Grade the 2017 Buffalo Bills draft

[Simon]

Come back when the Bills are good. We should be colonizing Europa by then.

You're nucking futs.

That world is not ours and we can attempt no landing there.

[Augie]

You're nucking futs.

That world is not ours and we can attempt no landing there.

What if we get an E-Vite?

[BADOLBILZ]

Anything less than a B is delusional and just hater stuff, in my opinion. I'm in the A category. Very solid, if unspectacular.

 

Most drafts end up essentially being C's.

 

Passing but meh and could go either way.

 

B indicates you are certain it was good.......there were a lot of A's and B's doled out here after the 2013 draft.......the one where 4 years later the Bills have no players left from.

[Klaista2k]

D.

 

Should have just stayed at 10 and picked Mahomes.

[John from Riverside]

 

I don't totally discount the Kirk Cousin's ceiling........but Cousin's is not a franchise direction changer.

 

What you want is an Aaron Rodgers.......a guy who can keep your middling roster in contention for deep playoff runs every year.

 

THAT is the goal.........not Andy Dalton or Cousin's or the like.

that quality was not there this draft

[BADOLBILZ]

that quality was not there this draft

 

I'd say Mahomes has a chance.

 

He has rare ability.

 

Neither Favre or Rodgers went top half of round 1 so it wasn't obvious that they had anything more than incredible arm talent and athleticism at the time of their drafting either.

Edited April 30, 2017 by #BADOL

[Domdab99]

B+

 

Did a great job up front

[Kelly the Dog]

I'd say Mahomes has a chance.

 

He has rare ability.

 

Neither Favre or Rodgers went top half of round 1 so it wasn't obvious that they had anything more than incredible arm talent and athleticism at the time of their drafting either.

Yeah, I think Mahomes has a better chance than any of the other QBs to be great, and it's still a maybe 25% chance. At any one time there are only 10-12 people in the world who can be great at this job.

[Bill_with_it]

Ill hold off on a grade for at least a year. I have my concerns and praises but its a premature.

[slaphappy]

Should be an A ++++ option!

[BaaadThingsMan]

Why do I have to be a fan of any team to be posting here? I followed the Bills and considered myself a fan for a very long time. Last September I took all of my stuff and all of my kids stuff and threw it in a Goodwill container and haven't watched a minute since. Things I'd owned for 30 years, gone. The Bills are banned from my house. No TV, no radio, no discussion. They are dead. They are a non-entity in my home. If my kids want to watch football they can become Eagles or Ravens fans because either of those would be acceptable local teams. They should support their local team or none at all. They certainly shouldn't continue to absorb **** from other people, adults and children alike, because their father grew up somewhere else.

 

To be perfectly frank the sport they call football now is very different from what I grew up watching and I'd been liking it less and less for many years but kept watching because of fantasy football and misplaced loyalty to the Bills. I stopped playing fantasy football the year after they started Thursday night football because it stopped being fun and started being a job to keep up with. Without the gambling action the game itself was incredibly boring which made it much easier to face reality about the Bills. They are the jobbers of the NFL and will be forever. Since the NFL sucks in general now, and the Bills suck even more, what was the point? The entire process stopped being fun. It's not about being a bandwaggoner somewhere else, I couldn't give a **** who wins week to week. I watched the Super Bowl and that was only because I had money on it. The game is garbage.

 

So I come in here extremely occasioanally to kick your dog and throw your lolly in the dirt. Get over it.

where is the dc tom bot when you need it?

[Mountain Man]

B - If the 1st rounder and Dawkins turns into something then it becomes an A. On the face it you have 2 starters, 1 guy who is competing to start. 2 depth and a QB lottery ticket. That has the potential to be very good, but given we took relatively low risk it also looks relatively high floor

[billsfan_34]

This is no better than a C draft.

 

We replaced what we lost in FA with rookies.

 

Zach Brown or Matt Milano, Robert Woods or Zay Jones, Gilmore or White?

 

We did not get any better and you have to question if the trade ups were even necessary. They seemed like panic moves.

Ah, the world of free agency right? Its frustrating for sure but almost every team has the same dillema. Gilmore didnt deserve top 5 pay and woods, as sure handed/good blocker that he was couldnt break away for a home run. Zay Jones on the other hand can and is an upgrade. I still think our team is dysfunctional but this draft was one of the better ones in a long time imo.

[GunnerBill]

I get this.

 

The Bills got 0 game changers from this draft.

 

The best the fans can hope for is average NFL starters.

I think White in particular will be more than an "average starter" but his ceiling is top 15 type corner as opposed to say Gilmore whose ceiling was always top 5.

 

Zay Jones might be a one contract guy if they keep Sammy... but that might have to be the plan if they pay Sammy.... I call it the Bengals plan - pay AJ and cycle through 1 contract draft picks and cheap FAs in the #2 and #3 spots.

 

Dawkins' ceiling is, I think, the definition of solid middle of the pack right tackle.

Why do I have to be a fan of any team to be posting here? I followed the Bills and considered myself a fan for a very long time. Last September I took all of my stuff and all of my kids stuff and threw it in a Goodwill container and haven't watched a minute since. Things I'd owned for 30 years, gone. The Bills are banned from my house. No TV, no radio, no discussion. They are dead. They are a non-entity in my home. If my kids want to watch football they can become Eagles or Ravens fans because either of those would be acceptable local teams. They should support their local team or none at all. They certainly shouldn't continue to absorb **** from other people, adults and children alike, because their father grew up somewhere else.

 

To be perfectly frank the sport they call football now is very different from what I grew up watching and I'd been liking it less and less for many years but kept watching because of fantasy football and misplaced loyalty to the Bills. I stopped playing fantasy football the year after they started Thursday night football because it stopped being fun and started being a job to keep up with. Without the gambling action the game itself was incredibly boring which made it much easier to face reality about the Bills. They are the jobbers of the NFL and will be forever. Since the NFL sucks in general now, and the Bills suck even more, what was the point? The entire process stopped being fun. It's not about being a bandwaggoner somewhere else, I couldn't give a **** who wins week to week. I watched the Super Bowl and that was only because I had money on it. The game is garbage.

 

So I come in here extremely occasioanally to kick your dog and throw your lolly in the dirt. Get over it.

Haha. Epic, epic rant.

 

Seek medical advice.

[Best Player Available]

Best draft I've witnessed in 20 years.

1- got a 1st rounder 2018

2- a QB that is custom built for our offense that can sit & learn

3- 3 starters in first 3 picks

4- no off field issues from anyone

5- Ragland is basically our 4th rd pick

3) "Three projected starters" IMO would be a lot more accurate. But it's awesome they replaced guys that were lost in FA. Especially with the coveted early picks and unproven but cheaper rookies. Thanks Jim Overdorf. By mismanaging any ability to move forward and draft a possible elite talent like Howard who was there at 10.

[H2o]

I picked B, but I really see it as a B+/A- type of draft. Some good, productive players taken this year that not only could be argued as bpa, but they also filled a need. It was the best draft we have had here in a while. If Peterman turns into the answer at QB for the Bills then this draft was an A+++.

[MarkyMannn]

I'm OK with day one trading back, adding a 1st rounder next year. Really like the second day and moving up and the guys they got. To me rounds 4 5 6 7 are throwaways I don't value them. Still like Peterman though

 

OK Andre Reed was a 4th rounder...........32 years ago

 

Grade B

Edited April 30, 2017 by MarkyMannn

[JMF2006]

C-

 

Passed on elite talents at #10, replaced FA departures at #27 and #37, trade ups cost a lot.

 

Maybe 1-2 starters but neither of them are going to great players.

 

Got very Billsy in Round 2.

 

I don't see anything different than 6 wins.

 

They may have passed on guys at 10 but they got a 1st rounder next year.

 

Replaced an injury prone CB that was afraid to wrinkle his uniform got a taller faster reciever and this was done for less than 6m cap space

 

Gilmore and Woods were going to be a 22 to24m cap hit.

 

May have solved the RT problem late in Rnd 2.

 

Got one of the few QB's that plays in a pro style offence.

 

Got depth at LB x2

 

Sounds like an A to me.

 

Lets not grade the season based on the draft.

 

That should be evaluated in January..

Edited April 30, 2017 by JMF2006

[BarleyNY]

I loved the draft overall. The trade back for an additional 3rd and 2018 1st while still getting a top CB was a quality maneuver. I won't claim to know a ton about many of the picks, but they sure filled needs and all look like good values where taken. I wasn't very high on this QB class, but I did like Peterman quite a bit. He was an outstanding value. I gave it an A.

[wilcoam]

I wonder who ever grades the graders

We love to post what other people think of these drafts but the past record of those grade givers is never evident

Same for mocks

Just saying...

 

jc

[JMF2006]

D.

 

Should have just stayed at 10 and picked Mahomes.

 

KC looks brilliant doing that and the Bills would have been a laughing stock.

 

To me KC is the laughing stock and the Bills are the bright ones.

 

I would have cried if they took that kid at 10.

 

At 45 or so there might have been value.

 

I still don't see why KC was so desperate for a project QB.

Edited April 30, 2017 by JMF2006

[Kelly the Dog]

KC looks brilliant doing that and the Bills would have been a laughing stock.

 

To me KC is the laughing stock and the Bills are the bright ones.

 

I would have cried if they took that kid at 10.

 

At 45 or so there might have been value.

 

I still don't see why KC was so desperate for a project QB.

They weren't. At all. Good GMs and teams think short, mid and long term simultaneously. They are thinking long term with Mahomes. Sit him like Aaron Rodgers sit him.

[JMF2006]

They weren't. At all. Good GMs and teams think short, mid and long term simultaneously. They are thinking long term with Mahomes. Sit him like Aaron Rodgers sit him.

 

I still find it desperate.

 

Next years draft is deeper at QB and trading up then would net a better prospect.

 

I am no professional scout but from everything I have read all this kid can do is throw and run and that just isn't enough in the NFL.

 

Like I said I would have cried had the Bills drafted him at 10 and they wouldn't have been tears of joy.

[NewEra]

C-

Passed on elite talents at #10, replaced FA departures at #27 and #37, trade ups cost a lot.

Maybe 1-2 starters but neither of them are going to great players.

Got very Billsy in Round 2.

I don't see anything different than 6 wins.

You'd rather have Lattimore over White and next years first and a starting RT? The tradedown was epic win

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

The Washington Post and Prisco both gave the Bills B. Both have never been kind to Buffalo.

[Sweats]

Grade and discuss the overall Draft.

 

Very happy with our picks this year and pumped to have a extra first rounder next year. I wasn't huge on the Peterman pick but loving it more and more. That pick might be the steal of the entire draft.

 

 

 

 

 

The Bucs grabbing Howard at their draft position was the steal of the draft.

[Bill from NYC]

I rate it a D.

 

After all of these years we are right back on the 1st round defensive back merry go-round to losing football games.

 

I think that most fans will never understand that what makes a draft successful is when your team wins football games. Gilmore was "good." So were countless other defensive backs that we wasted first round picks on but the team lost football games. This would seem to be pretty simple to grasp but I guess it is not.

 

In any event, we always have hope this time of the year.

 

GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Beast]

This is kind of like asking a 3rd grade teacher to grade your kid that is about to enter Kindergarten.

 

I place draft grades in the same category as figuring out strength of schedule in April.

[3rdand12]

 

 

 

 

 

The Bucs grabbing Howard at their draft position was the steal of the draft.

I might agree. but we shall see.

I was raising the flag for Howard by the time the draft kicked off

[Section242]

If the extra 1st rd pick they got from KC turns into Darnold or Rosen then it's an A. Based on the players they picked D.

[Augie]

I rate it a D.

 

After all of these years we are right back on the 1st round defensive back merry go-round to losing football games.

 

I think that most fans will never understand that what makes a draft successful is when your team wins football games. Gilmore was "good." So were countless other defensive backs that we wasted first round picks on but the team lost football games. This would seem to be pretty simple to grasp but I guess it is not.

 

In any event, we always have hope this time of the year.

 

GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to disagree in terms of the "draft grade". This sounds more like a complaint about previous cap management and team philosophy. Those complaints I can understand. We can't judge this draft by our previous won/loss record. As far as the trades we made and guys we picked this weekend, I have a much higher grade. Time to move forward, build a new regime and pray for something better!

[Luka]

I went with a B-. A 2018 1st is huge given the pending decision on the QB position. Big fan of the picks of White, Dawkins, Milano and Vallejo.

 

Thought Zay Jones was a bit of a reach (and a pointless trade-up as a consequence) and I have very few nice things to say about Peterman.

 

At the very least, the moves around the board showed ambition. The right type of people were sought after.

 

Hi I'm Blokes. I will just hate every QB that way I have a good chance of being right alot of the time.

[Augie]

Hi I'm Blokes. I will just hate every QB that way I have a good chance of being right alot of the time.

I'm trying not to get caught up in the lightning in a bottle enthusiasm myself, but asking for the reasons he feels the way he does might be more enlightening. There is a reason he lasted as long as he did. But he could still be the next Brady. Consider all points of view.

[jeffismagic]

I rate it a D.

 

After all of these years we are right back on the 1st round defensive back merry go-round to losing football games.

 

I think that most fans will never understand that what makes a draft successful is when your team wins football games. Gilmore was "good." So were countless other defensive backs that we wasted first round picks on but the team lost football games. This would seem to be pretty simple to grasp but I guess it is not.

 

In any event, we always have hope this time of the year.

 

GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I thought you wouldn't like the Corner in the 1st and two small Tampa 2 linebackers.

 

I think this was the draft you would expect if you had a first time head coach who was also a first time GM with no front office experience picking players off a board from a scouting staff on their way out the door.

 

The Zay Jones pick was a massive waste to trade up for. I think McDermott wanted to get a WR and his coach knew the guy. Low upside, just like the projected backup QB taken in the 5th.

 

I hate the idea of cornerback but Tre White can play. Best cover skills coming out in the draft. He might not have as much upside as CB's going before him but he is plug and play. He also fills a need which is what McDermott looks to do.

 

Best players are Tre White and Dion Dawkins. Zay Jones could be a WR #3 this year.

 

1st three picks were drafted for needs. That's how a coach drafts, not a GM.

 

Too many picks thrown away trading up. Bills can't afford to keep burning picks which happens every year.

 

Biggest mistake was punting on QB. I think Andy Reid and John Gruden know more about QB's than Sean McDermott. But that seems to be the Buffalo special, hiring defensive head coaches that don't value high quality QB play.

[BillsFan17]

Adding that first next year is absolutely top notch.

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

 

I thought you wouldn't like the Corner in the 1st and two small Tampa 2 linebackers.

 

I think this was the draft you would expect if you had a first time head coach who was also a first time GM with no front office experience picking players off a board from a scouting staff on their way out the door.

 

The Zay Jones pick was a massive waste to trade up for. I think McDermott wanted to get a WR and his coach knew the guy. Low upside, just like the projected backup QB taken in the 5th.

 

I hate the idea of cornerback but Tre White can play. Best cover skills coming out in the draft. He might not have as much upside as CB's going before him but he is plug and play. He also fills a need which is what McDermott looks to do.

 

Best players are Tre White and Dion Dawkins. Zay Jones could be a WR #3 this year.

 

1st three picks were drafted for needs. That's how a coach drafts, not a GM.

 

Too many picks thrown away trading up. Bills can't afford to keep burning picks which happens every year.

 

Biggest mistake was punting on QB. I think Andy Reid and John Gruden know more about QB's than Sean McDermott. But that seems to be the Buffalo special, hiring defensive head coaches that don't value high quality QB play.

Come on Man- really?

[Straight Hucklebuck]

You'd rather have Lattimore over White and next years first and a starting RT? The tradedown was epic win

This is a 6 win team still, gaining no ground on the rest of the AFC.

[Straight Hucklebuck]

The Zay Jones pick was a massive waste to trade up for. I think McDermott wanted to get a WR and his coach knew the guy. Low upside, just like the projected backup QB taken in the 5th.

 

 

Too many picks thrown away trading up. Bills can't afford to keep burning picks which happens every year.

 

Biggest mistake was punting on QB. I think Andy Reid and John Gruden know more about QB's than Sean McDermott. But that seems to be the Buffalo special, hiring defensive head coaches that don't value high quality QB play.

Agree on all counts.

 

Only three WRs were off the board at the time of the trade up and all of them went before #10.

 

I thought it was a useless trade up, because Jones profiles as a possession WR with average physical traits.

 

We again kicked the can down the road at QB, and our 9-11th pick next year, combined with KCs 23rd pick is not going to be enough to get to #1 overall to take Darnold or Rosen.

 

The Bills as an organization tend to get stuck on backup QBs. Three years on Trent, three years on Fitzpatrick, going on three with Tyrod.

 

We'll see, but this team looks like the same 6-7 win team next year.

 

Also they passed on DT again and Kyle is most certainly coming to the end.

[hondo in seattle]

I think Doug went out with a bang. Competently trading up or down as the situation dictated, the Bills were able to get the players they wanted at the positions they needed.

[Augie]

He could use a little Toastmasters experience, and some other polish, but he is pretty good at knowing football players. The next team that gets him will be lucky to have him.