Wide Receiver Train Full Speed Ahead- CHOO CHOO!

[nosejob]

3 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

Regular season stats mean nothing.  We left a lot of points on the bone in AFCCG.  Its easier to predict "buying" points, than it is to pay to stop them.

 

You think if we went defense on every pick the next 2 years, we're gunna be in the vicinity of Eagles defense?  Cause thats the defense its gunna take to win on that side of the ball with McDermott vs Reid.

 

Im not saying ignore defense, or even go light on defense.  First priority needs to be getting Josh a true #1, however you have to do that, doesnt matter.  We have a chit ton of extra picks, and all of next years.  IDENTIFY THE WR YOU WANT, GO GET HIM.... THEEEEEN USE EVERY PICK ON DEFENSE AFTER THAT IF YOU WANT!!

 

Get me a stud #1, and then im stoked to draft a badarse DT.  CB.  DE.  Go BPA at DT, CB, DE with every pick after. Wonderful.  I'll be stoked to see the defense improve, but until we get Josh a guy who can decide hes going to be open despite whatever coverage is coming his way... our seasons will continue to end in heartbreaking close games.  Year, after, year.

So...we have to at least jump Dallas for Golden...or 1st rd. WR is out....Do ya really wanna drop that coin right out of the gate?....and if you're not using a 26 pick, that leaves us what?

[LEBills]

My personal 2025 WR rankings:

 

#16 Nick Nash WR SJSU (Rd 4-5)

- Played three years as a QB at San Jose

- Began playing WR in 2023, and earned the triple crown of receptions, yards and touchdowns in 2024

 

What does he do on film?

 

Deceptive

- 2:18 gets on the corners toes, takes several hesitation steps before attacking the corners outside shoulder. The corner is thrown off balance and a long completion ensues

- 2:25 curls the route like he is taking it to the corner of the end zone before breaking inward. Huge hops to snare the touchdown.

- 3:52 out of stacked formation paces the route as he approaches the corner before changing gears for a long PI penalty

 

Good in the red zone

- 6:48 and 7:16 same play to either side of the field. Crisp route making excellent use of the pick and resulting in a touchdown each time

- 7:08 he does an excellent job making sharp cuts which creates separation even in areas like the red zone

 

Weaknesses:

- You can tell he wasn’t always a receiver. - - He lacks power in his leg drive and isn’t very fast which leads to very little yac

- His focus is on running his route, when the play breaks down he just doesn’t really adjust and get involved

 

Conclusion:

If Sean McVay drafts him, oh boy. He is still very raw as a receiver, but his second year ever doing it he led the country in all three major receiver categories. Personally I think the way he runs is pretty impressive for a bigger guy, his short and choppy steps really allow him to be precise with his routes. He is not a burner and only played in the slot so he won’t be a fit for everyone but their is very high end potential here if drafted by the right team.

Edited Sunday at 01:52 AM by LEBills

[LEBills]

 

My personal 2025 WR rankings:

 

#15 Tai Felton WR Maryland (RD 3-4)

- Tied for first in the class for both first downs and touchdowns inside the redzone this year

- Dropped his average depth of target from over 15 to below 10 this year

 

What does he do on film?

 

One of the best YAC players in the draft

- 6:24 his acceleration is great. So if you miss the tackle he gets up to full speed very quickly

- 9:53 able to squeeze between two defenders in the zone, leave them in the dust and get into the next level of the defense

- 10:27 so quick turning the corner and getting upfield

- 15:10 gets upfield so quickly after the catch

 

Weaknesses:

- Inconsistent hands led to some bad drops

- Had a high drop rate for someone with a low Air yards per Target

- Light and got thrown around when trying to block

 

Conclusion:

Maryland really seemed to lean into what Felton does best by dropping his aDot and peppering him with screens, crossers and slants in 2024. An excellent runner with the ball in his hands who could fill a Khalil Shakir type of role for a team. Likely to be a majority slot player, his red zone efficiency in college gives him a chance to eventually emerge as a starter for a team. A low contested catch rate and poor blocking likely prevents him from being on the field in 2 receiver sets.

 

[LEBills]

My personal 2025 WR Rankings:

 

#14 Isaiah Bond WR Texas (RD 2-3)

- Youngest receiver in the draft

- Poor advanced metrics

- Played with two very poor QBs

 

What does he do on film?

 

Can he play bigger than his size?

- 8:39 lower the shoulder and set the tone

- 11:31 shallow crossing route in the end zone, goes up for the poorly thrown ball and hangs on after being flipped by the defender

- 19:15 the catch or route are not impressive, but how the defender came out of the play worse after hitting Bond is.

 

We are all here for the long ball:

- 2:46 Free release out of the stack and the CB just can’t keep up

- 9:17 moving at a different speed than his defender

- 10:20 nice tempo to start his route before attacking the shoulder and torching Jahdae Barron

- 20:07 But literally no one within 5 yards of him.

- 2:44 just toasted his DB 1 vs 1

 

Weaknesses:

- Measured in smaller than expected with only 8.5 inch hands

- Not a natural hands catcher

- Rumors of big time character concerns

- Limited catch radius on poorly thrown balls

- Basically non-existent contested catch ability or broken tackle ability

 

Conclusion:

If you draft Bond, you are drafting a shadow of Jaylen Waddle. Waddle was a top 10 pick and Bond you can get on day 2. Right now, Bond is a very limited receiver. His best uses are to send him deep or use him on crossers to try and get him an easy catch and some open space. But the speed is natural and effortless, I know other people had faster 40s than Bond, but I will take Bond in any foot race on the football field.

 

Texas used him like they used Worthy last year and using him like the Chiefs did Worthy this year would be the best way to acclimate Bond to the NFL.

 

[Richard Noggin]

3 hours ago, LEBills said:

My personal 2025 WR Rankings:

 

#14 Isaiah Bond WR Texas (RD 2-3)

- Youngest receiver in the draft

- Poor advanced metrics

- Played with two very poor QBs

 

What does he do on film?

 

Can he play bigger than his size?

- 8:39 lower the shoulder and set the tone

- 11:31 shallow crossing route in the end zone, goes up for the poorly thrown ball and hangs on after being flipped by the defender

- 19:15 the catch or route are not impressive, but how the defender came out of the play worse after hitting Bond is.

 

We are all here for the long ball:

- 2:46 Free release out of the stack and the CB just can’t keep up

- 9:17 moving at a different speed than his defender

- 10:20 nice tempo to start his route before attacking the shoulder and torching Jahdae Barron

- 20:07 But literally no one within 5 yards of him.

- 2:44 just toasted his DB 1 vs 1

 

Weaknesses:

- Measured in smaller than expected with only 8.5 inch hands

- Not a natural hands catcher

- Rumors of big time character concerns

- Limited catch radius on poorly thrown balls

- Basically non-existent contested catch ability or broken tackle ability

 

Conclusion:

If you draft Bond, you are drafting a shadow of Jaylen Waddle. Waddle was a top 10 pick and Bond you can get on day 2. Right now, Bond is a very limited receiver. His best uses are to send him deep or use him on crossers to try and get him an easy catch and some open space. But the speed is natural and effortless, I know other people had faster 40s than Bond, but I will take Bond in any foot race on the football field.

 

Texas used him like they used Worthy last year and using him like the Chiefs did Worthy this year would be the best way to acclimate Bond to the NFL.

 

 

Lots of discrepancy on Bond evaluations, apparently. Some see a Worthy clone with less speed but better hands/awareness. Others see a diminutive but dangerous gadget guy like you do. 

 

Doesn't seem like a Billsy target imho, although maybe he should be. I'll bet they prefer a Horton or Royals or Bech or Nash. But Bond could be an underrated, undersized, explosive separator with a chip on his shoulder, like Zay Flowers. 

[LEBills]

6 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

 

Lots of discrepancy on Bond evaluations, apparently. Some see a Worthy clone with less speed but better hands/awareness. Others see a diminutive but dangerous gadget guy like you do. 

 

Doesn't seem like a Billsy target imho, although maybe he should be. I'll bet they prefer a Horton or Royals or Bech or Nash. But Bond could be an underrated, undersized, explosive separator with a chip on his shoulder, like Zay Flowers. 

 

Bond may wind up great because he has talent but the precedent isn’t there. It’s used mostly in Fantasy Football but having above a 2.0 career YPRR and above a 2.20 YPRR vs zone is critical to hit at least one threshold if you want to be in the bucket of all the best receivers. Their have been some outliers - DK Metcalf, BTJ but both were significantly bigger players than Bond is.

 

BUT, if you just count the games this year where he was healthy, he outperformed Matthew Golden and easily cleared both of those thresholds. 
 

So that is why you get the variance. Some teams will see him for what he is. Some will see him for what he could be.

 

For me, a smaller WR (I like above 190 pounds and 9 inch hands), with questionable production, injury concerns and character concerns is a bad mix. But if the Bills draft him, I think the character concerns were probably overblown and would have more confidence in him reaching that ceiling.

Edited Tuesday at 11:44 AM by LEBills

[Mat68]

On 3/28/2025 at 5:28 PM, HappyDays said:

 

Yeah that's fair, I have more faith in Williams because at least he is over 30" arms and his release is very very good. To me he just looks more like a natural Z than Noel does. It's possible he will be relegated to just a slot role but there is upside to be an outside WR IMO. Also we're talking about 2nd rounder with Noel vs 4th rounder for Williams, so the risk is mitigated.

With Coleman and Palmer they do not have a need for a full time outside WR.  Imo they need a guy interchangeable with Shakir.  I think Shakir will be the move around piece in the offense when not in the slot in motion.  Noel can do jet motion gadget stuff.  Smoke screens, pure slot with a real vertical ability.  Im not saying he is 100% outside but he is functional.  He is a bigger, faster, more explosive Zay Flowers with the same arm length.   Buffalo needs a guy who can win deep. Who cares if it’s from a stack or slot?  Noel would be the most explosive wr Allen has ever had.  If he was 2 inch taller 2 inch longer he is a top 10 wr. 

Edited Tuesday at 11:04 PM by Mat68

[Dr. Who]

10 minutes ago, Mat68 said:

With Coleman and Palmer they do not have a need for a full time outside WR.  Imo they need a guy interchangeable with Shakir.  I think Shakir will be the move around piece in the offense when not in the slot in motion.  Noel can do jet motion gadget stuff.  Smoke screens, pure slot with a real vertical ability.  Im not saying he is 100% outside but he is functional.  He is a bigger, faster, more explosive Zay Flowers with the same arm length.   Buffalo needs a guy who can win deep. Who cares if it’s from a stack or slot?  Noel would be the most explosive wr Allen has ever had.  If he was 2 inch taller 2 inch longer he is a top 10 wr. 

Well, I disagree with the notion that Coleman and Palmer are adequate answers for the outside WR. I'd much rather go after a boundary receiver. I'm not sure that player is in the draft. I would spend a lottery ticket on Thornton with a day 3 pick, i guess. I think someone is going to take him earlier, and I wouldn't gamble that much on him. Noel is one of the players I like, however. If they take WR day 2, he ought to be a consideration.

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Im absolutely in love with Kyle Williams. 

 

[Dr. Who]

2 minutes ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Im absolutely in love with Kyle Williams. 

 

I think he goes day 2. It would be nice if we had a 3rd round pick.

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Just now, Dr. Who said:

I think he goes day 2. It would be nice if we had a 3rd round pick.

Movin on uppppppp

Trade up into the 3rd

Edited Tuesday at 11:41 PM by The Firebaugh Kid

[Dr. Who]

Just now, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Movin on uppppppp

I'd forgive Beane some of his baffling moves at the position if he made it happen.

[SoonerBillsFan]

46 minutes ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Movin on uppppppp

Trade up into the 3rd

Do NOT trade back with one of our 2nds.

[Alphadawg7]

On 3/28/2025 at 3:46 PM, BillsShredder83 said:

Regular season stats mean nothing.  We left a lot of points on the bone in AFCCG.  Its easier to predict "buying" points, than it is to pay to stop them.

 

You think if we went defense on every pick the next 2 years, we're gunna be in the vicinity of Eagles defense?  Cause thats the defense its gunna take to win on that side of the ball with McDermott vs Reid.

 

Im not saying ignore defense, or even go light on defense.  First priority needs to be getting Josh a true #1, however you have to do that, doesnt matter.  We have a chit ton of extra picks, and all of next years.  IDENTIFY THE WR YOU WANT, GO GET HIM.... THEEEEEN USE EVERY PICK ON DEFENSE AFTER THAT IF YOU WANT!!

 

Get me a stud #1, and then im stoked to draft a badarse DT.  CB.  DE.  Go BPA at DT, CB, DE with every pick after. Wonderful.  I'll be stoked to see the defense improve, but until we get Josh a guy who can decide hes going to be open despite whatever coverage is coming his way... our seasons will continue to end in heartbreaking close games.  Year, after, year.

 

This narrative that keeps getting thrown around here is factually not true: 

1. Highest scoring AFC team Regular Season:  Buffalo Bills (16th greatest offense in NFL history)
2. Highest scoring AFC team during the post season:  Buffalo Bills (29 points per game, only 2 less than regular season and against 3 playoff teams)

And this was despite having to play 3 games and against 3 tough defenses...which included the Ravens who had the #1 defense the final 2/3rds of the season after they shifted Hamilton in their defense.

 

And not only that, we scored 29 against a KC team that had not offensively scored 30 the whole season...it would be enough to beat them on any other week the entire season and postseason.  Same team that was down 34-0 a week later.  

 

Speaking of KC "a week later"...in 3 of the games KC eliminated us in the playoffs...they averaged 35 PPG just to lose one week later all 3 times averaging a pathetic 17 PPG...literally less than half of what they avg against us.

 

No disrespect - But to attribute our failure to get over the hump and past KC more to the offense than the defense is to propose a narrative that is not supported by facts and rooted in beliefs and assumptions that are just not accurate, especially this season.    

 

[SoonerBillsFan]

14 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

This narrative that keeps getting thrown around here is factually not true: 

1. Highest scoring AFC team Regular Season:  Buffalo Bills (16th greatest offense in NFL history)
2. Highest scoring AFC team during the post season:  Buffalo Bills (29 points per game, only 2 less than regular season and against 3 playoff teams)

And this was despite having to play 3 games and against 3 tough defenses...which included the Ravens who had the #1 defense the final 2/3rds of the season after they shifted Hamilton in their defense.

 

And not only that, we scored 29 against a KC team that had not offensively scored 30 the whole season...it would be enough to beat them on any other week the entire season and postseason.  Same team that was down 34-0 a week later.  

 

Speaking of KC "a week later"...in 3 of the games KC eliminated us in the playoffs...they averaged 35 PPG just to lose one week later all 3 times averaging a pathetic 17 PPG...literally less than half of what they avg against us.

 

No disrespect - But to attribute our failure to get over the hump and past KC more to the offense than the defense is to propose a narrative that is not supported by facts and rooted in beliefs and assumptions that are just not accurate, especially this season.    

 

I like the fact that McDermott said today they looked at the season and re evaluated what they are doing. Changes need to be made and he knows it.  

[TheBeaneBandit]

52 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Do NOT trade back with one of our 2nds.

Beane gonna just so he can have a pick in the 3rd round. Even though I hate it. I would rather move up with BOTH 2nd rounders. Get guys who can make a difference not the 8th or 11th ranked player at their position. I'm sick of that crap 

[Richard Noggin]

14 hours ago, LEBills said:

 

Bond may wind up great because he has talent but the precedent isn’t there. It’s used mostly in Fantasy Football but having above a 2.0 career YPRR and above a 2.20 YPRR vs zone is critical to hit at least one threshold if you want to be in the bucket of all the best receivers. Their have been some outliers - DK Metcalf, BTJ but both were significantly bigger players than Bond is.

 

BUT, if you just count the games this year where he was healthy, he outperformed Matthew Golden and easily cleared both of those thresholds. 
 

So that is why you get the variance. Some teams will see him for what he is. Some will see him for what he could be.

 

For me, a smaller WR (I like above 190 pounds and 9 inch hands), with questionable production, injury concerns and character concerns is a bad mix. But if the Bills draft him, I think the character concerns were probably overblown and would have more confidence in him reaching that ceiling.

 

Perchance, where was our first pick from the last draft with these metrics? (Asking sincerely.)

[Richard Noggin]

3 hours ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Im absolutely in love with Kyle Williams. 

 

 

He's for sure explosive in short areas and also has long speed. Has wiggle, but not sure if he can run many routes (highlight vid is mostly LOS stuff with some seams and boundary 9s, and a FEW wiggly, long-developing inside moves that got separation). If we ignore his hand and arm measurements, then we have a compelling round 3-4 prospect who could potentially go sooner. Looks explosive AF in this vid. 

[LEBills]

2 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

 

Perchance, where was our first pick from the last draft with these metrics? (Asking sincerely.)

Keon had a 1.89 yprr vs zone and his career yprr was 1.87

[Richard Noggin]

11 minutes ago, LEBills said:

Keon had a 1.89 yprr vs zone and his career yprr was 1.87

 

Was afraid of that.