My 7 round mock draft

[Losman-McGahee-Evans]

Rd 02 : CB Bryant McFadden (FSU) - 5'11" 190 4.55

 

Strengths: Has better than average height and the frame to get bigger. Is tough and aggressive for his size. Has long arms. Does a good job of pressing WRs at the line. Has a wide wingspan and will knock a lot of passes down in the short area. He does not get pushed around much in coverage and he can matchup against most bigger receivers. He has adequate quickness. Shows fluid hips for a relatively tall cornerback and he shows the ability to change directions without losing too much in transition. He has adequate ball skills, good leaping ability and defends the jump ball very well. He is aggressive in run support. Is a drag-down tackler.

 

Weaknesses: Has adequate but not great size or speed. He lacks great catch-up burst to make up for mistakes. He's quick, but he doesn't have great explosiveness out of his pedal. Not a great playmaker. Seems to have trouble finding the ball at times when turning and running. Knocks down some passes he should intercept. Lacks ideal ball skills. Is tough and aggressive but will get run over occasionally in run support.

 

Overview: McFadden redshirted in 2000, played some as a sub-package DB as a redshirt freshman in '01, and saw increased playing time as a nickel cornerback in 2002, when he finished with three interceptions. He played in 12 of 13 games and started nine as a junior in 2003. McFadden's draft stock soared during his breakout senior season. Heading into the 2004 season McFadden had a lot of upside but was considered nothing more than a mid-round prospect due to some durability problems and a lack of playmaking skills. McFaddan only had one interception during his senior season but he stayed healthy, started all 12 games and finished with a team-high 11 passes broken up. McFaddeen doesn't have elite speed or ball skills but he has excellent athleticism and leaping ability (40½-inch vertical jump), good size (5113, 195) and outstanding tackling skills. His instincts and confidence improved the most, as McFadden emerged as an extremely reliable man-to-man and zone cover corner in 2004. McFaddan's lack of top-end speed might keep him from becoming a first round selection but he should to come off the board somewhere in the second round.

 

Rd 03 : OC Ben Wilkerson (LSU) - 6'3" 292 5.56 (Ran slow due to recent injury)

 

Strengths: Has a great frame and can continue to get bigger and stronger. Is one of the quickest linemen in the 2005 draft class. Has terrific initial quickness and wins most of his battles with his first step. Takes excellent angles as a run blocker. Is at his best when uncovered. Shows good balance and body control. Makes up for lack of great speed with initial quickness and angles. Is able to consistently get out on linebackers and seal them off on the second-level. Has a quick set in pass protection. Is extremely aware and does an excellent job of picking up blitzes and stunts. Has adequate upper body strength and a powerful hand punch in pass pro. Really does a good job with his hand placement. Is a leader and a hard worker. Does an outstanding job with line calls. Plays with a great motor.

 

Weaknesses: Has adequate but not great size. Needs to improve his strength. Is tall and somewhat lean. Lacks ideal lower body strength. Will struggle versus massive two-gap NTs in the NFL. Will have to play with perfect leverage and positioning to hold up against more powerful bull rushers. Also, while he is extremely quick in the short area, he does not have great downfield mobility for the position. Back injury in 2002 and knee injury in 2004 are also a long-term concern.

 

Overview: Wilkerson took over as LSU's starting center midway through his true freshman season in '01 and, when healthy, was LSU's fulltime starter the next three seasons. Wilkerson missed the Cotton Bowl as a sophomore because of a back injury that required surgery, but he returned healthy as a junior in '03. He did, however, suffer a season-ending patella tendon injury in his left knee versus Vanderbilt (Nov. 6, 2004) and had surgery shortly thereafter. Wilkerson lacks ideal size but is one of the most efficient, technically sound and athletic centers in this class. Prior to the injury we considered him to be the top rated prospect at the position. While he has time to rehabilitate the knee between now and April's draft to prove that he can fully recover, the injury does have some bearing on his draft value and could cause him to slip a little bit on draft day. Assuming he recovers fully and considering he has such a strong work ethic, we still think Wilkerson is worth drafting in the second round.

 

Rd 04 : TE Matt Jones (ARK) - 6'5" 220 4.40

 

Strengths: Is a very good athlete for his size. He has great height and good bulk for his frame. He has decent quickness but really accelerates as he runs. He has long strides and seems to be deceptive in his speed when he takes off to run because defenders often come up short on their pursuit angles. He has adequate arm strength. Throws a good deep ball and shows better accuracy and touch on those passes than on short-to-intermediate ones that require more precision and zip. He is a dual threat who is very difficult to defend because of his mobility and effectiveness as a thrower on the run. Also has versatility and could have more upside as a WR in the NFL.

 

Weaknesses: Has a very nonchalant attitude. Not sure if he loves playing the game of football? Is too inconsistent as a passer. His accuracy varies and he misses entirely too many targets. He doesn't have great patience in the pocket. Will take off too early and tries to run too much at times. Doesn't have a great feel for reading defenses or picking up hot reads. He locks on to his primary target too often and does a poor job of making his check downs. He has adequate but not good arm strength and would struggle to fit the ball into tight spots in the NFL. He also seems uncomfortable inside the pocket and tries to roll outside a lot and get on the move.

 

Overview: Jones is an interesting late round draft prospect because of his athleticism, size and versatility. Also a four-year member of the Razorback's basketball team, Jones began his football career at Arkansas as a wide receiver. He split time at quarterback and wide receiver as a freshman in 2001 before taking over as the fulltime starting quarterback in '02. He has had lingering injuries and he continues to be an inconsistent performer with more of a sandlot style than anything. Jones has great size, decent arm strength and good athletic ability, but in all likelihood his best chance of making it in the NFL will be as a possession receiver. He has experience at the position, he has enough speed and running ability, and he certainly is a big enough target to take a chance on in the final few rounds of the 2005 draft.

 

Rd 05 : RB Maurice Clarett (OSU) - 5'11" 230 4.59 (Last 40 time as an active player)

Strengths: Has good size and power as an inside runner. He lowers his shoulder, creates his own running room and pushes the pile in short-yardage situations. He has impressive vision and patience, allowing him to find backside creases and exploit defenses for over-pursuing him. Most impressive asset is his burst through the hole. Few running backs, even in the NFL, match his ability to get through small creases in the line. Once through the hole, his ability to bounce outside and accelerate is uncanny. He is a smooth route runner with very good awareness in the short-passing game. Shows soft hands and the ability to adjust to the poorly thrown ball. Will snatch on the run and does a nice job of getting upfield right away. Is technically sound, aware and physical as a blocker. Is surprisingly efficient in this area for such an inexperienced player. Shows lateral movement skills to pick up the blitz. Shows good leverage at the point of attack and has good initial pop.

 

Weaknesses: Character and maturity are major concerns. Has adequate but not great speed. Has enough speed to turn the corner from time-to-time in the NFL, but is a better inside runner than outside runner. Is not overly elusive in space and won't make a lot of defenders miss. Is not a huge matchup threat as a receiver. Does not have elite speed and is not the type of back you split out in order to create mismatches with. He has not taken a lot of shots to his body, but durability is still very much a concern. He really struggled to stay healthy in his only full season at OSU. Missed three games and most of two others with knee and shoulder ailments as a freshman in 2002. Has not proven capable of handling the full load as a premier back.

 

Overview: Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards and 18 touchdowns in his lone collegiate season in 2002. His talent is tough to deny. He has a very good combination of size, speed, burst, vision, change of direction skills and patience as a runner. Clarett also has the potential to be an every-down back, assuming he has the durability to do so. He can't create passing-game matchup problems like the Rams' Marshall Faulk and the Chiefs' Priest Holmes can, but he is a receiving threat. Clarett is similar to the Colts' Edgerrin James in the sense that he catches the ball smoothly and is tough to bring down in the open field because of his size and burst. He also can be an outstanding blocker on blitz-pickup situations. However, while Clarett has the talent and potential to develop into a starting running back in the NFL, his road will be an extremely tough one to hoe between now and then. He is inexperienced after playing just that one season ('02) for the Buckeyes and it will be more than two full years since he has played football if he winds up sitting out and waiting to get drafted in April '05. He has major off-the-field issues as well as character and durability concerns. In our opinion, he's a late-first or second round talent who, as a result of all of the question marks surrounding him as a player and person, will more than likely slip to Day 2.

 

Rd 06 : TE Steve Fleming (AZ) - 6'6" 260 4.9

 

Strengths: Is a big tight end with good athleticism for his size. A massive target as a possession receiver. Is a smooth athlete with good body control. Can adjust to the poorly thrown ball. Hands are very solid. Will do a good job of shielding defenders with his big frame and has a good feel for finding soft spots in zone coverage. Has developed into a solid space blocker because of his size and mobility. Is a wall-off blocker that will get in the way.

 

Weaknesses: Has good size but is not a good blocker. Is too much of a finesse blocker. Gets away with being a position-and-wall-off blocker in college but must improve his power and lower body strength. Doesn't get good leg drive and struggles to finish at times. He lacks top-end speed as a receiver. Will never be a threat to stretch the field vertically. Also still needs some work in terms of his route running technique.

 

Overview: Fleming began his career at Arizona as a quarterback but redshirted in 2000 and moved to tight end prior to his redshirt freshman season in '01. He saw limited action as a backup from '01-'02 and had shoulder surgery in the spring of '03, but emerged as a fulltime starter as a junior in '03. He finished his junior season with 24 receptions for 222 yards and two touchdowns and is having a similarly productive senior season in '04. Fleming has terrific size, good hands and a solid feel as a route runner. He also has developed into an adequate position-blocker. However, his lack of explosiveness as a receiver and blocker will cause him to slip on draft day. In our opinion, Fleming has the potential to develop into a solid possession receiver as a No. 2 TE in the NFL but he'll never be a vertical threat and he needs to improve his blocking skills in order to make it at the next level.

 

Rd 07 : OG Scott Young (BYU) - 6'4" 312 5.0

 

The most intriguing day-two prospect might be BYU's Scott Young. A two-year starter at defensive tackle at Dixie Junior College from 2000-01, Young transferred to BYU in 2002 and played in 10 games as a DT that season. He finally made the move to guard in 2003 and elected to take a redshirt season while making the transition.

 

As a senior in 2004, Young was a full-time starter at guard and wound up earning second-team All-Mountain West honors. He built on that momentum with one of the best combines of any offensive lineman, as the 6-3½, 312-pounder put up the standard 225-pound bench press 43 times (the most of any prospect at this year's combine), while running the 40-yard dash in 5.06 and the short-shuttle in 4.37.

 

He also had the second-highest vertical jump (35 inches) in the guard group. Young is obviously inexperienced and unpolished, but some team will be willing to gamble on his upside somewhere in the fifth-to-sixth round range.

[Bflojohn]

No "flaming away" neccessary! I'd like it pretty much top to bottom except for Clarett. I don't think he'll pan out.... Matt Jones might go even earlier than round 4, but if the Bills could nab him in the 4th, GREAT!! McFadden scares me a bit too, so my guess is he's Clements insurance, right? Wilkerson will draw questions about the tendon he shreaded at LSU, but modern medicine is on his side. I'd like a reciever in a fairly deep draft for that position.... Maybe where Clarett is selected in your mock. The speedster from Hampton, Mathis, would be a good pickup to me. Fun draft though, good work!!!

[CajunBillsBacker]

If TD drafted a CB in round 2 this year, this board will probably crash from all the "WTF is TD doing?" related posts, but I think it's a good pick incase we lose out on Clements.

 

The rest of the picks I love except for Clarett. He may be good, but I don't want to see that prick in a Bills uniform.

[KRT88]

Why would we even want to draft Maurice Clarett?

[Losman-McGahee-Evans]

Why would we even want to draft Maurice Clarett?

281614[/snapback]

We'll need a back up RB and he actually does have some upside especially this late in the draft.

[R. Rich]

Not bad.

 

I like the areas you addressed, though not some of the players.

 

McFadden would be a very nice pick in the 2nd. We do need another corner to match up against multiple WR sets. That killed us against Pittsburgh in the season finale last year, especially on 3rd downs.

 

Wilkerson has too many questions and there are others who are as talented as he is (Chris Spencer is the top center available while Jason Brown is another good one; Rob Hunt of North Dakota St is also moving up draft boards).

 

Jones probably will not last until the 4th. Many teams are looking at him not only at TE, but possibly at WR also. Getting him in the 4th would certainly be considered a steal.

 

Clarett? I dunno. He has the tools, but does he have what it takes mentally to adjust and become an effective NFL player? I fear he could be to RBs what Ryan Leaf was to QBs: immensely talented, but ridiculously immature. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd rather look elsewhere, maybe at Ryan Moats of Louisiana Tech, who seems to be slipping even though he's had good workouts and was extremely productive in college.

 

Fleming is an interestng prospect at TE, but if we're going to draft a TE to develop, I hope it's Jerome Colllins of, God forgive me, Notre Dame. Despite going to that school, he's very talented and could become a very solid TE in the pros. It will take some work, as he's pretty new to the position, but I'd be happier with him than Fleming.

 

Young is a very strong lineman and is athletic. I guess if we're going to employ a lot of pulling plays, he's not a bad choice. Personally, I'm hoping we're more of a straight ahead, drive blocking team. If that's the case, Sam Mayes of Oklahoma State is a very solid late round prospect. He's got good size, nice technique, and is a mauler in the ground game. His pass blocking isn't that special, but can be worked on.

[Bill from NYC]

If TD drafted a CB in round 2 this year, this board will probably crash from all the "WTF is TD doing?" related posts, but I think it's a good pick incase we lose out on Clements.

 

The rest of the picks I love except for Clarett. He may be good, but I don't want to see that prick in a Bills uniform.

281613[/snapback]

 

Agreed. At this point, the Bills are in need of 1 corner, possibly 2.

 

As much as I would love to see a blocker with our first selection, the Bills have a history of drafting cbs with their first pick, and not keeping them very long. This is, imo, not the worst philosophy mind you.

 

I for one would rather not see too much cap space tied to this position.

[scribo]

We'll need a back up RB and he actually does have some upside especially this late in the draft.

281659[/snapback]

Clarett will go undrafted. Watch.

[TigerJ]

I liked Scott Young in round 7. Actually I like Wilkerson in round 3 too.

 

My thoughts on the rest of it. McFadden- I would never draft a CB that can't run a 4.5 40 or better. There are too many WRs with better speed than that. Jones-I just don't think he'll be there in round 4. He has enough athleticism that someone will take a chance sooner than that. Clarett-Everything he's done over the past two years, including quitting at the combine indicates he's a serious head case. You don't need your backup running back to be a head case. Steve Fleming - Can you say Mark Campbell? TD has announced that both Campbell and Euhus are going to be ready for the start of training camp. I just don't see him as any kind of upgrade over what Buffalo has.

[Puhonix]

Clarett will go undrafted. Watch.

281804[/snapback]

I'll drink for every pick that isn't Clarett on draft day! Any takers?

[Beerball]

I'll drink for every pick that isn't Clarett on draft day! Any takers?

281901[/snapback]

You'll die of alcohol poisoning. Hmmmmmmmm, one less finfan....

[Puhonix]

You'll die of alcohol poisoning.  Hmmmmmmmm, one less finfan....

281916[/snapback]

I can do 50 shots of tequila anyday!!! Oh, that's another thread, sorry....

[scribo]

I can do 50 shots of tequila anyday!!! Oh, that's another thread, sorry....

281918[/snapback]

You'lll be doing some 200 shots in two days. That would make for one sick fish.

[Puhonix]

You'lll be doing some 200 shots in two days. That would make for one sick fish.

281923[/snapback]

Perhaps shots of beer are mre in accordance?

 

(Power hour = take a shot of beer every minute for an hour)

[ch19079]

2nd round: K or DT

3rd round: RB

4th round: CB

5th round: WR

6th round: OL

7th round: best player remaining

[buffaloboyinATL]

I wish Jones would be there in the 4th but that is probably unlikely. He's kind of like Phillip Rivers last year where all the hype is moving him up the charts. In Rivers junior year I figured he would be a great 3rd round bargain and then from his senior year and on he started getting so much hype that he climbed up the draft charts and probably got picked much sooner than he should of. Jones would be a great pick in the 3rd or 4th round but will probably go much sooner. As for Clarett, just say no. Otherwise, nice picks.

[R. Rich]

2nd round: K or DT

3rd round: RB

4th round: CB

5th round: WR

6th round: OL

7th round: best player remaining

281943[/snapback]

 

 

I will be very disappointed in the Bills if they wait until the 6th round to address the offensive line in this draft.

[Ramius]

You'll die of alcohol poisoning.  Hmmmmmmmm, one less finfan....

281916[/snapback]

 

and if that doesnt work, i can always smother him while hes passed out if necessary

 

just bustin on ya los...

[justnzane]

I will be very disappointed in the Bills if they wait until the 6th round to address the offensive line in this draft.

282029[/snapback]

 

agreed

i'd be dissapointed if the Bills drafted a DT high when we drafted anderson pretty high last year

[MattyT]

2nd round: K or DT

3rd round: RB

4th round: CB

5th round: WR

6th round: OL

7th round: best player remaining

281943[/snapback]

I'll take a dump right in my living room if the Bills take a kicker with their first pick of the draft. I don't care how good he is.