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Rank the only 5 #1 overall draft picks to play for Bills

ChevyVanMiller
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ChevyVanMiller Veteran

ChevyVanMiller

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Five players that were selected first overall of the NFL draft suited-up at some point in their careers for the Buffalo Bills. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to rank them from 1-5 by the success of their playing careers.

A few caveats: Players should be ranked by the totality of their careers, not just the time spent in Buffalo. O.J. should be ranked solely by his playing career, not by his crimes and punishment. (Let's leave those discussions for more specific to O.J.threads) Tom Cousineau is not included as he never played a down for Buffalo.

Walt Patulski, defensive end

Drafted by: Buffalo Bills, 1972.

Would you believe the first Notre Dame player to go No. 1 overall was Walt Patulski? Feel free to use that bit of trivia at the sports bar. Patulski started in Buffalo for four seasons before putting in a final year with Don Coryell and the 1977 St. Louis Cardinals. Patulski never lived up to his draft status, unfairly described as not being mean enough. His intellectual approach didn't mesh with Bills head coach Lou Saban, which Patulski admitted last year wrecked his career.

 

Mario Williams, defensive end

Drafted by: Houston Texans, 2006.

Much debate came with Mario Williams going ahead of Reggie Bush, but now there is little doubt that it was the right choice. For all the criticism of Williams by various media members and fans, the guy who never seemed to do enough accomplished much in his 11 years in the league. That includes 97.5 sacks and four Pro Bowls. The recent one-year stint in Miami? Not as memorable.

 

Drew Bledsoe, quarterback

Drafted by: New England Patriots, 1993.

Despite being largely known as the man replaced by Tom Brady in New England, Drew Bledsoe should be remembered for being a fine passer in the 1990s. In fact, Bledsoe led the NFL with 4,555 yards in only his second season. He also led New England to Super Bowl XXXI. While his stints with the Bills and Cowboys were often underwhelming, he did throw for over 4,000 yards in his first year in Buffalo while putting together five game-winning drives in his only full season as a starter in Dallas.

 

O.J. Simpson, running back

Drafted by: Buffalo Bills, 1969.

O.J. Simpson didn't hit his stride with the Bills until Lou Saban took over head coaching duties in 1972. Simpson led the NFL in rushing in four of the next five seasons, including with 2,003 yards in 1973.

 

Bruce Smith, defensive end

Drafted by: Buffalo Bills, 1985.

The NFL's sack king deserves this high ranking, especially because Bruce Smith provided 15 Hall of Fame seasons for the team that drafted him. Hard to believe now, but people questioned the Bills' decision back in 1985. Smith's 200 sacks are beyond question, as are his eight first-team All-Pro selections and 11 Pro Bowl nods. Oh, he also was Defensive Player of the Year twice and was named to two different All-Decade teams by the Hall of Fame. So basically, he deserves to be above the quarterbacks on this list. Except one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Manther Veteran

Manther

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42 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Bledsoe had a decent career but sucked on the Bills. Mario was really good on the Bills. If we are talking entire careers, maybe, but in a Bills uniform it isn’t close.

I was thinking at it from a career standpoint.  With that said, IMO Bledsoe and Mario had similar careers from a success standpoint.  Good and consistent most of their careers compared to current in their era and all time players at their positions.  And, some dominate seasons sprinkled in too.

 

You’d like a HOF at #1 overall, but, Bledsoe and Mario are above average #1 picks.

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Dadonkadonk RFA

Dadonkadonk

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2 minutes ago, Manther said:

I was thinking at it from a career standpoint.  With that said, IMO Bledsoe and Mario had similar careers from a success standpoint.  Good and consistent most of their careers compared to current in their era and all time players at their positions.  And, some dominate seasons sprinkled in too.

 

You’d like a HOF at #1 overall, but, Bledsoe and Mario are above average #1 picks.

Bledsoe played in a SB and won an AFC Championship game coming off the bench to earn a ring. He had a far better career than Mario Williams who was a very good NFL player.

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Manther

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29 minutes ago, Dadonkadonk said:

Bledsoe played in a SB and won an AFC Championship game coming off the bench to earn a ring. He had a far better career than Mario Williams who was a very good NFL player.

Debatable.  I think I agree better, but, wouldn’t say far better.

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Formerly Allan in MD Veteran

Formerly Allan in MD

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20 minutes ago, mileena said:

OJ is the greatest Buffalo Bills ever. Period. End of discussion.

 

Not sure why people above are ranking him behind Bruce. Too young I guess to realize how great OJ was.

Agreed, but the "baggage" doesn't help OJ.  For some it's possibly a subconscious negative factor.

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hondo in seattle All Pro

hondo in seattle

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I hate to say it because the man is despicable...  but OJ is #1 and in my mind it's not even close.

 

OJ is the best football player I've ever watched play.  The 70s was still the era of the running back and OJ was in a league of his own - clearly better than any other ball carrier in the league at that time. 

 

Maybe Jim Brown was as good, or better, but I only know him from highlight reels so I can't say.  Brady is widely called the GOAT at QB but he's only a hair better than some of his contemporaries (Brees and Rodgers, for example).  Bruce was great - but some would agree that he wasn't even the best of his generation (Reggie was pretty darn talented too).   OJ - on the other hand - was flat out other worldly.  There was no one you could mention in the same sentence as him back then.  

 

OJ nearly doubled the production of the next best back in 1973!   When did Bruce ever double the production of other DEs?  When did Brady ever double the production of the next best QB?  

 

With that in mind, here's my list:

 

1.  OJ - arguably the best football player ever (certainly the best Bill IMHO).

2.  Bruce - arguably the best DE ever (though White and Jones fans make good arguments for their man)

3.  Bledsoe - four Pro Bowls and some other good years

4.  Williams - four Pro Bowls and some disappointing years

5.  Patulski - not quite as big a bust as some say but clearly a poor choice as #1 overall

Edited by hondo in seattle
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LeGOATski Hall of Famer

LeGOATski

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5 hours ago, mileena said:

OJ is the greatest Buffalo Bills ever. Period. End of discussion.

 

Not sure why people above are ranking him behind Bruce. Too young I guess to realize how great OJ was.

The way I look at it: It's much easier to argue that Bruce is the best DE of all time than it is to argue OJ is best RB of all time. 

 

Comparing a RB to a DE is apples to oranges, but Bruce is slightly ahead IMO for their relative careers........

 

 

.....and Bruce didn't murder anyone.

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Doc Brown Hall of Famer

Doc Brown

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Flip a coin between Bruce and OJ. 

 

I would rank OJ is the third greatest running back of all time (behind Walter Payton and Jim Brown) and still the only player to rush for over 2,000 yards in 14 games.

I would rank Bruce as the third greatest DE of all time.  I think Deacon Jones (22 sacks in 14 games, 3rd all time sack list at 173.5 sacks -all unofficial because they didn't keep sack stats back then) and Reggie White (198 sacks - two shy of Bruce but played 45 fewer games) were slightly more dominant.  

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The Jokeman All Pro

The Jokeman

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6 hours ago, mileena said:

OJ is the greatest Buffalo Bills ever. Period. End of discussion.

 

Not sure why people above are ranking him behind Bruce. Too young I guess to realize how great OJ was.

Bruce had a longer career and why I'd put him above OJ.

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