2012 NFL Mock Draft: Pass Rush Still a Top Draft Priority for Buffalo Bills

Despite the Buffalo Bills being a 3-4 base defense in 2011, they still played their fair share of four-man fronts late in the season and now that they've promoted Dave Wannstedt to defensive coordinator, Buffalo will make the full transition back to the 4-3 in 2012.

Head coach Chan Gailey confirmed the switch on Monday. 

While the move adjusts the profile of the Bills' front seven, it doesn't change the team's biggest draft need: Finding more pass rush.

Buffalo finished 2011 with just 29 total sacks, a number that ranked them No. 27 in the NFL. Only the Tampa Buccaneers have had fewer sacks over the last two seasons. Another scary part about the numbers this season is that Buffalo had 10 sacks in Week 8 against the Redskins, so the other 15 weeks only netted the defense 19.

You don't need to be a football rocket scientist to know that just over one sack a game isn't going to cut it in today's pass-happy NFL. It's simply too difficult to play consistent defense without a pressure package that keeps quarterbacks from getting comfortable in the pocket. 

Considering the Bills have continually struggled with this defensive aspect in recent year, pass rush must remain as their top need this offseason.  

Sitting at No. 10 overall in April's NFL draft, the Bills should be in a position to grab one of the premier pass-rushers from this class. Among the top names are Quinton Coples (UNC), Courtney Upshaw (Alabama), Melvin Ingram (South Carolina) and Nick Perry (USC).

And in reality, the switch to the 4-3 defense should make it easier on the Bills to find an impact player at No. 10. The 3-4 defense is a specialized defense that needs specialized players. This effect is minimized in a 4-3 and that should help open up the Bills to a variety of pass-rushing options.    

We have the Bills taking Alabama DE/OLB Courtney Upshaw in our 2012 mock draft. Upshaw has tremendous size (275 pounds), but can rush the passer both with his hand on the ground and standing up.

In theory, the Bills could use Upshaw much like the Broncos deployed 2011-12 Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Von Miller. At times, the Broncos asked Miller to be a traditional 4-3 outside linebacker. And on obvious passing downs, he put his hand in the dirt and rushed the passer from the right defensive end.

Upshaw showed at Alabama that he has the ability to play a similar role.

Could the Bills find their version of Miller in Upshaw at No. 10?

Either way, the Bills have to make sure their 4-3 defense provides more pressure in 2012.

2012 NFL Mock Draft 

1.  Indianapolis Colts—Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2.  St. Louis Rams—Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

3.  Minnesota Vikings—Matt Kalil, OT, USC  

4.  Cleveland Browns—Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

5.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU 

6.  Washington Redskins—Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

7.  Jacksonville Jaguars—Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina  

8.  Carolina Panthers—Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

9.  Miami Dolphins—Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

10.  Buffalo Bills—Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

11.  Kansas City Chiefs—Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama 

12.  Seattle Seahawks—Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

13.  Arizona Cardinals—Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

14.  Dallas Cowboys—Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

15.  Philadelphia Eagles—Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

16.  New York Jets—Nick Perry, LB, USC 

17.  Cincinnati Bengals—Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

18.  San Diego Chargers—David DeCastro, OG, Stanford 

19.  Chicago Bears—Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

20.  Tennessee Titans—Zach Brown, OLB, UNC

21.  Cincinnati Bengals—Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

22.  Cleveland Browns—Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor  

23.  Detroit Lions—Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

24.  Pittsburgh Steelers—Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia 

25.  Denver Broncos—Devon Still, DL, Penn State

26.  Houston Texans—Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

27.  New England Patriots—Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin 

28.  Green Bay Packers—Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois   

29.  Baltimore Ravens—Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

30.  San Francisco 49ers—Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

31.  New York Giants—Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama    

32.  New England Patriots—Mark Barron, S, Alabama