Archives for May 2015

'Darby is also a world class sprinter, having won medals at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics.'

'“We set the board strictly on talent,” said Bills general manager Doug Whaley. “If everything is equal we will go with a need and it just happened this year, the corner (Darby) we didn’t see as a perceived need as much as the other people, we looked at it more as depth. Once you get down to the third, we were actually looking up and Mr. Miller and we had our fingers crossed that he would slide to us. We’re excited and to have a need and to have a good player that you have at the top of the board is a double bonus.”'

'“From a technical standpoint, Miller exhibits good bend in his lower half and is rarely overwhelmed as he keeps his feet moving, resets without wasted motion, and establishes good extension to keep defenders out of his frame. Another mid-round type of prospect who's durability and consistency could make him a terrific pro.” – Derek Stephens, NFLDraftScout.com'

'“We set the board strictly on talent and if everything’s equal, we’ll go with the need,” Whaley said Friday night, after the Bills third round selection. “It just happened this year that the corner (we didn’t see it as a perceived need as much as some other people) we looked at it more as depth. But once we got down to the third we were looking up at Mr. Miller and we kept our fingers crossed that he would slide to us.”'

'All Thursday’s session did for the Bills was eliminate 32 names from their draft board and left them to sweat out 17 picks tonight before they get their first choice … if they stay put at 50.'

'I’m no draft guru, but I know my Bills draft history. If they go offense with their first pick, it will break a drafting pattern that extends all the way back to 1998, before the current 15-year playoff drought began.'

'Jets beef up their front: The Bills might no longer have the clear-cut best defensive line in the AFC East. The Jets are at least pushing them for that honor by selecting Williams, who surprisingly fell to them at sixth overall. With standout end Muhammad Wilkerson and disruptive tackle Sheldon Richardson, the Jets now have a potentially dominant trio. How good is Tom Brady feeling right now about the thought of facing the defensive fronts of the Bills, Jets and Dolphins, who have added Ndamukong Suh?'

'In all, five tackles and two interior linemen were among the 32 selections made. With so many talented players already off the board, and perhaps a few more set to be picked in the first half of the second round Friday before the Bills finally go on the clock at No. 50, you have to wonder whether it's prudent for Buffalo to address its offensive line in that spot.'

'Here are some of the players the Bills should have their eye on…'.

'Who will still be there when the Bills are on the clock?'

'Even though the Bills won't be on the clock until pick No. 50, though, there are still a few things Bills fans should have their eye on when the 2015 NFL Draft gets underway at 8 p.m. Thursday in Chicago.'

'"I don't want to say it's a make-it-or-break-it year, but I know it's definitely a very important spring right now," Manuel said following a voluntary veterans minicamp session this week. "Obviously, the third year is where a lot of NFL quarterbacks that are starters really show that, 'Hey, this guy can be a longtime starter for this team.'"'

'“We’d like to get some depth for sure, and we’d like to get some guys, at least in the second and third round that, if not contribute, definitely push to start.”'

'My final mock shows no change for the Bills from my 3rd mock. La'el Collins legal situation has a big impact on the Bills pick at 50. From the sounds of it, it most likely takes an offensive tackle completely off the board, creating one less for any team to take. That may drive up the value of the others at the position. I think the Bills would rather select a tackle over a guard, but at this point, looking at the board, Jackson is the highest-rated player remaining up-front, and one who could fit right in on the Bills line.'

'Ultimately, the ideal situation for the Bills would be to trade this selection to a very motivated team less then ten spots behind them, pick up an extra pick this year and one next year, too, and still draft an offensive lineman with their first selection.'