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The Bills Top 5 Most Successful Low-Round Draft Picks


BuffaloRush

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As the draft talk swirls around this message board its interesting to look back at the Bills draft history to see where some of the players were drafted and the level of succsess they had with the team.  


We all know about the numerous disappointment the Bills have had in the first round - Losman, McCargo, Maybin, EJ Manuel, Lawson, but what I find more interesting are the players who turned out to be stars that were drafting toward the end of the draft.  Below are the Top 5 Low Round Draft Picks That Succeeded.  Each of these players were drafted in the 7th round or lower.  
 
#5 - Carlton Bailey  1988   9th Round   GM: Bill Polian
 
Bailey was a steal as a 9th round draft pick.  Drafter in 1988 he rode the pine for a few years before beating out starter Ray Bentley at ILB.  Bailey would start for two more seasons for the Bills and had a memorable TD to get the Bills to the Super Bowl.  A stellar job by Polian, Butler, and Crew/
 
#4 Kurt Schultz     1992   7th Round   GM: Bill Polian
He knows nothing!  Schultz contributed on special teams for a few years before moving in as starting FS in Wade Phillips' defense alongside Henry Jones.  Schultz has several 6 INT seasons and solidified one of the top defenses in the NFL.  Ironically he had one of his best years with Detroit the season he left town.  Still an excellent find for Polian - one of the more underrated Bills defensive players
 
#3 Jay Riemersma   1995  7th Round    GM: John Butler
After missing his rookie year, Riemersma came out of nowhere to be a solid target for Buffalo Bills.  Essentially he was the player the team hoped Lonnie Johnson would be.  Reimersma was a good blocker and solid target in the red zone that helped the team to multiple playoff appearances.  The knock on Jay could be injuries.   While the player most games during the year, he was often hobbled which affected his play.  Still a 7th round pick went on to be one of the top target on offense.  Great pick
 
#2 Howard "Da House" Ballard   1988  11th Round  GM: Bill Polian
Ballard was drafted in the 11th..yes the 11th round and sat the bench for a few seasons before moving in as a starter for nearly 6 seasons.  While Will Wolford got a lot of acclaim, I always thought House was a bit underrated on the Right.   #75 was a great run blocker and excelled in pass protection..not bad for an 11th round pick!
 
#1 Stevie Johnson   1996     7th Round  GM:  Russ Brandon (w/ Dick Jauron/Tom Modrak) 
 
Yes sir  - the only man in Bills history to gain over 1,000 yards receiving for three consecutive seasons was a 7th round pick.  When Chan Gailey came to town, Stevie's career seemed to take off.  An unlikely star thanks to an unorthodox running style and a larger than life personality, Stevie became "The Face of the Bills" during the early 2010's.  He had a huge impact both on the field and off the field and is one of the most beloved players in Bills history.
 

Well that’s my list.  It’s ironic that out of all the great picks that Hall of Fame GM’s like Bill Polian and John Butler made, it’s Russ Brandon - quite possibly the worst GM that made the best pick.  
 
Also telling that some of the more unsuccessful GM’s didn’t make this list.
 
Lets hear your thoughts! 
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17 minutes ago, kirkwoodus13 said:

This one is easy. The answer is clearly Jason Peters.... undrafted tight end to hall of fame left tackle. I still can't believe the bills trade that guy instead of paying him. Now are about to the do the exact same thing to Cordy Glen.

I hope they don't trade Cordy.

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42 minutes ago, kirkwoodus13 said:

This one is easy. The answer is clearly Jason Peters.... undrafted tight end to hall of fame left tackle. I still can't believe the bills trade that guy instead of paying him. Now are about to the do the exact same thing to Cordy Glen.

 

Uh, they didn't pay Cordy?

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To everyone saying Jason Peters.... I obviously didn’t include him because he never was drafted.  If I ever do a Top 5 Undrafted Free Agents List, it’s going to be tough to see anywhere outside of #1 for JP

17 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

 

...Golden Wheels was actually drafted in the 1959 14th round but began his career with Bills as a rook in 1960..............

 

Sorry but I’m going back to 1960 here.  These lists are from my time which is about 30 years or so - shortly before the Super Bowl Era

32 minutes ago, cage said:

Undrafted should count as they're part of the draft process... Jason Peters, Fred Jackson, Pat Williams

 

No these 3 are undrafted rookies.   Not round draft picks.  The former would make for another fun list

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This is an area that the Bills have excelled. Peters is going to the HOF. Pat Williams and Tom Sestak were elite players. Robert James had a short but dominant career. Freddie had a lot of yards, Stevie had 3 1,000 yard seasons. Stratton is on the WOF.  House Ballard was a key member of the Super Bowl teams. Daryle Lamonica is on the list. Gary Anderson too if we are talking career.

5 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

To everyone saying Jason Peters.... I obviously didn’t include him because he never was drafted.  If I ever do a Top 5 Undrafted Free Agents List, it’s going to be tough to see anywhere outside of #1 for JP

 

Sorry but I’m going back to 1960 here.  These lists are from my time which is about 30 years or so - shortly before the Super Bowl Era

 

No these 3 are undrafted rookies.   Not round draft picks.  The former would make for another fun list

That’s an odd way to divide it because the draft is a fraction of what it used to be. It should be (after 7th round then). 

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7 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

To everyone saying Jason Peters.... I obviously didn’t include him because he never was drafted.  If I ever do a Top 5 Undrafted Free Agents List, it’s going to be tough to see anywhere outside of #1 for JP

 

Sorry but I’m going back to 1960 here.  These lists are from my time which is about 30 years or so - shortly before the Super Bowl Era

 

No these 3 are undrafted rookies.   Not round draft picks.  The former would make for another fun list

 

...my sincere apology.....I will leave the thread now on this note: can you imagine having to listen to Kiper for all THIRTY (30) rounds of the 1959 draft???................

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12 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

To everyone saying Jason Peters.... I obviously didn’t include him because he never was drafted.  If I ever do a Top 5 Undrafted Free Agents List, it’s going to be tough to see anywhere outside of #1 for JP

 

Sorry but I’m going back to 1960 here.  These lists are from my time which is about 30 years or so - shortly before the Super Bowl Era

 

No these 3 are undrafted rookies.   Not round draft picks.  The former would make for another fun list

 

Please add the kids' table to all of your thread titles. :lol:

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2 hours ago, kirkwoodus13 said:

This one is easy. The answer is clearly Jason Peters.... undrafted tight end to hall of fame left tackle. I still can't believe the bills trade that guy instead of paying him. Now are about to the do the exact same thing to Cordy Glen.

Yep, Glenn may get dumped. He sure as hell isn't a Jason Peters though, thanks Russ.

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I am in that group of "shame"...  I grew up watching Fergy & Joe Cribbs as my entry into the Bills fandom....  Those were some rough seasons with some still happy moments.

 

I don't disagree with your top 5.

 

Other names I think were helpful (honorable mentions) - if not superstars (without deep research other than memory):

 

Marvcus Patton - LB 8th round 1990

Jeff Wright - DT 8th round 1988

Keith McKeller - TE 9th round 1987 (the real name behind the K-Gun - not Jim Kelly)

Gary Anderson - K 7th round 1982 - who infamously sabotaged himself in Buffalo so he could play elsewhere....  I think he missed every FG in pre-season or something like that.

Rob Riddick - RB 9th round 1981

 

Before '81 is not my time (or my memory failed to recognize any names in the NFL Draft database).

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