when I tried to watch K.J Wright. I say I tried to watch Wright because although I wanted to, my eyes kept shifting from #34 to #50. I was surprised bordering on shocked at how strong White looked at the POA when he had to take on an O-lineman. He is very average in terms of shedding blocks and his coverage skills when dropping back. However, his motor’s relentless and he is very good playing downhill and plugging gaps. If Poz is our long term Will backer (something I’m rather ‘bleh’ on- but that’s another topic), I hope Nix and co. are considering White as his possible long term compliment. It may be a bit of a reach, but our need at jack linebacker is so great that I’d be willing to reach for one.

4b) Jah Reid (OT, Central Florida) 6’7 324lbs

I previously had him listed as a possible UFA, and now he’s climbed all the way up to the bottom of the fourth. That’s how much I like him as a RT prospect; when I took a closer look I leapfrogged him over nearly all the other mid-round tackle prospects (Carpenter, Brewer, Ziemba, etc). My understanding is that when he started out at UCF he was a 370 pound butterball, but now sits at a much more defined 325. To me that screams ‘work ethic’, which in turn screams ‘Nix and Gailey’. I see speed rush on the outside being an issue, along with a kind of awkwardness in space. However, I also see imposing size and strength that can potentially dominate in the phone booth at the next level. Reid has a knack for keeping his defender out of the play even if in the first step or two it looks like he was beat clean. Looks very determined to stay on his block as long as possible and has pretty quick feet with good body control for a guy his size.

I admit I do like Marcus Gilbert quite a bit, but I think it’s questionable he’s on the board at this pick and I actually like Reid’s upside a tad more anyway.

5) Julius Thomas (TE, Portland St.) 6’5 240lbs

I expect him to climb draft boards pretty rapidly if he puts on a good show at the combine. Was a star basketball player at Portland State, in fact basketball is just about all he did in high school and college. It actually hurts my brain trying to figure out how someone who played exactly one season of high school football (as a freshman) and one as a college senior earned first team honors in his conference despite that only season being 2-9. My only conclusion is that he's only scratched the surface of his potential, which is enormous. I imagine watching him block in the early going will be painful, but the frame to add some bulk is certainly there and hopefully so is the work ethic to get better technique. Somewhere down the line he should be a real tough guy to cover in the secondary, and that’s where he could thrive in the pros- creating mismatches for safeties and linebackers.

6) Josh Gatlin (CB, North Dakota St.) 6’0 194lbs

For me it’s simple numbers. Assuming Florence and Youboty are gone, the Bills need to add two corners this offseason. I could easily see a stop gap free agent signing being in the cards rather than using a pair of draft picks, but in this mock we’re taking two corners. Deal with it. I don’t think Gatlin has starting cornerback potential, mostly because I don’t think he’s physical enough to provide even below average run support on the outside in the pros. He does however have good speed and athleticism, along with the quick and fluid hips cover corners need so badly in the NFL. As a depth guy who figures to grow into Reggie Corner’s role as a dime/nickelback, I like him a great deal. It might be real tough to get separation from him in that capacity.

7) Daniel Kilgore (OL, Appalachian St.) 6’3 304lbs

I don’t ever think it’s a bad idea to add a solid O-lineman to your roster. Kilgore is a polished blocker who very rarely lost one-on-one battles at the FCS level, where he played LT. Can’t imagine him staying on the outside in the pros as he’s just not long enough and the athleticism doesn’t seem to be there. Don’t think there’s much upside here, but I do think he’s got a shot at making the roster over Howard and Wrotto as interior depth. Also I think he fits best as a LG at the next level, where we are lacking solid depth behind Levitre.

For what it’s worth, guys that may go undrafted that I like as possible UFDA:

CJ Gable (RB, USC), Terry Griffin (NT, Elizabeth City St.), Wayne Daniels (OLB, TCU), Ryan Colburn (QB, Fresno St.), Laupepa Letuli (OG, Hawaii), DeMarco Sampson (WR, SDSU), Dominic Cook (DB, Buffalo)

Questions/comments would be excellent... I see these things more as conversation starters anyway.

I always enjoy reading through these for the ‘what-ifs’ as well as the ideas they may pop into my head and the conversations they seem to spark, so I figured I may chip in with (another) one

1) Cam Newton (QB, Auburn) 6’6 250lbs

2) Muhammad Wilkerson (DE/DT, Temple) 6’5 305lbs

3) Curtis Marsh (CB, Utah State) 6’1 193lbs

4a) Chris White (JLB, Mississippi St.) 6’4 245 lbs

4b) Jah Reid (OT, Central Florida) 6’7 324lbs

I admit I do like Marcus Gilbert quite a bit, but I think it’s questionable he’s on the board at this pick and I actually like Reid’s upside a tad more anyway.

5) Julius Thomas (TE, Portland St.) 6’5 240lbs

6) Josh Gatlin (CB, North Dakota St.) 6’0 194lbs

7) Daniel Kilgore (OL, Appalachian St.) 6’3 304lbs

For what it’s worth, guys that may go undrafted that I like as possible UFDA:

Questions/comments would be excellent... I see these things more as conversation starters anyway.

Mock Draft (that you all will hate)

boomsauce — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:35:36 -0000

I always enjoy reading through these for the ‘what-ifs' and the ideas they may pop into my head, so I figured I may chip in with one.

First off I'd like to point out how certain I am that this is totally wrong. Nix proved to me last year that he'll be very hard to predict. About the only things I got from him is that he likes high character seniors, and that he's going to stick to his board- that is, he isn't gonna pay any attention to people who think he's "reaching" .

My main prediction for the draft is that if we don't take a QB with either of our first 2 picks (whoever that may be), we either wait until very late (7th) to grab one, or not at all. In the latter scenario I think they go after Tyler Thigpen in FA to back up Fitz, and that's the one I'm trying to play out here:

1) A.J. Green (WR, Georgia) 6'4 212lbs

Here's the pick most of us are going to hate. However I think us as fans need to come to terms with the fact that when Nix says he's going BPA that is very literally what he is going to do. I can't help but to believe that if Green is on the board at 3 Buddy will have the pick submitted faster than he did CJ's last year. My opinion on this pick is that although defense is of greater need (and I'm a much bigger fan of Peterson/trading down), if this guy turns into Larry Fitzgerald and makes Fitzy a better QB then I don't see how anyone can hate the selection. I'm cautiously holding out hope that Carolina makes this decision for us, but I simply don't think that's going to happen.

2) Kelvin Sheppard (ILB, LSU) 6'2 250lbs

Last season, arguably the best two players on our team were late round picks from the SEC. Now just imagine what a pair of early round picks from the SEC can do. There's not a lot to be said about this pick that we haven't heard over the past week or two. He's a very smart and active football player. He commanded one of the best defenses in college football and is well suited to do so in the pros. I am actually against starting him at first because I don't want him in before he's ready. I'd say let Davis start the season, in about 4-5 weeks in he'll be injured somehow, and then let Sheppard out of his cage. He is an excellent long term compliment to Poz and his best football is ahead of him.

3) Ben Ijalana (OG/T, Villanova) 6'4 320lbs

I can't tell you whether he'll be better at RT or on the inside as a pro (most believe its inside), but what I can tell you is he's the type of big, physical guy Gailey and Nix seem to love for their offensive line. A while back he was considered to maybe be the best FCS prospect in this 2011 draft, and deservedly so because he is a punishing run blocker with excellent strength who finishes his blocks. I think he can stay on the outside in the pros because as far as I can tell his struggles in pass blocking are more the result of poor footwork and technique than lack of athleticism. I think with good coaching and a little experience the sky's the limit. Worst case scenario is he needs to kick inside and either battle it out for playing time at RG, or provide much better depth than Howard would.

4a) Jabaal Sheard (DE/OLB, Pittsburgh) 6'4 260lbs

To speak plainly: this is Dave Wannstedt's pick. Sheard slips through the cracks in the first 3 rounds (as one might expect a Big East player to do), and Wannstedt has talked this guy up enough for Nix to pull the trigger. For the Bills to seriously consider him I expect he'd need to blow them away during the interview, answering some tough questions in the process about when he was charged with aggravated assault. If Nix and Gailey's minds can be put at ease regarding the possible character issues, Sheard projects well into whatever you want to call Chris Kelsay's current role on the field is (outside defensive end?). He's a very good football player who could transition to a solid 34 outside backer in time.

4b) Lee Smith (TE, Marshall) 6'6 270lbs

Most see this as an out-of-nowhere pick I'd think, but in my opinion out of nowhere is exactly where Nix will be drafting from in the mid to late rounds of the draft. Smith is an excellent blocker with sure hands but lacks the speed to work the intermediate and deep routes over the middle. Sideline Scouting has this to say about his ‘positives':

"Good size... Heady... Fairly quick off the LOS... Solid route runner... Good body control and balance... Adequate receiver... Red zone target... Very solid hands... Has improved as a receiver every season... Very good blocker... Fires off the ball when run blocking, stays low and plays with leverage... Flashes good power... Very solid lateral movement and slide... Solid knee bend... Stays on his blocks, gives a good effort... Finishes his assignments... Aggressive, flashes a mean streak... Team captain... Mature, married with two kids... Might be considered as an offensive line prospect if he can add some bulk... Selected All-Conference USA second team for the 2010 season."

He is far from a flashy pick and he wouldn't be that passing threat we've all been waiting for at the TE position. What he will be is a guy who goes to battle in the trenches and hits people in the mouth, but it's the "mature, married with two kids" comment that pops out at me as a guy Nix and Gailey will warm up to.

5) Richard Sherman (CB, Stanford) 6'2 193lbs

I've seen a few write-ups about "winners and losers" from the senior bowl, and I don't think I've seen Sherman's name once as a "winner". I can hardly believe that, as I thought he looked like the best player in the North's secondary hands down. This pick would remind me in so many ways of Marcus Easley, as Sherman's a very bright guy who came on as a senior and flashed amazing potential. Originally was a receiver but made the switch to corner, Sherman has a near frightening mix of size, speed, and athleticism (he was also a track star during his first two years at Stanford, long and triple jump); he has a great football IQ and reads the receiver's movements very well. I fully expect him to improve rapidly and turn some heads in whoever's training camp he's at, again a la Marcus Easley.

6) Cedric Thornton (DE, S. Arkansas) 6'31/2 299lbs

An Alex Carrington type pick (by that I mean 5tech prospect from a small Arkansas school). Has the size and raw power needed to be a two gap player in the NFL, and shows great effort play in and play out. Won't blow anyone away with his playmaking ability or pass rushing skills, but could turn into a solid, dependable player in the 5tech position. Plus I'd really like to see someone come in and take Stroud's roster spot, he's too much money for a guy who's both out of position and over the hill.

7) CJ Gable (RB, USC) 6'0 205lbs

This guy is a mid round talent if not higher. He spent his entire career at USC splitting running back duties with other players because they were loaded at the position. A lack of both production and solid tape on him therefore causes a free fall down the draft boards. He'd be a solid special teamer from the start and could step in and contribute on offense earlier than expected if either Freddy or the other CJ get hurt.

For those keeping track, this mock includes 4 guys (Sheppard, Smith, Thornton, Sherman) that our coaching staff got to see up close and personal at the Senior Bowl.

For what it's worth, guys I think go undrafted that I like as possible UFA:

Shiloh Keo (SS, Idaho- least likely of this list to not hear his name called late in my opinion), Cortez Allen (CB, The Citadel), Jah Reid (OT, UCF), Terry Griffin (NT, Elizabeth City St.), Ryan Colburn (QB, Fresno St.), DeMarco Sampson (WR, SDSU), Dominic Cook (DB, Buffalo- why not make that a 2 year streak?)

Questions/comments would be excellent... I see these things more as conversation starters anyway. Fire away for the Green pick

I always enjoy reading through these for the ‘what-ifs' and the ideas they may pop into my head, so I figured I may chip in with one.

1) A.J. Green (WR, Georgia) 6'4 212lbs

2) Kelvin Sheppard (ILB, LSU) 6'2 250lbs

3) Ben Ijalana (OG/T, Villanova) 6'4 320lbs

4a) Jabaal Sheard (DE/OLB, Pittsburgh) 6'4 260lbs

4b) Lee Smith (TE, Marshall) 6'6 270lbs

5) Richard Sherman (CB, Stanford) 6'2 193lbs

6) Cedric Thornton (DE, S. Arkansas) 6'31/2 299lbs

7) CJ Gable (RB, USC) 6'0 205lbs

For those keeping track, this mock includes 4 guys (Sheppard, Smith, Thornton, Sherman) that our coaching staff got to see up close and personal at the Senior Bowl.

For what it's worth, guys I think go undrafted that I like as possible UFA:

Questions/comments would be excellent... I see these things more as conversation starters anyway. Fire away for the Green pick