Sanners Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 (edited) With Fant declaring for the 2019 draft, and the Bills big time need for a TE, do you think we select him at 8 (our current position). I’ve seen a couple games and he looks the part. Anyone a Hawkeye fan with more insight? Edited December 3, 2018 by Sanners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezertbill Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Not often you find TE's that teams want to draft in the top 10, and most have fizzled out. I would say WR and OL will be two hot positions the Bills will go after. Good TE's can be found day 2 and 3. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 1 minute ago, dezertbill said: Not often you find TE's that teams want to draft in the top 10, and most have fizzled out. I would say WR and OL will be two hot positions the Bills will go after. Good TE's can be found day 2 and 3. O-line in the top 10 is fizzle out territory (or zero added value for the teams that draft them). I think this is worth consideration. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewaycynic2013 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Can Fant punt? Fill in on OL? Hold for FG / PAT attempts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuddyDark Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 (edited) He looks special. This might be a good FA crop for TE. 1 minute ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said: Can Fant punt? Fill in on OL? Hold for FG / PAT attempts? They have a punter on IR. Edited December 3, 2018 by CuddyDark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanners Posted December 3, 2018 Author Share Posted December 3, 2018 1 minute ago, CuddyDark said: He looks special. They have a punter on IR. Yep. Iowa has a great history of TE’s doing well in the league too. I’m skeptical at 8, but that’s why I asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewaycynic2013 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Just now, CuddyDark said: He looks special. They have a punter on IR. Yeah, but I'm pulling a Candace Bergen / Sprint commercial from years back. 'Get the most for the least'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCBills Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 My Dream offseason would be as follows: Free Agency: 1) WR - Tyrell Williams 2) The best OL available at C, RG or RT 3) Resign the guys McBeane want back Round 1 - Noah Fant Round 2 - C or G Round 3 - RB That gives Allen a vastly improved OL. Shady gets a legit RB counterpart. WR’s - Williams/Jones/Foster/McKenzie TE’s - Fant/Croom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuddyDark Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 4 minutes ago, Sanners said: Yep. Iowa has a great history of TE’s doing well in the league too. I’m skeptical at 8, but that’s why I asked. I'd do it. Or trade down into the early teens and do it. They could get a good TE in FAs but I don't think he'd be the kind of receiver Fant is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewaycynic2013 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Well, the Bills could let 2019 go by, and offer O'Leary a contract for 2020. * * (ducks, and runs quickly to a neutral corner...). ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mannc Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 21 minutes ago, Sanners said: With Fant declaring for the 2019 draft, and the Bills big time need for a TE, do you think we select him at 8 (our current position). I’ve seen a couple games and he looks the part. Anyone a Hawkeye fan with more insight? Absolutely not. TE is a major need, but that’s way too high for a TE like Fant. Good TE’s, like RBs, can be found in the middle-late rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangarang Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Ideally we would take an OT or WR in the first round. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCBills Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 He's clearly a trade-down pick, as taking him at 8 would be a reeeaaccchhhh, but I think Fant would be an awesome piece to add to the offense, assuming we sign a WR in FA and address OL in RD 2 and FA. If we don't have that high level FA WR heading into the draft, then I'd go WR RD 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeelingOnYouboty Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 I like Kaden Smith-TE Stanford 6'5 252 a lot more than Fant for some reason but I really want to take a flier on Tyler Eifert this season. Beane/McDermott were apart of that Panthers team that brought in Greg Olsen who suffered injury after injury at the beginning of his career and he finally put it all together to become a perennial Pro Bowler. I'd take that chance with Tyler Eifert. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Formation Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 I'm a big fan of Caleb Wilson from UCLA, he's a projected 3rd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billspro Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 34 minutes ago, Bangarang said: Ideally we would take an OT or WR in the first round. I agree, TE is a huge need though. This is a very deep WR class, so it would be okay to wait until round 2. If they thought he was a Kelce type of talent it would be worth it. A 1000 yard TE would be a great help for a young QB. I would be happy with Fant in round 1 if they got Anthony Johnson in round 2 and a RB in round 3. They would have to add two stud olineman in free agency if they went that route though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 [This is an automated response] As a courtesy to the other board members, please use more descriptive topic titles. A single name if far too vague to post as a title and provides little insight into what specifically the post is talking about.The topic starter can edit the topic title line to make it more appropriate. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewaycynic2013 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said: As a courtesy to the other board members, please use more descriptive topic titles. So the thread title 'Hapless Bills Fan' does not work as well as 'Hapless Bills Fan is Playing Hall Monitor Again'? ? By the way...does Noah have a sister named 'Ella'? Edited December 3, 2018 by Ridgewaycynic2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Ammendment NoMas Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Not at 8. No TE is worth that. Tampa drafted OJ Howard at 19 and are still looking for a payday after 2 years. He is coming on, but not a game-changer. Ebron went 10th and it's taken him 4 years and 2 teams to make any impact. Ertz and Gronk were drafted in the 2nd round. Kelce and Cook went in the 3rd. We need a stud, game changing WR if we draft in the top 10. OL, TE, RB stars have been found in rounds 2-5 and beyond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeyes38 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 (edited) Saw Fant play every game this year. Frankly I don't see what all the hype is about. He is a not a great blocker and was often shut down late in the season. The other tight end (Hockensen) had a much better year receiving and blocking, so Fant would not be in the game when they went with a one tight end set. Iowa being Iowa played a lot of 2 tight end sets so he did play alot but in many games had little to no impact. He is very good in the red zone but something just did not click this year. He still has all of the measurables that scouts seem to love but I just don't see him being a star. To me, he is not a first round talent as he stagnated this year. Edited December 3, 2018 by Hawkeyes38 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanners Posted December 3, 2018 Author Share Posted December 3, 2018 13 minutes ago, Hawkeyes38 said: Saw Fant play every game this year. Frankly I don't see what all the hype is about. He is a not a great blocker and was often shut down late in the season. The other tight end (Hockensen) had a much better year receiving and blocking, so Fant would not be in the game when they went with a one tight end set. Iowa being Iowa played a lot of 2 tight end sets so he did play alot but in many games had little to no impact. He is very good in the red zone but something just did not click this year. He still has all of the measurables that scouts seem to love but I just don't see him being a star. To me, he is not a first round talent as he stagnated this year. Thanks Hawkeyes38. That is exactly what I was looking for. Based on this thread, I am definitey leaning to drafting one later in the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 2 hours ago, mannc said: Absolutely not. TE is a major need, but that’s way too high for a TE like Fant. Good TE’s, like RBs, can be found in the middle-late rounds. Not many. 1st round: Tony Gonzalez, Ben Watson, Todd Heap, Dallas Clark, Gresham, Olson, Keller, Eifert, Ebron, Nloku, OJ Howard 2nd round: Alge Crumpler, Kyle Rudolph, Zack Miller, Gronk, Ertz, Sefarian-Jenkins, Martellus Bennett 3rd round: Witten, Cooley, Pope, Jermichael Finley, Graham, Kelce, Reed, Jared Cook, Austin Hooper After that, it drops off quickly: 4th: Owen Daniels, Jordan Cameron 5th: Celek, Jesse James, George Kittles Antonio Gates (UDFA) and Shannon Sharpe (7th) are unicorns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 I would never take a TE 8th overall unless he was a generational talent and a complete TE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djp14150 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 If they are too 10 they trade down and get more picks. i woukd not use a top 10 on a TE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersBills Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 1 hour ago, BillsRdue said: Not at 8. No TE is worth that. Tampa drafted OJ Howard at 19 and are still looking for a payday after 2 years. He is coming on, but not a game-changer. Ebron went 10th and it's taken him 4 years and 2 teams to make any impact. Ertz and Gronk were drafted in the 2nd round. Kelce and Cook went in the 3rd. We need a stud, game changing WR if we draft in the top 10. OL, TE, RB stars have been found in rounds 2-5 and beyond. WHAT! OJ has dominated this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Just now, Doc said: I would never take a TE 8th overall unless he was a generational talent and a complete TE. Better to blow it on a "Franchise LT", right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnCoke11 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 3 hours ago, SCBills said: My Dream offseason would be as follows: Free Agency: 1) WR - Tyrell Williams 2) The best OL available at C, RG or RT 3) Resign the guys McBeane want back Round 1 - Noah Fant Round 2 - C or G Round 3 - RB That gives Allen a vastly improved OL. Shady gets a legit RB counterpart. WR’s - Williams/Jones/Foster/McKenzie TE’s - Fant/Croom Need better WR than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Wouldn't be the worst thing but rather have OT Jonah Williams. I saw Fant 3 times and can see the talent but wasnt seeing the production. I thought his teammate TJ Hockenson was more impressive to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said: Better to blow it on a "Franchise LT", right? Why just LT? You could say this about any position if you get unlucky and pick the wrong guy. But none of the top TE's playing now were 1st rounders, much less top-10, although Howard and Ebron are finally starting to play better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphadawg7 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 3 hours ago, SCBills said: My Dream offseason would be as follows: Free Agency: 1) WR - Tyrell Williams 2) The best OL available at C, RG or RT 3) Resign the guys McBeane want back Round 1 - Noah Fant Round 2 - C or G Round 3 - RB That gives Allen a vastly improved OL. Shady gets a legit RB counterpart. WR’s - Williams/Jones/Foster/McKenzie TE’s - Fant/Croom Meh, I think we certainly need more WR help than just Tyrell. If Metcalf is on the board when we pick, I don’t know how we can pass on him. TE is rarely the impact player that validates a top 10 pick. Even the best TEs in football rarely break 1000 yards. So while I would love a top tier TE, I think when you are picking top 10 it’s hard to justify that pick at this position given you can find highly productive TE’s later. Don’t get me wrong, I would love a new dangerous TE for Allen, but WR or OL makes more sense in the first IMO. Now if no top WR or OL is still on board when we pick, sure I can support this more. We need an Elite WR talent. Having Josh Allen and that big arm throwing to this group of WRs is like having a Ferrari and trying to drive it through thick mud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 3 hours ago, Mr. WEO said: O-line in the top 10 is fizzle out territory (or zero added value for the teams that draft them). I think this is worth consideration. The Colts used the sixth pick in the draft to select Quenton Nelson, a guard from Notre Dame. He has undoubtedly helped to upgrade what was once an ineffective OL that has gotten Andrew Luck battered. You may be surprised but I am not that using a high pick on a lineman can contribute to not onlyupgrading the OL but also enhancing the talents of your qb. Very often conventional thinking is not very sound thinking. In this case situational thinking is the proper way to look at this drafting decision by the Colts. The same logic should apply to the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mannc Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said: Not many. 1st round: Tony Gonzalez, Ben Watson, Todd Heap, Dallas Clark, Gresham, Olson, Keller, Eifert, Ebron, Nloku, OJ Howard 2nd round: Alge Crumpler, Kyle Rudolph, Zack Miller, Gronk, Ertz, Sefarian-Jenkins, Martellus Bennett 3rd round: Witten, Cooley, Pope, Jermichael Finley, Graham, Kelce, Reed, Jared Cook, Austin Hooper After that, it drops off quickly: 4th: Owen Daniels, Jordan Cameron 5th: Celek, Jesse James, George Kittles Antonio Gates (UDFA) and Shannon Sharpe (7th) are unicorns. Wouldn’t object to trading back and taking a TE toward end of 1st; it’s using a top ten pick that would be a mistake. Edited December 3, 2018 by mannc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 1 minute ago, Doc said: Why just LT? You could say this about any position if you get unlucky and pick the wrong guy. But none of the top TE's playing now were 1st rounders, much less top-10, although Howard and Ebron are finally starting to play better. We had that discussion before, that's why i Mentioned LT (and that many here are suggesting LT in the 1st). Ebron is currently tied for 5th in catches this year, 5th in yards. OJ Howard is 6th in yards. Njoku is top 10 in catches. That makes them some of the top TEs playing. Olson is obviously one of the top TEs in the game. Watson has been productive forever. Ditto for Vernon Davis. Eifert has missed games, but is very good when healthy. 7 minutes ago, mannc said: Wouldn’t object to trading back and taking a TE toward end of 1st; it’s using a top ten pick that would be a mistake. Why is it a mistake right out of hand? TE in the 1st hasn't been a bad bet over time. 11 of the top 20 TEs of all time (by yards) were 1st round picks. Why would a miss with all those other picks they have be a mistake anyway? Compared to other 1st round mistakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeGOATski Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 He moves well for a big dude. Google says he's 6'5" 240 but he doesn't look that big on the field... I still wish the Bills drafted O.J. Howard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 2 hours ago, BillsRdue said: Not at 8. No TE is worth that. Tampa drafted OJ Howard at 19 and are still looking for a payday after 2 years. He is coming on, but not a game-changer. Ebron went 10th and it's taken him 4 years and 2 teams to make any impact. Ertz and Gronk were drafted in the 2nd round. Kelce and Cook went in the 3rd. We need a stud, game changing WR if we draft in the top 10. OL, TE, RB stars have been found in rounds 2-5 and beyond. A lot of people here were calling for the Bills to take him at #10. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 4 hours ago, dezertbill said: Not often you find TE's that teams want to draft in the top 10, and most have fizzled out. I would say WR and OL will be two hot positions the Bills will go after. Good TE's can be found day 2 and 3. What are the top 10 tight end busts? Since 2006 there have only been two tight ends taken in the top 10. In 2006 Vernon Davis was taken at pick 6 and in 2014 Eric Ebron was taken at pick 10. Davis was for a 5-6 year period one of the best tight ends in the league and has been a pretty good player most of his career having a late renaissance in DC the past few years. Ebron might not have lived up to the billing in Detroit but he still was a top 10 player at his position most of his time there and he is proving to be a top 5 player at his position with the Colts. So out of the two tight ends drafted in the top 10 both players have been very good. Even if you expanded to just tight ends drafted in the first round its a pretty good hit rate. 2017 - OJ Howard, Evan Engram, and David Njoku (Jury still out but all 3 look like they can be among the best at their position.) 2016 and 2015 - No TE's drafted in the first round. 2014 - Eric Ebron (Good in Detroit great in Indy) 2013- Tyler Eifert (Bust, played well for a couple of seasons but just got hurt a lot.) 2012 and 2011 - No TE's drafted in the first round. 2010 - Jermaine Gresham (Borderline, he had a pretty solid career in Cincy, good blocker consistently right around 500 yards, 50-60 receptions and 4-5 TD's but never really top 5 at his position.) 2009- Brandon Pettigrew (Borderline on this one, for 2 seasons from 2010 and 2011 he was among the best TE's in the league 70-80 receptions 700+ yards and 4-5 TD's, he also had 2 other solid seasons before injuries derailed his career.) 2008- Dustin Keller (Again Borderline, for 4 seasons he was one of the top 5-7 TE's in the league and then was playing well for a 5th year in 2012 before a catastrophic injury derailed his career.) 2007- Greg Olsen (Big hit on this one, dude is a borderline HOF player) 2006- Vernon Davis and Mercedes Lewis (Davis a big time hit borderline HOF tight end, Lewis I would say is a small hit, he was a pretty productive player for some ***** Jags teams for a 7-8 year period, he probably could have been a really good player on some better offenses.) Also you have Gronk, Ertz, and Kyle Rudolph drafted in round 2 (Although the busts in round 2 are much higher.) So while I think that there exists the ability to find tight ends elsewhere its not that high of a bust rate to take one in the first round. Most of the tight ends drafted in round 1 seem to be at least top 10 players at their positions for multiple seasons. Even the ones that were borderline or busts got derailed mainly due to injury not lack of talent. So I wouldn't be opposed to drafting a tight end fairly high up, Allen needs dynamic pass catchers and I don't see Clay going forward being that type of player as he never has been. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 23 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said: We had that discussion before, that's why i Mentioned LT (and that many here are suggesting LT in the 1st). Ebron is currently tied for 5th in catches this year, 5th in yards. OJ Howard is 6th in yards. Njoku is top 10 in catches. That makes them some of the top TEs playing. Olson is obviously one of the top TEs in the game. Watson has been productive forever. Ditto for Vernon Davis. Eifert has missed games, but is very good when healthy. Ebron's in his 5th season and with a different team than the one who drafted him. He like Olsen were late bloomers, although Ebron still has a ton more to prove. Howard is doing well. Njoku is actually 14th in receptions. Davis was worth the pick but it took him until his 4th season to get going. Watson is JAG but has played for 15 seasons. Eifert was a 2nd rounder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloHokie13 Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 3 hours ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said: By the way...does Noah have a sister named 'Ella'? She's in the room, but nobody seems to be talking about her. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Vader Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 4 hours ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said: Yeah, but I'm pulling a Candace Bergen / Sprint commercial from years back. 'Get the most for the least'. Looks like Candace Bergen took her own advice with the now cancelled "Murphy Brown" reboot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFBillsfan Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 As an avid Hawkeye fan, I’d love for the Bills to draft Noah Fant but not with the 8th pick. He should be available with their second pick though. IMO, they have to address OT or get your playmaker at WR if there with their first pick. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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