Bills have talked to Mercilus

[Beerball]

Bills also talked with QB Brock Osweiler per BB.com

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Bills also talked with QB Brock Osweiler per BB.com

Interesting.

 

Apparently aside from interviews and being measured, Osweiler is not participating in any drills.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/25/arizona-states-osweiler-claims-he-has-sprained-foot/

 

 

[BillsCelticsAngelsBama]

I doubt there is one team that has Mercilus rated higher than Ingram. But if there is one then it wouldn't surprise me if it's the team that has the longest current playoff drought. If we take Whitney Mercilus and any of the following are on the board (Courtney Upshaw,Melvin Ingram, Jonathan Martin, David DeCastro,Riley Reiff , Kendall Wright or EVEN Trent Richardson) I will be highly sick at my stomach.. the way I was on draft days gone by when we took Maybin and Whitner.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

just kicking the tires, but I wont be livid if we draft him like I was with Maybin (that pick still drives me crazy)

[biggerdaddynj]

A long, rich history of running from and defending themselves against the Tonton Macoute.

And a proud history as the first black-led republic after the slave rebellion booted the French out. Fast forwarding to today, culturally speaking, Haitian-Americans, from the poor to the rich, instill in their children moral values and a strong work ethic which includes an emphasis on education. That's why we're seeing a lot of high character athletes coming from this community. Now back to football, if the Bills draft Mercilus and he's the next JPP, Ralph can start playing some games in Montreal!!!

[biggerdaddynj]

The trade down possibilities exist people! Trent Richardson is the first consideration, because he could fall to #10. Additionally, this slot is the last one for a OLT like Reiff, Martin or Adams. I have been thinking that the Bengals with numbers 17 and 21 would be a good partner, as they would probably covet Trent Richardson, and the trade chart says that Buffalo's 1st and 2nd gets the deal done. The Cardinals are also a likely trade partner for one of the tackles.

I agree 110%. Our 10th pick is a great spot because it guarantees one of the several teams who need OT help one of the two second tier OTs--Reiff or Martin. That's also why we need the pick if we don't re-sign Bell. You also raise a good point about Richardson should he fall.

[Bruce]

Part of what makes this fun is that fans can sit back and pretend to be in the position of GM every year and compile a draft board based on what they would like to see happen.

 

Very rarely are we right, and this goes for the entire NFL.

 

This is just kicking the tires. In Nix's latest interview, he stated that there is depth for pass rushers in the later rounds.

 

I see us taking the LT from Stanford 1st. Then perhaps a corner 2nd, and probably 2 pass rushers in rounds (DE, OLB?) between rounds 3-6. However, I also see the Bills also bringing in proven pass rush talent via free agency or trade.

 

I don't think that they will compete for Houston's DE, but I've read where the Giants are looking to move Osi via trade, and there are several others that have proven themselves in NFL games that I believe we will sign one of them.

[BobChalmers]

Exactly. JPP was a one-year wonder if I recall correctly.

 

Right - as was Maybin.

 

Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

 

One-year-wondrs are riskier. How important is it for the Bills to take a risk to fill a need instead of focus on a safer BPA?

 

It's not an easy question for sure.

Edited February 26, 2012 by BobChalmers

[Coach Tuesday]

I see us taking the LT from Stanford 1st. Then perhaps a corner 2nd, and probably 2 pass rushers in rounds (DE, OLB?) between rounds 3-6. However, I also see the Bills also bringing in proven pass rush talent via free agency or trade.

 

I can see this too, although I can see them going with Martin at 10 (a safe, solid and immediately productive pick), and then trying to trade back up into the 20s to grab Mercilus. And man, if they pull that off (and then grab a few LBs later on), it's a very successful draft.

[8-8 Forever?]

Whitney Mercilus has talked to the Bears, Chargers, and Bills.

 

Per Chris Brown, "Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus is a pass rusher that’s been forecast to go in the bottom half of round one at the earliest. According to the pass rusher the Bills were one of a handful of teams that spent a lot of time with him here at the NFL Combine.

 

“I met with the Bears, the Chargers, also the Bills,” said Mercilus. ”They showed interest… a lot of interest.”

 

The knock on Mercilus is he didn’t have a breakout season until this past year at Illinois with an impressive 14.5 sacks and 8 forced fumbles. He’s got pure pass rushing ability, and chalks his one year of production up to “still learning the game.” It’s unlikely he’d be an option for Buffalo in round two as he’s expected to test very well here at the Combine in what is a year without a ton of top flight pass rushing talent at the top of the draft board."

We need guys that have already "learned the game"

[Trader]

Whitney Mercilus has talked to the Bears, Chargers, and Bills.

 

Per Chris Brown, "Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus is a pass rusher that’s been forecast to go in the bottom half of round one at the earliest. According to the pass rusher the Bills were one of a handful of teams that spent a lot of time with him here at the NFL Combine.

 

“I met with the Bears, the Chargers, also the Bills,” said Mercilus. ”They showed interest… a lot of interest.”

 

The knock on Mercilus is he didn’t have a breakout season until this past year at Illinois with an impressive 14.5 sacks and 8 forced fumbles. He’s got pure pass rushing ability, and chalks his one year of production up to “still learning the game.” It’s unlikely he’d be an option for Buffalo in round two as he’s expected to test very well here at the Combine in what is a year without a ton of top flight pass rushing talent at the top of the draft board."

I liked his interview a lot. He is hungry, like a lot of immigrants. I don't think it's a," take the money and run", situation with him. The one year wonder cliche' is a getting tiresome. There are plenty of examples on both sides of the argument. It's an issue but you do not pick at 10 based on a single factor.

[Beerball]

Right - as was Maybin.

 

Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

 

One-year-wondrs are riskier. How important is it for the Bills to take a risk to fill a need instead of focus on a safer BPA?

 

It's not an easy question for sure.

One important distinction though...when did JPP begin playing football? When did Maybin begin playing football?

[d_wag]

Whitney Mercilus looks good at Illinois Pro Day

 

Posted by Josh Alper on March 6, 2012, 4:21 PM EST

APWhitney Mercilus probably improved on the third-round grade he got from the NFL draft advisory board with a strong combine and he may have improved on it even more during Illinois’ Pro Day workout on Tuesday.

Mercilus didn’t try to best his strong combine performances in the 40 or bench press, but he improved on his results in the short-shuttle and three-cone drills. But his most impressive work came during on-field drills where, according to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune, he looked like a quick and explosive pass rusher. Pompei reports that Mercilus created a buzz among scouts during outside linebacker drills with three of them remarking on how smooth and fluid he looked while going through the workout.

Jaguars defensive line coach Joe Cullen ran the workout and, per Pompei, had dinner with Mercilus on Monday night. In total, 29 different teams were represented at the workout although no general managers made the trip to Champaign.

Mercilus put together a great 2011 season with the Illini, finishing with 16 sacks, but it was his only full year as a starter. That’s created some question about whether or not he’s a one year wonder that won’t hold up over the long haul against better competition. Pass rushing is at such a premium in the NFL right now that some team is likely to take the risk that Mercilus will be able to repeat his performance as a junior once he gets to the NFL.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/06/whitney-mercilus-looks-good-at-illinois-pro-day/

[atlbillsfan1975]

Right - as was Maybin.

 

Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

 

One-year-wondrs are riskier. How important is it for the Bills to take a risk to fill a need instead of focus on a safer BPA?

 

It's not an easy question for sure.

Find out if the Giants Scouts like any of the DE's, then draft that guy? Ha

[San Jose Bills Fan]

The strongest similarity I've found with Mercilus and Maybin is that there exists very little videotape of either player in their final year of college.

 

I commented numerous times about Maybin that the only video I could find (and this was true even after he was drafted) was of his Rose Bowl performance against USC where he was a complete non factor except for one play where he got a strip/sack… which was nullified by the fact that he lined up in the neutral zone on that play.

 

What little I've seen of Mercilus looks a helluva lot better than anything I ever saw on Maybin.

 

If the Bills pulled the trigger on this guy, I'd be fine with it… because I trust Nix and his hand-picked personnel department… which is extremely different from the department he worked with his first year.

[Joe Miner]

Who is more likely to be right?

 

The NFL advisory board with a 3rd round grade or non NFL employed draft gurus with a late first round grade?

 

Is it possible the Bills were talking to him because they think there's a good chance he'll be there for them in the second?

[NoSaint]

Whitney Mercilus has talked to the Bears, Chargers, and Bills.

 

Per Chris Brown, "Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus is a pass rusher that’s been forecast to go in the bottom half of round one at the earliest. According to the pass rusher the Bills were one of a handful of teams that spent a lot of time with him here at the NFL Combine.

 

“I met with the Bears, the Chargers, also the Bills,” said Mercilus. ”They showed interest… a lot of interest.”

 

The knock on Mercilus is he didn’t have a breakout season until this past year at Illinois with an impressive 14.5 sacks and 8 forced fumbles. He’s got pure pass rushing ability, and chalks his one year of production up to “still learning the game.” It’s unlikely he’d be an option for Buffalo in round two as he’s expected to test very well here at the Combine in what is a year without a ton of top flight pass rushing talent at the top of the draft board."

 

Bills talked to what, 30(?), other guys too?

 

And of course the highest interest on his list of self reported talks is the one that's drafting highest and would drive up his stock most

[section122]

Okay because I have a noted liking for this guy I wouldn't mind engaging in a serious conversation on this guy. What I see is someone who broke through this year. In an interview he said it finally all came together for him and that is why he had a breakout year. I also see a guy who has absolutely no knocks on him. I see a guy without strength concerns, without run stopping problems, with speed to close on qbs, with a knack for causing fumbles, led the nation in sacks and ff playing in a major conference, ideal size for a 43 end at 6-4 265. So I ask save for the 1 year wonder concern why don't people like this guy? Is it truly that Maybin has scared everyone away from anyone who only has 1 productive year? This guy is certainly no Maybin (and even Maybin had 6 sacks this year but I don't care to talk about him). Please help me understand what I'm not seeing. I would love this guy to be the Bills pick at 10.

 

http://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2012wmercilus.php

all of the below is from this link

 

Whitney Mercilus was the most productive pass-rusher in college football in 2011. He led the nation in sacks (16) and forced fumbles (9). It was a record-setting season as Mercilus topped Simeon Rice's school record for sacks in a year. Like Rice, Mercilus is a fabulous athlete. He has a special combination of size, speed and strength to go along with excellent technique. Mercilus also recorded 57 tackles and 22.5 tackles for a loss.

 

Entering the NFL, Mercilus is an advanced pass-rusher. He got the better of the best tackles he faced this season. Against Ohio State's Mike Adams, Mercilus recorded 1.5 sacks with a forced fumble. The Wisconsin Badgers' powerful offensive line couldn't contain Mercilus. He bull rushed through massive right tackle Josh Oglesby to get a sack-fumble on Russell Wilson. Mercilus also knocked out left tackle Ricky Wagner for part of the game.

 

Mercilus has a very impressive repertoire of pass rushing moves. He attacks with speed around the edge. As a counter to the speed, he has the strength to execute rip moves and shed offensive linemen. Mercilus has the raw power to get under offensive linemen's pads and bull rush into the pocket. That catches linemen by surprise as they are so cognizant of being ready for his speed rush. Beyond his great physical skill set, Mercilus is an advanced pass-rusher technically.

 

Mercilus holds up well in run defense. Linemen don't push him around, as he is strong at the point of attack. He also will burst into the backfield to disrupt running plays.

 

The big question regarding Mercilus is why didn't break into the lineup sooner and why didn't he produce more earlier. In 2009 and 2010, Mercilus combined to record 24 tackles with two sacks and 6.5 tackles for a loss.

 

Player Comparison: Jason Pierre-Paul. There are a lot of similarities between Mercilus and JPP. Both are fantastic athletes who come to the NFL with a special combination of speed and strength. They also were one-year wonders at the college level. Mercilus had more production than JPP in their final college season, and the latter has turned into one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

A lot of people here have paraphrased Nix as being wary of one-year wonders, which is true.

 

However he also said that when a player is a one-year wonder you have to carefully examine the reasons why.

 

In Mercilus' case one could theorize that somewhere between last season and the year before:

 

1) Something just clicked… the game "slowed down for him" or any of these things that happen in sports where a player develops past the threshhold and raises his game to another level.

 

2) He caught up to his body… in the offseason between 2010-11 we're talking about a guy who was 19 years old!

 

That's as much a kid as a man and it's totally plausible that he hadn't grown into his body yet.

 

3) Maybe it was mental maturity… the possibilities are many.

 

Point is, one would be a fool for dismissing Mercilus as a one-year wonder.

 

Yes it's a concern but as Nix said, it's just an opportunity to dig deeper and understand why that was the case, and if those reasons allay your fears.

[rafter]

If the bills showed 'a lot of interest' then we probably wont be drafting him. Not at 10.

The bills seem to avoid who they are targeting on draft day, making them one of the hardest teams to decipher.

As always, our pick at 10 will probably be someone we weren't expecting.