Welcome back to the Buffalo Bread podcast.
This week's show is titled Draftacular, Part 1.
We're going to do a quick recap on what Big Ball are being as accomplished at this stage
of free agency, this late stage of free agency, pre-draft, and then we're going to kind of
hit our needs.
And Dan and JJ are going to talk about our big board.
Now that I've said, you know, reference myself on the third person, Dan, how are you feeling?
Dan is feeling great, JJ.
Dan is ready to talk about the draft.
That's good.
Dude, I have so good.
Good, Dan.
Thank you.
Thank you, JJ.
I love talking about the draft.
This is kind of what I've been itching for.
And I have to applaud your patience and your strength.
So for those of you listening who don't know this, I have a very firm rule.
I do not do any mock drafts until free agency starts.
And this, this is simply not how one Mr. JJ opposite me operates.
I begin getting mock drafts from you, sir.
I think the day after the Super Bowl is over.
That was the day after the Bill's playoff run ended.
It is.
The literal moment they were out of the dance, I was like, okay, let's see what we're going
to do next year.
You are single-handedly sustaining the cottage industry of mock draft that is now like ballooned
in this, in this modern era of NFL fan talk that we live in.
But um, but I applaud you because I, I, I say to you every year, dude, we cannot talk mock
draft until free agency happens because too many needs, too many things could shift as
a result of what being does.
And every year you are patient, you are accommodating, and now is your time to shine, sir.
We are now ready for mock draft.
So it's gonna be a two-parter.
All right.
So, the news report has it got on social media.
This week you're going to get part one, which is going to be our big board.
Then next week you're going to get our full seven round Buffalo Bill's mock draft here
of the Buffalo bread podcast.
JJ, it is draft season, sir.
Let's get into it.
Finally, oh my God.
Um, not to get, not to overstate the point that Dan made, um, but I actually joined the
like beta testing team for the draft network last year when they were unveiling their new,
you know, draft machine or their, you know, mock draft machine.
And so I was in the discord with, you know, all the people checking out features.
I had the like private link to go to the hidden page to check out the mock draft machine
and test it out and provide my feedback.
So that's the level of kind of insanity that we're talking about here.
This is breaking news.
I had no clue you were in the beta testing group.
Oh my God.
Yeah.
Your commitment to this mock draft industry, sir.
It sets you above and beyond any other podcast toast out there, sir.
I appreciate that.
Yeah.
No.
So if you use the mock draft machine and you like some of the features and the complicated
trade, you know, metrics and back end system, I had a little bit of a feedback in different
parts of that process last year.
Um, so you may say your thank you bourbon to JJ.
That's JJ.
Um, yeah, let's not do DSS or so.
So let's get going with the, the, there's no way to set, set the expectations of the
draft without like you said, you know, free agency really sets the table.
And there's been some moves since we last spoke for the Buffalo Bills.
Um, we have signed Casey to will defensive end, Mike Edwards, safety, uh, will clap lineman
interior kind of offensive lineman, mostly a center backup and then Austin Johnson.
And so those are the four kind of major moves.
I don't think did I miss any of them since we last,
No, I think you got them all.
Yeah.
So, um, to give a quick thumbnail on each of those signings for our listeners, uh, Casey
to L defensive end previously played with the Washington commanders behind, um, sweat
and, um, chase young, hasn't really done too, too much in the league.
Um, was originally a draft picked by the Eagles and then kind of signed by the, by Washington
after the fact.
Um, had five sacks this past year, which is kind of a career high is absolutely insane
when it comes to the RS score.
So he's an, he's an a plus athlete and an elite athlete at the position.
Um, however, that has not really presented itself in kind of play speed on the field.
The only thing I could say about his, you know, he's like an amazing motor and pursuit
player.
So he reminds me a lot of like a Harrison Phillips, you know, or Kyle Williams type,
except a better athlete, but he does not give up on plays.
Um, that's evidenced by a couple of the sacks he's had in his career actually on, um, the
Sean Watson when he was with Cleveland coming just because he would not give up on a kind
of play as the Sean Watson left the pocket.
And the Sean Watson was not expecting any of the defensive linemen to have the juice
to catch him from behind.
And Casey to Hill has done that.
So I think he's the kind of, he's exactly the kind of player the bills want as a kind
of higher floor, lower ceiling, D E three, four, um, in order to come in for 20, 30% of
the snaps on a rotational basis, um, does a solid job of setting the edge does a solid
job of keeping his rush lane and not giving many escape routes for the quarterback.
And then as I mentioned, good pursuit player.
So that's one, um, any comments on any notes on Casey tool before we move on to Mike Edwards?
No, he feels like a guy that if the bills swig and miss on the draft on an edge, he can
fill in what the AJ up and as a role has been, which is about like you said, 30% of
the snaps he's got a great motor.
He is relentless.
You know, he's a, he is the profile athletically of what the bills have been going for at the
position.
And every year they bring one or two of these guys in and they hope they can unlock something
in that athletic ability that is beneficial to the roster.
So we'll see with two Hill, but yeah, I agree.
Rotational guy probably at best and likely competing for snaps with a rookie.
Yeah, absolutely.
And I think that as you mentioned, unlocking something is, is, is the key here.
If Bill's mafia likes Casey tool, it's because they've, the bills find a way to do something
no other team has done in his NFL career to this point, which is tapping into that extremely
athleticism and his elite athletic profile and giving him the tools to use all of his
juice because that's what, you know, you just don't see it on film with his, you know,
speed and burst.
It should be so much faster given how much of an athlete he is.
And so hopefully, you know, with the two legit if Von Miller can't do, maybe he can teach,
right?
And so there's some good opportunity here to get some veteran kind of guidance with
the bills.
And interestingly, the order that we're talking about these people is the order they were
signed.
It's also a descending order of athletic profile.
So Casey to Hill top of the RS RS score for his position.
Mike Edwards, probably of all of the players I'm going to talk about the best starting
caliber in terms of, you know, what he can offer day one for this football team on the
roster.
Mike Edwards, a safety who played with Tampa Bay for his rookie contract, won a Super Bowl
when Tom Brady was there and then played for the Chiefs this past year for one year.
And that actually was an injury fill in for the entire last five games stretch.
And then the playoffs has a lot of interception production for limited starting roles, and
is just kind of a solid guy, average athlete, but has good anticipation of where the football
is going to be has good, you know, eyes for reading the quarterback gets dirty in the
run game and run support comes up has a pretty high missed tackle rate.
But that's, you know, largely because he's always inserting himself in the position to
tackle, and sometimes, you know, it's a little bit off angle.
But it's interesting because I watching Mike Edwards and we've seen a lot of him because
he played with the Chiefs all year.
Watching Mike Edwards play.
It's I see the missed tackles show up not because he's a poor tackler, but because unlike
other safety, he's always where the tackle is happening.
And there's a lot of safety, so just will stay out of the mess and wait for things to
happen as the last line of defense.
Mike Edwards is not that he's very aggressive.
He's not triggering clicking and closing downhill.
And so I really like the signing.
I think that, you know, between him and Taylor wrap, they both have sort of duplicative skill
sets in some regards.
But so I think there's still an opportunity in the draft to look for mid round, maybe
third round, if they ever trade up into that round, safety to come in and kind of compete
for one of the two starting roles, especially as a deep center fielder like that Mike hide
position.
What do you think about Mike Edwards?
Yeah, I think the Mike Edwards position is as close as you're going to see to a free
agency replacement for Jordan Boyer.
You know, and it's interesting at the safety position, JJ, I tend not to worry too much.
This is an area unlike offensive line, where the Buffalo Bills have my have my unconditional
confidence that they're going to develop these guys into whatever they need them to
be.
The book on Taylor wrap when we signed him was that he was pretty much a box safety,
he could have been good and run support and hit some guys, but then he ended up playing
in injury in injury substitution for Mike a hide.
He ended up playing that center field free safety floating coverage kind of role.
And while he wasn't as good as high, not many people are at that.
He showed some chops there.
I think the bills think they can mold whatever skill set they bring in via draft or free
agency at that position into whatever it is that they need.
So this is one of the few times I will say, whatever these guys have been that we're talking
about its safety in their previous iterations with other team or in college, kind of throw
out the window, because the bills have this amazing ability to take any player with any
skill set its safety and develop it for the most part, Jaco and Johnson being the exception,
develop it for the most part and do exactly what they need to fill the role that they're
asking that player to play.
So it'll be interesting to see, but I agree with you.
I think this pushes safety down the draft board a little bit as far as need goes, probably
to a day two or even a day three selection.
Yeah, absolutely.
And as mentioned, kind of declining our escort, you know, two hills like a 9.5 out of 10.
Mike Edwards is kind of the six to seven out of 10 range.
And then we'll clap the offensive interior reserve lineman who's played most of his
NFL snaps at center can has had some NFL snaps at left and right guard and has had snaps
at kind of the reserve tight end heavy set tight end like David Edwards did all last
year, checking into the eligible extra lineman on the line.
Those are the kind of positions he's played.
He's like a three out of 10 kind of very poor, athletically, and it shows on his film, he's
got a super stout anchor, but not the player you expect to like be pulling wide around
the edge of the line and, you know, getting blocks in space on the move.
But does a solid job of setting the depth of the pocket has very short arms is not going
to, you know, wow you with most of his reps, but his has been stable in his career has
been a decent starter when he's had when he's been called upon.
I like this too, because this is insurance.
I think I agree with you that the the bills really hurt their depth on offense.
And you've been making that point, you know, a few times is, you know, cutting more trading
baits, doing this whole thing of sliding Conor McGovern over and inserting David Edwards.
They went from a solid five with two excellent backups to I think a solid five period, right?
Like end of end of story.
If they incur any sort of injury, they're sort of in trouble at this point.
And so I think that still leaves, you know, offensive line as a need.
Any notes on will clap other than his excellent name to pair with Sean McDermott has an incredible
name.
Yes, and it pairs perfectly like a fine wine and cheese with Sean McDermott.
But this is I mean, this is a move they kind of had to make clap to me as underwhelming.
I would love for a rookie to supplant him for any meaningful rotational snaps.
But again, it's to me, it's a signal that the bills, the bills took a strength in the
offensive line.
And it's the top five offensive line, I think, and arguably last year.
And it is so hard, JJ, as we have talked about, to find these guys, particularly the play
of the interior effectively, to find these guys in any substantial number.
Look at how many teams the dolphins are still having issues putting together an offensive
line.
I don't know what the Patriots are doing with their offensive line.
But if they bring a rookie into that situation, that is male practice for quarterback development,
because that O line is still a disaster.
You look at what the O line for the Jets was last year, they're at least trying to do
some things.
It's hard to find these guys.
And the bills had not only found a solid starting five, but they also had really, really good
depth and the moves they made with Morrison Bates didn't the Morse move I get from a salary
cap perspective, but there was still a salary cap savings to be had by keeping him as well.
Not as much as the 8.5 they ultimately got, but still could have saved against the cap
had they restructured and Bates brought them almost nothing against the cap.
The move to me is going to be the one that when we talk preseason about doing our segment,
why the bills will win the Super Bowl, why they won't win the Super Bowl, offensive line
and the shenanigans that this this Buffalo Bills for an office has played there is going
to be the reason I am holding holding that opinion a bit to see what they do in the draft.
But at the end of the day, like they took what was the top five unit and they decided
to do this self imposed rebuild in that unit and and I just don't understand it.
Sure.
No, I get it.
And I think that, you know, it's in a lot of ways.
I think that it looks like at least from the moves they've made and making we can't be
in the room so we only can read what they're doing.
To me, it's a commitment to younger cheaper at the expense of strength.
And that that's, you know, that's really it.
That's all I'm seeing here is like, they really said, okay, we are not.
We are not going to be able to afford Spencer Brown resigning.
We are not going to be able, they're already probably not going to be able to afford Osiris
Torrance.
If he stays on the trajectory he's on considering Robert Hunt just signed five years 20 million
or 100 million, you know, 20 million per year.
Like that's, you know, that's what they're looking at right now.
And so Osiris Torrance being a set the market player that I think it's a commitment to say
like, okay, we need to get much, much cheaper on the line and we need to rejuvenate with
youth and I hope that that trends because I will feel much better about it if they take
a stab at a fourth round interior offensive linemen and then another stab at one in the
seventh, right?
Like somebody who they can just just check out and I trust Aaron Kroemer with guys like
Alec Anderson as depth on the on the line to try to rebuild the interior.
But really we don't know and that's the big that's the big problem is we went from years
of projecting with elderly, you know, offensive linemen and hoping that they would, you know,
have a career resurgence with the bills to now it's an opposite side of the spectrum
of projecting with, you know, completely unknown quantities and hoping that they develop into
something meaningful.
All right, we've got one more to hit before we'll set our set our expectations and positions
of need and go on our big boards.
Austin Johnson, he was a college teammate at Penn State with DeQuon Jones.
And he is the lowest of the lows in terms of these these four signings in terms of our
RS relative athletic score is like a two like a 1.89 did not test well is not fast is not
quick or twitchy does not have like the burst from jumping.
But I'll tell you what he looks like he does.
He looks like the greatest athlete you've ever seen, he's yoked, and he everything
that he you would expect him to have problems with on film because of limited athleticism.
He's one of those outlier he's like the opposite of Casey Tull.
Casey Tull should be a 10 sack a year consistent starter based on his athleticism and how you
know explosive he is, he hasn't put it together.
Austin Johnson should be seventh string practice squad based on his relative athletic score,
but he's a solid rotational interior defensive lineman and exceptionally good at setting
the anchor in the run game.
Exactly what you'd expect for somebody who's close friends with DeQuon Jones.
They play similar games.
DeQuon, of course, is a plus athlete.
And Austin Johnson is not but a perfect kind of understudy in that role in the one tech.
What do you think about Austin Johnson?
No, I agree and I think you've described him perfectly.
And I think he he like Jones is going to find a different level to his game in the scheme
that the bills run very different from what he's coming from.
It's going to let him focus in the areas of strength that you have seen him flash on game
film.
He'll really be able to specialize in this bill scheme.
So this is actually my favorite signing of the bunch here in late for late round for
agency that they've made JJ.
I still think interior defensive line is going to be on the board for them in the draft.
But this this feels like a really solid stabilizing move for a defensive line that really has
been in flux.
Absolutely.
And with that said, I mean, I think that what we've seen is now, you know, the bill's
open free agency creating their own holes in the interior of the offensive line depth.
They had a plan for starting, but they had nothing behind it.
They had incredible amounts of holes on the defensive line, which they showed up with
what some of the recent resigning to Juan Jones, a Japan as a and some external signings,
Casey tool, Austin Johnson.
And then the safety position was a complete unknown, you know, with Poyer leaving hide
still out there and undecided in terms of whether or not he's going to play football
next year.
And so they resigned wrap, they sign Mike Edwards and they resigned Cam Lewis.
So we've got, you know, to me, it looks like this may be we may not see other moves until
after the draft after the draft, there's always a shuffle, there's always bottom of
the roster stuff that happens, there's always higher priced kind of veteran players, maybe
on the down, down incline of their career, or the decline of their career, who end up
on the street as free agents.
And also after the draft, all of those, you know, signings will no longer count against
the compend story pick formula, and that's when Brandon mean likes to do some extra work
likes to hunt for some extra depth and some extra insurance policies at starting positions
that they may not have hit on in the draft or may not be able to count on from a draft
pick.
And so I think that there's some likelihood there, and not to mention, you know, keeping
keeping mind bills mafia, that as sad as it was to see Tredavious White goes go 10.7
million comes on the books June 1 for the bills to use in free agency, to use, you know,
kind of restructure extended signing some some different things they could maybe you
know rework something with Rachele Douglas for another year, they could look to get Spencer
Brown done early, there's a lot that could happen with that money.
Absolutely, buddy.
And I think given that that is likely to be the case unless there is a surprise to Davian
Clowney signing by the bills and not the jets, which is possible, which is not how it's looking
like.
I will say that I think you are correct.
I think the bills are done right now in this stage of free agency for the most part.
And they are now focusing on the April draft, which is where we shall sir now turn our attention.
So before we get into our big boards, right, so how we're going to do this is we're going
to line up for you the positions of need that we think the bills have to address in the
draft in April.
From there, we're going to give you four, maybe five players at each position that
can be had an either day one, which is round one, day two, which is rounds two or three,
or day three, which is rounds four through seven, for the Buffalo Bills in the draft,
we're going to give you some guys that we've talked about extensively like AD Mitchell
and that kind of stuff at certain positions.
We're also going to share with you some late round gems that we think could really bolster
this Buffalo Bills roster.
So JJ, why don't we kick it off and start with our areas of need?
All right.
Where do you want to start with the areas of need you think the bills need to address
sitting in a post free agency world?
Yeah, I think that, you know, like we do so often with the podcast, let's break it into
halves of the kind of halves of the main kind of game offense defense, right?
And let's start with wide receiver because that's still my number one.
That's that's the position I want first, first pick in the draft to be a wide receiver.
I love that you've come on board with this.
Oh yeah, absolutely.
No, absolutely.
Because of what I've seen.
Curtis Samuel is a reasonable replacement for the wire Z on a fee on the field, right?
He's young enough.
You don't have to worry so much about Stefan Diggs taking a step down or back or moving
into the slot because Curtis Samuel can play that Stefan Diggs role.
We don't have an X we don't have what Gabe Davis was supposed to be which is the big
body 64, you know, 200 plus pound solid with blocking beats press coverage off the line
deep speed threat.
We don't have that guy on the on the bills roster.
And now that free agency has kind of settled and it's not like they're trading for T Higgins,
right?
So it's it's a position where they absolutely need to plan for the future and to to go into
this and if there is still like top five, six or seven of the you know, wide receiver
class on the board at 28 and they go defensive end, I'm going to be pretty disappointed.
I am to I think that's where it's likely headed though.
And the Samuel signing is interesting.
We dug into it a little bit, right?
He gives you something you already have not something that you need.
But I also think too, in a lot of these and a lot of these short area, short yardage situations
where we saw Diggs come off the field last year, JJ, in favor of having Davis Shakir
and Scherfield, all of whom are elite run blockers.
I think you see Samuel out there more just to maintain the threat of someone potentially
running around and catching a pass because listen, no shade of Gabe Davis, but when he
was out there in those situations, everyone very much knew he was run blocking Scherfield,
no one was scared of Shakir was really your only guy but still underdeveloped in his usage
in the scheme at that point.
I think Samuel is there for when Diggs comes off the field and those we could run or could
pass short yardage situations where he is still a threat to do what Diggs does, but
brings a little bit more utility in the run blocking game.
I mean, I think that's really it's really all it is.
It's a it's quite a it's a reasonable financial commitment to bringing in someone that can
give you that kind of versatility.
But I agree wide receiver is still number one on my board.
And we'll get into who we think the bill should look at.
But it's got to be a very specific profile of wide receiver, which is why I'm out on
guys like lad McConkey, who I know will make some some people sad.
I'm also out on guys like Xavier worthy like I love the speed, but he's a body catcher,
right?
And he's really, really tiny.
So, so we'll get into that a little bit more.
JJ sticking with the offensive side of the ball.
I have offensive line is a blanket need.
I go in this order, I go interior, and I go tackle.
But for the Buffalo Bills, they're always looking for guys that have line versatility
can play multiple positions.
There are a few guys in this draft that they can target that do have three or even four
position versatility that I think could address a multitude of needs for them.
So I've got O-Lide as a blanket.
I'd like to see them address interior first, particularly the center position center for
the future.
But then with Spencer Brown's contract coming up, I do think a developmental tackle is going
to be in play for them as well.
Yeah, absolutely.
And I would agree with that 100%.
And that sort of concludes my list on offense.
I don't you don't want a tight end.
You don't want to get another no, I don't want another tight end unless it's like, you
know, just sort of like a camp body, sixth, seventh rounder, just to see if they find something
and maybe has special teams ability.
I will say sneaky need for me that may be addressed and may surprise some folks is running back
because the bills, of course, you know, James Cook is their number one bell Kyle back at
this point.
Ty Johnson showed a lot and he resigned with the team.
And I think that happened after the last time we spoke.
So that was a good resigning.
I you know, my definition, I think we saw that Joe Brady got a lot out of Ty Johnson.
And so he's got some good upside.
He's young, he's athletic.
So there's advantage there.
But I still think they're missing that kind of, you know, large, heavy back who can take
some of the goal line touches away from Josh Allen, get him out of that mess that happens
in the line in short yardage.
And so, you know, I think that there's possibilities.
And this is a bad running back draft, but there are some big body running backs who we've both
talked about Audric Estime, Breylin Allen, who we've really, really liked that could
be had potentially in the middle rounds.
So we'll see.
That's the last song with you wide receiver offensive line general.
And then running back or that's that's it for me.
I kind of just want Joe Milton, if you're going to pick a quarterback in this draft,
give me Joe Milton out of Tennessee.
And that's all I'll say about that.
He's just an athletic freak and I've already talked about him.
Yeah, absolutely.
No, I agree.
So those are those are needs in a lesser capacity.
Those really are depth additions.
And really, when you're talking running back, I think you're talking personal protector
for Josh on clear third passing downs, because I don't think you have that with Cooker Johnson.
So yeah, that's true.
All right.
So yeah, all right, dude, let's switch over to the defensive side of the ball.
Again, I've got defensive line is a blanket statement here.
And again, I'm going interior and edge.
So I'm going interior defensive linemen and like wide receiver, there's a specific profile
I think we're looking for.
And that is the one tech.
The Dequan Jones replacement of the future, someone who can come in, be an understudy to
Jones and really provide a big gap eating double team eating body, they can really free
up and unlock at Oliver.
And then I've got edge because I think again, the epinezory signing was was great, but he's
only on a two year deal.
They are likely parting ways with Von Miller at the end of this season, just for salary
cap reasons alone, and they can finally get out of that contract this year.
And then Greg Russo, they got to make a decision dude on his fifth year option.
And he I don't want to use the term injury prone.
But for we've talked about for a guy with his odd body type, right?
He has seen a lot of injuries, dinks, dents, that kind of stuff over the course of his
bill's career, they got to make a decision about him long term too.
So I think edge is definitely on the board here.
And while I hate to say this, I think depending on how the board falls edge very well could
be a day one selection for Brandon Bain.
No, and we've talked about this, I think it could be too, because it's with the talent
of this wide receiver class seven could go before the 21st pick, right?
Seven wide receivers could go there just couldn't be the talent, even in striking range for
these bills, especially without a third round pick.
And so there could be a situation where they they kind of have to take the second best
or third best edge because the board just demands that, you know, any other pick would
be a kind of a waste of position in the draft based on what's available.
But we'll see.
I agree.
I think I would flip it for myself.
I think edge is the number one of those two positions between edge and interior.
And then, you know, I do like some interior depth Austin Johnson, resigning to Juan Jones
for two years.
Those things are like favorable to me.
I feel like even just those three with that Oliver is a solid kind of starting point for
the season.
And then, you know, they could get some some depth in there from practice squad capable
players and the late round picks to just try somebody out.
So I'm not as I'm not in as much of a panic about interior, but I do think that the outside
edge rusher needs to be addressed in the top four rounds, at least.
So yeah, I'm with you there.
And then, you know, safety, what are you thinking of safety?
I'm thinking safety.
I would almost put we're not really ranking these with any kind of scientific system.
I would almost put corner over safety at this point.
You know, Rizul Douglas is going to be your one Christian Benford, probably going to play
on the outside opposite of him, Kayer Elam being allowed to compete.
You really need to fill that Dane Jackson role of fourth cornerback coming off the board.
And we've seen Christian Benford again.
I don't want to use the injury prone tag, but he has been often injured early on in his
Bill's career.
So you need to roll into the season with way more depth.
And given where the league has gone, you can never have enough guys that cover.
So again, I trust Mick D and that unit was safeties to mold whoever they need to into
doing what they need to do.
But I think corner is a position I would put slightly over DB.
And again, depending on how the board falls, there are some fast physical corners in this
draft.
Depending on how this board falls, I would not I would not be shocked if corner is not
a day one consideration for the bills to really I would be surprised.
I would not be shocked at all.
Based on what I'm reading and like again, you and I don't have insider info necessarily,
but there seems to be if you if you like listen to the Bruce exclusive or you read any of
the beat writers that are coming out of Buffalo, there seem to seems to be an active consideration
that they really need to bolster their secondary in the face of the defensive line issues they've
seen year over year.
Yeah, no.
And I think that's possible.
I think that what we see with the bills is that there's a likelihood that they will,
you know, attack the big money five positions.
And the big five money positions are like, of course, quarterback, offensive tackle, and
then on defense, it's corner, it's edge rusher, and then wide receiver back on offense.
So those big money five positions are probably going to be the focus and, you know, it's
could be a cornerback.
I think for me with the bills, it's most likely that the approach to corners going to
be like a later in the round pick up for them than a first round.
And I know it's like, like I'm kind of contradicting myself.
I said it's a big money position.
They will attack that early because cheap contract of a rookie for four years or five
years, especially if you get the first round fifth year option is valuable.
But I also look at this bill's team and their history with drafting corners, the only one
they ever picked above kind of the fourth round was Kyrie Lom.
And that has not turned out very well for them because the expectations were very high
and the production very low.
And in a draft where the Buffalo Bills pick 28 in the first round, 60 in the second round,
and then not again until 128 in the fourth.
And then they have two fours, two or three fives, three sixes and a seventh.
So I just see corner unless the fit is absolutely perfect.
Cooper DeJane, you know, in the first or somebody like that.
Kool-Aid McHintree was the coolest name in the draft maybe.
Unless there's somebody like that coming out and hits right at their 28 pick that's unexpectedly
on the board.
I don't I don't see them picking corner early, but I do agree.
It's a big money five position and and it could happen there.
For me, though, it's like classic bills.
Fifth round.
I know, right?
They're going to go ham on CVs.
Let me let me give you a scenario.
Kyrie Lom traded draft day for a third round pick.
Right.
I think of that immediately.
I think I think if that happens, I think I think cornerback gets elevated, right?
So and and he is when you look at when you look at the bills desire to get back in the
third round, because I make no mistake, they thought their comp pick for Tremaine admins
was going to land them in the third round, which is why they traded the third round or
for a Zool Douglas.
They don't have a lot of assets left on the board unless they want to package some of
the 10 or 11 picks they have in this year's draft to try to get back up into that range.
But a guy like Kyrie Lom with the athletic profile that he has is the most tempting trade
asset they still have on the board.
And regardless of the coaching change that we've seen, it could very well be that the
bills are ready to kind of cut ties and start over and acknowledge that that pick was a
mistake by trading him to get back into the third round as an asset.
I think there are I think there is some four dimensional chess around the cornerback position
going on right now at one bills drive, which is why I wouldn't necessarily take it off
the board being a day one pick, depending on how things land on the board.
Yeah, no, I think that's a completely valid opinion and I'm that changes the whole landscape
for me.
If they trade away Kyrie Lom, and they don't believe in him anymore to compete for one
of those roles at depth or starting, then I think absolutely it pushes that need way
up the board.
Yeah, so that's for me, I think that mid safety went from a high need to a mid round
fill in for me, and again, I'm with you, I trust the bills defense to the scheme and
McDermott and Bobby Babbage to develop and staff working for Babbage to develop whomever
they pick in the DB room to be a capable starter.
It's really it's a it's a weird outlier that Kyrie Lom with his athletic profile has not
come more, because they've been able to turn a lot of a lot of players who have lesser
athletic profiles into meaningful starters, Dane Jackson.
Oh, geez, Levi will wallace like they do that with with players on a regular basis.
And that's also why I was mentioning earlier, the bills have, you know, most of the picks
in their draft are fourth round and later, they only have two picks in the top and then
nine in the bottom.
And so I expect some of that, you know, draft capital be used on defensive backs both in
safety and CB.
Absolutely.
And that is where Brena being is absolutely lethal on day three.
He really knows his stuff.
I'm almost not saying he doesn't have a third round pick, because that is usually the most
controversial pick of the entire draft that bean tends to make, right?
We're always debating the third rounders, whether it's running backs or linebackers,
we're always debating his third round pick use.
But all right, man, you want to get let's get into our big boards now.
All right.
Let's let's start on the offensive side of the ball.
Right, and let's start with what you and I both agree is the number one need for this
team even if bean does not agree with us.
And that is wide receiver.
So let's break it down for some day one, day two and day three options.
And let's start with you, sir.
Where do you sit with day one pick 28 if the board falls favorably for the bills?
I mean, I feel like a broken record.
Of the true pure X receiver with that like wide receiver one talent for me, it's Brian
Thomas, a D Mitchell, Troy Franklin, maybe like that.
That's sort of it from that's if if none of those three are in striking distance, I'm
sort of out on a round one wide receipt.
And I would say my the way I'd rank them is Brian Thomas, a D Mitchell and then Troy
Franklin the way I said them.
So you know, I think that it's tough because both a D Mitchell and Brian Thomas to some
extent are sort of their big years were the most recent years, which you want to see growth,
of course, Troy Franklin, I think has has been more consistent in terms of starting
in college and all three of them are kind of 6364.
Brian Thomas is the only one with like the body composition that I look for in the first
round, because Troy Franklin and the D Mitchell are both the height, but they're not the weight,
you want to get above 200 pounds, so the player will hold up and press coverage kind of have
that strength to kind of help with the run blocking and get off and have a good release
even against bigger corners in the NFL.
Those are my those are my first round talents.
How about you?
I have the exact same three and I debated about putting Xavier Worley in there because I do
think he could sneak himself into the ladder rounds.
I just I watched a lot of his game film.
I think he's he is a very polished route runner, especially being asked to do what he was asked
to do in Texas.
I've put up some comps between him and Stefan Diggs because I do think he is fast Stefan
Diggs.
I am though like I am every year hyper focused JJ on wide receivers that can catch and secure
the ball and Josh Allen, our Lord and Savior who we love, doesn't always throw the most
catchable ball and worthy tends to be too much of a body catcher.
And we've seen with some of these smaller targets, the Isaiah McKenzie is even though
worthy isn't nearly as tiny as Mackenzie is.
But we've seen with some of these smaller, lighter wide receivers, they have a really
hard time bringing in a Josh Allen throw.
So worthy has had some drop issues in his career.
It was way worse in 2022 than it was in 2023.
But his catching mechanics to me and his competition at the point of catch, take him off the board
for me for the bills.
If the Dolphins want to add another really super fast guy that's super tiny by all means
have fun was Xavier worthy, right?
But for me, it is 80 Mitchell, Brian Thomas and Troy Franklin.
I debated to is Xavier Leggetti here, but I think Leggetti is much much more a day to
round two.
I think he's my like, if they got him in two, I'd be so happy.
Absolutely.
You know, it was interesting.
I was listening to the Meenakheim's mini mock draft special.
I think she was doing it with Danny Kelly from the ringer.
I can't quite remember.
But they were actively talking about AD Mitchell is a culture fit for the bills.
He's a scheme fit and he's a need fit.
But there is that they were openly debating whether or not someone like AD Mitchell would
mesh with a guy like Sean McDermott and his coaching style.
And you know, it's interesting.
There has not been a lot of AD Mitchell buzz coming out of Bill's camp.
There's been a lot more Troy Franklin, a lot more Xavier Leggetti, right?
I do.
They're kicking the tires on AD Mitchell.
But I feel like for them, it is Brian Thomas, Jr. or bust.
And out of all the names that we've mentioned, he had the best college production, given
it was only for one year, but he's a guy who actually matches traits with production on
the field.
And I think the bills are really going to be attracted to that.
So if Thomas isn't there, I think the bills potentially roll the dice and either trade
down or go defense with pick one.
Sure.
Yeah, I think that's possible.
And really, I mean, we'll talk about, you know, can I shift to kind of day two and beyond?
Because I like I mentioned Xavier Leggetti in the second round, I think it'd be a good
pick.
He's got he's been compared a lot to Debo Samuel, which is a little bit unfair for,
you know, a rookie.
It's mostly just because he's got that like really thick build and he has that explosive
kind of after catch ability as a runner in space.
And so I think that that's that's why he has that he also had an amazing testing at the
combine.
And so I think he's rising up the board a little bit.
Another second round target for me is Jalen Pult, who's a little bit shorter than the
other receivers we've talked about out of Washington six to, but he's sort of, you
know, a limited root runner, but he's good contested catch.
And that's, you know, saying something because there's a lot of receivers in this class.
And then kind of as we move down, you know, it's it's sort of it gets light.
Brendan Rice has been a player, of course, Jerry Rice's son.
I think he's got a really high floor and will be a solid player.
I just know it's the kind of thing where when you watch him, you're like, what is his exceptional
talent?
He's just generally solid.
So he might be a slight upgrade from Gabe Davis early on, but I don't know that he's
ever going to like you really supplant a wide receiver one.
And that's surprising given his lineage.
JJ, and this is the conundrum I think the bills are in if they don't go wide receiver
round one, they almost have to go wide receiver round two, pending their ability to get a third
round pick.
Because once you start getting into third round and even day three, you're really talking
about guys that are not your wide receiver one of the future, they're not your stuff
on digs replacement, you could potentially develop someone in the fifth or sixth round
to do that, right?
I mean, we've talked and there's some guys that are going to be available that fit the
profile that probably have a longer developmental arc.
But if you're the bills, you have this clear glaring need on your roster.
And if you don't address it early in the draft, you really are kicking the can down the road
to 2025 and even 2026, when it is time to part ways with digs potentially, you're kicking
the can down the road and you're letting the need come up on you as opposed to trying to
manage the need proactively now, when the talent is in the draft class.
And listen, there's always going to be guys available.
But like we saw with last year's draft, every year, the class shapes a little bit differently.
Last year, it was a lot of slot guys, it was a lot of Z guys that were in the draft, right?
This year, you finally have some really good, not generational, but really good X style talent.
And for me, the bills got a strike early.
So if it's not round one, it's round two.
And if they kick the can down the road to day three, JJ, while there are some guys that
are there, and we'll talk about a couple of those in a minute, it is very likely that
we're seeing the bills address wide receiver again in 2025 and 2026.
Yeah, I think I think you're right.
And I'm a little bit, you know, I have that concern too of don't, you know, don't be the
team left in 20.
What was it?
2013, that amazing wide receiver draft.
When who's the Tampa Bay Buckingham?
Like Evans came out, a lot of players came out.
Yeah.
And that was a great draft.
I'll pull it out.
Yeah.
Yeah, bills missed out because was that the year that they traded up for Sammy Watkins?
I want to say it was.
Yeah, Dan's gonna pull that up for us.
Thank you, sir.
But the, you know, somebody's like legendary wide receivers classes come through.
You don't want to be the team that picks the fourth round guy when all these other teams
have their solid locked in wide receiver one for the next 10 years.
And you're kind of left holding the bag or you got a defensive end or defensive tackle
who turned out to be a solid starter, but not an all pro, not a pro bowler, nothing,
you know, to say too much to his game.
And the class was absolutely outstanding at one position.
Yeah.
2013 was the Robert Woods year.
That's when those drafted Robert Woods, but ahead of him.
They got him in the second.
DeAndre Hopkins, Cordell Patterson, right?
Tavon Austin was in that draft and ended up being kind of a bust.
I think Sammy Watkins was 2007.
Wasn't it?
Seven.
Okay.
The Odell Beckham year.
Yes.
That's right.
I got those mixed up, but that's what I'm saying is like, you don't want to, I don't
want them to Sammy Watkins it.
I don't want them to trade their entire future up for Roma Dunes, who I think is going to
be exceptional, but everybody starting out, you know, the same, you walk into your thought
that Sammy Watkins would be the like best receiver to come out of college football
in a decade.
And he ended up being complete, complete bust.
And so, I mean, he had a good year with bad quarterback play in the bills.
And then he sort of went crazy and fell off.
So yeah, I agree.
I think that this, you know, if it's Brian Thomas or bust in the first, I'm good with
that because, and I would even be willing to trick, you know, future picks if he got
in striking range of the low, lower high teens to get up because like I, you know, I think
that the bills are going to be very gunshot.
I think Brandon Bean is going to be afraid of 22 and the Trent McDuffie, Kyrie Lowe
situation where they waited a little bit too long and they got sniped by Brett Beach.
And Trent McDuffie is basically an all pro and Kyrie Lowe can't get on the field.
And so they have a clear need at wide receiver of the future.
And ever other teams know it.
Other teams have watched them, you know, the bills in free agency and they recognize that
there's still that, you know, that gap.
And so I could see, you know, them being a little gun shy about we.
And so I hope if it's Brian Thomas, Jr. of course, like I hope they get up and get him.
How about some late round guys?
I know, you know, and this is a situation where late in the draft, you know, take a
fly around some of these guys, even if you picked first at 28, you know, or 17 or 18
or something like that with a wide receiver, go again, dip into that pool because it's
a lot of these players that are going to be picked in the fifth, you know, fourth, fifth,
sixth, seventh are players that in another draft class without that top level talent
might have gone in the second or third round or the fourth.
Who do you got?
So I've got a couple guys here.
I've got Luke McCaffrey, brother of Christian McCaffrey.
I think he had, he ran with like four or five speed, which is fine.
He plays a little bit faster on game film.
Pre-developed route runner, really good at the point of catch.
Like in this round, JJ, I'm looking for the basics.
Can you catch the ball?
Can you run around and are you reasonably athletic and fast?
And I think Luke McCaffrey absolutely meets that need.
Javon Baker, JJ, another one from the University of Central Florida I have on my big board.
I think he brings a real, real competitive attitude at the point of catch.
He again, I think ran a flat 4.5 in the 40.
But again, game speed is very different from running in a straight line in shorts.
So I think he's another one I would spend a day three pick on.
But JJ, this is my day three.
This is my day three guy.
Bub means University of Pittsburgh.
I've talked about him three or four times.
I've featured him a couple of times on the social media feeds.
Bub means dude is an absolute athletic freak.
He is six to two 15 runs on the four fours.
Very polished route runner, but like wins with separation vertically down the field
as well did it a lot in college.
His ability to adjust and track the ball in midair is already pro level and you need that
if you're going to be catching 50 and 60 are bombs from Josh Allen.
Bub means University of Pittsburgh.
Get this guy Brandon Bean.
This is the guy that you need to grab in this draft.
Yeah, no, I love that.
I want just for your sake, just because I want I want to be part of the celebration.
If the bills pick, Bub mean means I want to I want to kind of watch and see you go through
that because I think it'll be a special moment.
And my kind of late round late round guy is is what I consider the wish version of a D
Mitchell.
He's also a receiver that plays in Texas.
He's also like 6364 and you know, 185 pounds.
So he's he's thin and tall.
It's Joshua Cephas out of University of Texas or UT San Antonio Roadrunners.
Smaller school, but he was a three year or maybe a four year starter and is a senior.
I know that the bill sometimes they are willing to sacrifice a young younger age for somebody
who has production consecutive consecutive years.
And you know, so he's like a 900 snap per season guy.
And so has the experience could be a player has decent hands, not not a lot of drop rate
issues has shown, you know, very good against man coverage.
And so, you know, good receiving, you know, across the board.
So just one of those like, take a take a flyer and I'm see if you see if you got anything.
Let's move into offensive line.
You want to hit that quick and kind of each give our each give our slate or menu of options.
Yeah, absolutely.
And I think I don't see the bills going offensive line in round one, unless there is like a
unless there is a supremely talented prospect that falls to them.
And to me, there's really only two that would qualify as that for me.
Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of really great tackles in this draft, but I don't see
any of the elite tackles in on day one falling to the bills of 28.
But there could be some interior line guys that do fall to them.
Graham Barton from Duke is a day one guy for me.
He has five position versatility across the line to mostly played tackle in college has
played some snaps at guard and center.
He projects JJ at the next level to be a guard.
All that being said, and he could probably really push David Edwards this year in that
role to play next to Deion Dawkins.
All that being said, though, his positional versatility is going to have him ranked high
on a lot of teams, big boards.
And if he were to fall to the bills at 28, it would be it would be, I think, tempting
for the bills to go in that direction.
And then the other day, one guy I got is Jackson Powers Johnson, interior offensive linemen,
mostly center from the University of Oregon.
He seems to be with Barton competing for that top interior versatility position type of
guy in this year's draft.
I think Powers Johnson is likely gone earlier in the draft to a team like Pittsburgh.
I mean, honestly, a team like Miami could use that kid too, but I have no idea what they're
doing this offseason other than doubling down on the same dumb stuff that they do every
year, which is fine by me.
Please by all means, keep doing that.
But as a Dolphins fan, our friend Steve, I think I would be able to be very frustrated
with our offseason.
And then and those would be really be the only two day one guys for me at that point
on the offensive line, save for if one of the elite tackles fell to them.
Yeah, absolutely.
And I'm with you.
I have no notes, both Jackson, you know, Jackson Powers Johnson and Graham Bartner,
right?
The only one I'd add into that mix is possibly Zach Frazier out of West Virginia.
Ski scheme versus house center.
He can play guard or any of the interior positions based on his athletic profile.
He's been a center mostly in college or only in college, but I believe he has the capability
that you know, sort of like how when the bills picked up Eric Wood, he started at guard,
even though he was a center all through college.
That's what I feel about Zach Frazier probably is going to go at the end of the first round
or early second round.
That's the only player I think day one would be in consideration.
For me, I'll lead off with our with day two options.
Patrick Paul at the University of Houston, um, six, seven, three, 15, sort of like leans
into what they picked when they, you know, with the tackles they like to choose.
And so I think that is being a possibility.
And then some of the other players that I keep seeing come up whenever I'm doing kind
of my mock drafts, which as you know, I do all the time, Matt Guncalves out of pit, they
love pit guys.
And he's sort of, um, he had a season ending, uh, torn ACL this past year.
So his medicals at the combine would be very important, but he could play at, he's got
some tackle or guard flexibility, six, six, three, 30.
And so that's one.
And Dominic Poonie, uh, Kansas, um, six, five, three, 20, and he's also possible kind
of guard with start and potential who played tackle in college.
A lot of times in college, if you have the athleticism to play outside in the next level
in the NFL, you might not have the same athleticism, especially if you're a third or fourth round.
Yeah.
I love those guys.
I'll add a couple more to the day two list here.
I actually have Zach Frazier on my day two list.
Okay.
I think, I think, and I think he will fall today too.
I agree with you.
I think there is some limited versatility for him to play guard or at least learn guard,
but I think a lot, a lot of teams are projecting him as center only.
And as a result of that, I think Zach Frazier might fall today too.
Uh, Cooper Beebe out of Kansas state is another guy I got.
This is like the twin brother of Osiris Torrance as far as body makeup goes.
Large, large and wide dude.
And if you were to put Torrance on the right side, Beebe on the left side, you were you
have the makings of a young brick wall interior that will project Josh protect Josh Allen
for the next three or four years.
All right.
And then finally, JJ, I've got Christian Jones out of Texas, a big, athletic, well balanced
guy primarily plays right tackle.
This could potentially be your Spencer Brown replacement.
Like I will not be sad if they do not resign Spencer Brown.
I think he's been fine.
I think ultimately given the project that he was, I think he's been okay.
I would not, I would not though, based on the salary cap situation of the bills, I would
not shed a tear if they decided not to commit long-term money to him and reset the clock
on that right tackle position.
And to me, Christian Jones is a guy they could do that with.
Sure.
Um, my, my kind of later, later for Jevon Foster out of Missouri 65319 kind of a plus
starter, again, a lot of experience, um, coming out of Missouri and Mizzou has produced a
lot of good offensive linemen.
And so that's a player.
And then later in the rounds, Tanner Bertolini, we've already talked about a little bit out
of Wisconsin at center.
And the late, late, late round guys, Brandon Coleman out of Texas Christian, uh, 66320,
just basically that's a projection to say like, okay, he played a lot of snaps the
last two years.
Um, but, uh, you know, has not been kind of a top of the class, of course, but somebody
could bet on traits and him growing into his body a little bit and getting some strength.
That's that's the biggest thing in strength and athleticism for Brandon Coleman has, has
been a little bit lacking, but the bills have been shown to, he's a good technician and
they've been shown to bet on that a little bit.
Yep.
I've only got one name to add to that JJ and that is Roger Rosengarten out of Washington
tackle prospect, um, projecting right now, early fourth round day for day three type of
selection, six, five, three, oh eight, uh, had an, has amazing athletic scores and could
be the guy again that serves as like this backup high, high ceiling swing tackle for
the bills or longer term, uh, positioning him as the Spencer Brown replacement.
But this is a dude with his athletic profile that the bills absolutely love.
And if they've got a ton of picks coming in the fourth round and on day three and generally
as we've talked about, this is a guy who I could see bean packaging some of those late
round picks to move up early in the fourth and snag right away.
And I think, I think that would be quite the coup by bean if he couldn't manage that because
this is a guy who played in college at the D one level to the level of expectation that
they hoped Brown would play.
This is a guy that comes in with some legit college production, not just the athletic
upside.
And I think it'd be great if they could finally marry the athletic profile with real college
production at that right tackle position.
Absolutely.
Um, I'll hit, uh, you know, I'll hit very quickly last offensive position for me.
I don't think it's going to, I don't think quarterbacks going to be a consideration
unless it's a late round flyer on just a camp body.
Um, but running back, I mentioned before, you know, we talked about having a personal
protector for Josh Allen, Audric Estime, Notre Dame, Braylon Allen out of Wisconsin, both
of them are above 220, um, both of them around six feet.
Uh, so big time, you know, large body presence in the running back room that they don't really
have right now.
Um, both of them would probably not be available past the first, uh, fourth round pick that
the bills would have.
So it would be kind of a trade up into the late third or trade up into the early fourth
for them, uh, and then the last person I have is like late round flyer guy out of Oregon
state, D'Shawn Fenwick, uh, one of those big body guys, six, two, two, 20, um, could,
you know, could develop into something.
But again, if you're, if you're using a six or seventh on him, I don't think it's too
much of an investment.
How about you, honey?
No, I mean, Alan is the guy that I want out of Wisconsin.
I think he pushes the bill at like 244 doesn't he?
He's a, he's a big, big dude.
Um, he's massive.
I joked at a previous pod, but now I've kind of come around to it.
I mean, that could be a Reggie Gilliam replacement at some point, right?
I mean, that, that could be a very versatile athletic fullback with H back.
Hey, oh my God, Mike, all stop.
Let's bring it back, baby.
Let's bring it back.
Mike, all stop.
Let's do this.
But yeah, JJ, um, let's flip over to the defensive side of the ball and let's start with defensive
line and we'll go with your number one need on the defensive line.
First, let's start with our edge prospects for the bills.
So where do you want to take us on day one?
Oh, sadly, in reality, should that be the case for the bills at number 28?
Yeah, I think that there's, there's, you know, three names, the top three in the class are
Dallas Turner out of Alabama, Jared verse out of Florida state and Laatu Latu out of
UCLA, watching Laatu Latu on film, it's sort of, he's amazed.
Like in terms of just having the natural presence, balance, being able to kind of ghost dip
the edge, all that stuff is there, the athletic profiles there.
I think his, you know, he at one point was medically retired from football.
And so, and that's a, that's a concern.
I think that might drive him down the board a little bit because he's a top 20 pick by
most draft, you know, nicks.
And but he, the medical will scare some teams.
So he might actually drop down the board with bills.
Those are the, those are the players that I think if they're there at 28, you absolutely
pick.
But then it gets into kind of second round talents for me with plus upside, Darius Robinson
from Missouri is probably the player I would take if I were the bills over somebody like
Chris Brasswell or chop Robinson late in the first round, just because Darius Robinson
is more the bills for three body type player 65296 close to, you know, 300.
So they like players that can, they can have position flexibility with chop Robinson and
Chris Brasswell are a little bit light.
They're long and light and not necessarily the type they're closer to the Casey to hill.
The free agent, the bills just signed in terms of their body composition.
So Darius Robinson definitely fits the size.
Those are my possible first round targets.
How about you?
Chop Robinson, what do we feel about Chop Robinson on this spot?
I do not want, I do not want to mess with any Penn State defensive ends ever again.
He is the, he's the only one I have on my day one big board, but he is, he is grossly
undersized and this feels like no skills are polished.
He has no moves.
He is, he is all athletic upside at this point, right?
Not a lot of college production undersized.
He, he to me would be, and again, we're happy with the AJ Apanazza resigning, but he would
be to me fit going with a guy like Apanazza, asking him to dramatically change his body
type and you're not seeing any meaningful production from him for like two or three
seasons.
But, um, chop, listen, I've seen chop and mocks to the bills and he has the athleticism
that they come at.
And again, like any coaching staff in the NFL, they think they can take a lump of clay
and turn it into like, you know, David, you know what I mean?
So, so chop to me.
He puts on 20 pounds.
The bills feel like they can coach them up.
I am, I'm saying he's on my big board because I think he's on the bills big board.
I know don't necessarily think though I would take him in round one given the size concerns
sure and lack of college production.
So let's do so many things like in like no college.
Yeah, right.
I mean, it's all God, it's God, they got to stop doing this all athletic upside.
They got to stop doing this stuff at edge.
Day two, I got to be honest with you, if chop falls to day two, I like that pick more.
Yes, I don't have a lot of guys on my list at day two because I feel like at that point,
the bills are really looking at interior defensive line on day two or wide receiver if they screwed
up the 28 pick or if they trade back.
So I've got one dude again, remarkably undersized and I honest to God, don't think.
That the bill should go this route.
Is it Jonah Ellis?
No, it's Gabriel Murphy out of the way.
Yep.
So and he and he's going to be there because of the athletic profile.
He's six to but light 247.
Yeah, an amazing 40 time had some limited college production.
But again, it's the undersized nature of the player that I have my most concerns about.
If the bills JJ do not go edge in round one, I want them to skip over round two and then
go immediately to day three where I actually think there are some diamonds in the rough
that they could draft.
My day two is March on Neal and out of Western Michigan.
He against lesser competition.
He absolutely dominated, which is what you want to see again with a player who doesn't
play in kind of the SEC or something like that.
He's incredibly physical.
He's explosive.
He's got the size of the bills.
He's got 63275 was a year over year starter at Western Michigan, of course, but was able
to improve his game each year.
And so you want to see that upward trajectory of a long term starter in college.
And so March on Neal and as a player that if he's around in their second, you know, their
second pick at 60, definitely like and I do if chop Robinson fell, I wouldn't hate a second
round pick for him because he does have that kind of package and explosion explosiveness.
But you know, it still seems like such a, such a gamble for me.
Braille and Trice out of Washington in the second round at Edge would also be somebody
that I'd be cool with the bills taking if they took a wider step from the first to come
and get a, you know, another one of those big time money positions in the second.
And he is about 64274.
So he's that kind of size that the bills pick in the top end of the rounds.
And it's fascinating to me because again, he's got size, he's got the athletic profile.
I think he peaked at Western Michigan with four and a half sex.
He is a dude to me that either will not be there at 60 or will be there in the third
round, but it's precarious for the bills either way, because if he doesn't fall, they might
need to trade out for him.
And if he does fall to the third round, they're going to need to trade off for him because
they don't have a third round pick, right?
So Neil, but Neil into me feels like a guy because of his traits and size is going to
go earlier than pick 60.
And I like I like Trice too.
I don't know that he's there at 60 either, which is why I left him off my day two board.
Dude Edge Edge is such a complex position for the bills this year.
And which is why again, I really think they're leaning to round one, because after that, it
becomes un-muddied for them.
And I feel like they think they can get a wide receiver at 60.
I really do.
I think that is the mentality, because again, the drop off and edge is severely less than
it is a wide receiver.
But there is enough, there is enough separation between a day one edge and a day three edge
to where I see the bills addressing that.
So they don't find themselves in that position of having to trade up in the second round and
potentially sacrifice assets they would need to get into the third round to add another
quality pick to the roster as well.
So it edges the most fascinating frustrating position for me, JJ.
But there are some dudes on day three that I think the bills could absolutely with a
lot of that late round ammo end up going for one guy.
I've got on my day three list that I absolutely love is Miles Cole out of Texas Tech 6627846740
his 10 yard split JJ was 165.
That's better than some wide wide receivers, right?
Yeah.
I'm absolutely off the charts score when it comes to RAS in both size and speed.
He is a guy on day three that I absolutely think the bills would covet and run to the
podium should he be available with one of their fourth round picks.
Sure.
Really that high, Miles Cole.
Yeah, that high.
Forth round.
Okay.
Yep.
For me, I like that.
I've not really watched him on film, but you know, just reading his profile, I'm like,
wow, that's somebody I have to look at more.
A fourth round pick that I think about is if Justin Igbo Igby from Alabama falls a little
bit, he is again, like I don't love this because I think we talk all the time about
how much we hate that the bills pick excellent run defenders who have not a lot of past rush
ability for edges.
But he is that I think he'd probably be a plus starter in that role and the bills rotate
so much that a first two down role for him would be good.
Jalen Green, JMU out of your alma mater could be had probably in the fourth or fourth or
fifth is the kind of player you're watching are like, wow, that person is not 6'1, 240
pounds, but he absolutely is.
He's undersized, but he plays so much bigger.
And so that's a player that I think has that kind of past rush specialist and probably
be an outside linebacker in a 43 or in a 34, but could offer the bill something and they've
shown, you know, with the signing of on Miller, that they're willing to take a chance with
some non traditional body types and archetypes in their in their line if it means having
that past rush juice.
So those are that's it.
I have, you know, I think that ever anyone else would be signed up sort of a projection
for me.
I mean, I've touched many of the late round edges because I think it's one of those money
positions that you tend not to get somebody who's a real contributor.
It passed the third round.
Yeah, yeah.
I love I love you bringing some JMU love into this conversation.
Jalen Green, the reason I stayed away from him on day three, it's the size profile, right?
I mean, he projects he projects more to be your surrounding replacement on special teams
right.
I think meaningful probably into the into the actual 11 man rotation on defense.
So all right, man, let's talk interior defensive line and then we'll get to cornerback and
we'll get to safety to land this plane.
So I and again, we're basing this on who we think will be available for the bills on
day one, two and three.
I do not have anyone on my big board day one JJ at interior defensive line, particularly
that one tech position.
If a guy like Byron Murphy were to fall, I know we're probably going to depart on him.
Should that actually be the pick?
The bills probably run to the podium and they probably take him right?
Johnny Newton out of Illinois, maybe another one, although he really projects more as the
ad Oliver type.
But I don't think either of those two guys are going to be there.
So for me, my board starts on day two with to bond to Vondre sweat out of the University
of Texas.
Big hulking 366 ran a five second 40 at the combine.
Dude is an absolute absolute gap eater, double double team eater.
He's a run stopper.
He's just not in every every.
He's not in every down defensive lineman at the stage of his career.
If you're looking for a developmental comp for him, I would point to Jordan Davis of
the Philadelphia Eagles out of the University of Georgia.
It has taken him two, two seasons to really kind of find his fit on that defensive line.
And I think a guy like sweat, while worthy of a day to pick, it is going to be the same
thing.
You bring him in and clear run run stopping downs to spell to Juan Jones and you let him
study up under Jones.
And you hope he eventually develops some pass rush ability over the next two or three years
of that position.
But I have no one on my day one list.
I just have one person on my day one list because I also don't think that Johnny Newton
or Byron Murphy are going to fall.
I don't like Byron Murphy as a player because what I watched on film was somebody who doesn't
have a lot of contact balance and gets out of the rush lane consistently.
Like he makes huge plays, right?
He's got this amazing burst and ability to kind of tackle and meet in the hole.
But he gets out of position.
He falls down too much for me.
So I worry about that quite a lot at the NFL level when everyone's bigger, stronger and
faster than anyone's been going against Texas.
But in the first round, Braden Fisk out of Florida State, I could see him creeping up
the board because he absolutely lit the combine on fire.
So he'd be at Oliver backup and kind of, you know, a little bit of run defense deficiency,
but plus pass rusher and has the profile to become an elite pass rusher based on how
fast and he's not small.
He's six, five to two 97.
So a little bit undersized to mix it up in the middle, but certainly nothing that, you
know, he's bigger than that Oliver has a lot more juice than Oliver did coming out of
college.
So Braden Fisk is my only round one interior that I think is is reasonable and striking
distance.
I'm with you 100% on to Vandrey Sweat watching Byron Murphy.
I actually was gravitating more towards to Vandrey Sweat because he for a big man moves
way better than you can believe he would.
And he has incredible contact balance.
He tends to stay on his feet in the muck and then the mess.
And it's just such a large human that they don't tend to move him off his spot.
And he has that that potential ability of somebody like a Ted Washington to one arm
extend and hold a blocker off of him and then use his other arm to scoop up a tackle.
So it's just, I really like him in the second.
The other player I think that, you know, could be worthwhile to take a swing on in the second
round, maybe a little rich, but you know, it's possible he could be a riser.
Mason Smith, I had him to might be down in the might be down in the third or fourth,
but might creep up board 663 15 could be a one or three tech.
He's physically gifted.
But again, it's kind of bet on traits with him because he'll need to develop for a year
or two before he reliable starter.
Yep, I totally agree.
I had Smith on my day two list along with sweat as well.
Day three, day three for me.
I've got a couple of names on here that I like.
And again, you're getting more into the territory of interior line versatility could play one,
could play three, three technique position, which I think the bills would be hopeful for
and looking for on day three.
And if they don't package JJ, if they don't package assets to move up in the draft at
any particular point, I could see wide receiver and defensive tackle being double depositions
for the bills.
So on day three, I've got Jaden Krumity out of Mississippi State 64301 sub five second
40 yard dash 1.69 second 10 yard split at was ranked third overall, I think in the shuttle
exercise at the combine with a 4.66 seconds on the shuttle.
So he's got the size.
He's got got the athletic traits that the bills are looking for.
I think it could be a really nice day three selection for them.
Another guy for me projects more at the one tech or three tech rather than the one tech
Logan Lee out of Iowa 65281 a little bit heavier than at Oliver, but could be a solid rotational
piece for them.
Sure.
I've just got, you know, two, two late later round picks.
Keith Randolph Jr. out of Illinois.
A solid starter, you know, over over three years through college every year, had some
injury stuff come up, but could be a possible and again, this is like fifth, sixth, seventh
rounder, Evan Anderson out of Florida Atlantic, smaller, you know, smaller schools, lesser
competition, but is that sort of, you know, plug in the middle 63350.
So sort of your discount to Vandre sweat that you can get late in the game who's not nearly
the athlete to Vandre sweat is, but could be a player, you know, especially if you just
need someone to fill that plugging one tech to kind of keep you anchored on rundowns.
Evan Anderson is a player for that.
Totally agree.
All right, sir, let's move on to let's move on to corner and we'll we'll wrap this thing
up here, I think with safety.
So now I don't, again, I think corner is a consideration for Bill's brain trust at
one bills drive in round one.
I don't think and I don't have any round one considerations at pick 28 for cornerback
on the board.
I think Cooper Dugene is very likely gone in the twenties, even in the teens, given
his positional versatility and athletic profile.
I think the only guy JJ and he's a guy who could potentially fall, depending on what
the value of the skill set of this, this really kind of diverse array of DB's in this draft
is.
I think if a guy like Kool-Aid McKinsey from Alabama falls to Buffalo, it picked 28.
I really do think it's going to be tempting for them to go with him because they really
don't have a clear successor for Tradavia Swight.
Now that they moved on from him.
I don't think even with the coaching change with the die coming in as the new secondary
coach, I don't think the the bills overall is an organization or sold on a Kyler Elam.
And I think Christian Benford again, while he is his flashed, I don't know that that's
your CB outside CB one of the future given his industry history and injury history and
what his overall athletic profile and ceiling could be.
I could see the bills wanting to avoid the mistake that they made when they picked Elam
and got forced into it by thinking about this need longer term down the road.
So if Kool-Aid is there, if it's like to Vandre Swet, Kool-Aid McKinstry and AD Mitchell,
all available at pick 28 JJ, I could absolutely see the bills going with Kool-Aid McKinstry
in round one.
Sure.
Yeah, no, I like that pick.
He was my kind of first round CB and you know, I also think that TJ Tampa has been mocked
to the build in the first round, six to 200.
So they like length on the outside.
He's from Iowa State can play any kind of outside corner role.
Don't know if he's worth that pick that level, but Kool-Aid McKinstry I feel absolutely is.
What do you think and I feel like we can just smash it together and talk about our safeties
in the first round.
Is there any safety for you in the first round for me?
I don't think so.
Tyler Neubin is getting mocked to the bills at the end of the first round.
I think he is.
I think he's the only safety in the entire draft who's worth a first or second round
pick, but I don't think he's he's fringe first, right?
He broke all of.
Ah, geez, the safety for Tampa Bay who just resigned this year.
Oh, God, when son of a bills.
Yeah, Antoine Winfield.
He broke all of Winfield's records at Minnesota in terms of, you know, interception production,
tackle production, all those different things.
And so I think that, you know, that's amazing, but I just don't know that that's that's
not a top five money position.
And so I don't see them spending a first on it.
If he's around in the second, I'd feel a little better out about it at 60.
But yeah, that's the only the only CBs I have are Kool-Aid McKinstry and TJ Tampa.
And as for safety, it's Tyler Neubin in the second in the second for CB, NS rake straw
out of Missouri is somebody that I like.
Yeah, that's a good one.
And Kyrie Jackson out of Oregon is another one I like 6 3 195.
So definitely the size profile, athletic combination doesn't.
It's like an uncommon size and athlete combination.
But he's he's developmental.
He's not going to come in day one and be a starter or compete for a starting position.
Do you have any day two kind of safety or CBs?
I do.
So at the CB position, I've got Cam Hart from Notre Dame.
I do not.
JJ, I love this dude.
6 3 202 ran a four 5 40 his hip fluidity, his footwork mirroring, absolutely elite at
this stage of his development.
And he is a guy as offenses are getting lighter and faster.
He is a guy who will fit well with the zones zone scheme and the nickel packages that the
bills tend to tend to like to play.
But also, dude, there are he could absolutely press man one of these like Jalen waddle types
into oblivion if you really needed to with his physical profile.
I really like Cam Hart on day two.
Unfortunately, I think he's going to be mid second round.
And I just don't think the bills unless they trade back are going to have a lot of assets
to play with in the second round.
But I absolutely love Cam Hart, his speed, his athletic profile.
I think he is a guy to me that screams Buffalo Bill on day two.
Okay.
Yeah.
No, I like it.
And he is he is projected right around the same area that Elijah Jones out of Boston College.
They've got almost the same kind of body type and production in college.
And so, you know, Cam Hart, Elijah Jones are two kind of interchangeable players for me.
I like them both.
And day two safety wise, I think, of course, Cameron kitchens is there for me and your
guy Cole Bishop out of Utah.
So Cole Bishop is actually my number one safety in this track.
Oh, yeah.
I his and his combine workout absolutely put him at the top of my list.
I know that from a college production standpoint, guys like Newbin, guys like the Washington
State kid, Jaden Hicks, right?
There's a little bit more on film, dude, his athleticism absolutely jumps off the page
at me.
And I do think he's going to be a sneaky second round pick for some team.
I don't know that the bills are prioritizing safety and round two.
I think they've got their designs set on Cam kitchens despite the horrible 40 40 time
that he ran at the combine.
All of his athletic testing was brutal.
Just absolutely brutal.
Right.
But I think because of the connection to a die and the University of Miami, I think they're
hoping he slides deep enough into the third round to where they can leverage a late a
day three pick to move up and snag him.
So I would love to see Cole Bishop, dude, and a Buffalo Bill's uniform.
But I do not believe that I do not believe that they are going to spend pick 60.
It should he fall to them or spend capital to get move up and get them.
But again, he is a prospect that screams Buffalo Bill to me in that secondary.
It would thrive thrive in a multitude of positions, be it the nickel, be it in the box, be it
in the free range center fielder, his athletic profile, he would thrive in the Sean McDermott
scheme for sure.
Nice.
There are a few day three kind of targets.
I think that I like Malik Mustafa out of Wake Forest is one at safety.
Live 11 to 207.
Yeah, you love him too.
He's your kind of throwback, you know, old school, you know, box safety gets in gets
nasty.
At CB I like Dwight McLeathern.
This is a player out of Arkansas, 62 about 180.
That's one who I have every almost every mock draft I have.
He sticks out on the board in like the early fourth or late fourth round.
And I grab him because he's he's kind of the prototypical size that the bills like in corner.
He's a good tackler.
He's good in coverage.
He can stick with people and man he's a he's a plus athlete.
He you know, has a lot of forced incompletions.
He has had touchdowns, you know, he's run run some back for touchdowns.
So he's just a solid all around player and isn't getting as much play out of Arkansas.
I think the level of competition hurts him a little bit.
But three years starter he I think he also missed some time with injury this year.
So that might worry some teams.
But you know Dwight McLeathern that's my guy.
Love it.
Day three at cornerback.
I've got Miles Harden out of South Dakota 511-195 again a four five 40 at the combine.
Athletically fits with the bills.
What to do.
He is he's coming from playing.
I don't want to say a lesser brand of football because you know me.
I'm a big FCS guy.
JMU recently made the jump from FCS to to bowl championship moving to the Sun Belt.
So I've watched a lot of FCS football in my time and do these dudes can absolutely play.
He is not the fastest but he does have amazing short area quickness and can close in on
guys.
And I think Harden for me JJ might be the most pro ready tackler on my day three list
just because the way he wraps guys up and like clings to them with every fiber of his
511-195 frame.
To me he is a guy that can wrap a guy up.
He can close the tackle.
But you know the bills like to swarm the ball.
He could be the tip of the spear and that's swarming type of scheme that they like to
play moving to the ball.
And he's a guy who can absolutely stop yak in a zone scheme.
So I really like Miles Harden and then on the safety side you hit on my who might be
my favorite not the best but my favorite prospect here Malik Mustafa.
This guy tackles everything.
He is a hammer.
Everything is a nail to this dude.
He is an incredible throwback box safety.
He would absolutely thrive in the run stopping game for the role that the bills ask these
DB's to do and dude he we've talked about Zach Moss saying he wanted to have people
make business decisions when they tackled him.
If you see Malik Mustafa coming for you in the open field you as a ball carrier need
to make a business decision about whether or not you want to take that hit or run it
out of bounds.
I love Mustafa to the bills JJ as a developmental box safety on day three.
Yeah, that developmental box safety for me is Keaton Oladapo out of Oregon State.
Six one about 200 pounds and he is the kind of player who really like he gets he he also
makes makes runners make business decisions about running out of bounds instead of meeting
him because his run defense grade according to PFF was top among all safeties.
And so you know I know that the bills put a lot of stress on that and yeah he's got
the size six one 200 plus pounds and he's a senior so he's been a three year starter
in college and each year has improved his game slightly so Keaton Oladapo is one of
those players I could see the bills taking a flyer on the late and trying to develop
him and then of course they're always a post there's always a possibility with this front
office that they're going to dip into the hit well and there's two CB's AJ Woods and
then MJ Devonshire both kind of smaller 511 players under 200 pounds but could be developmental
slot or outside CB's depending on matchups and both of them have the capability I think
to kind of understudy Brant behind Taran Johnson so those are that's that concludes it for
me with defensive backs for for the draft and targets that I specifically have been
watching or looking out for.
Yep I've got a lot of the same guys on my list say for the dudes are already talked
about JJ so before we wrap it up here do you have any other prospects that you want Buffalo
the Buffalo bread community to focus on at any other positions.
You know I don't want to overstate the importance of this position but I think that you know
this may be the most critical point of the draft Austin McNamara a punter out of Texas
Tech with so many fifth sixth and seventh round picks you know nine of them between the fourth
and the end of the draft I think that if the bills feel that their needs have been met
at that point using a seventh on a player that's probably a UDFA in most people's boards Austin
McNamara six four two ten Texas Tech punter they'd signed Matt Hawk they guaranteed Sam
Martin for the for his his salary this year so it's unlike but it's a low amount of money
it's unlikely that they're going to do this but I would like to see like I just love to
have consistency on the punting you know so in that part of the special teams year over
year from the Corey battles and Corey Bajorquez and then Sam Martin comes in and then the punt
God gets finangled in kind of legal drama and now he's he's on the chiefs like there's
a lot of you know instability at that position year over year I'm just so tired of it I want
to see them pick up a rookie who turns into a plus starter and just stick with him for
years and that's I think that's Austin McNamara Dan I I don't I don't dislike it I think it
is bold I think it is bold sir and it is a position of long-term need where the bills
could really use a young cost control so cheap role just like a punter coming out of the
seventh round is so cheap to have on the books especially compared to what you're going to
potentially pay a hawk and Martin you know holding for Tyler Bass is always a big question
with the punter but if this is a kid that could learn that I'm all about it I have another
I have another approach that the bill should take this season to punting they should eliminate
punting for from their repertoire and just go for it on fourth down if it's fourth and
seventeen you go for it you say Josh you're gonna bomb it downfield you're they're gonna
arm pump arm and inter interception or we're gonna we're gonna convert this fourth down
but I think the bill should absolutely go for on fourth every single time they have the
ball and forget the punting game Josh Allen gets the instruction of throwing to the deepest
man on the field no matter the jersey exactly just throw directly to whoever the deepest
man you see on the field is and if it's us awesome we we convert if it's them that's
an arm punt yeah absolutely do you know how I like it Josh would pin on the goal line
if he's throwing from his 40 I mean it'd be absolutely it's same absolutely just throw
it super high so they can get under it and then you know your wide receivers just need
to tackle just run the verts with your past catchers and be like you're either gonna catch
it you're gonna tackle good luck guys right I like it I like it love it man good note
to end on yep absolutely absolutely arm puns always a solid note so that is it folks that
is part one of our draft tackler the Buffalo bread big board for this year's 2024 NFL draft
so part two is coming next week and that is going to be our full seven round Buffalo
bills mock draft with commentary on where the board may land and each of the picks that
JJ and I are hoping that the bills are gonna make when the draft rolls around here in the
next few weeks so for those of you listening at home thank you very much and as I always
like share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Google only until April as it
turns out Apple and Spotify and as always go bills go bills.