Grading the Buffalo Bills 2010 draft

"The first pick is an F the rest of the draft is a B-. Final grade is a C " - Steve

Kiper:
Buffalo Bills
Summary: Buffalo surprised me with its pick at No. 9. This is a team that has to get better up front, and it opted to go with C.J. Spiller instead. Spiller is, along with Jahvid Best, the best home run threat in the draft, and will undoubtedly help that offense. But the Bills reached on Torell Troup, who has to develop. Alex Carrington, who could get backup duty, is another slight reach in the third round. (Their 3-4 was clearly considered more pressing than the O-line.) Then a wide receiver pick (Marcus Easley) left the Bills looking for a long shot breakthough at tackle. Edward Wang of Virginia Tech has a chance, but even if you love the Spiller pick, I think Buffalo needed to aim for talent up front. In that respect, it's hard to ever evaluate a quarterback if you can't protect him or help the running game. I do like the late addition of Arthur Moats. Draft grade: C+

Fanhouse:
Buffalo (Day 1: D+; Day 2: B): The C.J. Spiller pick at No. 9 was a head-scratcher and Torrell Troup at 41 wasn't exactly gold, but Buffalo's work improved markedly after that. OTs Ed Wang (No. 140) and Kyle Calloway (No. 216) were value picks that add needed depth, while the Levi Brown selection at No. 209 will hopefully give Buffalo some hope at quarterback. Final Grade: B-

SI:

What I liked: Not bowing to public pressure and drafting a quarterback early just because the fans and media wanted them to. Levi Brown from Troy in the seventh round gives them a legitimate developmental prospect for 2011 if their current crop of signal callers can't get it done in 2010.

What I didn't: C.J. Spiller in the first round. He better end up being the playmaker that Buffalo craved because running back is one of the few positions of strength on this football team.

Torrell Troup/Rd 2 No. 41/Buffalo: Troup is a solid player and built some momentum for himself after a solid showing at the East-West Game, yet most considered him a third-round choice at best.

Pete Prisco (A)
Analysis: I love this pick. The kid will be the next Chris Johnson. He can fly. The Bills need a playmaker. If they don't take a QB, they had to help the offense.

Foxsports:

Buffalo: The Bills passed on their quarterback needs (maybe Trent Edwards is better than we think?), but they took the draft's best running back, Clemson's C.J. Spiller, who is a home-run hitter. To shore up their porous run defense, they grabbed 318-pound nose tackle Torrell Troup of Central Florida about 20 spots too high. Troup was a three-year starter and a team captain and ran a spectacular 5.1 40-yard dash. Arkansas State DE Alex Carrington should fit ideally into the 3-4 scheme. Surprisingly, the trade rumors were false on Marshawn Lynch, meaning that he and Spiller could be in the same backfield, which should pose problems for opposing defenses. Troy QB Levi Brown was an interesting pick late, but Coach Chan Gailey apparently likes ex-Packer Brian Brohm, too. Grade: C

Walterfootball:

9. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
"We need a quarterback, left tackle and nose tackle! We don't need a running back! Let's take a running back!" This is why the Bills continue to pick in the top 12 every year. C.J. Spiller should be a dynamic talent in the NFL, but wow. I'm disgusted. (Pick Grade: F)

41. Torell Troup, NT, Central Florida
This fills a need, but Torell Troup is more of a third-round prospect. Still, maybe they just didn't like Terrence Cody, Cam Thomas or Linval Joseph. They had to find a nose tackle. (Pick Grade: C)

72. Alex Carrington, DE/DT, Arkansas State
The Bills needed to find some pieces for their new 3-4 defense. Alex Carrington is a skilled prospect who fits the range. (Pick Grade: A)

107. Marcus Easley, WR, Connecticut
The Bills needed a receiver. Marcus Easley is physically gifted and has a ton of upside. He's raw, but he presents solid value in Round 4. (Pick Grade: B)

140. Ed Wang, OT, Virginia Tech
You don't see too many Wangs that are 6-foot-5. (Zing.) Ed Wang is a Round 3-4 offensive tackle prospect who finally fills Buffalo's No. 2 need (quarterback being first). (Pick Grade: A)

178. Arthur Moats, DE/OLB, James Madison
Another piece for their new 3-4 defense, Arthur Moats projects as a decent pass-rusher. (Pick Grade: B)

192. Danny Batten, DE/OLB, South Dakota State
The Bills double dip at pass-rusher - a smart move if Aaron Schobel retires. Danny Batten fits this range as a late-round prospect. (Pick Grade: B)

209. Levi Brown, QB, Troy
The Bills have their quarterback! Levi Brown needs a lot of work moving over to an NFL offense, but he definitely has upside. (Pick Grade: A)

216. Kyle Calloway, OT, Iowa
Kyle Calloway is a right tackle only, but the Bills needed one. Calloway is a mid-round prospect, so Buffalo is getting great value in Round 7. (Pick Grade: A)

Late round steals per scout.com:

Levi Brown: With Brown, Buffalo is getting an athletic quarterback with a good arm. Brown's big issue is that he tends to push the ball than firing it. That mechanical flaw is very fixable, according to several personnel evaluators.
Marcus Easley: What also boosted his draft value was a very good performance during the NFL Combine earlier this year. He posted a solid 4.40 in the 40-yard dash. His 10-yard and short shuttle times were also solid.
Easley was fortunate to get drafted by a team which has big issues at receiver. The Bills open have one starting job set, so the rookie will have a chance to move up the depth chart quickly.
Arthur Moats: Moats is considered small by NFL standards, but has 33 3/4 inch arms. Having long arms is a good trait to have for a pass rusher.
Some personnel evaluators have likened Moats to Pittsburgh Steelers OLB James Harrison--a smaller player who has a great motor and is hard to keep off the quarterback.