LEBills

I don’t think we need to draft a CB in round 1. But historically, the only year our first draft pick was not a defensive player was 2018 when we drafted Josh. And we still traded up in the first to draft a defensive player, Tremaine. So 4/5 drafts have resulted in a defensive player as the first pick. Its doubtful we draft another DLineman after all the investment we have made there recently. Drafting a first round LB or Safety probably signals the Bills intentions towards Tremaine and Poyer past this year which may not be a good look for team chemistry. so that leaves CB. The Bills could surprise us and go offense in RD1, but CB is definitely what makes sense from needs and their patterns over the last 5 years

Yea may as well call it for Wilson now lol

I think worth depends on the team. Patriots seem like a pretty good landing spot for him because his best ability is getting open quickly off the line which helped late stage Big Ben and will probably be a good asset for Mac Jones. As Logic pointed out too, the Pats are awful at drafting WRs (Nkeal Harry over AJ brown and Metcalf) so a proven productive commodity is a little more valuable.

I think Wyatt would be a little wasted in Pitts 3-4. I thought about Safety but those can be had later, same for IOL. Receiver seemed like the best bet at this moment It’s not how it will really go but best situation for this current draft

You should be in for a surprise soon In real life, I think they get a QB but in this scenario WR was pretty clearly the top few guys. Also, I think they are setting up the roster for a rookie QB with Najee last year and WRs this year in this scenario. For as bad as Ben was the last 1.5 years I think he made a lot of those later round receivers what they were.

With the 20th pick in the draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama. The Steelers are pretty stunned to be in this scenario. When April 28th rolls around, I think the Steelers will give up next years first to move up for Willis or a small move up for Kenny Picket. On the bright side, maybe our second biggest need is WR and there are some spectacular players still available. The selection came down to Garret Wilson and Jameson Williams. With either Mitch Trubisky this year or a rookie next year, we want receivers with good YAC as well as the ability to run good routes. In the end it came down to William’s speed and how rare his type of speed is. This year is Mitch’s to hold down the fort while a rookie learns, and so they also feel comfortable giving the necessary rehab time so that Williams is 100% for next year. @Logic and the New England Patriots are now on the clock.

@HIT BY SPIKES is on the clock

Good point with PSU, as Shoop, Pry and James Franklin all interconnected. Brandon Smith certainly has all the physical traits you look for and more in an ILB and if we could get him day 3 to develop for a few years that may help him bc he was pretty raw this past year.

One of the only games I’ve had the pleasure of attending. 2011 seemed so promising!

Honestly, when I saw his 2020 highlights I was like he looks like a young Poyer - number, range, size. This year he had some struggles which will probably leave him day 3 or undrafted but I definitely think he is someone the Bills would be very interested in! Jaquan Johnson was another Miami Safety with ties to Diaz that we drafted in the late rounds. Coming out he was highly regarded as a teammate and for his intelligence, though lacking in the athletic department. Jaquan is going into the final year of his contract and I think Bolden is more talented (though Johnson plays smarter and more soundly). Good eye on Emerson! He has been getting a lot of buzz in the draft community as a 2nd/3rd round corner for the Bills so there may be a little smoke there. Shoop was the DC there for his Freshman season where he did start a few games so the Bills may have a little extra insight on him.

Maybe Booth’s medicals are worse than the public is aware of?

Thanks for the compliment, I’m a big draft buff from all the drought years when drafting seemed like the only way out. Fortunately, unlike those years, the organization is very tight lipped about their draft plans. That has helped us immensely to become competitive. But in these weeks leading up to the draft, where we have all seen every players highlights, their is only so much left to speculate on before draft day hits. I know this is all speculative, and we may not draft any of these guys. But McDermott is a big culture guy so I do think he leans on his connections to get more info than you can get in a workout or meeting. We will see, can’t wait for the draft!

Steelers ravens titans

Penn State doesn’t really have anyone super highly rated this year, maybe Rasheed Walker? Arkansas and Treylon Burks could be an early pick. Could be some outside of football influences! Yea haha it’s not perfect, moreso just a thought exercise. I personally think it had a big effect on who they chose in 2021 because of how funky a college season it was, but we will never know for sure. Could be this year is more of an Ed Oliver year where he seemed to just be BPA w/o any noticeable connection now that the past college season was normal again. Just things to think about as we wait for the draft to finally get here!

Back in 2018, Cover 1 put out a piece identifying how McDermott uses his coaching connections while researching draft picks. Essentially, McDermott used his connection with then LSU DC Dave Aranda to get the inside scoop on Tre White. Article here: https://www.cover1.net/could-hc-sean-mcdermotts-inner-circle-have-an-effect-on-the-draft/ I wanted to follow up on that article a bit to see if those connections still held true several year later. Here is what I found: 2018: In 2018, we drafted Tremaine Edmunds and Harrison Phillips. At VT, Tremaine was coached by Justin Fuente who was close friends with then- Bills DL coach Bill Teerlink who later went and took the same position at VT to work with Fuente. Harrison Phillips didn’t seem to have much connection other than opposing coaches that played against him at USC being connected to Frazier. 2019 In 2019, we drafted Ed Oliver which seems to be the one time where there was no noticeable connection between our first defensive pick and coaching staff. The closest connection I found was then-Houston DC Mark D’Onofrio was Temple’s DC while McD was with the Eagles and Temple used to scrimmage at the Eagle’s stadium. 2020 In 2020, we drafted AJ Epenesa in the second round. McDermott has said that he likes players from Iowa: “I always love guys from Iowa because of the culture they come from.” Kirk Ferentz also used to frequent Eskimo’s gym that McDermott worked out in growing up as he looked for recruits (tho this may be stretching it) per the buff news: https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/theres-no-keeping-him-down-how-sean-mcdermott-ascended-to-coach-of-the-bills/article_a7b1e43d-5094-569e-9c4a-b2e8c196a2bf.amp.html Still in 2020, Dane Jackson in the 7th is also tied to McDermotts coaching tree as Pitt HC Narduzzi was an assistant with the Eagles. https://www.wgrz.com/amp/article/sports/nfl/bills/nfl-draft-one-on-one-julianne-with-pitt-panthers-coach-pat-narduzzi-on-why-damar-hamlin-will-make-an-impact-with-the-bills-this-season/71-1ba47ec4-2aaa-414d-840e-5e9451af3a66 2021 In 2021, leaning on coaching connections revved up, probably due to the incomplete college season. In Round 1, we drafted Greg Rousseau who was coached at Miami by McD close friend Manny Diaz. In round 2, we drafted Boogie Basham who was coached by by Dave Clawson who has know McD since McD was in college: https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/bills/wake-forest-head-coach-explains-what-separates-sean-mcdermott-from-other-nfl-coaches Finally in round 6, we went back to the Pitt/Narduzzi well with Damar Hamlin. **** That brings us to the 2022 draft and a few things stand out. 1. Aside from 2018 where we still used a second first rounder on Tremaine Edmunds. The Bills have drafted a defensive player with our first pick every year since McDermott arrived (maybe McDermott gets final say on the early round picks?) 2. In the draft years with more ambiguity - 2017 being McDs first year and with a GM that would soon be fired, and 2021 after the Covid messed up college season - we seemed to lean the hardest on the coaches connections 3. Though their were personal connections, none of the picks would be considered a reach for where they were selected. And the clear coaching connections were mostly just for the defensive prospects. 4. As the rounds get later, their seems to be fewer clear connections between our coaching staff and the players college coaching staff So, does that give us any insight on who the Bills may draft? Some Guesses: Daxton Hill - CB/S - Michigan Bob Shoop was Michigan’s Safeties coach for one season in 2020. That would have given him a chance to coach Daxton where the Safety was a full time starter. Per Cover 1’s article, Shoop was identified as an inner circle member along with Aranda and Diaz, where they all studied and discussed defensive strategy together. Roger McCreary - CB - Auburn Though regarded often as a second round pick, their could be 4 or 5 CBs off the board by the time we pick. McCreary doesn’t fit the McD body type with his sub-29 inch arms but he does have a connection to our staff. His defensive coordinator Derek Mason was a defensive assistant in Minnesota while Leslie Frazier was the DC. Aside from the short arms, McCreary has great skill and production. Kenneth Walker - RB - Michigan State Their is not a ton of matches between talent and familiarity with what we expect to be available at 25. However on offense, McD has also shown a willingness to lean on his coordinators connections. In 2017, Zay Jones was selected because the Bills new WR coach was Zay’s college receivers coach. Last year, former OL coach Bobby Johnson was a former Miami Redhawk and had seemed to have some input on Tommy Doyle being selected. This year may be Aaron Kromers turn. The coach was OC for the Bears at the same time Mel Tucker - current Michigan State HC- was DC for the Bears. And again, McDermotts friend Dave Clausen was Walker’s head coach at Wake for two years. Last year, Travis Etienne went 25 and it’s quite possible that Ken Walker is a target at that spot this year. Jalen Pitre - Safety- Baylor McDermott may go back to the Dave Aranda well - now HC of Baylor. Pitre is a playmaker at Safety who may be a good future replacement. He was put into the STAR role in Baylor where he played all over the field so you know Aranda trusted him. Likely a second rounder. Damarri Mathis CB/S - PITT Pitt’s defense is very similar to ours and we may be willing to bring in another late round DB from McD’s buddy Narduzzi’s system. **** Only two weeks to go until we find out Thanks to all those who read. My dog got spade this morning and is not taking the discomfort well, so this self-imposed project has helped me stay up with her to make sure she doesn’t get the cone off and get after her stitches lol.

That economist must be from San Diego

WR OL CB CB RB S Gray Suit

Any DLine and we riot!

I highly recommend putting on some highlights and games of VTs TE James Mitchell. He was going to be big this year until an injury cut his season short. Very Dawson Knox as he is a pretty good blocker, excellent athlete and was vastly underused at VT.

Nice video by cover one

He is not the best QB, but he isn’t a scrub or anything. Maybe top 15? And he did a pretty good job keeping the team together after everything that happened with Gruden and Ruggs last year. Something to be said for being able to navigate all that and get your team to the playoffs.

nah it’s just funny

agree and that’s Hill he abused, though he didn’t do a ton in that game just coming off his ACL injury

I do think Dax is the better player, but I think Pitre is really good and McDermott values players that played for coaches he or his coaching staff know - Rousseau and Doyle come to mind. I would be good with Daxton, especially if they can get George Pickens in the following round. Lol That’s a little bit of cheating by me since I made that post you are talking about

Daxton is pretty good but I think if they want that type of player they would wait a round and go with Jalen Pitre from Baylor as McDermott and Baylor’s coach Dave Aranda are buddies and Dax and Pitre have similar playing styles. Im not sure if Andrew Booth was available in Kipers mock (tho it sounds like he is from the blurb). I would expect that would be the pick in that situation assuming the medical all are clear.