RD 2, Pick 54: DE AJ Epenesa, University of Iowa

[CajunBillsBacker]

4 minutes ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

I love the “look at the tape” guys .... yea, he destroyed the tackle from East bumblebee state - he’s gonna dominate at the NFL level!

You forget Ed Oliver dominated at Houston against a lot of schools worse than Iowa. He looked pretty strong as the season went on.

[Magox]

25 minutes ago, Rob's House said:

I love this pick.

 

Getting a DE with his level of talent this late in the draft is a huge win.

 

I think he'll be a better pass rusher than people think. He doesn't have flashy moves, but he's hard to block and he gets to the QB. Plus, on obvious passing downs you can kick him inside.

 

He looks to be a monster against the run too. No one's running his way on 3rd and short.

 

Bills DL is going to be nasty.

 

 

 

 

 

I think people often mistake that if an end doesn’t have great speed they can’t be a good 10+ sack sort of guy.  That’s a fallacy, Epensa may not be fast but he has a good first step, really good technique and hand usage, strength , fantastic size, coaches son and really good production.  I think there is a good chance he will be a 10+ sack guy in the NFL.

[Lurker]

Just now, LABILLBACKER said:

Or maybe his poor combine is because he's not that good and the reason he fell. We basically just drafted Chris Kelsay.....yay

 

 

So, three years of Power 5 success is trumped by two days of the underware olympics.    Got it...

[newcam2012]

Just now, BuffaloBillsGospel said:

 

Singletary went down last year and we won games with old man Gore. We have yeldon and at some point we will most likely get a runner to spell Singletary.

Right. For me, that runner was Dobbins.

[CapeBreton]

Love the pick. Thought he might be someone we looked at when we had 22, his production has been amazing and he has talent you can’t teach. He’s a steal at 54, can’t believe he was still there.

[1ManRaid]

7 minutes ago, Penfield45 said:

I can already see the panic settling in when we get a few injuries on offense and Allen is throwing to backyard football practice squad players

So the same situation as the other 31 teams in the league?  

 

Name 10 teams who have a better skill position corps than Diggs/Brown/Beasley and Singletary.  Getting tired of you doom and gloomers who piss and moan unless we have All Pros for third stringers.

[BobbyC81]

1 minute ago, VW82 said:

 

I agree we need another RB but you have to look at who our OC is and what we have in place. Our offense is clearly designed around the pass. Our Oline is a passing line. Daboll runs a read and react system between Josh and the receivers. If you want to blame someone for the lack of scoring looking to our QB. He's the squeaky wheel (though I don't think it's quite that simple).  

Yet, McDermott says they need to be a run-based offense.

[purple haze]

19 minutes ago, Penfield45 said:

How many starts is this guy even going to get next season ? 
 

Ed Oliver hardly played last season and he was a 1st round pick. I don’t understand taking another rotational DL guy 

The Bills rotate their D lineman.  It's how McD operates.  His D-line in Carolina was the same.  They are all "rotation"

players.  And as Beane said, it's not just about the current season, but future seasons.

[Mr. WEO]

1 minute ago, VW82 said:

 

I agree we need another RB but you have to look at who our OC is and what we have in place. Our offense is clearly designed around the pass. Our Oline is a passing line. Daboll runs a read and react system between Josh and the receivers. If you want to blame someone for the lack of scoring look to our QB. He's the squeaky wheel in this offense, not the RB situation (though I don't think it's quite that simple).  

 

OC is a straight up bum.

 

Allen deserves better.

[Doc Brown]

2 minutes ago, LSHMEAB said:

Did Tom Donahoe make this pick or what? Defense is desperately in need of ATHLETIC edge players and we draft a guy that ran a 5.1 40?

 

Not happy with this pick, but trust McD on defense and all that jazz.

He did draft a white guy that fell into the 2nd round at DE in 2001 with the #94. 

[LSHMEAB]

1 minute ago, yungmack said:

Are there usually 40 yards between the DE and the QB?

I watched Desaun Watson make our edges look silly in a PLAYOFF game and would have preferred to see them add someone who can track. Sue me.

[NickelCity]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Diggs might be a great WR a some point.  Who are the other 2??  Brown and Beasley?  Come on.. 

 

Great RB?  He had 12.5 caries a game and even at that  led the league in % carries fumbled.

 

You cant cite a percentage and knock that it's based on few carries per game...it's a proportion. If you had said he led the league in fumbles even at 12.5 carries a game it would have made sense. 

 

He needs to clean it up regardless. 

[Kelly the Dog]

17 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Ok after watching a lot of clips on him one thing I can say I do like. He is ALWAYS going for the Ball not just the Sack. 

Noticed that, too. Don't understand why more guys don't do that more. Hughes was the only one that did it consistently. Sometimes Oliver last year.

[Ed B]

Epenesa was really highly ranked.. here is how various outlets right him overall in the draft

Sporting news … 20th
CBS Sports… 34th
NBC ... 28th
Draft network… 27th
ESPN ... 23rd
Walterfootball ... late round 1
Sal Capaccio.. top 40
NFL network ... 26th
Ourlads.com  ... #2 DE

he was considered a first round talent

[Orlando Buffalo]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Diggs might be a great WR a some point.  Who are the other 2??  Brown and Beasley?  Come on.. 

 

Great RB?  He had 12.5 caries a game and even at that  led the league in % carries fumbled.

Wow- I will not argue because if you are always going to be a pessimist I can't win- 10-6 then without any good players on offense is your argument?

[1st Ammendment NoMas]

36 minutes ago, ColeB said:

I’d be happy with a 3rd AJ in Dillon.

gone

[Búfalo Blanco]

I don't know why people are down on this player. Great size, has played how many different sports? His entire family are/were athletes?

 

Seems like the usual McBeane pick... fills a need. Looks like a good pick to me.

 

BTW, I'm sure there are MANY reasons this guy was picked.. but it might have enhanced the need for his size and power with a massive OT now in the division named Mekhi Becton (6' 7", 369 lbs).

[Kmart128]

5 minutes ago, Bring it said:

Gotta say not really thrilled with this pick. Epenesa is strong with a bull rush but just don’t see that burst! Hope I’m wrong and Beane is right again!

 

Actually prefer guys without bursts. Those fast speedy guys can be amazing. But if one of those guys fell to the 2nd then they can have high bust potential. Typically they are one trick ponies... all they know is blowing by weaker competition. Bigger stronger slowler guys have to use technique to get past guys. Get lower leverage to bull rush and use hands and footwork more. And based off the Tape AJ looks super strong obviously but he looks amazing with his hands. Eventually straight speed and explosiveness catches up with a player. But when a player has technique they are safer selections and have longer careers.

[CapeBreton]

3 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Or maybe his poor combine is because he's not that good and the reason he fell. We basically just drafted Chris Kelsay.....yay

Always going to be some complaining, can’t we just trust our scouting staff after having some great picks the last few years?

[John from Riverside]

8 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Maybe we can turn AJ into a TE. Probably not with that 5.1 40. When guys describe him as plodding they're not wrong. And as far as strength, AJ had as many reps as Mims. Mims will be a stud for our rival.

I dont suppose you need to be reminded that long armed players tend to not do as well on the bench?

 

He is so slow he is double digit in sacks his last 3 years