OldTimer1960

I think that the combination of Jones' medical concerns and his very concerning 4.9+ 40 yard dash drops him out of the top 15. Now, I know that there are some good LBs playing in the NFL who ran poor 40 times, including Terrell Suggs, but for a guy who is not THAT big and is supposed to be a pass rusher first and foremost, his speed (or lack thereof) is a big red flag in the top 10. Sure, I'd take Terrell Suggs' career at #8 this year, but can you really bet the farm on that? Suggs is almost 20 lbs larger than Jarvis Jones.

I like this very much. I think Dion Jordan would be a great pick and Robert Woods would be awesome in the 2nd. I am not as high on Scott as others, but couldn't quibble with him in round 3

No doubt that it is His job to identify a great QB, but I still think it is VERY underrated how hard it is to find/evaluate these guys. For one example, look back a few years when Alex Smith went #1 overall and Aaron Rodgers lasted into the 20s. Certainly there were teams between 1 and GB had need for a QB and yet they missed on him. Also, in a QB-starved league, how could it be that Tom Brady was a 6th round pick and Colin Kaepernick lasted till round two and Russell Wilson round 3? Some believe it was great talent evaluation on NE's, SF's and Seattle's part. Truth (in my view) is they lucked out. I don't think anyone can say that there wer not MANY other teams that needed QBs those years, but yet no other team took those guys even when they had the chance to.

i agree that the rest of the OL is in tact, but I didn't think they were that good last year. I believe that for all of his shortcomings, Fitz was good at making quick throws which (I believe) masked some pass protection deficiencies. No doubt, I think that there may be bigger needs, but a 2nd top level tackle could help the run game and provide very good pass protection - both of which help whomever plays QB. Heck, given my lack of confidence in the rookie QB crop, I could see value in Lane Johnson in the first and their favorite WR or TE in the second. I recognize that is just my opinion and also know that doesn't help the defense. As a radical idea, I could also advocate for Star Lotulelei in round 1, if available. He could play NT w Dareus and Kyle Williams at end and Mario Williams playing rush LB

I think it would be tough to pick a TE that high unless he was the 2nd coming of Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzales. I am leery of Patterson's one year of production that high in the draft and think there will still be WR help available in round 2 & 3. I prefer Lane Johnson, Dion Jordan or Dee Milliner, if available. That isn't to say that Eifert and Patterson are not very good prospects, I'd just prefer some of the other prospects.

If they do not draft a QB in the 1st or 2nd, rest assured it is because they didn't like anyone that was available. The worst that could happen taking one early this year and next is definitely not that you could end up with two good ones. It is that you could still wind up with no good ones and nothing to show for two high picks. Of course picks at other positions can be missed on too, but I am certain that if they think any QB available has a reasonable chance of being good, they will nab one. If they don't take one early, it is safe to say that they didn't like any of the ones available at their picks

My opinion: I would shy away from Patterson because I think that you can find less risky players (ie, >1 year of productivity) at other positions of need at the 8th pick and because there seems to be good WR talent into rounds 2 and 3. I like EJ Manuel in round 2 and would love to get Justin Pugh in round 3, but I suspect both will be gone before our pick in those rounds.

You are assuming that the Bills (and other NFL teams) think any of these QBs is better than Alex Smith, Kevin Kolb, Matt Flynn etc. I think teams are showing their view with the acquisitions of these veteran QBs. There are QBs who have at least the physical skills to be better than that group, but it seems NFL teams in need of QBs don't think that the probability of success for any of the rookie prospects is very high.

I think the answer is yes, provided that the OL holds up.

This is why, my opinion is to stay away from any of these QBs in round 1. I would like to see them take a good OT (if available) to pair with Cordy Glenn and focus on the run game and provide very good pass protection to whomever is playing QB. All QBs look better with a strong running game and good pass protection. OTs are seemingly much easier to assess in the draft than most other positions, too.

Some people are confusing better arm strength with better "up side" whatever that is. My understanding of "up side" is a player who is perceived to have the physical/mental talent and/or "want to" to improve with coaching and experience. Just because, say, Tyler Bray has a stronger arm than Barkley, it doesn't necessarily mean that he has more upside. Let's assume for the sake of this argument that Barkley has an adequate arm (middle of the road NFL arm) and Bray has an arm that puts him in the upper 25% of NFL QBs in terms of arm strength. Though very hard to assess, I believe that Barkley has far superior ability to read defenses and process what he sees more quickly than Bray. Look at the top NFL QBs today: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees... They don't have canons for arms - but JP Losman did. I know which QBs I'd rather have out of that bunch. The reason that it is so hard to assess rookie QB talent is that the most important aspects of QB are very difficult to assess: leadership skills, ability to process what they see quickly, work ethic/study habits, toughness, how they react under a heavy pass rush, etc. As long as a prospect has "enough" arm strength and mobility, they can succeed if they are very good at the other less tangible skills. On the flip side, if scouts don't feel that Barkley has even adequate arm strength for the NFL, then he is likely no better than a career backup. All the intangibles in the world won't completely overcome not having enough arm strength to keep defenses honest.

Geno Smith comes with a lot of questions and I don't think it is even a guarantee that he'll be the first QB taken in this draft.

So, who was the last great QB from West Virginia, NC State, USC,.... The argument that <insert school here> doesn't produce top flight QBs (or pick your favorite position) is nonsense.

Now, there is some analysis. You could charge $ for such insights. Yes, in my opinion, based on what I've read and seen, all of the QB prospects in this draft come with significant questions about them. Does that mean that none of them will be any good? I don't think that is true, but it is possible that this draft won't yield any good starting QBs.

OK, sorry: Scott Chandler.

To be clear, I am not saying that he is really good, only that he isn't as bad as made out to be. He inherited a total mess, nearly completely devoid of talent. The only 3 QBs that I think anyone can point to that he "blew it" by not picking have been Kaepernick, Dalton and Russell Wilson. It would have been great if he had taken a shot on one of them, but he had PLENTY of company in passing on those guys. It isn't like the Bills were the only team in the league looking for a QB, yet Dalton and Kaepernick lasted into round 2 and Wilson into round 3. Yep, it hurts that he picked Aaron Williams over Kaep and Dalton and TJ Graham over Russell Wilson, but Williams was highly thought of by most draft "experts" and may yet pan out at Safety. It is also worth mentioning that MANY 2nd round picks don't make it in the NFL. That isn't just the Bills, but across the league. Again, I am not saying that Nix has done a great job, but given the hand he was dealt, he has built a better talent base than what he inherited.

In my opinion, this criticism of Nix is mostly unfair. He has been in charge of exactly 3 drafts in Buffalo. Yes, QB is the most important position in the NFL. Yes, he can be criticized for not selecting Andy Dalton or Colin Kaepernick, but let's allow those guy's careers to play out a bit longer before anointing them as Hall of Famers. Is Buddy Nix the best GM ever? I don't think so, but he also isn't as bad as he has been made out to be by some here. He has credible scouting background, including being involved in selecting Eli Manning and was very likely consulted in the trade of Manning for Phillip Rivers. He has added talent to the roster, including several street FAs including starting RT Erik Pears and starting TE Scott Campbell. He has also misfired on some relatively high draft picks (I'll concede that Aaron Williams has been lost at CB, but I'd like to see him be tried at Safety, I am in the minority, but I think it is too early to label TJ Graham a bust).

I could get behind 2 in the top 4 rounds. However, I am in the camp hoping for another position in round 1.

Very interesting post and I appreciate that your son has some coaching experience in college - That makes him more qualified than most of us. What stands out to me is how different (qualified) people's views are on these guys. As a very long-time draft follower, I've known for quite some time how "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" when it comes to scouting. The "media" that covers the draft echoes each others views so much that it gives the false impression that there is this very clear ranked list of players that all the teams agree with. I don't think that could be farther from the truth and I hope that folks try to remember that as the draft unfolds. When picks are made that look like "reaches" or players that are highly regarded by the media "slide", try to remember that even different scouts from the same team will view some players radically differently - let alone different team's views of these players. FWIW, a couple of the draft reporters whom I hold in high regards are former NFL scouts. I have been following Russ Lande for years. I love that he has strong opinions and he is not afraid to go against the grain of most. Of course, he isn't always right, but I know that he has done his research and watched several full games on the prospects and, to me, his NFL scouting experience gives him some credibility. I believe he just accepted a job with the CFL's Montreal Allouettes (sp?) as director of college scouting - so at least some professional football team thinks he has some skill (before those who want to trash it as "just" the CFL, remember that Marv Levy coached there and new Bears' head coach Marc Trestman also coached there). I also like NFL Networks' Daniel Jeremiah's work. Again, his NFL scouting history lends credibility to his views and I believe that since he is young and trying to establish himself at NFL Network that he is also "doing his homework" scouting these prospects. (More than what I suspect guys like Charley Casserly, Bill Polian etc have done). It is very interesting to see the above two with professional scouting background differing so much on many prospects. As one example, Lande thinks that Ryan Nassib is worth a high first round pick whereas Jeremiah feels he is a 2nd round prospect. Your son is added to the list of those who have significant questions about Geno Smith (specifically his accuracy). I don't know what to think about Smith or any of these guys. I know that the need for a QB in Buffalo is very great, but I think they are better off fortifying another position in round 1 (and maybe round 2) than the are taking a shot on any of these QBs.

Compensatory picks this year are based on last year's free agent losses, as far as I know.

Some draft classes are better overall than others. Have a look at the 2009 first round, there were a lot of 1st rounders who haven't lived up to their draft positions. That is life in every year, but 2009 appears worse than some that I remember.

Not every NT weighs 350. This whole thread speaks to a prevailing attitude among many here that is very troubling. How can there be this many negative posts about a guy who is injured and is clearly trying very hard to come back to help his team? I could understand if he really wasn't hurt and was just not trying - showing up out of shape etc, but that is not the case for Troup. There is no reason IMHO for anyone to dump on him. Yes, I understand that we are all frustrated that the Bills have not been good for a long time, but there is no good reason to aim that frustration at Troup.

I get that, and to some extent, there is some credence to your point. However, do you really believe that they would pass on Smith/Barkley, etc if they thought any of these rookie QBs had a good shot at becoming a very good pro? They do have the perfect shot at drafting one of them. Sorry, I didn't mean to be a dweeb with my response.

Thanks for the snarky comments, but there is at least some reason to think that their moves are motivated by them not liking the rookies available. All of those teams are in position to take whichever rookie QB they want and the Chiefs (and it appears others) are opting for retread vets over those rookies.

They are only 1 pick shy of a full complement of selections and that is a 7th rounder. There are some holes, to be sure, but they are not the only team with holes. I think that OG will be addressed with internal competition including Chris Hairston. I would not be surprised if they draft another OT somewhere in the mix, perhaps even in round 1 if Lane Johnson is still available.