SB Nation User Blog: buffaloboy90

Making a Case for McCargo

buffaloboy90 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:50:52 -0000

Is John McCargo just another draft bust for the Bills? Maybe, maybe not. For a first round selection he hasn't done "diddly poo" (Jim Mora) since he's gotten here. Based on flashes of greatness I saw in 2007 and recent news reports, I believe John McCargo will have a big impact in Buffalo's defense next year.

What J-Mac did in 2007:

• Tied for third on the team with seven tackles for loss.
• Registered first career sack in Week 1 vs. Den. (9/9)… Took down Jay Cutler for a loss of five yards
• Recorded first career forced fumble and fumble recovery at NE (9/23) during a Tom Brady rush on a goal-to-go situation in the second quarter
• Made a key tackle for loss on Reuben Droughns on a fourth-and-goal rush from the one-yard line in the third quarter vs. NYG (12/23)

My take on his 2007 season:

McCargo clearly showed he has the speed and quickness Buffalo needs for its defensive scheme. He has the ability to slip past offensive guards. If you watch the sack against Cutler and the Key tackle on Reuben Droghns, you can see why he was a 1st round pick.

Check out the Cutler sack here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d802340f8/Bills-Defense-Highlight-WK-1-vs-Broncos-2007

I can't find the video on the other plays.

So why hasn't he been able to be consistent? Two things, injuries and work ethic. Apparantly both those things are fixed now according to DJ and Perry Fewell.

Quote from Perry Fewell: "We've seen a big attitude change in him in his work habits, his eating habits, his body looks better, his desire to be a good football player."
Quote from DJ: "The fact that he reverted back to us turns out to be a very positive thing. He's had a great attitude, we've always liked him, and now we are hoping to get out of him what we believe is there."
"McCargo came to camp this summer 100 percent healthy, and he's also about 10 to 12 pounds lighter than he was last year, tipping the scales right around 303"

All these quotes are from http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090728/SPORTS03/907280312/1007/SPORTS

J-Mac is going to be in the rotation, so we should all be rooting for him. Stroud, Williams, Johnson, and McCargo.

Graham Harrell Not Drafted?

buffaloboy90 — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:30:03 -0000

I am extremely dissapointed that Graham Harrell did not get drafted. Not only am I dissapointed, but I'm shocked

Personally, I think Graham Harrell will have a better NFL career than Matthew Stafford. While many scouts are wooed by Sfafford's arm strength, they forget what it really takes to be a great QB in the NFL.

To me, Stafford just seems like another JP Losman. Both QB's are always looking for the big play. Because of this, they miss many good opportunities to gain yardage, manage the game, and not throw interceptions.

Graham Harrell is a student of the game. He is noted for spending countless hours in the film room to know the in and outs of Mike Leache's system. Also, because Harrell has not been blessed with the strongest arm, he has learned to go through his progressions as designed by the offense instead of trying to make a play himself.

One of the big knocks on Harrell is that he is too skinny. He's 6'2'' 223 LBS. Is that really that small? Didn't everyone say Tom Brady was small when he came out of college and that he didn't have a strong enough arm. Weight and arm strength are two things Harrell can develop over a couple of years in the NFL.

The other knock is that he played in a system that inflated his stats. It doesn't matter people! Graham Harrell destroyed anyone he played. Against texas he passed for 474 yards, 2 touchdowns, and completed 67.9 percent of his passes. Texas had one of the best defenses in the nation.

Oh, and despite throwing a leauge most 48.6 passes a game, Harrell only got sacked 1 time a game. Making him the 8th LEAST sacked QB in college football.

When all is said and done, I think Graham Harrell will have a better career than any other QB drafted in the 2009 NFL draft. The problem with Stafford is he will try to make the big play. The problem with Sanchez is that he doesn't spend enough time in the film room. These problems cannot really be corrected. Harrells problems of weight and arm strength can. Look for him to develop into a tom brady type of player.

Buffaloboy Final Draft

buffaloboy90 — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:47:09 -0000

Round 1: DT BJ Raji

If he makes it out of the top 10, I think Raji will be the best player on the board. Part of the pass rush problem is that Buffalo does not get a solid push up the middle, Raji fixes that. A great penetrating DT like Raji helps every single player on the defense, he's way too enticing for the Bills to pass up.

Round 1: DE Michael Johnson

The Other part of the pass rush problem is that the Bills don't have any speed rushers aside from Aaron Schobel (the jury is still out on Chris Ellis). Michael Johnson is the definition of dynamic and explosive and would be a great addition for our defensive line rotation. I don't know if Johnson will fall this far, but if he does he should be one of the if not the best player on the board.

Round 2: TE James Casey

Casey is the pass catching tight end the Bills need. He can run routes, run after the catch, and be the deep threat TE the Bills need. Casey can also play in a wildcat type of formation as QB. Also, he is a good red zone threat as he gets good body position on fades.

Round 3: ILB Scott Mckillop

The Bills need to get a bigger and more physical OLB. McKillop is bigger and a lot more physical than Keith Ellison. He is a blue collar type of player who is smart.

Round 4: G Kraig Urbik

The Bills lost four offensive lineman, and they have only signed two. So, we should probably assume the Bills will take at least two offensive lineman in this years draft. Urbik is noted for having very good explosion and strength. Big 10 lineman tend to do well in the NFL, I don't see why the Bills would hesitate drafting this guy.

Round 4: G Tyronne Green

Like I said, the Bills need to draft at least two offensive lineman. Urbik makes one, and Green makes the other. Green played very well at the senior bowl and is very much on the rise. He sinks his hips very well to get good leverage. Athletic guy who could turn into a very good player.

Round 5: SS Otis Wiley

Donte Whitner is overpaid and there is no way Bryan Scott should really be the Bills starting strong safety. Otis Wiley is a true playmaker as evidenced by his int's, td's, and kick returns. Also, Wiley is a hell of a tackler. I think Otis Wiley is going to be the steal of the draft.

Round 6: OT Lydon Murtha

The Bills need yet another tackle they can develop. Murtha had a great combine displaying his elite athletic ability. He has yet to put it all together, but with some time he could be a star.

Round 7: ILB Frantz Joseph

Joseph is hard hitting linebacker that could be very productive on special teams. Bills could also look at Joseph as a fullback because of his physicality.

I think this draft covers most if not all of the Bills needs. I have seen everyone of these players on tapes and have read in depth reviews on them. If you have any questions about them just ask. If you disagree with anything just lemme know about it.

My FINAL Mock Draft

buffaloboy90 — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:38:50 -0000

After much debate with you guys, combine/pro-day workouts, and game tape this is my 2009 NFL Mock Draft for the Buffalo Bills. You will notice that I have left out tight end. Although I saw great combine workouts from a couple tight ends I simply did not see enough production to warrant a 1st or 2nd round pick. I realize that many people will disagree with me and I respect that.

DE Everette Brown. Florida State. 6'2'' 256 LBS
1. The best pass rusher in the draft. Played at a proven school and showed great production all three years. Last year he notched 21.5 tackles for loss which was third best in the entire nation. From his tape, we can see he has the widest array of pass rushing moves out of any player in the draft. Pass rush has been sited as a huge need for the Bills by both Dick Jauron and Perry Fewell. Not only are the Bills getting a pass rusher, but a DE who is very stout against the run as well.
DT Evander "Ziggy" Hood. Missouri. 6'3'' 300 LBS.
1. The quickest and best pass rushing defensive tackle in the draft. Ziggy had a 10 yd dash of 1.62 seconds which is extremely quick for a guy of his size. Like Everette Brown, Ziggy also has a wide array of pass rush moves to help him get to the QB. His production at Missouri was very solid for 3 years; 5 TFL, 8 TFL, and 7 TFL. Ziggy was constantly double teamed but still produced. I don't care what Tom Modrak says, the John McCargo experiment is over and its ZIGGY TIME! Although I like Kyle Williams, the Bills need and upgrade.
OLB Tyrone McKenzie. South Florida and Iowa State. 6'2'' 243 LBS.
1. He's played for 2 different schools in his college career but there was one common theme, BIG TIME PRODUCTION for 3 years; 59 solo tackles in 2006, 63 solo tackles in 2007, and 79 solo tackles in 2008. Doesn't matter what scheme he is in, the guy simply produces. He played with Bills LB Alvin Bowen at Iowa State and they were best friends, this could lead to good locker room chemistry. The Bills need another LB who can make more plays in the backfield and McKenzie made 15 TFL last year.
OG Tyronne Green. Auburn. 6'2'' 309 LBS.
1. At some point in this draft the Bills need to get an interior lineman. Green has been regarded as the bright spot on the Auburn offensive line by many experts. He has a quick first step with a 1.69 ten yard dash and it shows up on tape. The guy just does everything well; he sinks his hips, pulls well, drives, and finishes his blocks. He also performed very well at the senior bowl.
CB Joe Burnett. Central Florida. 5'10'' 192 LBS.
1. We all know how much Dick Jauron loves corners! If the Bills drafted Reggie Corner, then there is absolutely no way they do not draft Joe Burnett. The past two years Joe Burnett has been incredibly productive; 6 interceptions in 2007 and 4 interceptions in 2008. That's not all though! This year, Burnett has arguably been the best punt/kick returner in college football (McKelvinesk). On punts, he averaged 14.5 yards a return. On kicks, he averaged 28.65 yards a return. He also took to of the kick returns to the house for TD's. And to put the cherry on top, Burnett has incredibly quick feet with a three cone drill of 6.68 seconds which was second fastest to Malcomb Jenkins. BTW, Jenkins is a great player and don't be surprised if the Bills take him #1. Pairing him with Donte Whitner...
SS Otis Wiley. Michigan State. 6'1'' 213 LBS.
1. It's that time of the draft where you try to find the gems! Wiley has the size and speed to be a great safety in the NFL. Bryan Scott is not a playmaker, and Ko "millions" Simpson has not been healthy enough to prove anything. Wiley was very productive in his past two years; 4 interceptions in 2007 and 4 interceptions in 2008. Also, Wiley was good punt returner which suggests he is a playmaker. Not surprisingly, Wiley took two of the interceptions to the house with 2 td's. Quick feet with a 6.97 three cone drill and a decent first step with a 1.62 ten yard dash. Injuries could push Wiley back this far.
OT Lydon Murtha. Nebraska. 6'7'' 306 LBS.
1. Like I said before, just trying to find some gems. Murtha had the most impressive combine performance out of any lineman in the draft. GREAT first step with a 1.62 ten yard dash, Great quick feet with a 7.06 three cone drill, GREAT vertical jump of 35 inches, and a pretty good bench of 25 reps. Although he has shown flashes of greatness, Murtha has been plagued by injuries. However, with good coaching and better health Murtha could be a pro bowl left tackle. Murtha also provides good line depth.

Like I said, this is my final draft. Tell me your thoughts! If I get 2 or more players correct I will be thrilled.

Phillip Hunt Pro Day Results

buffaloboy90 — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:27:10 -0000

Phillip Hunt just had his pro day so I wanted to provide everyone with the numbers and tell you a little bit about what they mean. Per NFLDraftScout.com

Size: 6'1'' 244 LBS
10 yd dash: 1.6 seconds
3 cone drill: 6.91 seconds
Vertical: 41.5 inches
Bench Press: 14 reps

Description of each measurable:

Size: Very compact football player who can get very good leverage.

10 yd dash: Good but not great first step.

3 cone drill: Very good at "working the arch" to get to the QB. Currently the lowest 3 cone drill of all DE's. Check out the importance of this drill for a speed rushing DE at http://www.nfl.com/combine/workouts.

Vertical: Extremely strong and explosive from the legs, this complements his leverage extremely well.

Bench Press: Bad upper body strength, this limits his pass rushing moves.

What does this all mean:

Phillip Hunt could provide immediate help as a situational pass rusher, but no more than that. However, with additional upper body strength and weight Hunt could develop into a premier defensive end in the NFL.

Compares to Dwight Freeney. Freeney is 6'1'' 266 and had 28 bench press reps when he came out of college. Freeney is a bigger/more powerful guy than is Hunt right now.

Should the Bills draft him? Absolutely. Pass rushing DE's have been sited as a need by both Dick Jauron and Perry Fewell. Hunt accumulated 32 sacks during his 3 years at Houston, 14 his senior year, with mediocre players surrounding him. Obvious late round choice for the Bills in my opinion. Other pass rushers I like are Clay Matthews, Everette Brown, and Lawrence Sidbury.

Your Opinions on TO

buffaloboy90 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:04:20 -0000

I completely understand why people are concerned about signing T.O. He has reportedly been a cancer in multiple locker rooms. If it's the same story on multiple teams...the guy is clearly a problem. However, Buffalo has been 7-9 for three straight seasons, hasn't made the playoffs in a decade, and is arguably on the brink of moving to Canada. Not to mention they haven't won a Superbowl. Needless to say, it is my opinion that Buffalo needed to "shake things up". T.O. would be the guy that shakes things up. Adding TO might help or it might not. But what exactly is the risk Buffalo is taking? In order for something to be risky, there has to be something valuable to lose. My question to you is: what are the Bills risking by signing T.O. and is it significant?

WR Jeremy Maclin (potential pick?)

buffaloboy90 — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 05:35:52 -0000

Drafting a WR in the first round hasn't been talking about too much on this blog.

In my opinion there are only three defensive lineman that warrant the #11 pick in the first round for the Bills, and one may be a reach. Those three guys are DE Everette Brown, DT BJ Raji, and DT Peria Jerry (Jerry would be the reach).

What it looks like might happen, as of now, is that neither Raji or Brown will be there at number 11. If that happens, many fans including me feel the Bills should start thinking about guys like DT Peria Jerry and Center Alex Mack. Now, what I think is being ignored is the need for another WR.

Think about it. Besides Lee Evans the Bills still have no threat to go deep (something Turk Schonert referred to in his video on buffalobills.com). James Hardy was supposed to be a bit of a deep threat for the Bills, but who knows how long it will take for him to recover from the injury. Also, Josh Reed had injury problems last year and Steve Johnson might not be all we are cracking him up to be. Plus, neither Johnson or Reed are deep threats.

Basically, what I'm saying is that the Bills still desperately need another threat at WR arguably just as much as they need a DE or a C.

The receiver that I think would warrant the #11 pick is Jeremy Maclin. This guy is a playmaker, has great speed, he's elusive as you can see from his punt returns, and he also was a heck of a receiver as shown through his production at Missouri. I feel like the Bills would have a really hard time passing this guy up considering the success of Desean Jackson, and simply because they need another WR.

MY DREAM DRAFT

buffaloboy90 — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:37:44 -0000

I just want to let you know that I look at individual statistics and trends in the college football and how the player does in the pros. After doing all of that, these are the guys who I think could and will be stars (maybe not the 6th round pick).

Just so everyone knows:

1. I think Everette Brown and Brian Orakpo will go before the Bills

2. Aaron Maybin and Michael Johnson would take too long to develop to substantiate being first round picks.

3. I think Alex Mack will be a really good football player but I think the Bills are better suited taking BJ Raji.

4. I think BJ Raji is better than Peria Jerry because he's bigger. But I think Jerry will be a very good player.

So here's my dream draft:

1. DT BJ Raji. Boston College

Immediate Impact. Great size at 6'2'' 334. Very good production in college with 14 tackles for loss (3rd among DT's) and 7.5 sacks (2nd in the nation among DT's). Jumps out on tape. Good Senior Bowl. Brown and Orakpo will probably be gone because of good combines.

2. OLB Tyrone McKenzie. South Florida

Immediate impact. Great size at 6'2'' 244. 4.5 speed (estimated). Jumps out on tape. Very good production in college with 79 solo tackles (6th in nation among lb's) and 15 tackles for loss (8th in the nation among lb's)

3. DE Brandon Williams. Texas Tech.

Not so much of an immidete impact (possibly in a rotation). Tons of upside. He's coming out early as a junior. Great size with room to grow at 6'5'' 252 pounds. Has a 4.76 forty time (pretty fast). Very good production in college with 13.5 sacks (4th in nation) and 15.5 tackles for loss (36th in nation) his junior year. Very good on tape.

4. CB Joe Burnett. Central Florida

Dick Jauron loves corners. Burnett is the tenth best punt returner in the nation with an average of 14.54 yds a return clearly showing his has special skills. Had 4 int's this year and 6int's the year before (probably the best two year total in the nation). Decent size at 5' 11'' 185. Replacement for one of the corners we cut. Jumps out on tape.

5. SS Otis Wiley. Michigan State.

Good punt returner in college with 10.38 yards a return (36th in nation) which shows he has special skills. Over the past 2 years he has 8 ints (probably tops among safeties in the nation) two of which he took back for TD's. Honestly, I have not seen him on tape. Great size at 6'2'' 210 pounds. 78 tackles this year. Ko Simpson will be gone eventually.

6. QB Stephen McGee. Texas A&M.

Good size at 6'3'' 223 pounds. The Bills need another QB assuming they say goodbye to JP. Highly touted recrute in highschool. He has shown good pocket presense and the ability to not through too many int's (very few actually). Very good running QB who is pretty fast with 4.7 speed. Running ability really jumps out on tape. Has the arm to make all the throws.

7. WR Sammie Stroughter. Oregon State.

This guy is a flat out playmaker and should be drafted earlier. 5'10'' 182 pounds. Roscoe Parrish type of player. Great punt returner as shown by his 15.67 yds a return and 3 tds his sophomore year. Has shown the ability to catch the ball and run with it on offense. In 2006 he had 92 yds a game as a receiver with 17.47 yards a catch. Basically, a better/cheaper version of Roscoe Parrish. Desean Jackson type of player.

2009 Surprise Players

buffaloboy90 — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:14:20 -0000

I just want to list a 3 second year players on the Bills team who could pleasantly surprise us next year.

Alvin Bowen OLB:

Bowen is 6'1'' 222 lbs. He played college football at Iowa State, the Bills drafted him in the 5th round last year.

He led the nation with 95 solo tackles in 2006, that was more solo tackles than Patrick Willis. In 2007 he had a 67 solo tackles placing him the top 50. However, he did make improvements in 2007. In 2006 he only had 5 tackles for loss, in 2007 he had 12.5 tackles for loss.

Check out his video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYLcn0_jbRk

Check out his profile at http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/alvin-bowen?id=2342#player-profile-tab-set-1:player-profile-tab-analysis

James Hardy WR

Most recievers have a tough time in their first year, much like Hardy did. First, Hardy was recruited to play basketball at Indiana (one of the top basketball programs at the time), so you know he is a special athlete. After his freshman year, he decided to switch to football, and he was a beast. Sophmore year he had 10 tds, Junior year he had 10 td's, Senior year he had 16 td's. His senior year he was 2nd in the nation for td's behind only Michael Crabtree. Considering Hardy is 6'5'' 220 lbs with a 4.47 forty yard dash and a 37.5 inch vertical, the touchdowns are hardly surprising. Furthermore, he averaged 86.5 yards a game showing he is not just a td machine.

Check out his video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afr3PoA9ibI

Check out his scouting report at http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/profile_display.cfm?Prospect_ID=1246

Steve Johnson WR

We have already seen that Johnson can be a pretty good player, but I think he can be REALLY good. He started playing football his Junior and Senior year in college, so he was completely raw. Somehow, his senior year, he was able to bring in 13 touchdown passes (4th in the Nation!). Also, he averaged 80.9 yards receiving a game. He has pretty good size at 6'2'' and 202 lbs. Bills fans should only expect to improve each and every practice/game.

I couldn't find many good videos on him. But you can check out his game winning catches against LSU and Louisville on Youtube.

Check out his scouting report at http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/steve-johnson?id=768#player-profile-tab-set-1:player-profile-tab-overview

I actually had all 3 of these guys and Leodis McKelivin on my "Bills Hopefuls" list last draft. So, if the past predicts the future at all, here are the guys I have on my Bills Hopefuls list for the upcomming draft. Tell me if you recognize any of the not so hpyed up players I have bolded.

Defensive Tackles:

BJ Raji, Peria Jerry, Jarron Gilbert

Defensive Ends:

Everette Brown, Michael Johnson, Aaron Maybin, Brian Orakpo, William VanDeSteeg

Linebackers:

Aaron Curry, Tyrone McKenzie, Frantz Joseph, Scott McKillop

Wide Receivers:

Mike Wallace, Marko Mitchell, Sammie Stroughter, Nate Swift, Hakeem Knicks

Running Backs:

Jeremiah Johnson

Defensive Backs:

Joe Burnett, Otis Wiley

Quarterbacks:

Stephen McGee

Bills 1st Round Blunders

buffaloboy90 — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:17:32 -0000

I wrote that drafting John McCargo in the first round was an embarrassment to the organziation.

MattRichWarren responded

"It happens to every organization!!!! How can you say it’s a huge embarrassment with guys flopping all over the place. I dare you to look at every team’s draft history for the last five years and find one team who has not had a first round pick flop. Do it as a fanpost and I’ll kiss your butt and rec it all day long."

The Patriots last 5 first round draft picks:

1. 2008 pick 10: Jerod Mayo

2. 2007 pick 24: Brandon Meriweather

3. 2006 pick 21 Laurence Maroney

4. 2005 pick 32 Logan Mankins

5. 2004 pick 21 Vince Wilfork

Huh, that's intesting Matt...none of those players seem anything close to the flop that McCargo has been. And if you think Maroney and Meriweather have been flops, then you're wrong because the patriots drafted them 21st and 24th respectively.

The Bills have drafted pretty well recently. However 2006 killed us.

1. 2006 pick 8 Donte Whitner

2. 2006 pick 24 John McCargo