Archives for May 2014

‘Cockrell started 13 games at Duke in each of the last two seasons (he missed one game in his senior season with an ankle injury) and was named to first-team All-ACC following his junior and senior years. Referred to as, “off the charts smart” by Bills Director of Player Personnel Jim Monos, Cockrell was a political science major and earned his degree from Duke in just three and a half years.’

‘Richardson started all 13 games during his final season with the Bears, and is a two-time winner of the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year award. He was also a 2013 Outland Trophy finalist last year.’

‘A top recruit coming out of high school, Henderson was originally headed to USC. He reversed course and instead headed to Miami, following NCAA punishment of Southern Cal’s football program. Henderson comes with some character issues, including multiple suspensions while playing for the Hurricanes, plus a reported positive drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine. He does have the size the Bills have been trying to collect for the offensive line, standing 6’7″ and weighing 331 pounds.’

‘Brown offers breakaway speed with the power to grind out yards between the tackles. At just 22-years of age the physically gifted back has his best football in front of him. He’s just hoping after a couple of disjointed years in the college ranks that his NFL career can gain a sturdy foothold in Buffalo.’

‘I run hard and I run with a lot of effort. I think that speed is kind of my thing. I really rely heavily on my speed and I’m very confident in my speed as well. That’s something I would say.’

‘”We see him a little bit as a ‘Mike’ (middle linebacker) right now, but he’s versatile enough (to play outside),” said Monos. “He can do both in my opinion. He’s done it, but that will be more up to the staff.”‘

‘Just being around the ball as much as possible. That’s one thing I try to do, I try to be around the ball and slide to the ball. Pursuit, I’m always going to be the guy trying to rip the ball out and be around the ball. Any aspect of being around the ball I feel I’m going to be there.’

‘That is what jumps out right away: his size. You love his size and he’s played there and competed well every year there. He’s a winner, has ball skills, has good speed. Every guy we’ve taken so far has been a part of winning program and that is a big thing we’re stressing.’

‘”I had heard about this defensive back who was pretty good out of Charlotte, so we’re out on the practice field and I threw a go route and I underthrew it a little bit and he played it really well and he intercepted it,” Lewis told Buffalobills.com. “And I was like, ‘Who is this kid?’ And from then on I kind of came to know who he was.”‘

‘Cockrell had just four interceptions in his first two years at Duke, but racked up eight in his final two seasons earning 1st team All-ACC honors in the process. He also had 53 career pass breakups as a Blue Devil.’

‘With so much production in college, some may wonder why he slipped until the fifth round. One of the knocks on Richardson’s play was his foot quickness. He’s worked over the past year to keep his weight in check to improve in that area.’

‘I think what happened a little bit at the Senior Bowl during the week he may have not had the best practices and stuff like that. When the game was on he came right back and played like he was capable of. Maybe that turned some people away, but we’re not afraid of him.’

‘His 83 knockdowns and 23 touchdown blocks led him to finish first in the Big 12 for the second year in a row, with an 89.3% grade for blocking consistency.’

‘Randell Johnson had an up-and-down career at Florida Atlantic University. As a redshirt sophomore in 2011 he was second on the team with 92 tackles, 12.5 TFL, and five sacks. But in his junior and senior years combined, he totaled 62 tackles, 10.5 TFL, and 4.5 sacks.’

‘To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect this. I don’t really know anything about Buffalo at all so I was surprised. I was just surprised Buffalo picked me up.’