Fewell733

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/...aft/2008/video/ great spot to see tons of highlights of most of the players. have to type in who you're looking for - can't directly link to the specific video.

Phillip Merling. Probably the last wildcard of the draft. Hasn't been healthy to work out and because of this has been largely forgotten about by the media draft people. However, Sporting News has reported that while film study has hurt Gholston's stock, Merling's has been rising because his array of pass rush moves and consistent effort which shows up on film. It was only a few months ago (with no football played in the mean time and no workouts by Merling), that Merling was considered ahead of Harvey by many "draft experts." http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=399407

scouts have been saying that this CB class is excellent - with good talent that should be around for several rounds, plus a handful of 1st round talents in DRC, Jenkins, McKelvin, and probably a few others too I don't think it's are strongest need at all - clearly that is WR, but I could see us taking one at 11 if that's the best player there (at a position of at least moderate need, which corner is).

undeniable measureables and production (though only a year's worth - JuCo transfer, then not much action last year) plus no off field baggage or injury problems

I think that might be the only way the pick makes sense. Walker was pretty good last year though. He's no chump.

a bigger gamble is going into the season without an adequate receiving corps. Either way we're picker receiver in the first 41 picks - will it be the guy we like the best, or the guy we like 6th best. Who do we trust more to contribute. Either way we're probably going to have to devote another pick to receiver before the draft is out.

it would be a surprising pick. Really not sure where he would fit in. Butler isn't playing center - too tall and has no experience at that position on any level. It's always good to have great big men, but it makes more sense on defense since you rotate players in. We need better depth - not sure we really need a 1st round backup guard/tackle. Just cause we drafted crappy mid to late round lineman with Donahoe doesn't mean that that's all that can happen. Butler was a 5th rounder and he was probably our 2nd best lineman last year.

biggest responsibility is to win the game. If you get touchdowns and make big mistakes to lose the game, that doesn't cut it. Don't infer from this that we don't need to score more touchdowns to be a good team. Edwards is out there though because he doesn't make as many big mistakes because he reads defenses better. If he plays like crap and Losman is still around, he'll deserve another shot.

not that similar imo. I will certainly not shy away from saying that I'm a Losman fan years from now - but that doesn't mean that I don't think Edwards should be starting. Losman is far more likable that RJ ever was and a more exciting player to watch. People wanted to like RJ because there was hope that he could be a good qb, not because they liked his play that much or him as a person.

it's kind of a Catch-22 - if it is a success in Toronto it makes the team get more fans in that area and helps the Bills remain viable in the region long-term but fuels speculation that they'll move there permanently; if it's not a success, then the team's longtime regional viability is in doubt and they're more likely to move the highest bidder, but maybe not Toronto. I think the first is the preferable outcome since it's at least half good - makes a Buffalo franchise seem viable longterm. The other has no good other than maybe discouraging Toronto investors a bit. Ultimately I'd rather play some games in Toronto than no games in Buffalo.

his agent sure has some funny ideas about what's good for his client. Scouts didn't seem surprised by the times, they were impressed with the workout otherwise - these kind of letters and stunts seem more aimed at media outlets than the kind of things that actual scouts care about. An agent has to do a better job at managing expectations with his client and spinning things to the positive or at least mitigate damage.

have no idea what Russell will be like as a quarterback, but Edwards hands down.

I love all but the Justice pick. Scouts say Zuttah's best pro position may be center. I'd pick qb Josh Johnson with the second 4th as qb insurance down the line, then maybe another receiver in the early 5th. I have a feeling though that the Bills will take corner in the 1st though rather than Harvey.

he's my favorite of the tight ends. May not have that top end speed, but watch his highlights and you can see he's got top ball skills - reaches out and plucks the ball out of the air as he's moving and uses his size very well.

well he ran a 4.68 too - so he's getting there already....

I'd cut him a little slack. He's gotta be really frustrated for not doing as well as he wanted to (also the fact that he's very upset may show that he had been running better before, since blaming the school doesn't seem like an excuse you would formulate ahead of time if you knew you weren't going to run well)- and if he'd been preparing on a different surface and it was a last minute change, he has some right to be upset. His mistake though was not keeping it to himself though rather than airing it directly to the media. Have his agent contact clubs about the turf issue and maybe arrange private workouts with teams.

Fitzgerald ran a 4.63 at the combine though. Ran better times at his pro day. Kelly is almost certainly not a consideration at 11 anymore. But he ran a 4.68 and is coming off an injury. He'll be picked no later than the 2nd, and as high as the end of the first. He'd be a great value in the 2nd - great hands, toughness, blocking, routes, etc. People should view this as good news for the Bills because if we don't go WR in the first, there will likely be a good one there still in the second. If we go WR at 11 it'll be Sweed or Thomas and I'd bet on Thomas.

the league, if it hasn't already, should maintain a list for the players of all the OTC drugs/supplements that are permitted. If you want to take something not on the list you should ask the league if it's ok, and if you don't you're taking it at your peril for repercussions. It's possible they have something like this - but it seems like it would be an easy solution.

Buyer Beware on defensive end Ohio State’s Vernon Gholston is considered a high-riser in the NFL Draft. Scouts have fallen in love with his potential, overlooking, perhaps, some inconsistencies from his college career. “He’s top seven at worst,’’ ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., said. New England, picking seventh, could be his final destination. In the 3-4 front, Gholston could be used as a linebacker. But not all have him up there, however. At least one AFC team gave him a second-round grade, even talking about dropping him to the third round. “I’d be terrified if I took him in the first round,’’ one scout said. “He’s chiseled, he runs like the wind and he’s not dumb. But if you look on film, he has three great games and the rest of the season he’s watching the game.’’ http://www.examiner.com/a-1326675~Where_the_buck_stops.html

lets see - 3 FA acquisitions this off season for the front 7 - 2 expected to start, and one majorly contribute - plus our 2nd round mlb who missed basically the whole season is returning to start. Last season - 3 FA acquisitions for the OL - our sacks allowed is the lowest in franchise history.

apparently they didn't. I'm still struggling to see how a 1st round corner really makes sense. The best justification seems to be a BPA argument. But I think it would be a major hurdle for them to honestly beat out Greer or James this year- assuming they weren't just handed the job for being a first rounder. Also I wonder if DRC would be as beloved if his last name didn't have Cromartie in it. I like his shut-down coverage corner potential, but his production wasn't anything special against small school talent and he's not much of a tackler.

Music City Miracle was more infuriating than anything else. SB 25 - I got so worked up during the game that I got myself sick and missed the end of it (I was 10), I ended up missing a week of school - worst night of sleep of my life, I still remember the nightmares of Chris Berman talking about the game but not saying who won - then my mom broke it to me in the morning - I was devastated. MNF Cowboys - probably the most depressing. The bye week was a great relief that next weekend. Pittsburgh season finale - horrible but somehow cleansing. Revealed the Donahoe era for the fraud it was.

John Carlson Trevor Laws Chris Williams Rashard Mendenhall Keith Rivers

if a receiver runs excellent routes, has good burst off the line, and has excellent ball skills - the 40 isn't nearly as important. Housmandzadeh - 4.6 Jerry Rice - 4.6 Larry Fitzgerald - 4.6 Plaxico Burress - never ran it officially (apparently) but was estimated to be a 4.6 basically if Kelly runs anything in the 4.5/4.6 range, he's probably fine - assuming the scouts are satisfied with his game (routes, burst, ball skills) and his health.

i don't understand those that would want to spend a first on Albert. When you find a guy that can play at a very high level later in the draft, like we did with Butler, you don't replace him just for the heck of it because you have an opportunity to get a first rounder. We know Butler can play, we don't really know if Albert is an upgrade at all. Considering how well Butler played, it seems to me like a bet not worth making. I think we definitely need to add somebody in the middle rounds though to get better interior depth hopefully replacing Preston. One sleeper prospect is Kerry Brown from Appalachian State, who looks like he could be a great value in the 4th or 5th. http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/draftguys...erry-brown---og