Bills 2nd Rnd pick in 2025 Draft : TJ Sanders - DT South Carolina

[Mikie2times]

So far I have heard, that’s what the Eagles did. We didn’t lose because of our run defense. Our run defense is good. People are over reacting. 
 

This kid could be really good, and if so ultimately a really good player matters more than anything else. But most of the above call outs are just off the mark.
 

Eagles were #1 in DVOA run defense, and it was a legitimate number #1. They defended every blade of grass. They put teams in consistent passing situations. Which is what happens when you stuff the run. Which really allows your DL to go off. Putting teams in clear passing situations is what we excel at in the regular season when we play cup cakes and build leads and oh my gosh, the pass rush looks so much better! What a mystery when it disappears in the playoffs 🤷‍♂️
 

Buffalo will concede the rush, depend on timely run blitzes, sell out to generate a TFL. Lots of times that works out, but when it doesn’t it can get ugly. Look at how the Colts attacked us when they routed us by nearly 40 at home, Baltimore taking us apart (and it requiring literally a perfect effort to beat them in our house the second time). Baltimore is not going away. Nor is it likely the Eagles will be either (if we can make it that far).
 

Physical teams that can run the ball have been this teams Achilles heal from day one of the McD regime. It doesn’t tend matter as much in the regular season but past the wild card round it will become a vulnerability. We rank 15 out of 18 teams in run defending success rate and EPA run defense in the divisional round or later since 2020. Certainly the deeper you go, being a great run defending team is basically table steaks. It sets up the DL to eat in the passing game and travels. We don’t prioritize run defense in this system and despite the NFL clearly trending more in that direction it doesn’t feel like we will be changing with it. 

 

This isn’t about TJ Sanders as much as it is about the Bills and the system they have. Most people who are angry at the pick are just angry at that part of it. Sanders could end up being a really good player and ultimately if that happens it won’t really matter. 
 

 

 

Edited 17 hours ago by Mikie2times

[BigDingus]

I don't dislike the player, but the more I read the more I dislike picking him here. He's so far down every draft board, but the Bills traded away a bunch of picks to move up & take him here? They likely could've done nothing & got him. 

[HappyDays]

5 hours ago, Niagara Dude said:

this guy reminds me of Boogie

 

I want you to explain this player comp.

[BillsFanForever19]

6 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

I want you to explain this player comp.

 

I think I got it...

 

Like Boogie Basham, TJ Sanders... also plays somewhere on the Defensive Line.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

2 hours ago, MPT said:

 

The Eagles have a 340 pound monster at DT. That's why they can wreck Mahomes without blitzing and we can't even get within spitting distance if we send the entire front 7.

 

Jordan Davis played 14 snaps in the super bowl, and is a 2 down run defender. 

[Chandler#81]

8 hours ago, Success said:

 

Reasons?

 

I thought DT was logical enough at this spot.

 

Ya gotta consider the source. 

[Chandler#81]

8 hours ago, BeavercreekBillsFan said:

Traded up for a sub 300 pound DT. I absolutely despise beane and can’t wait for this regime to be over with. Excited we had 2 2nd rounders and we just lit them on fire. 

Please hold your breath til this regime is fired.

[Chandler#81]

Unlike our resident lesser knowledgeable critics, here’s Joe Marino’s take on our 2nd & 3rd round picks

 

[Bill from NYC]

10 hours ago, Watkins90 said:

I feel like this is an absolute reach. An undersized defensive lineman. 

Yeah it's confusing because we never make dumb draft trades, or draft undersized defensive tackles.

 

Wait.....never mind.

Edited 13 hours ago by Bill from NYC

[DJB]

 

[All_Pro_Bills]

TJ Sanders is a solid player but he sounds like another Ed Oliver type of DT. Maybe they should have gone with Alfred Collins picked 2 spots later by the 49ers? Or maybe stayed at 56 and 62 and gotten the same result as the trade up to 9?

 

I think Beane panicked after the 1st round run on DTs. And missed an opportunity to be patient and let the board come to him instead of chasing a specific position. At 30 Chicago took Turner, a similar DT. If he wanted to get back into the 3rd round they could have dangled 3 or 4 of those 4, 5, 6 round picks we kept hearing they didn't need in front of other teams.

 

I hate to say it but I don't think the Bills are every going to close the gap with the Chiefs by doing the exact same thing at the draft. It's like baby steps vs something more extreme. They have a couple holes, more or less the same problems every year, and never make that radical big change in strategy to fix it.

 

This is bold and aided by hindsight but the way the board fell staying at 24 and 30. Amos at 24 and a DT at 30 and bundled some later picks to get into the 3rd for Edge help. And transformed the secondary to a big strength. Amos and Bedford at the corners, Hairston at nickle, move Taran Johnson to safety paired with either Rapp or Bishop. I think that would be a top 5 group on the back end. 

 

Now today everyone is screaming for the predictable WR pick. Who on the roster is a 4th or 5th rounder going to replace? I think it would be better to pick 5 330 lb DTs and hope one of them works out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 12 hours ago by All_Pro_Bills

[Sierra Foothills]

[MarlinTheMagician]

There are fat tubs of goo remaining - Cam Jackson and Nazir Stackhouse are 2-down one techs that can stop the run.  They will be there.  I think a big guy (albeit slightly less big) with movement skills like Sanders is harder to find.  The only huge DT left with movement was Al Collins and they clearly liked Sanders better.  They did not have a reasonable shot at guys like Grant, Harmon or Tyleek Williams.  So give 'em a break. 

Edited 12 hours ago by MarlinTheMagician
Additional thought

[Shortchaz]

This guy has a chance to be a chris jones type. He’s tall and fast. As a professional, he will have the training staff and opportunity to become a game wrecker. hopefully he wants that and works hard towards it. 

 

I wouldn’t be shocked if he has a better career than Oliver, low bar to be more valuable when factoring pay. I believe his larger frame/speed combo gives him a higher ceiling. 

 

 

 

 

 

[SoTier]

9 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

John McCargo and Torell Troup called…

 

FYI -- McCargo was drafted in 2006 and Torell Troup was drafted in 2010, long before McDermott or Beane or Pegula came on the scene. 

[stevewin]

In his PC Beane said "it's harder to find inside rush than 2 down nose - those guys - you can go in free agency now and find those"

[Matt_In_NH]

Just because the internet said a guy should get drafted somewhere does not mean what the actual nfl teams think.  

[All_Pro_Bills]

35 minutes ago, SoTier said:

 

FYI -- McCargo was drafted in 2006 and Torell Troup was drafted in 2010, long before McDermott or Beane or Pegula came on the scene. 

I think those names are a reminder that to this point, Beane/McDermott have done one thing, and one thing only, that previous regimes didn't. That's to find a franchise QB. A league MVP player.

 

But we're already 1/2 way through his career with no championships to show for it yet. 8 years later with the same issues and problems since day one. Can't stop the run against physical offenses and can't hold a lead in criticsl spots.

 

Let's hope this season is different with the group of free agent signings and draft picks. 

Edited 11 hours ago by All_Pro_Bills

[Xwnyer]

It seems all three picks so far are guys with very high ceilings .  Really hope we can coach up these guys.  Seems like they are thinking Carter switching to 1T 

[BillsPride12]

9 hours ago, Draconator said:

As I said in the Round 2-3 thread, a lot of you need more Staycalm Barkley in your football lives.

Is that a new strain of weed? I'm out of the loop these days