More Draft Preview

NFL Christmas weekend is almost here and I am quite excited. My strategy of limiting myself to Mel Kiper Jr. and looking at Mock Drafts have worked. I am not sick of it, or already bored of it. I'm looking forward to Saturday. I wish it was at noon still. Another reason to move to the west coast, things are at the times they should be. But anyway, after looking things over, examing what the Bills needs are, (Many, hahahaha) here are a few players for the top few picks the Bills could be looking at.

@11

This is always a good spot. A spot where teams may want to move to, where guys can fall to and usually you have a pick of the guys you want. Hopefully that guy pans out.

Everette Brown DE FSU

Good size, good speed and good production over a couple years. The speed rusher the Bills need on other side. Whether he is there at 11 is another question. He seems like the right player the Bills need. More suitable for the 4-3, since he lacks cover skills for a Linebacker. A tweener pash rusher is always a issue, but they tend to work.

Aaron Maybin DE PSU

Another light, tall speed rusher. Some call him a one year wonder, but if you get the opportunity and excel, then its just how you play. 11 maybe a little low for Maybin, and the lack of production before the year may steer the Bills away from him.

Brian Orakpo DE Texas

Picking him would violate one my personal draft rules, Never Draft someone from University of Texas. Just don't trust them. But is the stereotypical DE. Good Size, Good speed and gets to the quarterback. Though gets to the QB through Hustle and not technique and speed. Seems like the guy a regular NFL Tackle would handle.

BJ Raji DT Boston College

With the recent rumors, he may drop to 11. But probably not. Big DT's are in vogue and will be snapped up. But if he is, the Bills may look for Stroud's replacement, or at least a partner. Not super quick, but will take up space and pressure the QB when given the opportunity. A potential great player inside. But I wouldn't hope for him to drop.

Robert Ayers LB Tennessee

The guy that is most recently stated by the Mock's to go to Buffalo at 11. Appartantly they like the hustle and drive. But another 1 year guy, and that was during his Senior year, prior to that, you didn't get much. A versatile guy, so thats a good thing. But if you are looking for a DE here, look elsewhere. Maybe a big linebacker instead, which the Bills could also need. As long as he doesn't have to cover.

Michael Oher OT Ole Miss

A man that a lot of people know already from the book The Blind Side, which is a great read. The Bills with the recent Peters trade are in the market for a LT, so Oher would make sense. But there are a lot of negatives for him. And 11, might be high and the Bills don't want another LT bust on their hands.

GCFB's Pick Everette Brown. The player I feel the Bills need. But what do I know?

@28

Now 28 is a tough spot, its where you get falling players, reaches and guys that are borderline 1st round players and maybe you can get them farther into the 2nd. But it could work out for the Bills at 28, since they have many needs.

Brandon Pettigrew TE Ok State

A guy the Bills could take at 11, but could with possible off the field incidents, could slide all the way done. A "complete" Tight End, didn't have a touchdown last year. Which concerns me, since TE's should always have touchdowns. I'm not a big TE is important guy. I think a couple reliable pass catchers who can block is all you need. The Gates and Gonzalez's are rare. But if he is here at 28 I think the Bills will take him.

Alex Mack C Cal

The Center of the draft. A solid can't miss player. Smart, physical and strong. If Pettigrew is gone, center maybe a reach at 28 and by reaching I mean there is a theory Centers shouldn't be taken high. Center maybe the most important position on the line. With Mack you could move Hangartner to Guard with Butler as the otherGuard and have Walker and Chambers as your Tackles.

Clay Matthews LB USC

From a NFL family. He went from walk on to possible 1st round pick. But was surrounded by talent at USC, so he might look better then he actually is. Looks to be a gym rat who will work hard and not take a play off. Also could be long gone by 28, so it may not be an issue.

James Lauriniatus LB Ohio St.

The stereotypical hustle guy, but maybe too small a tad slow for the NFL. May give you lots of effort, but sometimes you need more then that. Probably a 1st round guy due to reputation and not in what he'll actually give you. But wouldn't be a bust. Just not 1st round material.


Eben Britton OT Arizona

Another borderline guy at 28, with his lack of strength and more a pass blocker then run blocker. But if the Bills turn into a pass happy offense, which is dumb for Buffalo, he's the man. Especially if they don't go with a Tackle at 11. I would say its a long shot, but its an option.

GCFB's Pick-- Pettigrew. If he's there he's the pick, if not I would pick up Alex Mack.

Well I'll have round 2 and 3 later. And that will be the last of my predictions, after that its just a guess, and pointless. I'll let the experts take over.

NFL Draft Week 2009

Its almost here the NFL Draft, one of my favorite events. Its like Christmas time in the NFL. I will do some previews through the week, on some players the Bills may take, but who knows, anyone you know they like, maybe a smokescreen or their real opinion. But now with two first round picks, the Bills can really make their squad solid with real talent.

I've held back on the draft previews, mainly not to burn myself out. I love the draft and don't want to be tired of it come Saturday. So I left all my previews for this week. Plus my opinions.

First opinion.

You can never have enough draft picks.

With the Peters trade, possible Parrish and Kelsay trades, the Bills are stacking up picks. With 9 picks already, the Bills could use 11, 12 picks. The more bodies the better. Competition makes the team better. And with guys from last year trying again. Alvin Bowen and Chris Ellis trying to make the squad again. Training camp could be nice and physical and build the team. You can never have enough competition. Being comfortable equals laziness. I want these guys uncomfortable. Make them nasty. Afraid to lose their job.

I would love the Bills to pick up extra picks. Get something for guys who give you minimal on the field. Parrish is nice, but he is under utilized as a reciever. So let him go elsewhere so he can florish in a better scheme. If a player doesn't fit what you do, get rid of him. Get players who fit what you want to do. Losman didn't fit, so they let him go. And obviously no one wants him. Which is sad. He isn't that bad, is he?

I trust in Tom Modrak, I think they are drafting decent guys. People keep on bringing up John McCargo, well he had injury issues and things didn't work. Teams make mistakes. Guys won't work. They wanted to go with a certain defensive scheme and it failed. They went out and got Marcus Stroud. With the acquistion of another solid DE. (Denney and Kelsay are wastes of space) the D Line, could be really decent.

The fact that Bills extend a lot of guys, and didn't with Jason Peters, gives me a sign. No one knows a player then his own team. If they thought he was going to be a dominant LT. You would give them the money. I have no doubt about that. But why were they so relunctant? Is there a injury they are worried about. Since Peters has failed to finish the last two years. Or they just being selective with their money? We may never know. But quality LT's are in this draft, one can be had and developed.

More Draft talk.

Well Mel Kiper's understudy at Espn Todd McShay, has his own Mock Draft out there. And he differs from Kiper with the Bills selecting DE/OLB Aaron Maybin from Penn State. Well lets look at this kid and see if he really seems like a pick no one can pull part within 3 minutes.

Heres a selection from Randal Weida at FFtoolbox.com

"He has the frame to add more bulk without losing any speed, which is something NFL scouts will be looking at. Maybin has outstanding speed for an end, and is much stronger than his size would suggest. He does his best work coming off the edge and simply running by offensive tackles. Maybin isn't only a speed rusher though. He has excellent technique, and does a good job of using his hands to keep blockers from cutting his feet out from under him.

Maybin will be watched closely by NFL GMs because he has the potential to develop into a dominant and disruptive force. Maybin will likely be the first defensive end taken this spring, but NFL teams will likely have to wait for him to develop. He can help a team as a third down pass rush specialist in the beginning, but if he reaches his potential he could be a future NFL sacks leader. "

Maybin did have 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss this year, no one on Penn State was even close to accruing the sacks that Maybin did. But at his 6'3 250 size. He seems more like a OLB to me for the Bills. A outside pass rusher is what they desperatly need. But having to wait, isn't an option. He seems to be the Terrell Suggs kind of player. Hopefully just as good.

Mike Mayock has him as the 4th rated defensive end in the draft.

But if they need a pass rusher. But I don't see why Orakpo isn't the pick here. I have my doubts about Texas players, but this is the type of guy they need. They need pressure and the guys Buffalo has now aren't getting the job done. Kelsey and Denney made their money off of Schobel and when he went down, they were useless. Seeing pressure from the front 4 can make a world of difference. It opens up the linebackers to do things and keeps the pressure off the secondary. McKee and McKelvin are decent players, and with Youbouty back they will have 3 solid cb's. Greer is probably gone for the money he wants.

Mel Kiper has Maybin going 10th to the Niners. So his Mock draft is a bit different.

I'll have to wait for Mike Mayock's mock draft, but I usually like his thinking. Anyway there are tons of mock drafts, and come the Combine, they will all be updated. The Draft is 2 1/2 months away, so theres plenty of positioning.

I think the Bills are looking defense with this pick, but if some offensive lineman drops, I could see them snatching him right up. Never have too many quality tackles, guards or centers.