Rank the Bills first round picks

[Orton's Arm]

as i've noted in several posts over past few days, in various threads, my feeling is Modrak wound up being the odd-man out, and his role was being duplicated by Nix, who has far more influence on the draft since taking over.

this has clearly become Buddy and Chan's show, negating Modrak's voice. it's also become clear that the Bills are stocking up with mostly Southern-based players, which is which is essentially Nix's territory. Modrak's ties were mostly northeast and midwest.

 

it should also be noted that as my colleague Mark Gaughan pointed out, Modrak likely had a lot of say in Nix's hiring.

 

jw

Of the ten first round picks in my original Modrak list, only two of them (Eric Wood and Lee Evans) have come close to living up to their draft position. There are those who could point out that it's not certain that Wood will become a top-10 center, and that Lee Evans hasn't been the kind of player you hope for when you're taking a WR 13th overall. Arguably, there is a gap between draft-day expectations and results even for the two first round picks who come the closest to living up to their draft position. (Let alone for everyone else on that ten player list.)

 

The question is, how much of the blame for these first round failures should be laid at Modrak's feet? Was this a case of Modrak telling the team that players like McCargo, Lynch, Whitner, Losman, et al were not worthy of first round picks, and getting overruled by whoever was in charge? Or alternatively, was Modrak part of the "consensus" which led to the selection of such players?

 

You wrote that McKelvin and Maybin were Jauron picks. But that alone doesn't get Modrak off the hook. What advice did he give Jauron when those picks were being discussed? One possible way those conversations could have gone is this:

 

Modrak: "If you want another CB, McKelvin will be a very good one."

Jauron: "I want another CB. You have no idea how badly . . ."

 

If conversations such as the above occurred for most or all of the Bills' first round misses over the last decade, Modrak was part of the problem. I'll grant it's possible the Bills' drafts might have taken a different direction had Modrak been in charge. For example, if he'd liked McKelvin a lot, but some other player slightly more, Modrak would have drafted that other player. Who might not have been a bust.

 

But Modrak's job wasn't just to find good players. It was to prevent the Bills from squandering first round picks on bad or mediocre players. Unless you're suggesting that he strongly objected to the Bills' first round selections over the last decade (only to have those objections overruled), he clearly did not perform the second half of that job description.

[BobbyC81]

As bad as Modrak was, at least most of his first round picks became starters and did pretty well. The team did regress under Gailey in almost every area except passing offense, and while Gailey gets most of the credit for that, Fitz had a lot to do with it. Gailey did fail with both Brohm and Edwards

 

I Keep wondering when will this team put it all together again and be a good team in every facet, passing AND running, defense and special teams.

 

 

After the season, at separate monets, Chan has made similar comments about the use of Lee Evans and Spiller to the effect of "I didn't do a good job getting them the ball in situations where they could be successful".

 

Is he spread too thin being both the head coach and the offensive coordinator?

[Buftex]

John, I heartily disagree with you on this point. The job of scouts is to provide information to the GMs and coaches about these upcoming players, and the brass make judgment calls based on their research. The front office then uses the evidence given to them by their scouts to make decisions about best player available, best fit for the team, etc.

 

If the evidence from the scouting department is poor or incomplete, then the team won't be getting the player they thought they were buying into. Good scouts should be the backbone of a team.

 

 

Ralph Wilson said himself, upon Modraks firing, that Modrak didn't determine who was picked, when, he only did scouting, and recommended...he really didn't have the final say on who was drafted. I know for a fact, he was very against Losman as a first round pick. Modrak thought Losman was a high-second to third round pick, at best. But, the GM was hell bent on getting a first round QB, and Losman was the next best thing. No tellling how often that kind of thing happened over his tenure.

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article412832.ece

 

 

"He's a hard worker," Wilson said. "He knows the game. In the draft, there's no question it's a big disappointment that we haven't had more impact players, players that make a big difference, go to the Pro Bowl. Tom does a good job, but he doesn't make the last call. He puts the [draft] board up. We have a lot of hard-working scouts. But it comes down to making the last decision. That's not Tom."

 

Ironic, in the end, that Modrak is the guy who convinced Buddy Nix to return to Buffalo...

Edited May 6, 2011 by Buftex

[Delete This Account]

Of the ten first round picks in my original Modrak list, only two of them (Eric Wood and Lee Evans) have come close to living up to their draft position. There are those who could point out that it's not certain that Wood will become a top-10 center, and that Lee Evans hasn't been the kind of player you hope for when you're taking a WR 13th overall. Arguably, there is a gap between draft-day expectations and results even for the two first round picks who come the closest to living up to their draft position. (Let alone for everyone else on that ten player list.)

 

The question is, how much of the blame for these first round failures should be laid at Modrak's feet? Was this a case of Modrak telling the team that players like McCargo, Lynch, Whitner, Losman, et al were not worthy of first round picks, and getting overruled by whoever was in charge? Or alternatively, was Modrak part of the "consensus" which led to the selection of such players?

 

You wrote that McKelvin and Maybin were Jauron picks. But that alone doesn't get Modrak off the hook. What advice did he give Jauron when those picks were being discussed? One possible way those conversations could have gone is this:

 

Modrak: "If you want another CB, McKelvin will be a very good one."

Jauron: "I want another CB. You have no idea how badly . . ."

 

If conversations such as the above occurred for most or all of the Bills' first round misses over the last decade, Modrak was part of the problem. I'll grant it's possible the Bills' drafts might have taken a different direction had Modrak been in charge. For example, if he'd liked McKelvin a lot, but some other player slightly more, Modrak would have drafted that other player. Who might not have been a bust.

 

But Modrak's job wasn't just to find good players. It was to prevent the Bills from squandering first round picks on bad or mediocre players. Unless you're suggesting that he strongly objected to the Bills' first round selections over the last decade (only to have those objections overruled), he clearly did not perform the second half of that job description.

-- McCargo was part of draft in which the defense was going to small, athletic guys (Larry Triplett types).

-- The team was hellbent on a safety, and Donte was the next one left on the board. The fact that he was rated 18th or 20th apparently didn't mean much. how is that Modrak's fault.

-- Donahoe wanted a quarterback. he failed to move up to land Roesthlisberger, and elected to take a shot on Losman. he wanted a quarterback. how is this Modrak's fault.

-- Jauron wanted a pass-rushing specialist. others in that room and on Jauron's staff were unsure about Maybin. the Bills took maybin. how is that Modrak's fault?

-- Modrak did not have the final say in the room. the prospect of being over-ruled is thus rendered moot because Donahoe, Jauron and currently Nix had more authority over the first-round selections.

 

again, i'm not saying Modrak is blameless. but he wasn't operating in a vacuum or from a position of true authority. blame him. blame everyone, no?

 

jw

[Orton's Arm]

-- McCargo was part of draft in which the defense was going to small, athletic guys (Larry Triplett types).

-- The team was hellbent on a safety, and Donte was the next one left on the board. The fact that he was rated 18th or 20th apparently didn't mean much. how is that Modrak's fault.

-- Donahoe wanted a quarterback. he failed to move up to land Roesthlisberger, and elected to take a shot on Losman. he wanted a quarterback. how is this Modrak's fault.

-- Jauron wanted a pass-rushing specialist. others in that room and on Jauron's staff were unsure about Maybin. the Bills took maybin. how is that Modrak's fault?

-- Modrak did not have the final say in the room. the prospect of being over-ruled is thus rendered moot because Donahoe, Jauron and currently Nix had more authority over the first-round selections.

 

again, i'm not saying Modrak is blameless. but he wasn't operating in a vacuum or from a position of true authority. blame him. blame everyone, no?

 

jw

Without knowing what Modrak said about those players, I can't know to what extent (if any) he was to blame for those busts. Again, if he'd argued that players like McCargo and Losman would be busts, and found his input ignored or overruled, I'd hold him blameless. But if he was on-board with the Bills' first round busts and reaches, he was part of the problem.

 

That being said, I agree with one of the meta-messages of your post. Various Bills' front offices have targeted specific positions "we will take the best available player at position X or for purpose Y." In doing so, they have ignored much better players, and players with far fewer red flags, at other positions. It's not clear how much blame (if any) Modrak deserves for the blinkered focus on the SS and small, athletic DT positions in the 2006 draft, or a similarly flawed approach in other drafts.

[Delete This Account]

Without knowing what Modrak said about those players, I can't know to what extent (if any) he was to blame for those busts. Again, if he'd argued that players like McCargo and Losman would be busts, and found his input ignored or overruled, I'd hold him blameless. But if he was on-board with the Bills' first round busts and reaches, he was part of the problem.

 

That being said, I agree with one of the meta-messages of your post. Various Bills' front offices have targeted specific positions "we will take the best available player at position X or for purpose Y." In doing so, they have ignored much better players, and players with far fewer red flags, at other positions. It's not clear how much blame (if any) Modrak deserves for the blinkered focus on the SS and small, athletic DT positions in the 2006 draft, or a similarly flawed approach in other drafts.

thus my point:

 

"again, i'm not saying Modrak is blameless. but he wasn't operating in a vacuum or from a position of true authority. blame him. blame everyone, no?"

 

jw

[thewildrabbit]

If I am not mistaken, Mularkey was in Miami as OC and got demoted before he ended up in Atlanta.

 

Yea your correct, i should probably Google more then try and recall off the top of my head. Mularkey spent 2 years in Miami as OC, then TE coach and in 08 was hired as OC of the Falcons

[thewildrabbit]

thus my point:

 

"again, i'm not saying Modrak is blameless. but he wasn't operating in a vacuum or from a position of true authority. blame him. blame everyone, no?"

 

jw

Looking back over the last decade of draft failures there are only a few real constants, in a world of many coaching changes, FO changes, the only people that stand out to me are Modrak and the owner.

 

I've posted many times that Mr Wilson had the right idea with Tom Donahoe, just the wrong person. I look around the league at teams like Baltimore-Indianapolis-Atlanta et al, those teams are run by brilliant football minds at the highest level.

 

Aside from that, If I'm Buddy Nix I'd make it my goal in life to find out who put that Cornell Green file on my desk....

Edited May 6, 2011 by Harvey lives

[Orton's Arm]

thus my point:

 

"again, i'm not saying Modrak is blameless. but he wasn't operating in a vacuum or from a position of true authority. blame him. blame everyone, no?"

 

jw

I'm certainly open to being convinced, and some of what I've read states that Modrak was opposed to at least some of the Bills' blunders in the first round. However, the articles I saw didn't cite their sources. I'd be curious to learn if the ultimate source was Modrak himself, after it had become clear that the players in question would be busts.

 

In a nutshell, I'm open to the possibility Modrak was a big part of the problem. I'm also open to the idea that he might have been an island of sanity in a sea of madness. Without personal knowledge of what his opinions about specific players had been, I don't know which of the two possibilities to believe. If you have such personal knowledge, or have seen a report which has convinced you beyond a doubt, I'd love to hear it. I'm not quite as stubborn as I may sometimes seem.

[Delete This Account]

I'm certainly open to being convinced, and some of what I've read states that Modrak was opposed to at least some of the Bills' blunders in the first round. However, the articles I saw didn't cite their sources. I'd be curious to learn if the ultimate source was Modrak himself, after it had become clear that the players in question would be busts.

 

In a nutshell, I'm open to the possibility Modrak was a big part of the problem. I'm also open to the idea that he might have been an island of sanity in a sea of madness. Without personal knowledge of what his opinions about specific players had been, I don't know which of the two possibilities to believe. If you have such personal knowledge, or have seen a report which has convinced you beyond a doubt, I'd love to hear it. I'm not quite as stubborn as I may sometimes seem.

i have personal knowledge, otherwise i wouldn't have written what i've written here.

i hope you're not asking me to reveal sources.

 

jw

[San-O]

Good job Edward's Arm.

 

I find it interesting that Ralph Wilson said, "Tom does a good job, but he doesn't make the last call. He puts the [draft] board up. But it comes down to making the last decision. That's not Tom." Doesn't this sound like Wilson saying it's not Modrak's fault that the Bills have drafted so poorly? Then what was the reason for firing Modrak? Of course, Wilson has regularly put his foot in his mouth in recent years, so this is nothing unusual.

 

I'm glad they dumped Modrak, but if he's not among the final decision makers, the problem has not been solved.

 

 

Ralph is and always has been full of it for a long time. Talking out boths sides of his mouth.

 

He said the problem was "talent" before he fried Jauron. Wouldn't say whether Jauron had an extension, then fired him. Won't say who's in charge,

and then promotes from within. Now says it'll take three years to rebuild, and fires Modrak who doesn't have the final word.

 

If Wilson really know what the heck he was doing this wouldn't be one of the worst NFL teams for over a decade.

[Sisyphean Bills]

are they Modrak's picks?

Did anyone claim that Modrak made the picks?

he might make up the board, however, first-rounders being what they are, the chief scout has the least say in determining a team's direction here. General managers and coaches have more say here, because this is where the most impact on a team is made and where they generally are left on the hook.

 

-- if Mike Williams is Modrak's pick, why did Tom Donahoe go out of his way to tout Williams over Bryan McKinnie well after the draft was over.

-- c'mon, did Modrak make the decision to draft McGahee? i highly doubt that, given what was at stake?

-- did Modrak make the decision to trade back into the first round to select Losman? i'd truly think Donahoe once again pulled the trigger on that move.

-- Whitner's pick was regarded as a consensus and reach, as the Bills braintrust at the time was hot on landing a safety. any safety.

-- Lynch, unsure.

-- McKelvin was a Jauron pick.

-- Maybin was a Jauron pick.

-- Spiller was a Gailey/Nix pick.

 

 

and, if he bombed on the first-rounders, what about the picks beyond, and undrafted free agents, who have made an impact?

That question implicitly contradicts the defense that the picks "weren't his". Of course, it is clear he was a part of a dysfunctional process that led to a decade of 1st round picks, the very best of which is an average player.

 

But let's consider the later rounds...

it's in the later rounds, i think, where chief scouts have more influence, as coaches and GMs now begin to follow the established board. coaches and GMs still have some say in directing what needs require addressing, but here's where the scouting staff is asked to shine.

 

-- Josh Reed. Not bad.

-- 2003 draft was very good, beyond McGahee. Kelsay, Crowell, McGee, Mario Haggan.

-- 2004 draft was essentially a write off.

 

and for every Dwayne Wright, there's a Stevie Johnson, Fred Jackson (that signing's on Marv), Keith Ellison (they got more out of a 6th-rounder than most teams), Kyle Williams, and let's not forget Jason Peters.

 

i'm not saying Modrak doesn't deserve criticism. just trying to balance the scales here.

 

jw

To balance the scales further, I did a little research. I looked at a sampling of 3 playoff teams, another team that finished in the bottom 3, and a team known for historically terrible drafting. I counted non-first round starters on those teams from the same range of years as the OP (i.e., I excluded the 2010 class).

 

What I found is the success in the later rounds and UDFA seems to be much ado about nothing. The playoff teams I sampled had nearly as many non-first round starters as the Bills. What was really obvious is that their first round picks were dramatically better than the Bills and those guys were starters and team leaders. So, the bar is higher on these teams than in Buffalo -- to be a non-first rounder and earn a starting job on a team that makes the playoffs annually is a higher bar than a bad team that is perpetually rebuilding. Now, the other team that drafted in the top 3 this year that I looked at actually had more non-first round draft picks starting than the Bills. They clearly did a better job with staffing a roster with their draft picks than the Bills did and were in the same boat as far as results on the field. Lastly, there was the franchise that is generally regarded as having a lousy track record in the draft. This seemed to bear out in this simple study as well, they have fewer non-first round starters than all the other teams I looked at. Like the Bills, their first round was a sequence of mistakes and miscalculations. Much of their starting lineup was rounded out by free agents. Like the Bills some of those free agents were more aptly termed cast-offs.

 

Anyway, I'm not convinced the Modrak era in Buffalo showed that the Bills did a better than typical job than any other NFL teams in the later rounds and certainly not when one considers that the bar was lower in Buffalo -- finding a starting job on a bad team that has struck out on most of its first round picks is arguably an easier task than to do the same on a team that is in the playoffs every season and drafts excellent starters with its 1st round picks.

 

Now to be totally balanced, this does show that the Modrak era wasn't worse than other teams using this data. So, neither worse nor better.

 

This last draft, with every player taken from the southeast without exception, pretty much summed it up as far as Modrak's influence.

[spartacus]

i have personal knowledge, otherwise i wouldn't have written what i've written here.

i hope you're not asking me to reveal sources.

 

jw

 

sounds like Modrak told you it wasn't his fault

 

can't get a better source than that

 

 

 

[BillsVet]

Ralph is and always has been full of it for a long time. Talking out boths sides of his mouth.

 

He said the problem was "talent" before he fried Jauron. Wouldn't say whether Jauron had an extension, then fired him. Won't say who's in charge,

and then promotes from within. Now says it'll take three years to rebuild, and fires Modrak who doesn't have the final word.

 

If Wilson really know what the heck he was doing this wouldn't be one of the worst NFL teams for over a decade.

 

The PR people have to be squirming whenever RW is in front of a camera or giving an interview. He made mention in announcing the BiT series that Toronto was building and things were happening there. Then he talked about Buffalo not doing so well. Sure, it's true, but it wasn't the right time to make that comment.

 

Scott Berchtold and his staff seem like they're working to protect the owner from...himself. He's not able to be out front like a younger man, but when he does he says something which rankles people. Just look at the cancellation of his HOF ring ceremony in 2009.

 

Biggest problem at OBD is their terrible track record has made it so qualified people aren't willing to even interview anymore for their top football jobs, GM and HC. And so the Bills end up with lesser known and more likely lesser qualified people because the owner doesn't have any contacts throughout the NFL.

[eball]

Biggest problem at OBD is their terrible track record has made it so qualified people aren't willing to even interview anymore for their top football jobs, GM and HC. And so the Bills end up with lesser known and more likely lesser qualified people because the owner doesn't have any contacts throughout the NFL.

Pure folly.

[Sisyphean Bills]

I'm certainly open to being convinced, and some of what I've read states that Modrak was opposed to at least some of the Bills' blunders in the first round. However, the articles I saw didn't cite their sources. I'd be curious to learn if the ultimate source was Modrak himself, after it had become clear that the players in question would be busts.

 

In a nutshell, I'm open to the possibility Modrak was a big part of the problem. I'm also open to the idea that he might have been an island of sanity in a sea of madness. Without personal knowledge of what his opinions about specific players had been, I don't know which of the two possibilities to believe. If you have such personal knowledge, or have seen a report which has convinced you beyond a doubt, I'd love to hear it. I'm not quite as stubborn as I may sometimes seem.

To be incontrovertible, the knowledge of what he thought about the last ten years of picks would have to come from documents made before those drafts occurred. Otherwise, it is an exercise in he said vs. he said. Take the Maybin example. Today, one is hard pressed to find someone that admits they thought Maybin was a great pick. When he was taken though, many people were gushing with praise for the selection and thought the Bills had added a great player. Among them was Tom Modrak, as quoted in an article.

 

What is clear is the results. It also appears from the accounts that Modrak was not one to "bang the table" or otherwise put his sanity/expertise, if it was there, to the test, but rather to follow along and go wherever the whims of madness happened to take them all. Not exactly what some people would want out of a VP.

[eball]

Can't we simply agree that the draft failures of the past decade are evidence of a complete organizational failure, without finding a need to place blame on specific individuals? The bottom line is that the changes made over the past year and a half appear to be bringing the organization back to respectability on the field.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Can't we simply agree that the draft failures of the past decade are evidence of a complete organizational failure, without finding a need to place blame on specific individuals? The bottom line is that the changes made over the past year and a half appear to be bringing the organization back to respectability on the field.

as is evident with fewer wins.

 

(Actually, I agree that it was an organizational failure and I hope these changes are for the better as well. Something had to change, even if was just to give the appearance of progress. )

[Delete This Account]

sounds like Modrak told you it wasn't his fault

 

can't get a better source than that

baloney.

 

jw

[thewildrabbit]

It just seems to me that in a draft it would be far easier to find starters for a bad team then it would for a good / playoff team.

 

Like when Chuck Knox first took over most of the players he drafted in each draft became a starter or stuck with the team in some capacity, special teams, back ups. The same can be said about the Bill Polian era, it just seems that the first few years of drafted the team kept most of the players drafted, and back then there were 12 rounds to every draft. I could be wrong but it seems like the team got such a strong influx of good talented players almost immediately. The teams didn't hang on to players like grim death just because they were early draft picks either. The difference between those teams prior to those men stepping up was like the difference between night and day.JMO

 

So when I see a team go 4-12 with no starters the first year it worries me, the one guy named starter at RB stayed the starter for about 6 plays because he didn't know what he was doing, didn't know how to do his job....scary

[Delete This Account]

Did anyone claim that Modrak made the picks?

 

...

 

Anyway, I'm not convinced the Modrak era in Buffalo showed that the Bills did a better than typical job than any other NFL teams in the later rounds and certainly not when one considers that the bar was lower in Buffalo -- finding a starting job on a bad team that has struck out on most of its first round picks is arguably an easier task than to do the same on a team that is in the playoffs every season and drafts excellent starters with its 1st round picks.

 

Now to be totally balanced, this does show that the Modrak era wasn't worse than other teams using this data. So, neither worse nor better.

 

This last draft, with every player taken from the southeast without exception, pretty much summed it up as far as Modrak's influence.

the OP made that claim by virtue of the title of this thread.

 

as for your extensive post, there's not much there i could argue with.

one thing that does need to be factored in is how the constant upheaval messed with the draft and the types of players the team chose. different coaches coming in wanting different types of players, with different coordinators, especially on the offensive side of the ball, certainly didn't lead to much stability or continuity.

 

jw

Edited May 7, 2011 by john wawrow

[Orton's Arm]

i have personal knowledge, otherwise i wouldn't have written what i've written here.

i hope you're not asking me to reveal sources.

 

jw

I would never ask anyone to make public something which had been said in confidence. I would certainly not ask a reporter to reveal his or her sources, unless those sources had given prior permission to have their identities revealed. A statement from you that "I have personal knowledge that X is true" is good enough for me.

 

Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to ask you a question. If you don't know the answer, or don't feel comfortable revealing the answer, that's fine. My question is this: what opinion did Modrak have of the Bills' first round busts? Did he approve or disapprove of players like McCargo, Losman, Mike Williams, etc.? I realize he wasn't the final decision-maker, and that the ultimate responsibility for these picks was not his. But was he reasonably comfortable with those and the other first round picks when they were made; or did he strongly warn the Bills against making them?

 

Edit: in response to your more recent post, I probably could have picked a better title for the thread. The meaning I'd wanted to convey was, "please rank the first round picks the Bills made while Modrak was director of college scouting; while acknowledging that we as fans cannot know how much influence Modrak had regarding those picks." But that seemed a little wordy for a thread title. I regret that the thread title I chose created the impression that Modrak was personally responsible for the Bills' first round picks during his time here.

Edited May 8, 2011 by Edwards' Arm

[billsfan89]

I've complied a ranking of the Bills' first round picks in the Modrak era, from best to worst. Feel free to comment, or contribute your own rankings of the Bills' first round picks.

 

1) Eric Wood. He shows signs of living up to his draft position. That makes him the best first round selection of the Modrak era.

 

2) Lee Evans. While he never lived up to the expectations associated with the 13th overall pick, he has been a solid contributor for the Bills.

 

3) Willis McGahee. Picked late in the first round, McGahee was traded away a few years later for a couple of third round picks. This draft pick was only partially wasted!

 

4) Donte Whitner. Chosen eighth overall, Whitner has played about as well as you might expect from someone in the late second or early third round. The eighth overall pick is worth 1400 points, while the 15th pick of the second round is worth 430 points. The Bills received about one fourth of what this pick was worth.

 

5) Leodis McKelvin. While it is a little early to rank this pick, McKelvin looks to be a player who plays very well in stretches, only to get beat through mental errors. Using the 11th overall pick on a guy who should probably be your #3 CB isn't exactly the pinnacle of success, but it's better than anything below.

 

6) Marshawn Lynch. Taken 12th overall, he was traded for a 4th rounder (plus change) just a few years later. Turning the 12th overall pick into a fourth rounder isn't the kind of alchemy you hope to see from your front office, but the fact the Bills got some value from him makes him the 6th-best selection.

 

7) J.P. Losman. He had a decent year in 2006; but was otherwise useless to the team. He ranks lower than Lynch because the Bills could get nothing for him in a trade; and because of his subsequent difficulty finding a roster spot in the NFL.

 

8) Mike Williams. The Mike Williams of 2004 would have represented an upgrade at RT for the 2010 Bills. You hope to get more than just one somewhat decent season out of a RT chosen fourth overall. But as a Bills fan, you don't always get everything you want.

 

9) John McCargo. There'd been discussion of trading him away for a fifth rounder--at least until he failed the Colts' physical. While a fifth rounder isn't a great return from a first rounder, it's better than nothing. Which is exactly what the Bills would get if they tried to trade away . . .

 

10) Aaron Maybin. Chosen 11th overall, this player has done nothing for the team.

 

Unranked: Spiller. (Too early to make an assessment.)

 

Mike Williams was the worst pick. 1 decent year for a 3rd overall pick is much worse than nothing from the 11th overall pick. 3rd overall picks are suppose to be game changers for your franchise. While 11th overall picks are suppose to make an impact.

 

Fat Mike not being the anchor to the line he was suppose to be set this franchise back much more than Maybin the 11th overall pick being a complete zero.

 

I can't justify anyone but Fat Mike being the worst pick by Modrak and company.

[thewildrabbit]

Mike Williams was the worst pick. 1 decent year for a 3rd overall pick is much worse than nothing from the 11th overall pick. 3rd overall picks are suppose to be game changers for your franchise. While 11th overall picks are suppose to make an impact.

 

Fat Mike not being the anchor to the line he was suppose to be set this franchise back much more than Maybin the 11th overall pick being a complete zero.

 

I can't justify anyone but Fat Mike being the worst pick by Modrak and company.

He was the 4th overall in 2002 and played for the Bills for 4 years, 51 games http://www.pro-footb.../W/WillMi22.htm

 

Now I'd like to contend that the Bills could have moved the guy inside at guard if he was failing at tackle, he might have be an expensive guard but if he is contributing at you at least recoup some of that guaranteed contract, The Raiders did something like that with LT Robert Gallery who is now a guard.

 

At least they got a 4 years out of Williams, Maybin held out for more money and got it to the tune of 25 million over 5 years, and that's not the guaranteed part. ZERO SACKS in his 2 year career so far. In 2009 he had 18 tackles, in 2010 he had just 5 tackles in 66 plays

 

McCargo 5 year 8,600.000 drafted in 2006 and in his 5 year career with the Buffalo Bills he has had 46 tackles & 2.5 sacks in his career total... yea TOTAL for 5 years! ....dunno perhaps I'm reading it wrong but it says McCargo has started only one game in his 5 years

 

CJ Spiller 5 year 25 million-20.8 guaranteed- 26 carries 122 yds- 3 passes for 35 yds 3 TD's

 

Pathetic really, is it any wonder why this team stinks ...

[ganesh]

I've complied a ranking of the Bills' first round picks in the Modrak era, from best to worst. Feel free to comment, or contribute your own rankings of the Bills' first round picks.

 

2) Lee Evans. While he never lived up to the expectations associated with the 13th overall pick, he has been a solid contributor for the Bills.

 

 

Lee Evans has been a one trick pony that enjoyed a initial jump briefly with Drew Bledsoe and then had a short resurgence with Losman. Evans hardly ever fights for the ball and disappears for a long time in a game. I have also not seen him make great blocks like a Hines Ward.

 

Evans is another wasted pick @ #13. At #13, I expect the player to have made multiple pro-bowls. Evans is not the best WR even within the division.

 

He was the 4th overall in 2002 and played for the Bills for 4 years, 51 games http://www.pro-footb.../W/WillMi22.htm

 

Now I'd like to contend that the Bills could have moved the guy inside at guard if he was failing at tackle, he might have be an expensive guard but if he is contributing at you at least recoup some of that guaranteed contract, The Raiders did something like that with LT Robert Gallery who is now a guard.

 

At least they got a 4 years out of Williams, Maybin held out for more money and got it to the tune of 25 million over 5 years, and that's not the guaranteed part. ZERO SACKS in his 2 year career so far. In 2009 he had 18 tackles, in 2010 he had just 5 tackles in 66 plays

 

McCargo 5 year 8,600.000 drafted in 2006 and in his 5 year career with the Buffalo Bills he has had 46 tackles & 2.5 sacks in his career total... yea TOTAL for 5 years! ....dunno perhaps I'm reading it wrong but it says McCargo has started only one game in his 5 years

 

CJ Spiller 5 year 25 million-20.8 guaranteed- 26 carries 122 yds- 3 passes for 35 yds 3 TD's

 

Pathetic really, is it any wonder why this team stinks ...

 

And don't forget the money they gave to Chris Kelsay (5Y/25M), Derrick Dockery (7Y/49M), Langston Walker (5Year/25M). This front office has blown that cash on all second stringers.

[Delete This Account]

I would never ask anyone to make public something which had been said in confidence. I would certainly not ask a reporter to reveal his or her sources, unless those sources had given prior permission to have their identities revealed. A statement from you that "I have personal knowledge that X is true" is good enough for me.

 

Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to ask you a question. If you don't know the answer, or don't feel comfortable revealing the answer, that's fine. My question is this: what opinion did Modrak have of the Bills' first round busts? Did he approve or disapprove of players like McCargo, Losman, Mike Williams, etc.? I realize he wasn't the final decision-maker, and that the ultimate responsibility for these picks was not his. But was he reasonably comfortable with those and the other first round picks when they were made; or did he strongly warn the Bills against making them?

 

Edit: in response to your more recent post, I probably could have picked a better title for the thread. The meaning I'd wanted to convey was, "please rank the first round picks the Bills made while Modrak was director of college scouting; while acknowledging that we as fans cannot know how much influence Modrak had regarding those picks." But that seemed a little wordy for a thread title. I regret that the thread title I chose created the impression that Modrak was personally responsible for the Bills' first round picks during his time here.

no problem.

as for Modrak's thoughts on the Bills picks: he was a team player and always talked up the selections. though he'd occasionally express disappointment of the team's record, he was always positive and upbeat.

i don't know what was said behind closed doors. Tom always played his cards close to the vest. but he would never rock the boat publicly, while accepting whatever blame was placed on him. again, a team player.

 

jw

[Orton's Arm]

no problem.

as for Modrak's thoughts on the Bills picks: he was a team player and always talked up the selections. though he'd occasionally express disappointment of the team's record, he was always positive and upbeat.

i don't know what was said behind closed doors. Tom always played his cards close to the vest. but he would never rock the boat publicly, while accepting whatever blame was placed on him. again, a team player.

 

jw

Thanks for the info. I certainly respect Modrak's willingness to publicly praise the picks, regardless of whatever he had said behind closed doors. It would have undercut Donahoe's authority if, the day after the Mike Williams pick (for example), Modrak had publicly said, "I think Williams will be a bust and that we're fools for taking him." I realize the rules of the game are such that Modrak can't say that--at least not publicly--even if that's what he had been thinking.

 

It's unfortunate that more isn't known about what Modrak had said behind closed doors about the players the Bills drafted, before those players had been drafted.

[thewildrabbit]

Ya know, we fans can point the finger at scouts, coaches, GM's and FO exec's that would rather sell seats then win games... it seems like everybody gets the blame but the guy who hired them all. We must have had dozens of Modrak threads already this off season, I can only wonder who is next to get them blame when this team doesn't win, Nix perhaps?

 

Until this franchise owner decides he wants to win, and steps down from the president job, then hires a top man to replace him to run the whole show, this franchise will continue to on its everlasting trek from losing to mediocrity and back.