Richard Noggin

But which numbers indicate he isn't athletic? Or, are you applying your own eye test instead? RAS just formulates a number based on comparable athletic testing. Those tests are not the only way to determine athleticism, but they are the only way to objectively compare raw athleticism.

I think your point is fair, in that many of us fans and possibly many in the Bills org would have preferred to draft speed/production to WR room earlier on day three (Royals and Horton and hung around for a while, among others; but then again, why DID they go later than commonly projected online?). I suspect the Bills actually LOVE their WR depth entering 2025, with a top 4 of Palmer, Shakir, Coleman, and Samuel, plus Virgil and Shavers and Prather and Shenault and Hamler. There is some "hope as a strategy" happening here wrt Coleman and Palmer, and the depth guys, but you have to draft and ultimately count on development at certain positions each year. Hence the importance of drafting. Took 3rd round Spencer Brown a few years to sort himself out, and didn't always look promising along the way. Bernard was a perceived liability in his 2nd season when injuries thrust him into starting role. Maybe Allen helps a bunch of his skill guys "play up" and maybe some of them also simultaneously "step up." I'm excited to see if Kincaid and Coleman take needed steps, or if next year's draft goes heavy on offensive weapons. Probably should either way, just to maintain healthy pipelines. RB and WR and possibly even TE are on track to have unfilled slots in 2026. It's ultimately understandable that fans see Houston and Kansas City and Green Bay and Cincinnati and even Baltimore (and others) investing MUCH more heavily in the WR position than Buffalo has, and they get frustrated. I've been hoping for another day two/early day three WR each of the last two drafts. Specifically wanted Franklin as he "slid" last year, and wanted Royals or Horton as they "fell" this year. No way to know if the general consensus will turn out to be right, or if the Bills will be vindicated by progress in the existing ranks. This season will likely clarify a few ongoing questions about how effectively the Bills build and coach their roster.

Oh the magnificent angst on display on day three of the NFL draft! Such drama! Such unheralded/amateur expertise! Such oversimplifications of rather incredibly complicated and interrelated outcomes! Such certainty!

Some puzzlers in the OP imo: 1. Hoecht at MLB with Bernard freshly re-signed to play that same position? 2. 3rd round Rookie Jackson starting over a presumably healthy 30-year Joey Bosa on a one year prove-it deal? 3. Walker winning starting 1T? 4. The big nickel alignment includes only 4 DBs and 1 of the 3 LBs is Hoecht? That isn't just a standard 4-3 or really a 5-2 (as Hoecht will be classified as a DL)?

Agree until the number 15. Yes, he's being viewed as a S/NCB according to Beane, and yes he's larger and faster than Cam Lewis, and yes that's who will be competing with at least first. And yes he might want to (along with majority of draftees) add some strength/mass. But...adding 15 lbs of lean muscle for a speed/agility athlete is both difficult to do and especially difficult to do without a deleterious impact on speed/agility (especially change of direction). Maybe 5 lbs this year and see how that goes. He's not small as is.

Isn't Hawes nearly a QUARTILE better than "very average" wrt athleticism? Edit: @White Linen can't cite a 7.23 RAS and then claim "very average" athleticism. That's not how statistics works. Hawes scored 23% above avg (for as long as they've been reliably tracking these numbers) for pre-draft TEs. Very average is a 5.00 RAS (which I know is also essentially the median as well--but could apply to more than one of the 1200+ TE prospects over the years).

I mocked Day Three just now and it went like this: Had to move the 4th plus 2 5ths and a 7th to guarantee my preferred WR, Royals. Could have instead waited for either him or Horton to come off the board and then attempt to trade up, but IRL that can be too late if a team or two isn't looking to trade out.

Wasn't Forrest celebrated more for his aggressive downhill play against the run while starting for DC? I've seen highlights that feature his run game tackling more than his coverage reps, but that's not exactly a meaningful indicator. And he was often triggering from depth, so...

"He" is Hamlin here, yes? If so, I agree that is what should happen, unless Bishop fails to progress at all. We all know McD will often play the steady, undersized/unathletic/old hand who KNOWS the defense and doesn't blow assignments over a more dynamic, but inconsistent, alternative. So Bishop needs to show substantial growth to be trusted ahead of Hamlin and even potentially Forrest (who is a sleeper candidate to earn snaps in 2025). He has a real opportunity to grab the #2 or #3 S job, of course. Has to be better to do so, though. I'll bet S gets at least one serious addition next offseason, alongside an otherwise offensive focus.

I think drafting Royals actually DOES that. Whereas drafting Bond MAYBE does that, or at least eventually does that, until the next allegations.

Isn't Farmer all potential and limited production? That's what I've surmised from draft profiles.

If both are available when the Bills pick next, they have to go with Royals who has no pending disciplinary reviews by the court system, the public, or the league.

Yes, but...the "fall" isn't exactly a real thing, but instead is the public finally learning how the league actually values a prospect.

132 (4th) + 173 + 177 = 1 more point than 103 (1st pick of 4th) according to Rich Hill chart. Probably would take 1 more 5th or at least the 2 better 5ths instead to work.

100%. Growing need for Chiefs by the end of last season was a boundary guy who could allow McDuffie to align where he's most effective, inside. Seems like KC was forced to line him up wide more often than they'd like. He can take reps anywhere, but he's ideally suited to nickel. Williams projects nicely into an aggressive pressure defense. The other two picks are solid rotational additions who can get after the passer.

Can't see the Bills going anywhere near the circus being referenced, but 100% agree that Mitchell Trubisky is awful on the field. Really hesitant.

Hating the obsession with a certain prospect's circus in this thread, HOWEVER, I am loving the sheer volume of different spellings for such a popular person's first name (not even that outlandish a spelling, even for the avg NFL fan to grasp).

Solid picks, those. Maybe a little early, yeah? Even though that doesn't matter much if they can play.

Harbaugh remains truly devoted to Bo Schembechler football.

If I control+F'd for "Sanders" or misspelled permutations of "Shedeur"...how many results would show to this point just tonight? What's the ongoing obsession? I get the story overall, but it's nonstop even in this thread. **and yes, I know the Bills 2nd round pick would skew the results

When the QB was throwing quick game to the opposite sideline, sure

Very pleased with first 2 days. Very pleased.

Obviously

LFG

Gave up a bunch of value to draft TeSlaa. Strongly suggests they had whispers of him going soon