Breaking Down the Buffalo Bills' Rookie Class After the Preseason

The Buffalo Bills are just days away from their 2012 NFL regular-season opener against the New York Jets. Now that the preseason has finally come to an end, the stakes are about to be raised as the games begin to count.

Much of the Bills’ 2012 success will depend on a few key rookies who are expected to make immediate contributions in their first NFL season. But that doesn’t take away from the importance of the entire rookie class.

Each rookie came to the Bills with a different level of preparedness. Each offered something unique to the team, and each had the potential to make some type of impact.

Unfortunately, not all of them made the final 53-man roster.

Read on to find out where each rookie stands heading into the regular season. For those that are still hanging around, they hope this is just the beginning of something special in Buffalo.   

Stephon Gilmore

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore has not disappointed so far after becoming the 10th overall pick of the NFL draft back in April. Buffalo wanted a playmaker on defense, and by all indications, it looks like it may have found one for the secondary.

The rookie has impressed in all facets of the game, earning the respect of not only head coach Chan Gailey but also his teammates, including Ryan Fitzpatrick and Steve Johnson. He has already earned himself a starting position on an improved defense and will be playing behind one of the league’s top defensive lines.

The stars seemed to be aligned for the former Gamecock to shine as a rookie. But perhaps more important than his strong performance on the field has been his mature attitude and admirable study habits off of it. Gailey called him “very mature beyond his years,” per Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.

While Gilmore only managed three tackles during preseason play (all against Pittsburgh), his mere presence on the field is an asset to the Bills defense. He should be a building block on defense for the next several years.  

Grade: A

Cordy Glenn

The Bills made it a point to plug in rookie offensive lineman Cordy Glenn at left tackle from Day 1. Despite having just 18 of his 50 college starts come on the blind side at Georgia (per Rotoworld.com), Glenn has prototypical size at 6’6” and 345 pounds with agile feet.

With that kind of size and athleticism, GM Buddy Nix likely could not believe Glenn was still on the board when Buffalo picked in the second round.

Glenn has benefited indirectly from Erik Pears’ injury, as fellow left tackle Chris Hairston took the majority of his reps on the right side of the line. That opened the door for Glenn to see plenty of game action and show what he can do at the NFL level.

Although he certainly still has a lot of growing to do, his strong showing so far is a welcome sight for the Bills. They hope Glenn can evolve into a franchise left tackle, which would eventually make him the steal of the entire draft.

Grade: B

T.J. Graham

While some, including myself, were a bit surprised when the Bills traded up to draft wide receiver T.J. Graham in the third round, it’s clear that the youngster has a lot of upside.

Graham has consistently flashed his speed and big-play ability throughout the preseason. His most notable highlight was when he hauled in a beautiful 64-yard pass from Vince Young. Streaking down the field, the rookie showed off not only his elite speed but also his reliable hands and impressive concentration.

Through four preseason games, Graham totaled nine catches for 146 yards, good enough for a 16.22 yards-per-catch average. But perhaps more important than those stats is the healthy number of targets he saw—17.

Head coach Chan Gailey also utilized Graham in the return game. He logged 63 kick-return yards on three attempts and 12 punt-return yards on two attempts. While these numbers won’t jump off the page, the key takeaway here is that Gailey is looking for ways to utilize the rookie’s skill set.

He may still be familiarizing himself with the playbook and the different receiver positions in Gailey’s spread offense, but Graham has been a nice spark on offense. He could be a pivotal catalyst as a downfield threat to help spread out the opposing defense.

Grade: B+

Nigel Bradham

Outside linebacker Nigel Bradham has done a great job since joining the Bills. While he was widely known for his hard hits and aggressive style of play leading up to the draft, the rookie has polished his game and has adapted well to defense in the NFL.

Buffalo rewarded Bradham for his hard work and consistent production throughout camp, giving him some reps with the ones primarily as the weak-side backer. He recorded eight tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass deflection in preseason work, so it was nice to see some early production.

Nevertheless, the former Florida State Seminole understands that his biggest role in his first year will be on special teams.

According to Chris Brown of the team’s official website, Bradham said, “I am sure hoping I will be able to get out there and contribute on special teams anyway I can (…) Pretty much, I just hope I can impact the team in any kind of way.”

At 6’2” and 241 pounds with explosive strength and athleticism, the Bills will be monitoring Bradham’s development in Year 1 as they try to groom him into a more complete linebacker.

Grade: B-

Ron Brooks

Perhaps one of the biggest risers of the Bills’ 2012 rookie draft class was cornerback Ron Brooks out of LSU. Long overshadowed in the Tigers’ dominant secondary, Brooks had quietly built an impressive resume and was extremely experienced entering the draft.

The Bills took notice and selected him with their second of two fourth-round picks.

Before recently injuring his foot, Brooks had recorded eight total tackles with an interception and three passes defended through the exhibition games. With his speed and physical style of play, it seemed Brooks was finally emerging on the big stage as the playmaker he’s always been but was never acknowledged for.

However, Buffalo had to place the rookie on IR on September 4 after he underwent foot surgery. Per lead journalist Chris Brown of the team’s official website, Brooks is out indefinitely.

The good news, according to Brown, is that “Gailey confirmed that Brooks will be a candidate for the injured reserve exception in which a player placed on IR can be recalled to the active roster once healthy again.”

It doesn’t sound like Brooks’ injury is too severe, so hopefully he can pick up right where he left off in the preseason once he gets back in action.

Grade: B+

Zebrie Sanders

Seen as a developmental prospect coming out of Florida State, Zebrie Sanders struggled at times with consistency during preseason play. But he has ideal size for an NFL tackle (6’6”, 318 pounds), and he’s still just 22 years old.

Clearly, Buffalo didn’t want to give up on the fifth-rounder just yet. According to Fox Sports, the team was able to place Sanders on IR with an undisclosed injury on August 31, ensuring the big guy will have a year to settle in and get more comfortable at the NFL level.

Sanders was flagged for a few penalties during preseason action, but that’s not unexpected for a rookie lineman. He still has some areas to improve, but he won’t get that opportunity in 2012.

Grade: C-

Tank Carder

Many felt the Bills found great value in linebacker Tank Carder in Round 5. Coming out of TCU, the 23-year-old was well respected for being a tough player with a high motor and nose for the ball.

Carder performed pretty well during four preseason games, notching 11 total tackles and one tackle for loss. Unfortunately, Buffalo couldn’t find room to keep him on the 53-man squad, and the rookie linebacker was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Browns.

Interestingly, the Miami Dolphins also put in a claim for Carder, though they missed out because Cleveland had priority, per Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.

While Carder isn’t the most athletic linebacker, he’s intelligent, instinctual and hard-working. It seemed like his style of play and attitude would fit right into what Chan Gailey and defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt are trying to build on defense. But in the end, Carder was caught in a numbers game at the position, and he had no trouble finding another suitor after being released.

Hopefully the Bills didn’t give up too early on a hard-nosed, blue-collar player.

Grade: C+ (N/A for Bills)

Mark Asper

Drafted by the Bills in the sixth round out of Oregon, offensive lineman Mark Asper had a tougher time than his fellow rookies carving out a role with the Bills.

Bills beat writer Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 Buffalo pegged Asper as the LVP (least value player) of Day 13 practice, highlighting that he felt the wrath of offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris by not knowing how to perform a drill:

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Asper didn't do a drill to D'Alessandris' satisfaction, and the coach showed Asper how he wanted it run. Asper took another rep and didn't get it straight once again. D'Alessandris dismissed him from the drill, telling Asper that he was wasting his breath on him.

"

The rookie’s performance on game days wasn’t much better than the reported struggles he had during camp, as he couldn’t quite establish himself among the backup linemen. Asper is a big-bodied blocker (6’6”, 320 pounds) that the Bills were trying to develop along the interior. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for either side.

Already 26 years old, Buffalo released him, and he was quickly claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings.

Grade: D (N/A for Bills)

John Potter

It initially seemed like a waste of a pick when the Bills drafted kicker John Potter with their final selection, that is, until it became clear why the Bills took him.

With veteran Rian Lindell firmly entrenched as the starting place kicker, Potter’s chances at making the final roster depended solely on his ability to record touchbacks on kickoffs. And for a team trying to establish depth and make a push for the postseason, that sort of role player seemed like a luxury.

However, Potter proved the Bills brass’ intelligence with an excellent preseason. He regularly sailed touchbacks out of the end zone, which resulted in clear field-position advantages for Buffalo. And just like that, Potter cracked the final 53.  

The rookie leg has shined on kickoffs, though he isn’t ready to handle field goals with any reliability at this time. Nevertheless, he’s done exactly what he was expected to do, and the team has rewarded him for that.

Potter beat the odds and found himself on the official roster. Now he just has to keep it up.

Grade: A-