Buffalo Bills Mock Draft: Latest 7-Round Predictions Heading into Bowl Season

Buffalo's defense has stepped up as of late. Perhaps offense is where Buffalo needs to look.
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Bowl season is upon us, and with that, it's time for many college prospects to start their ascension up NFL draft boards.

The Buffalo Bills are doing enough to stay in the playoff picture at 5-7, but the team is also hurting their draft position with each victory.

Currently, the Bills will be drafting at pick 11.

There will be plenty of change in the next few months. Certain teams will move on draft boards, and many collegiate prospects will rise and fall as well. That said, let's get to the mock draft!

With the eleventh pick of the first round, the Buffalo Bills select...

Round 1: Keenan Allen, WR, California

Keenan Allen will be a legitimate number one receiver in the NFL.
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The Bills have three needs heading into the 2013 NFL draft: quarterback, linebacker and wide receiver.

In terms of quarterback, there are no Andrew Lucks or RGIIIs this year.

At linebacker, the Bills biggest need is at ILB, and with Manti Te'o most likely being off the board by No. 11, their only other options are at OLB. Barkevious Mingo is an interesting option, but Buffalo has seen decent play out of rookie Nigel Bradham and veteran Nick Barnett.

That leaves wide receiver. At pick 11, the Bills have the opportunity to take the top wide receiver currently available in the draft, Keenan Allen.

Allen is the prototypical number one receiver whom the Buffalo Bills need alongside Stevie Johnson. Allen stands at 6'3" and weighs 210 pounds.

A little tidbit for Bills fans: Allen's half brother is Zach Maynard, former University at Buffalo quarterback and current University of California QB.

In terms of intangibles, Allen is known for his agility, balance and vision. Allen doesn't have top-notch speed, but he is considered to be pretty fast. Overall, Allen has everything teams look for in a number one receiver, and the Bills could do a lot worse than selecting him at No. 11.

Round 2: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Oklahoma's #12 will have big shoes to fill if he hopes to play like Buffalo's great #12.
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Earlier this week, Buffalo Bills General Manager Buddy Nix stated:

We want to have a young quarterback we can develop and will be around for eight to 10 years. We're all looking for a Jim Kelly,'' Nix said, referring to the team's Hall of Fame quarterback. ''And I'll tell you this: if you like a quarterback, and like him in the third round, then you had better take him in the second. (via foxsports.com)

I'm not calling Landry Jones a third-round quarterback. In fact, I think the second round is fairly accurate.

Jones had a disappointing junior season where he completed only 63.2 percent of his passes and had a 29-15 TD to INT ratio.

His senior campaign has been better.

This season, Jones has a 66.4 completion percentage and has thrown 27 touchdowns with only nine interceptions. In six games, Jones went over 300 yards passing.

Most importantly, Jones has everything that Buddy Nix likes in a quarterback: a big arm, mobility and accuracy.

I've always been high on Jones and think the Bills would be making a strong move in drafting the Sooners quarterback.

Round 3: Sean Porter, OLB, Texas A&M

Sean Porter has plenty of talent and potential at OLB. The Bills would be wise to draft him if he's available in the third round.
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The Bills have some talent at outside linebacker, but adding a player like Texas A&M's Sean Porter never hurts.

Nigel Bradham has played well at the position since taking over as starter, and Nick Barnett still has one or two solid seasons left. That said, the Bills need to think of adding more talent at outside linebacker.

Porter had to fill the shoes of Von Miller and has done an admirable job.

In his junior season, he finished with 79 total tackles, 17 of which were for a loss. He also had 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

In his senior campaign, his stats saw a dip in productivity. He finished the regular season with 60 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one interception.

Were the Bills to draft him, Porter could start his rookie season as a backup and slowly cut into Nick Barnett's playing time, much like second-year player Da'Norris Searcy has done to veteran George Wilson.

Round 4: Bennett Jackson, CB, Notre Dame

Bennett Jackson would add more young talent to Buffalo's secondary.
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Bennett Jackson is currently a hot name at the cornerback position, so if he declares for the NFL draft, he may not be available in the fourth round.

Jackson started his collegiate career as a wide receiver for the Fighting Irish. After his freshman year, he transitioned to corner and has turned himself into a solid player.

Heading into the BCS National Championship Game, Jackson has tallied 61 tackles, four interceptions and four passes defensed.

At a position where there are a lot of unknowns after Stephon Gilmore, the Bills would be wise to draft another cornerback.

Round 5: Joseph Fauria, TE, UCLA

Joseph Fauria would provide excellent depth behind Scott Chandler.
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Does the last name sound familiar? It should as Joseph Fauria's uncle, Christian, played 12 NFL seasons.

The Bills don't have much depth behind TE Scott Chandler—to whom some have compared Fauria. The UCLA senior is a large target at 6'7" and is extremely athletic for his size.

Fauria finished with the 2012 regular season with 40 receptions, 561 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Round 6: Dalton Freeman, C, Clemson

If nothing else, the Bills need someone they can trust behind Eric Wood.
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Center Eric Wood is still under contract with the Bills for one more season, but he has had some durability issues.

Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wood suffered a partial tear of his MCL. Wood has suffered freak injuries since his rookie season with Buffalo.

When asked to comment on his injury, Wood stated: "Another stupid, fluke accident.”

Regardless of the reasons why Wood continues to suffer injuries, the Bills need to look for a player that can come in and play if Wood suffers another injury in 2013.

Clemson's Dalton Freeman is a finalist for the Rimington Award, given to the best center in college football. He should be available in the sixth round so he'd be an excellent value pick for the Bills.

Bills fans, what do you think? What areas do the Bills need to address? Any diamonds in the rough that you think Buffalo should look at? Let's hear from you!

 

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