NFL Draft 2011 What Will the Buffalo Bills Do with the 3rd Pick in the Draft?
With the 2011 NFL Draft coming up very soon, the focus of the Buffalo Bills' front office and fan base is firmly set on the draft.
There is a great deal of excitement surrounding it now that the Bills seem poised to make forward progress in their rebuilding effort. They now have an offense that doesn't put people to sleep and have a few crucial pieces on defense.
Just as importantly, the Bills have possession of the third overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. This pick could easily determine whether or not the Bills come out of their decade long funk or if they continue their run of mediocrity.
There are a number of different directions that the Bills could go and this slideshow is meant to be a rundown of the players I believe to be worthy of the third pick.
I'm going to list the pros and cons of each possible selection and I'll speculate about the probability of that scenario actually happening.
6. Trade Down
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Pros:
—Buffalo has many holes to fill. Picking up a few more draft picks could help fill those holes.
—If Buffalo stayed in the Top 10 after trading, the Bills could still acquire a quality player like Nick Fairley or Robert Quinn.
Cons:
—The Bills would miss out on the chance to draft one of the elite prospects in the draft. This would mean no Newton, no Dareus, and no Miller.
Buddy Nix has gone on record saying that it's not very likely that Buffalo will trade down in the draft. Still, there is the remote possibility that some team will blow the Bills away with an offer.
Chances of This Happening: 5 Percent
5. Patrick Peterson
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Pros:
—For some people, Patrick Peterson is the best player in the draft. He is a unique talent and will almost certainly a star.
—Terrence McGee isn't getting younger and the cornerback position opposite him is not set going into next year.
Cons:
—Cornerback is not an area of high need. Even though one cornerback spot isn't set, Leodis McKelvin still has potential and Drayton Florence could be back.
—Cornerbacks have a limited impact on the game. I'm not minimizing the effect that a shutdown corner can have when they eliminate half the field, but opposing teams can always throw somewhere else. A quarterback or defensive lineman has the potential to affect every single play.
If Buddy Nix sticks to a best-player-available philosophy of drafting, then Peterson could very well be the pick. This pick actually makes more sense than drafting C.J. Spiller did last year, but I'm not expecting it to happen.
Chances of This Happening: 5 Percent
4. Blaine Gabbert
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Pros:
—Gabbert could have a huge impact down the road. Quarterbacks can do more to turn a team around than any other position.
—He has the skill set to be a great NFL QB. He has a good arm, good mobility, and great accuracy.
Cons:
—Does not have as high a ceiling as Newton
—Quarterback has traditionally been the riskiest position to draft. Buffalo needs to hit with this pick.
—QB is not Buffalo's biggest need. Ryan Fitzpatrick can lead a team to the playoffs. Maybe not the Super Bowl, but certainly the playoffs.
When asked about Gabbert's rise on people's draft boards during the pre-draft season, Nix said that his stock has not risen for the Bills, it's always been high. The Bills clearly like Gabbert so it would not be a surprise if they turned to him on draft day.
Chances of This Happening: 15 Percent
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3. Marcell Dareus
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Pros:
—One of the best players in the draft. Is very safe as he produced over several years in college
—Defensive line is a huge need for the Bills. Would immediately help the worst run defense in the NFL.
—He is a versatile player. He can play end in a 3-4 or tackle in a 4-3 defense. Buffalo plans to use both in the 2011 NFL season.
Cons:
—A defensive lineman can't single-handedly turn around a team the way a quarterback could. Look at Ndamukong Suh and the Detroit Lions last year. Suh is already one of the best defensive tackles in the league, but the Lions couldn't do better than 6-10.
If Dareus is available at No. 3, he would be my pick. The combination of value and need doesn't get much better than this. Unfortunately, I think he gets taken in front of Buffalo.
Chances of This Happening: 20 Percent
2. Cam Newton
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Pros:
—Cam Newton has the biggest upside of any player in the draft. His physical skills are through the roof and he was a leader at Auburn.
—He could turn the Bills around in a hurry if he reaches his potential.
Cons:
—The potential for him to be a bust is frightening. He will need to learn how to read NFL defenses and avoid trouble in the future.
—Will almost certainly need to sit out a year or two. Buffalo will not be able to start winning right away with him.
Cam Newton is, by far, the most controversial player this year. Drafting Newton will either make or break a team for years to come. For more on my opinion about Newton, you can read this article that I wrote earlier about him.
That said, I believe that Nix and Gailey really like Newton. If Newton is available at No. 3, he will be strongly considered.
Chances of This Happening: 25 Percent
1. Von Miller
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Pros:
—The most sure-fire pass-rushing prospect to come out of college in a long time. Von Miller has everything you want in a linebacker. He has freakish athleticism, a strong work ethic, and solid technique.
—Fills a large need for the Bills. Buffalo could desperately use a pass rusher and Miller could be that player.
Cons:
—The only thing that I can think of here is that Miller doesn't have the same potential to turn around Buffalo that a quarterback would. That's about it.
Miller will almost certainly be available with the third pick. I really don't see how the Bills could go wrong with this pick. It's not the huge splash that drafting Newton or Gabbert would be, but it would be another step in rebuilding the Buffalo Bills.
Chances of This Happening: 30 Percent
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