Duke "Raymond" Preston

[MrLocke]

I was looking at the Depth Chart on Billsdaily and saw Duke Preston's name there at centre. I got to thinking that, even though Teague is the starter there that if Teague is shifted to LT he could be a potential starter. My reasoning behind this is that Tennessee drafted Justin Hartwig in the mid to late rounds and he is solid also Daniel Koppen of the Patriots I think was a 4th round selection so given that these teams have been succesful in getting quality starters at centre at this point in the draft the Bills ought to be able to do the same thing given that Duke Preston was selected in the same area of the draft. I am not a college football buff so I have not seen what he can do only read about it.

[John from Riverside]

I was looking at the Depth Chart on Billsdaily and saw Duke Preston's name there at centre. I got to thinking that, even though Teague is the starter there that if Teague is shifted to LT he could be a potential starter. My reasoning behind this is that Tennessee drafted  Justin Hartwig in the mid to late rounds and he is solid also Daniel Koppen of the Patriots I think was a 4th round selection so given that these teams have been succesful in getting quality starters at centre at this point in the draft the Bills ought to be able to do the same thing given that Duke Preston was selected in the same area of the draft. I am not a college football buff so I have not seen what he can do only read about it.

329352[/snapback]

 

I myself do not think the Duke will start right away....I think that if Teague slides out to Left Tackle then Tucker will get the nod....at first

 

BUT...I think that by midseason they will ease Tucker out and use him as OG depth......and get Duke in there.....

[JDG]

The counterpoint to Hartwig and Koppen is that there are also 4th round draft picks who, well, play like 4th round draft picks.... and never become starters.

 

So, while it is not inconceivable that Preston could start for us - there's certainly no guarantee either.

 

JDG

[BRH]

I was looking at the Depth Chart on Billsdaily and saw Duke Preston's name there at centre. I got to thinking that, even though Teague is the starter there that if Teague is shifted to LT he could be a potential starter. My reasoning behind this is that Tennessee drafted  Justin Hartwig in the mid to late rounds and he is solid also Daniel Koppen of the Patriots I think was a 4th round selection so given that these teams have been succesful in getting quality starters at centre at this point in the draft the Bills ought to be able to do the same thing given that Duke Preston was selected in the same area of the draft. I am not a college football buff so I have not seen what he can do only read about it.

329352[/snapback]

We call it a center on this side of the border.

[BillsFan Trapped in Pats Land]

I think there's a decent chance of him as a starter this year. I think Koppen was a 5th rounder, actually, and he's a solid center on a O-line similar to what the Bills are assembling (younger, lunchpail hard working guys...staying away from big named free agents, etc).

[MrLocke]

We call it a center on this side of the border. 

329466[/snapback]

 

LOL! I am quite concious about those things when I am typing. On this side of the border we can write it both way like color or colour. I will try to spell it Center or color when these words arise.

[stuckincincy]

LOL! I am quite concious about those things when I am typing. On this side of the border we can write it both way like color or colour. I will try to spell it Center or color when these words arise.

329479[/snapback]

 

Your question is a good one. The conventional wisdom is that a Center needs to be a bit of a field general, noticing the defensive line's blocking postures, and also once the play begins, pick up indirect blockers in pass plays or make forward moves if a run is called.

 

It's a position that has lost some luster in the past few years, but it seems to be coming back in vogue. As well it should. There is a fair history of clubs that obtained competent Centers and have been competitive throught that Center's playing tenure. The best ones tend to play for a long time.

 

Oakland's Jim Otto, Pittsburgh's Webster and Dawson, Cinncinati's Johnson, GB's Ringo, Buffalo's Hull, etc.

[Alaska Darin]

I have a feeling he was drafted with an eye on NEXT season - in the event Teague is gone (which is at least even odds).

[OnTheRocks]

I was looking at the Depth Chart on Billsdaily and saw Duke Preston's name there at centre. I got to thinking that, even though Teague is the starter there that if Teague is shifted to LT he could be a potential starter. My reasoning behind this is that Tennessee drafted  Justin Hartwig in the mid to late rounds and he is solid also Daniel Koppen of the Patriots I think was a 4th round selection so given that these teams have been succesful in getting quality starters at centre at this point in the draft the Bills ought to be able to do the same thing given that Duke Preston was selected in the same area of the draft. I am not a college football buff so I have not seen what he can do only read about it.

329352[/snapback]

 

 

i think it is very reasonable to think he could come out of camp as the starter.

since each team only needs a single starting Center....there is always plenty available....and most teams can get a quality starting Center in the mid-to-late rounds.

 

i don't think that is a sign that Teague is on his way out....i think he will be the starting LT.

[Sound_n_Fury]

I have a feeling he was drafted with an eye on NEXT season - in the event Teague is gone (which is at least even odds).

329539[/snapback]

 

I agree. TD likes to look one year ahead and draft "replacements" for guys coming up on FA.

 

IMO, Preston will be a dynamite replacement for TT with a year of full-time weight training and playbook review under his belt.

[jarthur31]

I was looking at the Depth Chart on Billsdaily and saw Duke Preston's name there at centre. I got to thinking that, even though Teague is the starter there that if Teague is shifted to LT he could be a potential starter. My reasoning behind this is that Tennessee drafted  Justin Hartwig in the mid to late rounds and he is solid also Daniel Koppen of the Patriots I think was a 4th round selection so given that these teams have been succesful in getting quality starters at centre at this point in the draft the Bills ought to be able to do the same thing given that Duke Preston was selected in the same area of the draft. I am not a college football buff so I have not seen what he can do only read about it.

329352[/snapback]

 

I don't think he'll be starting at center this year until we know what's finally going to happen to Teague.

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

I'd to this "groundswell" of thought that Preston might be a first year starter that the "experts" considered this one of the deepest drafts for centers in years even while they moaned about the overall depth of this draft.

 

Foe Bills partisans in particular, when the first day ended and folks interviewed TD about the draft, one of the remarks he made was that there was still talent out there for the second day and he mentioned center in particular as one of those positions with quality players.

 

I take this to mean that the Bills had their eye on Preston even at this point and TD felt comfortable enough about the depth available at the position and the needs of other teams to reveal the Bills interest in a particular position at that point, so there was certainly more than one centRe the Bills had their eye on.

 

I take it from all of this and the record of centRes from last year's draft starting that while I would agree that it is quite possible he could start, it still strikes me as incredibly unlikely. Preston is almost certainly a good player, but the Bills likely had their eye on him and another (or several other) equivalent talents and he likely is a development project. The main thing he will need to show to be truly ov value to the Bills will be the flexibility to also handle the guard spot.