What Buffalo Bills draft choice surprised you the most on draft day?

[JohnNord]

Both of my choices are Tom Donahue picks:

 

2003 Willis MaGahee

This was a complete surprise for me as Travis Henry had a monster year.  I even remember ESPN (probably Kiper) saying this was a luxury pick that the Bills roster wasn’t in a position to make.  Willis was a good though not a great running back.  The selection was not worth the gamble or the 1 year recovery.
 

2004 JP Losman

I didn’t remember any chatter about the Bills taking a QB so the Losman pick came as a surprise.   Trading away a 1st rounder in 2005 and whiffing on Losman made this a brutal selection was the final draft pick TD would make as GM.   

 

 

[Alphadawg7]

Easily Whitner over Ngata.  Never saw that coming and was stunned when they didn’t call Ngata’s name.  
 

Edited April 13, 2023 by Alphadawg7

[I'm Spartacus]

Rashad Wildgoose...i was surprised he had such a cool name.

[Beck Water]

I would have to say TJ Graham in the 2012 3rd round.

 

Russ Wilson was on the board and there had been murmurs about "can't measure the heart of a player" that Nix liked him.

It was evident at that point that the Bills really needed to draft and develop a QB.  Kirk Cousins was also on the board.  A 3rd round pick would be a totally reasonable investment in a guy who could learn behind Fitzpatrick.

 

So the Bills traded up and my pulse accelerated and I was thinking "they're gonna draft Wilson!"...."TJ WHO?"

The Bills got 31 games and 54 receptions out of Graham in 2 seasons. 

In the same 2  seasons, Russ Wilson lead the Seahawks to the Divisional Round and won a Superbowl.

Then in 2013, one of the worst QB classes ever, the Bills drafted EJ Manuel.

[JJGauna]

Who can forget when Buffalo drafted Leif Olve Dolonen Larsen! 5 picks later Tom Brady was drafted. So close lol.

[K D]

Wrong Josh.

[MrEpsYtown]

EJ Manuel. 

[ROCBillsBeliever]

Terrell Bernard was a shock, given that there were a number of good OL prospects on the board at the time, we needed OL upgrades, we had (yes... Past tense) Edmunds and have Milano, and Bernard was an unknown Meh kinda prospect. 

Edited April 14, 2023 by ROCBillsBeliever

[OldTimer1960]

Dante Whitner.

[Special K]

12 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

I would have to say TJ Graham in the 2012 3rd round.

 

Russ Wilson was on the board and there had been murmurs about "can't measure the heart of a player" that Nix liked him.

It was evident at that point that the Bills really needed to draft and develop a QB.  Kirk Cousins was also on the board.  A 3rd round pick would be a totally reasonable investment in a guy who could learn behind Fitzpatrick.

 

So the Bills traded up and my pulse accelerated and I was thinking "they're gonna draft Wilson!"...."TJ WHO?"

The Bills got 31 games and 54 receptions out of Graham in 2 seasons. 

In the same 2  seasons, Russ Wilson lead the Seahawks to the Divisional Round and won a Superbowl.

Then in 2013, one of the worst QB classes ever, the Bills drafted EJ Manuel.

 

I still maintain that Nix meant to draft T Y Hilton at that pick, but they sent up the name TJ Graham by accident.....it sure sounds like something that particular front office would have been capable of doing!

[gonzo1105]

2 minutes ago, ROCBillsBeliever said:

Terrell Bernard was. Shock, given that there were a number of good OL prospects on the board at the time, we needed OL upgrades, we had (yes... Past tense) Edmunds and have Milano, and Bernard was an unknown Meh kinda prospect. 

 

Yup, I hated the pick on draft day and still do. Wasn't a big fan of the Elam pick either. He was decent for a rookie year 1 but he still has to prove he was worth the first round pick. 

 

Probably the trade up for Sammy Watkins would be the first thing to come to mind. Whitner and Maybin sucked as picks cause I wanted someone else but they weren't like shocking why the hell did we take him. 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Troup over Gronk, Zay over Kupp

Basham over Humpback Whale

Edited April 14, 2023 by Sherlock Holmes

[947]

Maybin

 

I knew he was a bust in waiting, like everyone else. I didn't think anyone would take him in round 1, let alone us.

[KingBoots8]

Watkins over Mack.

 

I think everyone absolutely thought we traded up for the kid in our back yard. I remember dancing around like “ohhhhh snap we got Mack!”… then hearing Watkins just threw me off. I liked Watkins but not enough to trade up for him. Even with as good a prospect as he was thought to be, it just felt like a reach. 

[GunnerBill]

34 minutes ago, gonzo1105 said:

 

Yup, I hated the pick on draft day and still do. Wasn't a big fan of the Elam pick either. He was decent for a rookie year 1 but he still has to prove he was worth the first round pick. 

 

Probably the trade up for Sammy Watkins would be the first thing to come to mind. 

 

Pretty much all of this. Hated the Bernard pick. Elam I got and I wasn't surprised but he wasn't my ideal pick. I didn't have a 1st on him and while I agree with you he was decent as a rookie (and I think they underplayed him) he is still an incomplete at this stage. 

 

I was also shocked by the trade up for Sammy. I think possibly even more so because of who we were and had been as an organisation to that point. We had not been a swing for the fences, make the big move, organisation in my fandom to that point then suddenly here we were going all in on a receiver when we didnt know if our QB could play (and I had Evans as my clear WR1 as well which didn't help me love the Sammy move). I remain convinced that was driven in part by the ownership situation at the time. 

[teef]

whitner came to my mind first, but the watkins pick was more surprising to me.

[KOKBILLS]

Whitner...I still have a scar on my foot where I kicked a 25 lb dumbbell...Literally forgot I did not have shoes on I was so pissed... 

[The Jokeman]

McGahee definitely a shock, Sammy Watkins, Donte Whitner, Aaron Maybin and EJ Manuel were all head scratcher/WTF moments. CJ Spiller also a shock as really wanted Dez Bryant that draft and at time of getting Spiller we still had Lynch and Jackson on the roster and yes, I screamed WRONG JOSH! when we drafted the now beloved Josh Allen. 

Edited April 13, 2023 by The Jokeman

[dorquemada]

I think Maybin epitomizes the kind of thinking that haunts 1 Bills Drive.  Undersized, mostly unhearalded, played in a good college program surrounded by good players against mostly inferior competition.  It's a formula that just never delivers in the NFL

[Warcodered]

1 hour ago, I'm Spartacus said:

Rashad Wildgoose...i was surprised he had such a cool name.

Was really hoping he was going to work out for us if nothing else just for the Goose is loose jokes if nothing else.