Archives for April 2013

‘The Buffalo Bills had three huge needs in this draft. A quarterback. A reliable outside receiver. And a linebacker. By the 16th pick of Round 2 on Friday night at Radio City Music Hall, the Bills had filled all three.’

‘If you’re a man, he’ll call you sir, or Mr. so-and-so, and as he does so he’ll burn two holes through the back of your head by making eye contact. He’s polite as well as respectful — and as articulate as he is thoughtful.’

‘”There only needs to be one team that falls in love with you,” Manuel said. “I knew one of those teams (Buffalo, Philadelphia, Cleveland) would take a quarterback, and I’m just extremely elated I was taken 16th.”‘

‘Last season, Coach Lane Kiffin shifted the focus to receiver Marqise Lee — the 2012 Biletnikoff Award winner — and Woods caught 76 passes, 11 for touchdowns.’

‘”We’ve built a relationship, and now we can grow it even more,” Woods said in a conference call with Buffalo reporters Friday. “I look forward to the opportunity to play with him. He comes from a winning program, and hopefully we can do great things at the next level.”‘

‘Alonso was drafted earlier than any UO linebacker since Dave Wilcox went with the 29th selection in 1964 – the first pick in that year’s third round. At No. 3, Jordan was the highest UO defender ever drafted, as two of the team’s top three picks this year were on defense.’

‘Alonso was projected by most draft experts to be selected in the third or fourth round.’

‘But the former Los Gatos High star also has faced off-field issues, including being suspended for the entire 2010 season following an arrest for suspicion of DUI. He then was suspended for the 2011 opener after an arrest on burglary charges.’

‘The Bills picked Goodwin, an Olympic long jumper, in the third round with the 78th overall choice. Although Goodwin was only a part-time starter during his career at UT, catching 120 career passes, he zoomed up the draft board as soon as he ran a 4.27-second, 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine two months ago.’

‘Bruce Smith, the NFL’s career sack leader, is his godfather.’

‘The Bills had a need at receiver after failing to re-sign David Nelson and Donald Jones this offseason. That left no established receiver to play opposite starter Stevie Johnson.’

‘Woods heads to Buffalo after hauling in 76 receptions for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns during his junior season, his final season, with the Trojans. Woods’ best season came as a sophomore a year earlier when he posted 1,292 yards with 111 catches, 15 of which went for touchdowns.’

‘Named the Rose Bowl’s Defensive Player of the Game in Oregon’s 45-38 win over Wisconsin, Alonso racked up 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1 interception. He played in 12 games in each of the last two seasons for Oregon after missing all of 2010 while serving a suspension for a DUI while also rehabbing a knee injury. He also missed Oregon’s first game in 2011 after being arrested during the offseason on charges of burglary, trespassing and criminal mischief.’

‘Goodwin was clocked at 4.27 seconds at the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine and also excels at track. On the football field, he reached the end zone 6 times in 2012 — 3 times through the air and 3 times on the ground. He caught 26 passes for 340 yards and returned 13 kickoffs for the Longhorns last season, amassing a total of 327 yards.’