Rd 1, Pick #16: QB EJ Manuel - Florida St.

[PearlHowardman]

Con-tro-vers-y

[Mr. WEO]

Or how about this: http://www.phillymag.com/eagles/2013/04/12/qb-stock-watch/

 

which contains a direct quote from Ron Jaworski:

 

As for Manuel, Jaws predicts that “at a minimum, I think we’ll see a team trade up into the back end of Round 1 to select him.”

 

Sorry, I'm still reading all the "Bills like Barkley" and "Bills like Nassib" and "Buddy likes Glennon" expert opinions. What were you saying again?

[KeisterHollow]

I don't care what the people in Florida are saying about Manuel. He played pretty good in the senior bowl, when the playing field was certainly leveled. I've seen enough good things about his game to be excited about him as a prospect. I'll say it again - and I said it before the draft - although he wasn't my first choice, I trust our coaches to make a better decision that I am capable of, since, you know, they're professionals, they are the ones running the offense (you'd think they'd know better than anyone what type of QB they'll need), and they investigated, in person, all the candidates.

 

After listening to more interviews with Manuel, something I didn't do before the draft (I only watched game video) I come away quite impressed with this kid's demeanor. I think he'll fit in quite nicely in a locker room. AND, now we can start day-dreaming about what he'll be able to do behind a decent O-line, with Spiller and Jackson in the backfield, with Stevie Johnson and HOPEFULLY another electric WR, maybe two good TE's... it's happening again... Buffalo Bills enthusiasm!

[Beerball]

My feelings on Manuel------

 

I watched the Gruden Camps with the QBs...Manuel jumped out at me in terms of his intelligence. Given his height, speed, and athletiisism he is a similar mode to a Cam Newton/Colin Kaepatrick.

 

 

Outside of some package plays I dont se him playing at all until buffalo is out of it at the end of the season.

 

do not believe you rush a QB to start out of the gates in the NFL.. Too much risk.

 

The one thing that does bother me....

 

Did they consider trading down further? I think they could have gotten a 3rd to move down to around 22-24. I understand the concern was on the teams at the top of the 2nd who were looking to draft a QB and could have traded up into the first a head of Buffalo. Its easier for them at high 2nd to move to the 23-26 range than to try to move up to the mid first.

 

As for the trade of picks with St Louis. The deal was about what you should have done based on the draft pick value chart. For the rams to move up it costs them a 2nd but that is a little more in value, so they flip 3rd round picks and then St Louis throws in a 7th which then balances it out.

 

The added bonus---the Jets couldnt draft the WR.

They did. According to Nix there were offers to trade out of 16. How much they considered it is something we'll never know, all Nix would say is they discussed it.

[HamSandwhich]

I really don't understand how you can say we panicked when we had all the QBs available to pick at 16. They believe in EJ, they believe in him enough to pick him at 16. Why is that panicking?

[PromoTheRobot]

EJ Manuel was obviously the lesser pick because the draft experts clearly had him behind all the other QBs that were drafted in round 1 yesterday.

[BRAWNDO]

i wouldn't have minded if Buffalo rolled the dice and made that additional trade with SF to hopefully get him at 31(?), it would have been nice to get the extra picks, but i am ok with this if it turns out to be a reach....

 

I thought about that as well, SF traded picks 31 and 74 to move up to 18, I don't think that was enough for the Bills to trade down again and risk missing out on Manuel.

[dave mcbride]

 

 

Dave, I always respect what you post but let me clarify a couple of things. Someone mentioned a "big win" against a "#15 team" but failed to mention it was North Illinois. The reference to tight games was about the "#15" team, not FSU.

 

Where you are wrong is FSU was picked by a lot of smart people to win it all last year. Herbstrei, who is the best talking head in all of CFB had them winning it all. They were a trendy pick because they were loaded and still are. Their defense has 3-4 more first round picks and their offense had 3-5* RBs and a stable full of WRs that would rival NFL teams. Believe me, they had as much talent as anyone last year and that includes Bama.

 

I'm sorry but EJ isn't a guy who puts a team on his back and wins games. It didn't happen with every opportunity in college and it won't happen here.

I totally agree about N. Ill, whose schedule was stocked with the UBs of the world last season. Re FSU, they *did* go 12-2, which is pretty damn good. I'm not a believer in the idea that you need a perfect record to demonstrate greatness. I guess my point is that I don't see much difference between that and, say, 13-1. FSU should have faced better competition in their BCS bowl, but Manuel had no control over that. Bear in mind how close they were to 13-1 -- they lost on essentially the last play of the game to a decent NC State on the road, 17-16: http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2012-10-06-north-carolina-state.html .

Edited April 26, 2013 by dave mcbride

[billsrcursed]

1) Yes, most folks think the Jags will pick up a QB...maybe with their next pic....the first pick as the draft starts back up tonight.....maybe not. But Gabbard will definitely be in the competition for the starting job. With their RG #1, the line will be better, and as anyone knows, QBs need a good line to have any success at all.

 

2) Nothing to be suspicious about. The point was that they've seen the guy play, week after week (well, whenever he has played). Diehard FSU fans have been calling in all morning laughing at the Bills for picking him...THEY know, THEY have watched his every play.

 

3) Umm, the Jax area media did indeed laugh at Tebow. Sure they like the guy as a person and what he stands for (who doesn't?), but they're smart enough to realize "he is what he is."

 

ORLY??

 

What makes them Diehard, because they call the radio station and B word about stuff??

 

I know plenty of "diehard" FSU fans who say the exact opposite. Wonder who's telling the truth?

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Manuel was my first QB so i am happy with the pick.

 

And I totally understand why anyone may like a QB better than they like Manuel.

 

But i don't understand the criticism of what the Bills did. They had to get a QB in the first two rounds. There wasn't any QB worthy of the #8 by almost all accounts. We got an extra second round pick, in a deep draft, AND the guy we clearly wanted.

 

You can argue that you hate EJ or wanted Geno or Barkley or Nassib, even though no one else thought they were a first rounder, but it's hard to argue with what the Bills did to get what they wanted.

 

I agree.

 

Frankly, I am glad we executed one trade down and still got the guy they wanted.

 

To complain that we didn't execute another trade down or roll the dice to trade back into the first, is silly.

[tennesseeboy]

Well....The staff did a lot of looking and learning and "fell in love with" Manuel as apparently did a few other teams. I guess as we finished our first trade back we might have considered a second if we were optimistic about Nassib, Smith, Barkely as fallbacks...but I guess we were really seeing Manuel as a guy we didn't want to take any chances on so we pulled the trigger. I have to be trusting of the staff that gave him such a serious look. Let's see how he does. We have two second round picks so we can perhaps get help for our defense there. Risky pick for sure but I'm not about to call it a bad pick by any means.

[Beerball]

We Got Vince Young!!!!

So far this is the most ridiculous thing I've read in this thread.

[billsrcursed]

I totally agree about N. Ill, whose schedule was stocked with the UBs of the world last season. Re FSU, they *did* go 12-2, which is pretty damn good. I'm not a believer in the idea that you need a perfect record to demonstrate greatness. I guess my point is that I don't see much difference between that and, say, 13-1. FSU should have faced better competition in their BCS bowl, but Manuel had no control over that. Bear in mind how close they were to 13-1 -- they lost on essentially the last play of the game to a decent NC State on the road, 17-16: http://www.sports-re...lina-state.html .

 

And for the record, I don't care who you play in a Bowl Game, it's a big game. Was it Alabama? No, but EJ couldn't control that. What he could do was dominate his Bowl Game, and he did.

[Garranimal]

Tebow had lots of signature wins

And i would take him over Manuel every day of the week, and definitely twice on Sunday!

[thewildrabbit]

FWIW, sports talk radio hosts down here.....folks who are intimately familiar with Manuel's play......this morning are saying the Bills blew it, big time. They think Manuel would have been available in 2nd, maybe even 3rd round. Bottom line is that they don't think it was a good pick at all.

Jacksonville, Philly, Arizona, Jets, and Tenn all pick before the Bills in the 2nd round. I think Philly coveted him because Chip Kelly tried to recruit him in college.So the Bills would have most likely missed on EJ if they had waited till the 2nd round.

 

However, I also think the Bills took him too early and could have traded back some more, to the top of the first round perhaps, as they have so many other holes to fill.

[billsrcursed]

And i would take him over Manuel every day of the week, and definitely twice on Sunday!

 

You should be banned for this post. Obvious troll.

[zow2]

I posted this in another thread...shoulda posted here.

 

I wasn't high on EJ Manuel but there's no way any of us can predict he will fail or be great. I'm trusting Marrone, Nix and Whaley on this. They knew Nassib better than anyone and passed on him (not a good sign for Mr. Nassib). They knew and prepared vs Barkley and Geno and obviously saw flaws. None of us knows how good EJ will be?!? I'm supporting it. EJ sounds like a smart guy, hard worker, great arm and legs... and loves being in Buffalo. Good start for him.

[Nyghtewynd]

We were all worried that Buddy was going to use a high pick on a second-round talent because he was the second-best quarterback.

 

He fooled us all.

 

He took the third-best quarterback who's a third round talent.

 

There has never been a more Buffalo Bills pick than this. Great job, moron.

[Beerball]

 

I posted this in another thread, but it is absolutely impossible to logically argue with the Bills' process and execution of their plan last night. They did more research and in-person evaluation of QBs than probably any other team. They got two extra picks and still got their guy. Few thought this front office was capable of that kind of maneuvering. It was a joy to watch.

Regardless of how anyone feels about Manuel you cannot say that the Bills did not use due diligence, and you cannot say that they missed on 'their guy'. Getting 2 extra picks is icing on the cake.

 

I don't know enough about Manuel to comment on him personally as a QB. His ups (Clemson) and downs (Florida) make evaluating him difficult. Do you ignore one of those games? Both? But...the process and result (pending round 2) can't be argued.

[1B4IDie]

E Manuel meaning "God is with us"