Astrobot

Some high character players in this draft whose stock will be higher for the Bills: Joey Haynos - MD a 7th Rounder TE who is tall (6'8"), good size (265), and who's a big family man. His whole family will be at every Bills game next year. Jamar Adams, Michigan Strong Safety likely to go in Round 5. Brian Vornberg says: "This is one of my favorite sleepers in the draft. After a couple years of mediocrity, Adams finally, finally, finally lived up to the hype that came with him out of high school. He racked up 92 tackles this year along with 10 PBUs. Adams will test off the charts with his 6'2" and 210 lbs. frame and 4.5 speed, but his best attribute is his sure-tackling, football IQ and character. As a safety, it is important to embody leadership qualities and good character off the field and Adams truly does that." Chase Ortiz, the TCU Round 7 DE - non-stop motor, relentless drive to succeed, consummate learner. The better value between him and Tommy Blake. Keilen Dykes - DT about Round 6 has the enthusiasm, smarts, and skill. All Big East at West Virginia. Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt WR for Round 3 - Good size and strength, has the knack to run great routes and often beat his coverage. Has excellent hands, as well. Character and leadership qualities a big plus for Bennett. Jamie Silva, -SS for Boston College, might be a value pick in the 6th Round. He had 115 tackles, was a Special Teams demon, and was a Thorpe ward finalist, which is the Character Heisman.

When he said "King", I immediately thought he meant Justin King, who is the Penn State CB who runs 4.3 and will be our 3rd Round pick. No team wants to make quick decisions offensively. It's defensive pressure that forces the hand of the QB. A 4-man DT rotation and a 4-man DE rotation can bring it better than 2 DE's and 2 DT's. We need one more DT and one more DE to make that possible, and I believe they can come from the draft even if we don't take one in Rounds 1 and 2. DT Round 3: Red Bryant; Round 4: Andre Fluellen; Round 5: Carlton Powell; Round 6: Frank Okam / Nick Hayden / Keilen Dykes; Round 7: Derek Lokey. DE Round 3: Chris Ellis; Round 5: Brian Johnston/ Chris Harrison; Round 7: Marcus Howard.

I like your draft, and yes we look at them. You do know there's good basketball on, right? In Round 6, I like Cody Wallace (Texas A&M) better. He's a blue collar, hard hitting slobberknocker of a OC. In Round 7, I'd take Derek Lokey (Texas), Red Bryant's sidekick, if he was there at DT. Benches 38 times, gets great pressure, and is a run stuffer. My other 7th Rounder is Mark Bradford, Stanford's WR, who's familiar with Trent Edwards. His 41" vertical was tops in WR's, I believe.

Agree. Good post, because it made me realize who Wasn't There last year. To see it in print--Wow.

Ellis is the one DT who could play 3-4 or 4-3. I snatch him up in the first minute of my pick. BTW, I agree with the folks saying Gholston is going Top 5.

This is essential. Hopefully TE's receivers will lead the league in YAC yards. We will have receivers who are fast (Parrish), former RB's (Reed, Mayle), downfield blockers for each other (Reed, hopefully Hubbard), leapers (hopefully Bradford and Kelly), deep threats (Evans and hopefully Kelly), receiving RB's (Lynch, Jackson, and hopefully UDFA Jalen Parmele) and end zone targets (TE's, Evans, Kelly, Bradford).

Don't you think experience helps the depth player in terms of know-how and confidence? I think that's especially true on our team because of the injuries.

Your Draft Value Board and mine might look different. Here's mine for Round 1. The number before the name is the spot at which I expect them to be drafted. It has Malcolm Kelly the 11th best player in this year's draft. Coincidentally, that's the number of our pick. Round 1, Pick #11 QB 8Matt Ryan - Boston College RB 6Darren McFadden - AK 211 4.3 18R. Mendenhall - Illinois 225 4.4 22Jonathan Stewart - Ore 235 4.4 30Felix Jones - Arkansas 207 4.4 FB (None) WR 11Malcolm Kelly - OK biggest 224, 4.55 19Devin Thomas - MichSt, #1, KR 4.4 20DeSean Jackson - CA fast,short 169, 4.35 24Limas Sweed - Texas 215 4.52 28James Hardy - IN tallest,char 217, 4.51 TE (None) OT 5Jake Long - Michigan 14Jeff Otah - Pittsburgh 12Ryan Clady - Boise State 13Chris Williams - Vanderbilt 32Gosder Cherilus - BC OG 23Branden Albert - Virginia C (None) DE 5Chris Long - Virginia 1Vernon Gholston - Ohio St 16Derrick Harvey - Florida 15Phillip Merling - Clemson 21Calais Campbell - Miami DT 3Glenn Dorsey - LSU 4Sedrick Ellis - USC 25Kentwan Balmer - NC OLB DT10 Keith Rivers - USC ILB (None) CB 7Leodis McKelvin - Troy 10D. Rodgers-Cromartie Ten St 4.33 18Mike Jenkins - USF char issue 27*Aqib Talib - Kansas shoboat 30Antoine Cason - AZ FS 29Kenny Phillips - Miami 212, 4.4 SS (None)

I can always change these DraftTek priorities for the Bills if the majority thinks they'd like to. With the DraftTek Team Priorities the way they are now, the first 4 picks right now are WR Malcolm Kelly and TE Fred Davis, OC Steve Justice, and WR Paul Hubbard (the draft class's best downfield blocker, IMHO). Lemme know if you'd like to try finagling with the numbers that are there: http://www.drafttek.com/teamneeds2008.html Astro Bills Correspondent, DraftTek

--------------------------Comp Att Pct--- Yds -Avg TD Int -Rate Gray---------------------101 180 56.1 1,252 7.0 12 5 -----88.5 Rosenfels----------------235 388 60.6 2,725 7.0 24 19---- 82.0 Wright--------------------332 605 54.9 3,590 5.9 20 25---- 66.3 Losman------------------495 837 59.1 5,627 6.7 31 29 ----77.3 Nall-----------------------7 15 46.7 88 5.9 1 0 -----------87.6

Strongly agree. By our RD#2 pick, these are gone: 1Devin Thomas - 3Malcolm Kelly - 2DeSean Jackson - 4Limas Sweed - 5James Hardy - 6Early Doucet - Here's what's left of WR's on my Value Board for Round 2: 7Manningham - 8Caldwell - 9Lavelle Hawkins -

DraftTek has Dallas taking Mendenhall at #22, and then Hardy with their #28. Sweed went off the board at #24 to Tennessee and Stewart at #26 to Jacksonville, likely our nemesis for playoff consideration.

Although he was from Rochester, and he loves the city, -he makes no bones about it--He loves the warm winters in Virginia. He says, I have lived in Rochester for 17 years, so I know about the cold. Strengths: pulling, athleticism, run- and pass-blocking Weaknesses: in-line blocking Sounds like a team player who's willing to work: Goal is perennial 1000 yard rusher, be a Pro Bowler and Hall of Famer. Says he's like Walter Jones. Versatile, could move to LT.

The latest simulation (today's) at www.DraftTek.com has Gholston, Long, Dorsey, Ellis, and Long2 snagged as the first 5 picks. The Jets take McFadden, creating a trickle-down effect. Here's who would be there at #11: Any Offensive Tackle Kelly-Sweed-Thomas-Hardy WR Any DE not named Gholston Brohm Jenkins CB FYI, the WR's go off the board at pick #11, 19, 20, 24, and 28.

Agree. Dallas is also enamoured of Mendenhall, and a #11 pick would be right in the ballpark.

...and all at the same time!

Could you give us a bit more detail?...

DraftTek has him at 23 to Pittsburgh. Another reason for the #22-#28 tradedown. Take Albert at #22 to disappoint the Stillers, then Hardy at 28 to disappoint the 49'ers.

DraftTek has Mayo drafted in Round 2 at #38, 6th in Round 2, the pick after Dan Connor. He'd be a good #28 pick for you Dallas Cowboy traders.

I'd like to see them bring in Moore in UDFA and make a TE out of him. He's slow for a WR, but tall and fast for a TE. Would need to bulk up, though--I think he's like 235.

Simpson is a good jumper. 37.5" vertical at the combine to Nelson's 31", which does negate the height difference. Hubbard was injured, which is why he falls to 4th. He was a state champion in long jump and triple jump, so he's still a good bet to compete with Simpson.

Simpson will be drafted before our pick in Round 4. Widest hands in the combine; useful for catching passes away from your body. A couple of boards have him higher than Jordy Nelson, which if anything else will allow Nelson to fall to us. Simpson is faster on the straight line than Nelson, but Nelson is taller. Either is a great 4th Rounder... Paul Hubbard, actually picked by www.DraftTek.com to be our 4th Rounder, is a better blocker than either. He's a lot more substantial than Simpson, who may have trouble blocking downfield.

Trade With Redskins In this trade, we trade our #11 and our #173 for #21 #52 and #85 of the Redskins so they can get Merling/Harvey. We snag Devin Thomas at #21. Check out the rest!

Best Guard in the draft. I didn't know he was from our home town.

Cliff's Notes: Harvey-Fred Davis-Jordy Nelson-Chevis Jackson- Compensatory 4th: OLB Brian Kehl (BYU), FS David Roach Roach is my only beef with this draft. Roach has injury concerns, and is a FS.