Buffalo Bills Draft Picks 2010: Comprehensive Examination

After spending Thursday - Saturday honeymooning with ESPN's coverage of the NFL Draft, and staying connected to analysis of nearly each pick on my computer, there's only one thing left for me to do. 

Meticulously examine the Buffalo Bills nine draft picks and give my wannabe "expert" opinion on their draft as a whole. 

Let's get to it:

1. C.J. Spiller - RB Clemson

  First off, cool name. Secondly, what a surprise - from the Bills? No way. On the surface, this seems like one of those good surprises.

I was one of the two people in America that didn't watch the early portion of the first round (stupid night class) but when I was informed by a deluge of text messages from my friends and family, I first was in disbelief. After spending ten seconds envisioning Spiller exploding down the sideline at the Ralph, I was delighted with the selection.

Anyway, enough about me, let's talk about this stud of a running back. 

You've heard the numbers he put up, the records he set, and the accolades he received in college. His number 28 was retired at Clemson after their bowl game this year. One facet of Spiller's ridiculously prolific college career that specifically stands out to me is his versatility. 

Many wondered, why would Buffalo take a RB when they already have a crowded backfield? If you ask me, it's because Spiller really can do it all. He can take a simple pitch - to the house, a screen pass - to the house, a punt - to the house, a pass - to the house. Spiller is that supreme home-run hitting playmaker Buffalo's lacked for ages. If LT, QB, and NT were the Bills specific positional needs heading into this year's draft, I'd say finding a playmaker is something they've needed for over a decade.  

2. Torell Troup - NT UCF

The first of the "Who?" players selected by the Bills in this draft that must have been torture for those who wanted a draft filled with easy name recognition.

Troup isn't Gerald McCoy, Terrence Cody, or Dan Williams. However, he's exactly what the Bills were looking for -- a big, beefy, nose tackle with a high motor that can occupy two blockers on running downs. 

He's a 6'3'' 315 space eater, and it's encouraging to know that he lowered his playing weight in each of his four college seasons. I scoured the web to find out the consensus opinion on Troup (not going to pretend like I know everything about all these prospects) and the masses love his strength, as well as the leverage he uses to give those interior lineman fits - and so do I. 

Alex Carrington - DE Arkansas State

This guy is freaky big. 6'5'' 295 lbs, with room to grow.

He's quick around the edge, and proved that he can play up to his competition when he apparently dominated at the Senior Bowl early this Spring. Defensive coordinator George Edwards gets depth for his newly instituted 3-4, as Carrington will join Marcus Stroud and Dwan Edwards at the ever-critical end position. 

Sure, he played in the Sun Belt, but this guy's size and athletic abilities project well to the pro ranks. 

4. Marcus Easley - WR UConn

I'll admit, I was scratching my scalp after this one, but Easley is the type of player the Bills have shown they love in the past. Problem is, I'm not sure if that's a good thing. 

He didn't produce, at all, until his senior year when he was the the Huskies' go-to chain mover and YAC receiver, and he walked on to the UConn program as a freshman. 

Easley's got size (6'2'' 215) with a similar body type to that of crowd favorite Steve Johnson, someone who has yet to be successful in Buffalo.

Reports fluctuate between the high 4.3s to about 4.5 on his 40 time, certainly respectable for a 215 lb wideout. On other teams, Easley is surely a long term project, but with the green wide receiving group in Buffalo, he could compete for a starting job as the team's fourth or fifth wideout. 

5. Ed Wang - OT Va. Tech

Congrats to Wang, who could make history as the first Chinese-American to play in the NFL if the makes the Bills roster in August, something I'm fairly confident he'll do. 

He played tackle at Virginia Tech as well as guard, so the fact he can play two positions instantly boosts his stock with coaches. 

Wang's got the measurables and is woven from the same fabric as Jason Peters, both converted tight ends, so we know moving to the second level won't a problem.

Supposedly he's inconsistent with his run blocking and gets called for holding frequently (the Bills don't need anymore flags) but with the youthful line in Buffalo, he's a more solid backup than guys like Kirk Chambers and Seth McKinney outside of the experience they have on him. 

In a few years, Wang will be a starter. Not sure how great, but he'll start for the Bills. 

6a. Arthur Moats - OLB James Madison

Hailing from James Madison, I knew basically nothing about Moats, and after doing some research, I clearly overlooked a small-school prospect that deserved my attention.

Just about everyone gave him a 4th-round grade as one of the premier mid-round pass rushers in this year's class. 

You'd think Moats was selected as exactly that, a outside linebacker to get after the passer, but in the post-Draft press conference, Bills coaches slated Moats to the inside.

Don't really know the logic there, but with his range and the injury bug that feasted on the Bills linebackers last year, I'll take a hungry, small-school backer ready to prove himself. 

6b. Danny Batten - OLB South Dakota State

See Arthur Moats.

Not to short-change Batten, another "probably-never-have-heard-of-him" draftee, he apparently is one of those hard-nose, blue collar football players, who'll do anything to make the team better.

Ok, maybe I'm sprucing up his prospectus a bit, but I like him working with Bruce DeHaven's special teams an occasionally seeing time at linebacker. John DiGiorgio anyone?

7a. Levi Brown - QB Troy

Not exactly the quarterback many believed would be traveling to Buffalo after this year's Draft, Brown is a developmental signal caller who played against sub-par competition in college. He threw the ball all over the yard during his time as an upperclassman at Troy. 

He's not physically intimidating at only 6'3'' 225 lbs., but obviously had a good enough arm to be picked, and several draft projection outlets had him as the 7th best quarterback. 

7b. Kyle Calloway -OT Iowa

Another rugged offensive lineman from the Big Ten. He's not Bryan Bulaga, but his tackle-mate Calloway can block himself some defensive ends. I actually like his potential more than Wang's, just because of his consistency and the fact that he could compete for the right tackle spot right away. 

He's aware of his limited athleticism and makes up for it with sound technique and intelligent positioning. I heard about this guy when he faced Georgia Tech's Derrick Morgan in their BCS matchup in January, a matchup in which Calloway held his own. 

Review

Alright, for some reason, I'm usually very positive and upbeat about the Bills. Not anymore positive than several respected Bills writers are negative and pessimistic. That is not to say I'm totally enamored with every guy selected by the Bills this year, and think they'll all be productive starters immediately.

It's really how you look at it, so hear me out on some of the biggest gripes about this year's Bills draft.  

- On selecting C.J. Spiller with the 9th overall pick 

As stated above, the Bills are in dire need of a playmaker. They get that in Spiller. Also, for those angry Buffalo didn't take an NT or a LT with their 1st round pick, listen up.

They would have picked the 3rd best player at either of those positions, and you never want to take the 3rd best guy when you hold the 9th pick -- it's just not logical. 

We've griped about reaching in the top rounds, and that's exactly what would have happened if they grabbed Bulaga or Dan Williams. The best player available method was finally implemented. 

- On waiting until the 7th round to take a QB

We won't know the verdict for about three years. Simply put, the Bills didn't see a franchise guy in this year's class, (besides Sam Bradford), and consequently had no issue passing on Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clausen. Just because there's a "need" for quarterback doesn't mean you have to take one of top players this year. Imagine if Clausen came in and was the next J.P. Losman, another wasted pick. Give Buddy Nix some credit for sticking with his gut, and not wavering to what many other's believed he should do. 

- On passing up some well respected offensive lineman 

I can agree with many on this subject. We all expected Buffalo putting a bigger draft onus on the offensive front five. Yes, the Bills O-line gave up the 4th most sacks in 2009 (46) but also paved the way for the 8th best yards per rush average (4.4) 

They do need help, but when it came down it, the 30th worst run defense that was continually pushed back at the point of attack, was more imperative to the new regime in Buffalo, who is keenly aware that a well of youthful talent is a must in the 3-4 alignment.

- On speculation of a team's draft immediately after it concludes

Not me, not Todd McShay, not anyone knows how any team's drafts will pan out. Sure the teams that drafted the most recognizable names are getting the A plus grades. The teams that didn't "fill the needs" Mel Kiper outlined for the them, in the order he predicted are receiving a big fat "F".

At least wait until training camp, the preseason, or better yet, the regular season to grade on a team's draft. At this point it's impossible.

Fun, but impossible.   

Bring on OTAs