Draft Insiders Digest (Frank Coyle)

[Albany,n.y.]

OK all you "we must draft Patrick Willis" folks. I was reading Draft Insiders Digest this morning while getting my car serviced & I saw that Coyle does not share your Willis enthusiasm.

He has Willis 35th best prospect, 13 behind Paul Posluszny. Although he ranks him #1 among ILBs, he describes him as a 1st round bubble player who "Despite his big tackling totals, he overran and missed more tackles than you would expect from a blue chip prospects (sic). Most of the mistakes were out of being over aggressive and being out of control at times." He also does not list the Bills as one of the teams interested in him (lists Browns, Colts, and Texans).

Now I don't know what Marv & the boys at 1 Bills Drive think, but if they agree with Coyle & Willis is available at #12, they will not be selecting Willis.

[MattyT]

OK all you "we must draft Patrick Willis" folks. I was reading Draft Insiders Digest this morning while getting my car serviced & I saw that Coyle does not share your Willis enthusiasm.

He has Willis 35th best prospect, 13 behind Paul Posluszny. Although he ranks him #1 among ILBs, he describes him as a 1st round bubble player who "Despite his big tackling totals, he overran and missed more tackles than you would expect from a blue chip prospects (sic). Most of the mistakes were out of being over aggressive and being out of control at times." He also does not list the Bills as one of the teams interested in him (lists Browns, Colts, and Texans).

Now I don't know what Marv & the boys at 1 Bills Drive think, but if they agree with Coyle & Willis is available at #12, they will not be selecting Willis.

I say we pick him anyway and find out for ourselves.

[silvermike]

Well, he might be right, and he might be wrong, but the vast bulk of analysis seems to say that Willis is better than a marginal first-round prospect. Doesn't prove anything, of course, but I do think the burden of proof is on the contrarian - as it was on Marv, who was proved right. Will Coyle?

[nodnarb]

I say we pick him anyway and find out for ourselves.

 

 

This first round is definitely going to be interesting. Weeks ago I figured Willis to be a 34 style linebacker. Didn't think he had the speed to play the middle of a T2. My opinion was based on things I was reading. THen I read that he ran two sub 4.4s, which is extremely rare for a guy his size, and my opinion of PWillis had to change. Still though, I doubt the Bills will take him and I'm not sure why. Just a hunch. Worth the two cents and not much more. And other disclaimers as well.

 

I think if Okoye is there, we'd take him. If he's not there and Peterson is, then I figure we'd take him. If neither are there, I'd expect the Bills to allow only decent value in a trade down for more picks. I'd like to see the Bills come away with a #2 WR who can instill some fear. Peerless doesn't do that anymore, if he ever did. Reed should remain in the slot and Roscoe should remain situational unless he's somehow learned to beat the press. Man, I'm rambling.

 

But anyway, trading down and coming away with guys like Durant or Beason in the 1st or 2nd and Gonzalez or Hill at WR in the 2nd or 3rd, and then running backs like leonard and jackson...that'd be a first day that'd make me smile.

[tombstone56]

coyle is a joke anything he says needs to be discounted as ramblings of a fool

[obie_wan]

coyle is a joke anything he says needs to be discounted as ramblings of a fool

 

not only that - but anything you are reading in a magazine format is about 2 months outdated.

 

As noted above, the lack of perceived speed had Willis as a lower 1st round talent in most mocks.

 

However, the recent on -line material that reflects the combine, senior bowl and pro day have him in the top 15. The complete lack of MLB in this draft may push him into the top 10 as teams have cooled on early favorites like Ted Ginn and Jarrett, and Branch.

[Albany,n.y.]

not only that - but anything you are reading in a magazine format is about 2 months outdated.

 

As noted above, the lack of perceived speed had Willis as a lower 1st round talent in most mocks.

 

However, the recent on -line material that reflects the combine, senior bowl and pro day have him in the top 15. The complete lack of MLB in this draft may push him into the top 10 as teams have cooled on early favorites like Ted Ginn and Jarrett, and Branch.

It's a mail order draft publication, not a magazine-it was finalized in late March. He doesn't have any problem with Willis' speed, it's his missed tackles he has a problem with.

 

The biggest problem I have is that guys shouldn't be moving up in the draft based on padless workouts. The production on the field is what matters the most & I believe the Bills' scouts rate in season production over combines & campus workouts.

 

As I said, I don't know what the Bills scouts think of the guy or any other potential LB candidates. The point is, if Willis is available & the Bills take Posluszny instead, they may have a sound reason and this board shouldn't go ballistic because of some on-line draft materials we've read. The Bills hire professionals to evaluate players & although we may disagree, we really can't say the team was wrong until after the on-field results are in. Sometimes that takes years, making draft day critiques totally meaningless.

[John from Riverside]

Thats why Poz is our man

[The Dean]

Over-aggressiveness is something coaching can deal with. The missed-tackles, if true, is VERY problematic.

[DanInSouthBuffalo]

Was that written before his combine workout? Must be.

 

 

By all accounts the mock drafts have Willis going from 8-12 and Poz going from 15-20+, so.........we'll see.

[CosmicBills]

This first round is definitely going to be interesting. Weeks ago I figured Willis to be a 34 style linebacker. Didn't think he had the speed to play the middle of a T2. My opinion was based on things I was reading. THen I read that he ran two sub 4.4s, which is extremely rare for a guy his size, and my opinion of PWillis had to change. Still though, I doubt the Bills will take him and I'm not sure why. Just a hunch. Worth the two cents and not much more. And other disclaimers as well.

 

I think if Okoye is there, we'd take him. If he's not there and Peterson is, then I figure we'd take him. If neither are there, I'd expect the Bills to allow only decent value in a trade down for more picks. I'd like to see the Bills come away with a #2 WR who can instill some fear. Peerless doesn't do that anymore, if he ever did. Reed should remain in the slot and Roscoe should remain situational unless he's somehow learned to beat the press. Man, I'm rambling.

 

But anyway, trading down and coming away with guys like Durant or Beason in the 1st or 2nd and Gonzalez or Hill at WR in the 2nd or 3rd, and then running backs like leonard and jackson...that'd be a first day that'd make me smile.

Great post -- mainly because I've been thinking the same thing for a while now and it's nice to hear I'm not the only one thinking something's up.

 

Something in my gut tells me that Willis isn't the guy, even if he's there at 12 which I doubt he will be. I also don't buy any of the hype around Poz. I, of course, have ZERO proof/reason to believe this, it's just something I sense. Everything that OBD has been doing leads me to believe they want Crowell in the middle, and not on the outside.

 

I said in my long winded post season recap a few months ago that the lack of a legit #2 WR hurt the Bills' offense more so than any other position (including the lines) after the bye week. And I stand by that. Of course, when I wrote that, the Bills still had TKO and Willis on the roster. Still -- when the Bills brought Mechem in for an interview, my spidey sense went haywire.

 

It would not surprise me, nor would I find it a bad selection, if the Bills took a WR with their first pick (either at 12 or trading back). The glut of 2nd tier RBs (and/or the possibility of Turner being available via trade) and my instinct that Willis nor Poz is really their guy, makes this much more likely.

 

The only player who would really give me pause, if there at 12, would be Peterson.

 

But like you, this is just my two cents and it's probably worth closer to one cent.

[Pyrite Gal]

Over-aggressiveness is something coaching can deal with. The missed-tackles, if true, is VERY problematic.

 

Given what Marv said in his end of the season presser about needing LBs who attack more, it's hard for me to see the Bills coaching any LB to be less aggressive.

[BuffaloinAtlanta]

Frank Coyle makes Mel Kiper look like Nostradamous

[obie_wan]

Great post -- mainly because I've been thinking the same thing for a while now and it's nice to hear I'm not the only one thinking something's up.

 

Something in my gut tells me that Willis isn't the guy, even if he's there at 12 which I doubt he will be. I also don't buy any of the hype around Poz. I, of course, have ZERO proof/reason to believe this, it's just something I sense. Everything that OBD has been doing leads me to believe they want Crowell in the middle, and not on the outside.

 

I said in my long winded post season recap a few months ago that the lack of a legit #2 WR hurt the Bills' offense more so than any other position (including the lines) after the bye week. And I stand by that. Of course, when I wrote that, the Bills still had TKO and Willis on the roster. Still -- when the Bills brought Mechem in for an interview, my spidey sense went haywire.

 

It would not surprise me, nor would I find it a bad selection, if the Bills took a WR with their first pick (either at 12 or trading back). The glut of 2nd tier RBs (and/or the possibility of Turner being available via trade) and my instinct that Willis nor Poz is really their guy, makes this much more likely.

 

The only player who would really give me pause, if there at 12, would be Peterson.

 

But like you, this is just my two cents and it's probably worth closer to one cent.

 

 

I think Occum's razor applies.

 

The right answer is the simplest one.

 

Bills need a playmaker at MLB.

Willis is the only one available.

Willis will be the pick.

I think they will strongly consdier moving up to #10 to get him.

 

However, if he is gone, I agree that WR may be the next best value if they can't move from #12.

 

Even if they take Willis in the first round, I think that WR is a strong possiblity in round 2 with CB and RB in round 3.

[Bills Fan888]

This first round is definitely going to be interesting. Weeks ago I figured Willis to be a 34 style linebacker. Didn't think he had the speed to play the middle of a T2. My opinion was based on things I was reading. THen I read that he ran two sub 4.4s, which is extremely rare for a guy his size, and my opinion of PWillis had to change. Still though, I doubt the Bills will take him and I'm not sure why. Just a hunch. Worth the two cents and not much more. And other disclaimers as well.

 

I think if Okoye is there, we'd take him. If he's not there and Peterson is, then I figure we'd take him. If neither are there, I'd expect the Bills to allow only decent value in a trade down for more picks. I'd like to see the Bills come away with a #2 WR who can instill some fear. Peerless doesn't do that anymore, if he ever did. Reed should remain in the slot and Roscoe should remain situational unless he's somehow learned to beat the press. Man, I'm rambling.

 

But anyway, trading down and coming away with guys like Durant or Beason in the 1st or 2nd and Gonzalez or Hill at WR in the 2nd or 3rd, and then running backs like leonard and jackson...that'd be a first day that'd make me smile.

I also have a feeling the Bills won't take him. I just don't see him as a Bill. I could be wrong but I don't see the Bills picking him.

[truth on hold]

OK all you "we must draft Patrick Willis" folks. I was reading Draft Insiders Digest this morning while getting my car serviced & I saw that Coyle does not share your Willis enthusiasm.

He has Willis 35th best prospect, 13 behind Paul Posluszny. Although he ranks him #1 among ILBs, he describes him as a 1st round bubble player who "Despite his big tackling totals, he overran and missed more tackles than you would expect from a blue chip prospects (sic). Most of the mistakes were out of being over aggressive and being out of control at times." He also does not list the Bills as one of the teams interested in him (lists Browns, Colts, and Texans).

Now I don't know what Marv & the boys at 1 Bills Drive think, but if they agree with Coyle & Willis is available at #12, they will not be selecting Willis.

coyle also had leaf over manning and manning #3 in QBs that year coming out of college!

[Beerball]

The biggest problem I have is that guys shouldn't be moving up in the draft based on padless workouts. The production on the field is what matters the most & I believe the Bills' scouts rate in season production over combines & campus workouts.

Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! Nothing scares me more than a prospect who's gone from some 'experts' 2nd round into the top 15 based on how fast he friggin ran at the combine.

 

Make the pick based on what the guy did on the field. One thing is for certain, our scouts and front office will make the pick that they feel is right with little/no regard to the pundits. Last year's draft shows this without question.