nodnarb

Huddle Report on Johnny White Johnny White RB North Carolina TALENT BOARD Round 1 STRENGTHS This is one of the best running backs in this draft. He has excellent talent and natural instincts and plays in a pro style offense. Johnny has natural gifts to catch the ball out of the backfield, to be used in the slot and catch the ball down the field like a receiver. He is excellent at picking up a blitz and blocking. Johnny has the power and strength to run through the tackles as well as the speed to take the ball to the outside. This kid is a complete running back. He is football smart and shows leadership skills through his play on the field. If he hadn't broken his collar bone at the beginning of the year, he just might have been rated as the best all around running back in this draft. There is no learning going on for this kid -- he is a natural. CONCERNS Johnny needs to stay healthy. If he does, he will be considered one of the steals in this draft. As of this writing, Johnny is not listed on our top 200. That should change if he can work out some time before the draft. BOTTOM LINE I saw Johnny in two games this year before he got injured. The first time he took the ball on a run, the hair on the back of my neck stood up and I got the "this kid has star power" chills. The announcers talked about how he has played on both side of the ball, but all I can tell you is that seeing him at running back seemed like he had been there all of his life. He knows how to set up blocks for his offensive linemen and can catch the ball down the field. In fact, Johnny was North Carolina's whole offense before he got injured. I don't know if Johnny will get selected in this draft. Remember the name Johnny (The Natural) White because when he gets on the field, you cannot deny seeing his natural talents and his ability to impact. He just has to stay healthy. I know I'm going out on a limb here as far as most people are concerned, but this is why we use the two board system. I am not bound to tell you what you want to hear or expect to hear. All I am bound to do is tell you what I see. You Mark Ingram fans and Jordan Todman fans, don't worry. Johnny will not sniff the 1st round or 2nd round. In fact, he most likely won't be selected in the first three rounds, but he will be one of the best running backs out of this draft when it is all said and done.

The Huddle Report's bit on Hairston: (2nd round grade) STRENGTHS Chris is a very athletic, talented left tackle. He shows on film quick feet and the lateral agility to play the left tackle position in the NFL at a very high level. He is quick out of his stance and plays with pride. Chris is a big kid and looks like a defensive nose tackle playing left tackle, but once the ball is snapped, this kid moves like a flamingo dancer. He has excellent pass blocking techniques; he's one of the best tackles in this draft going out to the next level and making a block on a linebacker. He shows good strength and balance. When he does get beat, he knows exactly why he got beat and corrects it right away. Chris is a very smart kid and looks to me to have the athletic talent to play more than one position on the line; however, keeping him on the left side because of his pass blocking talent would be the best way to use Chris to impact your team's offensive line quickly. CONCERNS Chris is overweight, which may cause him big problems when he is blocking in the running game. He is quick out of his stance, but because of his weight, he lunges and gets off balance and struggles to make his blocks with power. When he tries to cut block, he takes one step and throws himself on the ground, looking more like a beached whale than a tackle. He must improve his physical stamina because as the game goes on, he labors going out to the next level and making blocks. All of these issues can be corrected simply by Chris losing about 20 lbs. On film he looked about 330-350. He needs to be no bigger than 320, in my opinion -- and even that might be too much weight. BOTTOM LINE With the weight, Chris reminds me of a bulky Jason Peters (LT Eagles). Without the extra weight, Chris has the potential to be a Pro Bowl left tackle. Additionally, if he corrects his ability to block for the run, he could be a franchise left tackle. Chris is one of those kids that when you are choosing sides on the playground the first day, no one wants to pick him and he is picked last. On the second day, Chris is the very first pick and the captains are fighting over the coin toss to be the first to select. He is surprisingly light on his feet and quick out of his stance. He has such excellent technique when pass blocking, it's almost shocking at first. But as the game goes on, you can see him laboring; fortunately, the fact that he has such good techniques when pass blocking is the only thing that saves him. Chris could have been a 1st round pick in this draft if he had been in better shape. Selecting him at any point in this draft after the first round would be a smart thing. You have nothing to lose and, if you can get him to keep his weight down, you have just selected a potential sleeper Pro Bowl left tackle.

Luke Stocker. First round grade from the Huddle Report, which has an excellent record. Their take: STRENGTHS Luke has good size and strength to play his position. He has those long legs and can cover ground as fast as a greyhound at the track. His speed is deceiving because he is not quick; but once he gets going, he's very hard to stay with and cover. Luke does a nice job blocking for the run, but his real strength is in pass blocking. Herein lies the problem: Luke has hidden talents as a pass-catching tight end. He has those soft hands that cows love to be milked with and the hand-eye coordination of a ninja. Luke, as of this writing, is only being thought of as a blocking tight end because of his proficiency in pass blocking. The coaches at Tennessee had trouble freeing him up to use him in the pass game. In the red zone, this kid is gold. Once Luke works out in the Senior Bowl, you will see/hear lots of talk about the transformation of Luke from a blocking tight end to a pass-catching tight end. That's why I call him...wait for it...Luke (The Transformer) Stocker. CONCERNS My biggest concern is how the team that drafts Luke is going to use him. Will that team make the same mistake that Tennessee did in just using Luke as a blocker because of his pass blocking skills? I believe Luke has the speed and size to split the defense, but again, if he's not that quick off the line, some coaches may feel otherwise. Right now, Luke is not much of a run after the catch tight end, but I'm sure he will work on that and get better. BOTTOM LINE The first time I saw Luke go and catch the ball, I was reminded of Marques Colston (WR Saints). That's who he looked like and that's how he catches the ball. Then I saw him pass blocking and I thought the kid might be able to play left tackle. That's how good of a pass blocker he is. He is a decent run blocker, but for his size is a bit more of a finesse blocker in general. The kid is a sleeper. His pass catching skills have not been used at Tennessee, which was a big mistake in my opinion. He has a smooth gait when he runs and because he is not quick off the line and kind of glides down the field, that gliding gate makes you think he is not running hard to get open. This is not true. Luke will catch the ball in traffic and in the red zone like any good tight end. Usually tight ends like Luke get drafted in the later rounds, but because of the way the Patriots used their tight ends this year (and Luke's hidden talents), I suspect Luke will be selected higher than most think. All I can tell you is the kid will become a great tight end if he is drafted by a team that uses its tight ends in the passing game. In fact, if you are a team that does not use its tight ends too much right now, drafting Luke will force you to transform the tight end position into more of a pass catching position. That is, if you're smart! Luke (The Transformer) Stocker...watch Rob's board for this sleeper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfXoDQiyaTI I know it doesn't mean much, considering this "lab" made Trent Edwards look good, but hey. Anything on our guys is worth watching.

First, some sure things: 1. Many participants here (henceforth referred to as "you" because you know who you are) will be upset with our first overall pick, and probably our second and subsequent picks, because: a. It's not the name you wanted, even though you have a non-football day job and 95% of your opinion is based on what you've read by *other unemployed amateur scouts*. b. It's a reach according to so-and-so's board, who is another unemployed scout, or worse. c. It doesn't fit your from-the-couch vision of a priority need. 2. There will be some absolutely ridiculous threads full of energy-wasting diatribes predicated on your higher, superior knowledge, which of course does not exist. 3. #2 will happen despite the fact that we're all on the same side, hoping for the same thing. This, I think, is a sad product of the perennial failures of this team, which have made many fans sensitive and irritable. Oh, and a few guys will have their a-hole tendencies amplified by their "not my guy" disappointment and a chorus of steadier minds will tell them to STFU, in various ways. 4. If we take Patrick Peterson, two dozen people, at least, will post "another freaking CB?" or equivalent, and SDS will be forced to consolidate threads. I watch that guy's highlights and I see a combination of Revis and yes, Sanders. But I'm not a qualified scout either, so I'll shut up. 5. If Newton falls and we take him, the server will Jay Rosen in a storm of polarized fervor, and SDS' evening will be much less enjoyable. We might even lose our avatars again. If we do take Newton, let's give him a chance. He has the most upside of anyone in the draft, and Nix and Gailey think highly of him and so does Parcells, which carries weight. 6. If Gabbert falls and we take him, the server will be taxed mightily and we'll get some of those "overload" messages, but it won't go full tilt. Some won't like the pick because: a. They don't like his Land's End catalog name. b. They don't like his Land's End catalog hair. c. He threw only 16 TDs last year. I'm also just another profile-reading, highlight-watching fan with an opinion not forged by my own informed study and rigor, but Gabbert is the QB I hope we take. He's ridiculously smart, Gailey hates to repeat himself and this guy has a photographic memory, he's a Rodgers-class athelete, he's big, he has a fantastic release, a strong arm, and the kind of character you never have to worry about. 7. If we end up drafting Von Miller, who seems to be the consensus safe pick, this place will be fairly tame relative to other choices, because: a. You've read this guy's name so many times in the context of "top five pick", "sure thing" and "best OLB". b. Some people will actually feel a sense of schadenfreude with the idea of kicking Maybin to the curb. c. We've sucked for years in the sack/pressures category. I'll be happy if we pick Miller and eager to see if he can impact immediately, which is supposed to be the reason you take a guy like him. I'll be happy to see us take Dareus, too, because we need to stop the run. However, everything I've read/heard suggests that he's probably best inside in a 4-3, so I'm not sure he's the guy for our scheme unless we're secretly headed back to a Wannstedt 43 or some kind of mutant hybrid medusa head defense (MHMHD). Whatever guy we take, how 'bout we all remember that: a. past draft failures were not led by Buddy Nix, whose authority began only last year. b. Nix knows quarterbacks. He drafted Brees and Rivers. c. Gailey knows quarterbacks. Every single QB has raised their level of play under him. d. past facepalms don't mean that this year's choices will be facepalm-worthy. Time, gentlemen. Time. e. posting when you're pissed off typically leads to edits, retractions, and temporary leaves of absence. I think there might be a surprise in store. As in, none of the above names. AJ Green or Julio Jones? Cam Jordan or JJ Watt? Any of those guys seem to be rated as top 10 picks on the boards that deserve respect due to their record or experience pedigree. For what it's worth, here's my marginally informed 3-option, 3-round shot in the dark: 1. Gabbert/Miller/trade-down 2. Rudolph/Locker/Kerrigan 3. Moch/J.Jenkins/Matthews If you find yourself seething tomorrow, maybe instead of filling the digital realm with angry and forgettable prose, raise a glass and enjoy the fact that we're currently tied for first place with 31 other teams. And remember, as Bills fans, we are all brothers in affliction. So, cheers.

Outside of a few notable quarterback busts, I'll bet Dockery has made more money per impact play made, or *per effort spent* than anyone in NFL history. We gave him what, eight hundred and seventy-eight bazillion dollars? For a few holding penalties, a couple blocks that any UFA can make, and a big bright toothy smile. A big bright toothy smile. Derrick Freaking Dockery.

If the Bills draft Fairly, it will tell us that they're scrapping the 34, despite their recent interviews on the matter. He is a 1-gap penetrating DT that will be drafted by a 43 team. He's also a boom/bust type of guy, from what I've read. And we know how our last Boom/Bust 1st round DL worked out (so far...cough...) Nix recently stated that the hiring of Wanny in no way means we're reverting to a 43. He made the point that we are going to be a 34 team first - and I don't think you take Fairly within that design. It's not happening. EDITED: I see now that this discussion has already taken place. The Bills won't take Fairly. (And in my opinion, they shouldn't.)

I like those a lot. They say, "football"...not Bozo. No freaking bib line. One blue, one red, and white. And I love/love/love the white helmets. Dang. Dude who did those: Nice.

Yes, red end zones! The new endzones ushered in the era of futility. I think of Tom Donahoe every time I look at those bland green things.

Apologies if these have already been established as "not it", but these turned up. I like the sleeker look and the 'undershirt' thing. Big improvement, even if this isn't 'it'. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/525776-2012-nfl-jerseys-by-nike-analysis/page/5

I'm almost embarrassed to admit the degree to which this news makes me happy. I have hated those damn uniforms since they were introduced. I am thrilled that we are putting those clown suits to rest, permanently. They will forever represent a lost decade in Bills football. An era of bad drafting, futile free agent acquisitions, average coaching, and general franchise malaise. The Rudderless Era: Goodbye.

The waste of time in your list is Mallett. You're leaving out one very good prospect who I believe will be a guy described as "shooting up draft boards" just as there always is. Delaware QB Pat Devlin.

Now that it's official, here's a not-so-bold prediction: First of all, Whitner will be a Brown. They'll pay him close to what he thinks he's worth. Jauron loves the guy and had a big hand in drafting him. There will be AT LEAST one player-for-player trade between us and the Browns. We need 34 players, and they now need 43 players. Will be intersting to watch... I'll be shocked...shocked I tell you...if there's no action between the Browns and Bills before and after the draft.

bump: didn't anyone else hear that?

apologies if this has been mentioned already, but did anyone hear that announcer say 'god dammit' after wilson picked off henne? there shouldn't be bias behind the mic. ridicuclous.

Someone with a Twitter account: please remind Whitner that his expectations are out of line with his production.

I'm inclined to think that we can't do any worse than our current unis, mainly because of that awkward and weak-looking bib-like border across the chest. But this again seems over-designed to me. Football uniforms should be understated, not attention-getting clown suits. I think the best uniforms are the ones that are simple. Like the Bears' unis. Simple, tough.

"(Bills head coach) Chan Gailey is a very good offensive coordinator. If you remember, he was moving the ball with Tyler Thigpen in Kansas City. They were scoring 28-plus points per game. The guy knows how to move the ball. And to his credit, he has been doing it (in Buffalo) without a tight end. He's a great schemer. The part I don't understand is why they decided to switch their "40" front (on defense). Whoever made that decision made a bad call. They did not have the personnel to make the move." http://www.profootballweekly.com/2010/11/14/insider-bills-gailey-knows-offense Did a TE catch a single ball Sunday? Was Nelson active? Stupar? One stud TE to go along with our 3 serviceable TEs would go a long way in both the run and pass game.

sorry if this has come up, but was spiller injured or something? i find it astonishing that he gets so little action, and the FA guy we just picked up got a carry.

Anyone find a link that works? Dang...

LOL, it's *douche*, douche. If questioning JP's work ethic is too much for you to handle, then buy yourself a cheap pacifier. Let me guess: You own a Losman jersey and still think he should be starting. The kid was okay. As a guy. Said the right things for the most part. Franchise QB? Not in this universe or any parallel alternate.

If they sign him, I'll bet Tom Donahoe will say to himself, "That's a great pickup." Just like he said to ESPN when the Jags signed OT Mike Williams, who went on to do nothing for them as he did nothing for us. Hey, I agree, and nobody SHOULD be making any personal comments about current or former players. But as far as sucking as football players, it's open season and they're all game. BUT, when it comes to a failure of work ethic, then I don't so much mind personal attacks. Because there's no excuse for collecting that kind of money and showing no passion or true intent to do absolutely everything you can to win games. No distractions, football. And many stories had JP being unfocused and cocky - he had no sense for the kind of work it takes to succeed. He thought too highly of himself, and that's often an attribute of the lazy.

I've read it in a few reliable places, and have heard it confirmed by someone who received an email from somebody inside the organization that yes, Jauron is the guy who used his last "chip" to get the guy that he believed would put them over the edge on defense. I don't know how high Modrak/scouts were on him, but Jauron was given the benefit of the doubt on that pick. Thanks, *Dick*. Interestingly, one of DJ's final moves in Chicago was to select a DE from Penn State in the 1st round who also busted. (Michael Haynes) Just say NO to Penn State defensive linemen.

Fitz is a gamer. Not Manning, but a good QB who will be the perfect guy to school a developing QB. Smart, gutsy, understands situations. Unlike any QB we've had in a long, long time. Just wish that Trent hadn't been so good in practice to distract the coaches from the obvious choice for gameday. Might have won those first two games when our defense was showing up. We have a #2 receiver, it just took a while for him to emerge. Anyone notice how well our OLine blocked the freaking Ravens? Cord Howard looked better than anyone we've had at RT since Butler's second season. Bell did a fine job, too. Best playcalling I've seen from the Bills in a long, long time. And they kept delivering despite playing such a dominant D. I think Chan's gonna give us consistent production. The bad: Fu%$ing refs. If forward progress doesn't happen when the defenders pick you up and drive you backwards, then there's no such thing as forward progress. Maybin was a healthy scratch today, which tells me that that Jauron selection will be traded for a ham sandwich this offseason. We can always pretend he was injured or something. Where the hell is Byrd? I haven't seen him make a play all season. Makes me wonder if it's scheme-related, cuz I'm not going to question his ability. I will, however, question Whitner's. Talk about hands of stone - he had the game in his hands. Man I can't stand guys with big mouths who play small. Hold on to the fu%$ing ball.

Exactly. They should decide who the *gamers* are, if any, and build a team around them. I believe Whitner is overrated and we could get at least a 3rd round pick or a player. Whitner opens his mouth constantly and Never, EVER backs it up on the field. That's my least favorite kind of football player. (Favorite of course being the guy who says nothing and always brings it. See Troy Polamalu while we're talking about safeties.) I have always liked Evans, on and off the field, and I believe he would be an absolute beast in this league if he had been drafted by a team with a decent quarterback and one system since 2004. If he had been drafted by the Colts, I believe he'd be putting out Marvin Harrison-level of production. Unfortunate that he was drafted by a team that never found any footing at QB or at HC. A 2nd round pick ought to be attainable for him. I'd hate to let him go for less. I'd like to say Kelsay but for some reason we're paying him newly minted 6 mil per. I will never in my life understand why the Bills think he deserves that or is even close to being worth that, but I do suspect it has to do with Ralph, who tends to have his favorite guys. Kelsay was so bad last week I...I wanted to drive to Buffalo and, well, leave a strongly worded letter for him on his windshield wipers. Or something. I'd take a 7th round pick for McCargone. He's at best an inconsistent 3-technique who flashes just enough times to tease you into thinking he might become a reliable starter sometime in the next nine years. Poz doesn't impact much, McKelvin does from time to time but of course never in a winning effort, and I'm starting to believe that the early returns on Maybin weren't just early returns but a visible ceiling. These are high picks that you just can't miss on like that. And Keith Ellison is so clearly built for the Tampa-2 that it's just plain bizarre that he's still on the team. If we can get a ham sandwich, fine. It's not like he's going to make us regret it down the road. Take as much currency into next April's draft as possible, overpay a little for the right GAMERS to come to Buffalo in free agency, and maybe we'll be on to something. Maybe.