Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘But here we are with the Bills slotted at No. 30, and the challenge for general manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott will be to find a player who they believe can give them first-round performance despite the lateness of the selection.’

‘“He looks like a good young player,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said a while back. “Certainly has the athleticism to go with the position. We’ve got nothing but a high amount of respect for Jaret and Cam (Lewis, a former Bull who is now a Bill) and their entire program.”’

‘If the one stat that jumps off Williams’ profile page more than any other is that he forced an FBS-high 47 missed tackles last season, the one that cannot be ignored is this: He had only 416 touches in his three seasons for the Tar Heels, meaning theoretically he has far more tread left on his tires than Etienne (788) or Harris (718).’

‘The cost of doing so would mean they will lock in a 2022 salary of $23.1 million for Allen and $12.7 million for Edmunds, and Beane admitted Tuesday during a conference call with reporters that that’s a lot of capital to tie up in two players.’

‘NFL scouts, personnel directors and general managers have to decide whether they believe Harris can become the next Henry (who was actually a second-round pick in 2016), Alexander or Ingram, or is he going to be the next underwhelming player like Richardson, T.J. Yeldon (second round 2015) or Bobby Humphrey (first round, No. 3 overall in 1989).’

‘Of course, there’s a pretty big “if” attached to this wish because there’s a good chance Etienne won’t be available at the bottom of the first round, which is understandable. His resume is simply stupendous and there aren’t many highlight reels more entertaining than his.’

‘But if the Bills have a chance at either Paye or Ojulari, it’s certainly worth taking a swing because not only do they have a need at the position, the cornerback class is much deeper and there will still be good value for general manager Brandon Beane picking one in the second round to address the other primary need on the roster.’

‘With the exception of Michigan’s Kwity Paye – who may be the first edge rusher selected in the 2021 draft, well before the Bills are scheduled to pick at No. 30 in the first round – the other edge rushers considered first- and second-round material fall well short on experience.’

‘If that’s true, and the Bills covet either player, it will likely take a trade up, probably into the late teens or early 20s, to procure their man. However, there are enough nitpicky things with each that could result in one or both falling into Buffalo’s range.’

‘Everyone purchasing a ticket has to be fully vaccinated and show proof of such if they plan to attend.’

‘However, Bills fans said they drank even more when Buffalo was winning. In that category they came in fourth at 54%. Filling out the rest of the Top 5: the Indianapolis Colts (51%), Atlanta Falcons (55%), Jacksonville Jaguars (56%) and Baltimore Ravens (58%).’

‘No one really knows whether Newsome is the best cornerback in this draft – we’ll find out once they all get on the field and try to keep pace with NFL wide receivers in the years to come. But like others in this draft class such as Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II, South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley, Newsome is certainly a player who can back up his claim with some evidence.’

‘Lamp was a second-round pick of the Chargers in 2017 out of Western Kentucky. He sat out his entire rookie season with a knee injury, then was a backup for the next two years, getting into nine games — he broke his leg in 2019 — with two starts before becoming the full-time starter at left guard in 2020, playing on every offensive snap.’

‘But in all likelihood the other player, Florida State’s Asante Samuel Jr. — son of the cornerback of the same name who played 11 years with the Patriots, Eagles and Falcons – will be there at the bottom of the first round. In fact, he may also last into the top to middle portion of the second round, meaning Beane could possibly land him by trading back.’

‘This is what happens when you make it all the way to the AFC Championship Game and your first-round pick gets pushed to No. 30 overall. With the potential for so many things to take place before Roger Goodell finally says the Bills are on the clock, mock drafters can’t even come to a clear-cut consensus on what position the Bills may seek to address, let alone a specific player.’