NFL Draft 2011: Profiling the Top 10 Players for Buffalo Bills' First Two Rounds
Winter has left us, and spring has now sprung. That can only mean that we are getting that much closer to the NFL draft. The official count is now down to 38 days away, which will go by fast enough, unless you are a diehard NFL fan and are bummed out by the NFL lockout of the players.
With no news of free-agent signings or players mulling over multiple offers, it seems that all news continues to focus on the draft and making sure that the Buffalo Bills brass gets the upcoming draft right.
So, for this article, we want to isolate five players for the first round, and five players for the second round. In an ideal setting, all 10 of these players would be available to the Bills when they are officially on the clock. Starting with the first round at No. 3 overall, and then moving to the second-round pick at No. 34 overall, the Bills need desperately to hit on both of these picks.
We will give a detailed overview of what each of these players would mean to the team, if they are drafted to become a member of the Buffalo Bills.
Round 1, First Choice: Alabama Defensive Tackle Marcell Dareus
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Marcell Dareus is my preferred draft pick with the No. 3 overall selection of the draft. The Alabama defensive tackle brings a new jolt of energy to a defensive front that needs a boost.
Kyle Williams often seemed to be the only guy able to win the hand-to-hand skirmishes in the trenches on a consistent basis. The addition of Dareus would go a long way towards defensive coordinator George Edwards devising new schemes or plays on defense that take advantage of Dareus' physical skills and talents. Dareus is 6'3" and weighs 306 pounds. He ran the 40 in 4.93, which is motoring for a very big man. Strength-wise, he did 24 reps at 225 pounds.
Imagine having another big body that offenses would have to game-plan for. Taking two linemen or a lineman and a tight end to occupy, it frees up the linebackers to be able to make plays that they weren't able to do previously.
As head coach Chan Gailey has hinted to on multiple occasions, he envisions the 2011 defense to be more of a hybrid, shifting from a 3-4 look to a 4-3 and back, depending on the team they are facing, and what players they have available.
Since Dareus lined up at both defensive tackle and defensive end, he provides the Bills with greater flexibility along the defensive line, and as an end result, they may not need to carry as many defensive linemen on the roster. Most importantly, he is effective at both stopping the run and applying pressure on the quarterback. Both of those assets are in dire need for the Bills' team defense.
Round 1, Second Choice: Texas A&M Linebacker Von Miller
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Von Miller is the best linebacker in the 2011 draft. The Bills have a shortage of linebackers that are thought of to be cream-of-the-crop variety. Shawne Merriman once was thought of as cream of the crop, but the last time that was said with any degree of regularity was three seasons ago.
Miller worked with the Bills coaches as part of the South team at the Senior Bowl. He impressed them then, and continued to impress the rest of the NFL with his solid work at the scouting combines. The Bills continue to be interested in Miller, and he is one of the 30 players that the team is allowed to bring in for a personal workout.
As you can see from the photo provided on the slide, Miller is a physical specimen. Miller is 6'3" and weighs 243. He ran the 40 in 4.53 and did 21 reps on the bench. He had a broad jump of 10'6", so you can see that he is a very strong athlete.
He will be able to attack the quarterback from the outside linebacker position, something that everyone thought that Aaron Maybin was going to be able to do. Let's hope that is the last time we are comparing Miller to Maybin.
If you look at this past Super Bowl, the two teams involved, Green Bay and Pittsburgh, both were led on defense by very strong linebacking corps. That just simply is not even close to happening with the Bills. The team needs a major upgrade at LB, and Von Miller can help them get there much faster.
A combination of a healthy Shawne Merriman blitzing on one side and Von Miller blitzing off of the other side would be a very difficult challenge for offenses to handle. When you add that with the bull-rush charge of Kyle Williams up the middle, and I suddenly envision the Bills coming up with more than 27 sacks.
Round 1, Third Choice: LSU Corner Patrick Peterson
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Whenever I watch footage of LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson, I see a very talented player who is graceful and fluid. He is an elite athlete, something that is rare on the Bills current roster.
While I can't claim to have any personal knowledge of Peterson, I am alarmed about the news that Peterson scored a 9 out of a possible 50 on the Wonderlic exam he took at the scouting combines.
The score is something that speaks to his overall intelligence level. It says nothing about his football IQ or his ability to be a playmaker. When the Bills need to talk over complex defensive schemes with him, does he follow along or does he get a glazed look in his eyes?
Sitting there with the third pick, I trust that the Bills are very seriously considering Peterson, and if they are, that he will also become one of the 30 players they bring in for an extended personal visit and workout. Whenever that comes to fruition, the Bills will finally know what they potentially have on their hands or not.
From a physical standpoint, Peterson is a big corner at 6'1" and weighs 222. He runs a blazing 40 in 4.34, leaps out of the gym with a 10'6" broad jump and did 15 reps on the bench press.
The reasons to draft Peterson would be that he is the next potential shutdown corner to enter the NFL. Teams would not throw to his side of the field, in fear that they would be turning the ball over. A shutdown corner is something that the Bills have not had for a long time. I always remembered the press coverage of Robert James, and marveled at how he executed. Can Peterson be that good as well?
In addition, Peterson is a very valuable return man. Roscoe Parrish is not what he once was, so Peterson could allow C.J. Spiller to focus on being a running back, or they could both line up as return men in the kicking game. The only potential red flag to that scenario would be if the NFL owners vote this week to move the kickoffs from the 30 yard line to the 35. If that happens, expect to see many touchbacks and a diminished kickoff return game.
The addition of Peterson would allow Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin to battle it out for the other starting corner spot. All three would be involved in coverage for various spread offenses.
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Round 1, Fourth Choice: Missouri Quarterback Blaine Gabbert
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Down at the fourth choice, I slot Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert. The reason I have Gabbert here is that when everything is all said and done, he may wind up with the highest grade by the Bills scouts of any quarterback in this draft class. If that is the case and the Bills discover that both Dareus and Peterson are off of the board already, who would they pick, Miller or Gabbert?
The Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson has made enough comments over the past year to let the fans know that they intend to draft a quarterback. That much is given. What is not a given is what round the Bills will pull the plug and invest in a quarterback of the future.
For his part, Gabbert completed 63 percent of his passes this past season, but his yardage was down from the year before. He dumped off more passes a la Trent Edwards. His TD-to-interceptions ratio was not that stellar, 16-to-9, respectively. For what it is worth, Gabbert scored a 31 on his Wonderlic exam.
If the team decides to draft a quarterback in the first round, it would boil down to either Gabbert or Cam Newton. If Carolina opts to draft a quarterback with their first pick, then the decision becomes much easier. That means that there is a greater chance that the Bills' top defensive player is available to them at three, and that dictates the direction they pursue.
The other by-product of drafting Gabbert in the first round is that it raises the expectation level and fans will be clamoring to see him play. Ryan Fitzpatrick has already been assured that he will be the Bills' starter in 2011. Ideally, any rookie QB would be afforded the luxury of sitting out their rookie season to learn and observe and be tutored by Fitzpatrick. That would be the case for either Gabbert or Newton.
If Gabbert is the pick, the fans should expect him to take over the reigns starting in 2012. Ryan Fitzpatrick would be a free agent by then, and could test the market to see what his additional starting experience is worth to other NFL teams. You would be looking at Levi Brown as the backup to Gabbert.
Round 1, Fifth Choice: Auburn Quarterback Cam Newton
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Who and what is the real Cam Newton? Is there a bigger polarizing figure in the NFL draft? He is either the best prospect in the draft or the one player that will be the biggest bust along the lines of Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell. He would probably be the player who sells the most tickets, the most jerseys and guarantees the Bills the greatest amount of national coverage of the five options we are offering up.
Can you see Cam Newton as the face of the Bills franchise? Fast forward that thought to the end of his rookie contract. Do you see him wanting to stay in Buffalo or wanting to be part of a team that has more national appeal? Would he hold out or would he sign and be there from the first day of camp? At 6'6" and 250 pounds, you have a linebacker body playing QB. He runs the 40 in 4.59 seconds.
But what about on-the-field performance? What about off-the-field performance? I am concerned about the way Newton answers questions in his latest interviews. He likes to answer with: "Well, Cam Newton wants to be the best," or "Cam Newton needs to take care of Cam Newton." Sounds like the Terrell Owens line of "I got to love me some more me" or something to that effect.
I have to admit that I am turned off by the lack of sincerity or genuineness when he speaks. He looks off in the distance to answer his questions, and then at the end he will turn back to the camera and flash that smile. He reminds me more of a politician at times than he does of being a football player.
Newton scored a 21 on his Wonderlic exam, which bested the score of 15 by Jim Kelly. But it is safe to say that players take the Wonderlic exam more seriously now and practice taking the test to improve their performance.
Okay, let's talk about bottom line production. Newton produced this year at Auburn to the tune of 30 TD passes and 20 rushing TDs. That is 50 TDs no matter how you slice it. That is incredible production. His passer rating score this past year was an unbelievable 182. That is not a typo. Unreal production.
What will all the fame and fortune do to Newton and to his sense of entitlement? The Heisman Trophy winner has been known already for ditching his teammates and sitting courtside at NBA games, while the rest of his teammates are up in the nose-bleed seats. Is that the kind of guy you want to build your team around?
Round 2, First Choice: Florida State QB Christian Ponder
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Buddy Nix loves talented quarterbacks. When Christian Ponder won the MVP award at the Senior Bowl, the whole experience of them working together for that week, left Gailey with the impression that he would like to work with him for longer than seven days.
Ponder was able to get adjusted to the new offense and new receivers and linemen for the Senior Bowl game. He was able to assimilate all of the plays and execute better than any other quarterback at the game, which also included Jake Locker, Colin Kaepernick, Greg McElroy and Ricky Stanzi.
Ponder followed up the Senior Bowl with a very strong showing at the scouting combines. At the combines, Ponder measured in at 6'3" and weighed 227. He scored a 35 on the Wonderlic, besting all of the other QBs in this article.
He was projected to be a first-round draft choice before he began the 2010 season, but a number of injuries prevented him from turning in a big enough season to warrant that high a pick.
His stock, however, continues to rise, and it may not come as a shock if some team executes a trade late in the first round to nab him prior to day two. If Ponder is still there when day two rolls around, I would not be surprised to see the Bills draft him. He is thought to be the most "NFL-ready" of the quarterbacks in this draft class because of the offense that was run at Florida State.
He would benefit from having the full year to sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick and learn. How does turning the QB reigns over to Ponder in 2012 sound? Ponder that one Bills fans.
Round 2, Second Choice: Ohio State Defensive End Cameron Heyward
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Here is a picture of Cam Heyward, Ohio State defensive end, talking to Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett during their Sugar Bowl game. Imagine how unreal that would be if both of these players wind up in Buffalo? Not sure how it could happen as both are projected to go in the late first to the early second rounds.
Cam Heyward was as dominating a player on the line of scrimmage as anybody I saw all year in college football. Unfortunately for Heyward's draft day stock, an injury has forced him to sit out all of the scouting combines work, in addition to missing the Ohio State Pro Day. He also missed out on the Senior Bowl, so the chances for teams to evaluate him prior to the draft have been almost nil. The only thing he did at the combines was a 30" vertical jump. Nothing else.
As we talk about prospects for the second round, keep in mind that this pick will be influenced by who the Bills take in the first round. For example, if the Bills do wind up with Marcell Dareus, it seems less likely that they would invest in Heyward immediately after. Obviously that duo would do wonders to bring up the talent level of the defensive line, but it also means you are ignoring all the other positions of need.
If however, the Bills draft Miller or Peterson in the first, then Heyward makes tremendous sense with this pick. On the Bills, Heyward would form a rotation with Alex Carrington to replace Marcus Stroud as the defensive end. In addition, he could give some blows to Dwan Edwards and provide some needed depth to the defensive line.
Round 2, Third Choice: Illinois Linebacker Martez Wilson
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Another elite type of athlete, Illinois linebacker Martez Wilson is widely considered to be the top inside linebacker in the NFL draft class. Wilson stands 6'4" and weighs 250. He runs an amazing 40-yard time at 4.49 seconds, which is very fast for an inside linebacker. He would bring a new speed dimension to the position that has been occupied by much slower linebackers for the Bills.
Bills general manager Buddy Nix has been talking about bringing in bigger inside linebackers. He probably had Wilson in mind when he was making those quotes.
If the Bills drafted Wilson, he would force an open competition between Paul Posluszny and Andra Davis for the two starting jobs. Since both Posluszny and Davis missed games due to injury last season, he would provide instant depth to the position and could help spell the starters if he doesn't beat them out. Lord knows the Bills' defense had a hard time getting off the field last year, so talent like this is needed very badly.
Round 2, Fourth Choice: UCLA Safety Rahim Moore
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Rahim Moore is considered to be the top safety in the NFL draft class. Coming out of UCLA, there is some that wonder if he will be a better safety or a better corner. Moore stands 6'1" and weighs 196. He ran the 40 in 4.62 seconds and did 11 reps in the bench press.
In 2009, Moore turned in his best year, as he led UCLA with 10 interceptions as a sophomore. He has three years of starting experience under his belt and never missed one start over that time, proving his durability.
If the Bills draft him, Moore would provide immediate insurance for Donte Whitner's position. If the Bills secondary coaches determine that he is better off playing in the nickel, that is still something that would be of value to the Bills, considering how many three-wide-receiver sets they face.
The selection of Moore here is about replacement value for Whitner combined with the uncertainty of free agency. If the Bills do bring in Whitner, is it for a year or a multi-year contract? That is why having another talented safety makes sense so the Bills can plan ahead accordingly.
Round 2, Fifth Choice: Baylor Defensive Tackle Phil Taylor
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Phil Taylor has to watch what he eats. Don't we all? Standing at 6'3", the Baylor nose tackle weighed in at 334 pounds, which is pretty good considering he had been as heavy at 380. Back then he was on that "See-Food" diet. You know the kind where whatever food you see, you eat.
Taylor was a member of the Bills' South Team at the Senior Bowl. They know first-hand how hard he worked and what he was like in the practice setting. They had a chance to monitor how much effort he brings on every play and if his game is consistent or not.
Taylor would provide much needed depth to the Bills' defensive line. Whenever they want to operate out of the 4-3 look, he could line up next to Kyle Williams, or rotate in and out with Williams and Torell Troup to keep them fresh.
He is a difficult force to move, and for a rush defense that finished last in the NFL, the Bills need anchors to help them control the line of scrimmage and neutralize the push by opposing linemen. Taylor is somebody that fits that description to a "T"—and then some.
Taylor is athletic enough as he ran the 40 in 5.2 seconds, which is pretty good for a man of 334 pounds.
Honorable Mentions
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As we approach the April 28th draft, I think it is unrealistic to list more than five options for the first pick, since the Bills are holding the third overall pick. However, since this is the Bills that we are talking about, and Buddy Nix has already demonstrated that he can shock everyone (C.J. Spiller last year), we are going to cover our bases and list some honorable mention candidates for each round.
First Round Honorable Mentions:
North Carolina defensive lineman Robert Quinn
Clemson defensive lineman Da'Quan Bowers
Auburn defensive lineman Nick Fairley
Second Round Honorable Mentions:
UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers
Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph
North Carolina defensive lineman Marvin Austin
Oregon State defensive lineman Stephen Paea
Mississippi State tackle Derek Sherrod
Georgia linebacker Justin Houston
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