Buffalo Bills options @ #3 overall

by Steve

Less than 24 hours before the draft and seemingly anything is possible at this point. The Buffalo Bills have the #3 pick in this the 2011 NFL draft, here are their realistic options:

Cam Newton QB Auburn
Has a player garnered more attention and debate than this guy ever? Yes he had a great statistical year and the team won the National Championship but since when does that mean you'll be good in the National Football League? You would have to go back to Vince Young if anyone would consider him even a mild success to find a Natty champ NFL QB.

Newton is all questionmarks and no answers. Was he only a one year wonder? Probably not in college because he is just a freak athlete but probably as far as pro prospects. Do his skills translate to the pros? Can he contribute right away? Do the Bills have the right coach to "coach 'em up" AND build a comletely new system around his skill set? How about the character questions and how a person like him (his father opening selling him to the highest bidder) would respond to all that jack and adulation thrown at him?

Conclusion, no way the Bills should draft this dude at #3. He would bring hype excitement and the slightest bit of hope that he is the franchise guy for the next 10 years but I just don't see the risk out weighing the reward.


Blaine Gabbert QB Missouri
Gabs flew under the radar big time seemingly all season. Probably because he hid in the shadows of Andrew Luck and Newton all season. His some what meteoric rise the last few months is a big red flag. Furthermore he is only a junior and came out of a spread offense. eek

The guy doesn't stand out to me to be a top pick ready to step in right away and start week 1. That doesn't necessarily mean I wouldn't draft him just because he won't start week one but it doesn't help. He lost his two biggest games of the year @ Nebraska and the team's bowl game v Iowa. He has prototypical size 6'4 234 and faster than you think. However, statistically he failed to improve from his sophomore year to junior year.

Teams are just so desperate to get a QB high in the draft and anoint him the franchise guy, Gabbert just seems like a guy in the right place at the right time. There is no #1 guy with Luck staying at Stanford and his competitors all have major flaws. I wouldn't hate the pick but him being a stud is 50/50 at best.


Marcell Dareus DT Alabama
This guy is my pick. He fills a gigantic need, he is the top player at his position and a near unanimous top 5 pick. The reason not to pick this guy at this point is because the Broncos will beat us to it. Oh and Aaron Curry.


Vonn Miller OLB Texas a&m
Ugh, the most likely pick at this juncture. Miller impressed me big time at the senior bowl. For some reason I watched the whole thing and this guy was a menace all over the field. He fills a need and should be able to contribute right away. Then again that is basically what we thought about Aaron Maybin.

Maybin (6'4 246) ran a 4.89 and a 38 vertical, Miller (6'3 243) 4.53 and 37 vertical. The top 5 OLBs in the NFL right now are arguably Cameron Wake 6'3 250 LaMarr Woodley 6'2 265, Clay Matthews 6'3 255, DeMarcus Ware 6'4 262 and James Harrison 6'0 242 so size doesn't appear to be any type of concern.

Miller put up big numbers in college. He played all four years and put up 28 sacks his last two season and nine in his last six games. It is a safe pick that should help in 2011 it just isn't flashy and may not be the biggest impact we could get.

Patrick Peterson CB LSU
Easily the worst idea of anyone in the top 10 and beyond. A corner back with the third pick would be a complete 100% total disaster. DB yet again may drive me to abandon the Buffalo Bills. The guy may be a stud but who the hell cares. Cornerbacks are a dime a dozen and it isn't like there are top flight beast wide receivers in the AFC East. Not to mention the Bills draft either a cornerback or a running back every single fucking year.

There is not a single pick that would make me more upset save for another a running back. This pick would actually be even worse than drafting CJ Spiller last year (read all about that one here). And do not even mention to me BPA (best player available) I'll puke.


AJ Green WR Georgia
This guy is a potential freak (6'4 211) along the lines of Calvin Johnson or Andre Johnson he just isn't someone the Bills should draft. Wide receiver is literally the only position the Bills do not have a need. I wouldn't be shocked if Marcus Easley put up comparable numbers to this dude in 2011.


Other options not worth #3
Robert Quinn DE UNC. He sat out all of last year and still appears to be a top 10 pick. The guy must have talent but he can't be worth a top ten pick not playing football in over a year.

Da'Quan Bowers DE Clemson. DAQ has had a tough go of it as of late and is falling faster than Brady Quinn. He'll still go first round but not too long ago he was a top 5-10 pick.

Nick Fairley DT Auburn. He was a menace during the National Championship and that is still the image I have of this dude. Everyone else appears to forget that game. He allegedly has weight issues, is only a Junior, a 'one year wonder' and is falling outside the top 8 apparently.

JJ Watt DE/DT Wisconsin reminds me too much of Aaron Schobel and Kennelsay, call me racist.

The final option of course is to trade out of this spot and get an extra 2nd or something. This would be the preferred choice because the Bills clearly have a lot of holes everywhere. I would even deviate from the "value chart" just to get out of #3 if a team really targeted some of the aforementioned. Is AJ Green or Peterson too much for someone to pass up and start getting desperate? The only problem here is reality. This front office is too conservative, old school and just plain old. They aren't moving out of the third spot to appear indecisive, impotent and incompetent. Stop dreaming.

Some rumors per walterfootball
"Mike Lombardi: The best pick for the Bills is to go with Patrick Peterson."

Ari Wolfe: I don't think a quarterback is likely at No. 3. Ryan Fitzpatrick won the Bills over with his toughness, and Fitzpatrick is their guy. If Marcell Dareus is there, it's automatic; he's their guy. If not, Von Miller and Patrick Peterson are close.


Charley Casserly: If Marcell Dareus isn't there, I believe the Bills will take Von Miller.