Greg Gabriel Blasts Ed Oliver and Believes He Has “Bust Potential”

[YoloinOhio]

4 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

 

Every player is a knee injury away from being a bust.  Ask Ki-jana Carter.

Ki-Jana was kind of dumb. He is from Columbus and one of the local reporters interviewed him early in his rookie season and asked him how it felt to be in the nfl, he said he was confused about his first paycheck, it was way less than it should have been. The reporter told him: “Ki-Jana, it’s called ‘taxes’.” He threw the check at the reporter in frustration. 

[#34fan]

It's a fair critique albeit an overly opinionated one... I was OK with Oliver at #9, but I did think we also needed a plan B... -Just in case.

 

 

[BubbaT]

32 minutes ago, Lurker said:

 

In other words...a prototypical TSW poster!

Yes and I wouldnt hire any one of you as Bills GM either.

[ngbills]

Opinions are like ... everyone has one.

[hemma]

We have a couple of threads where it is pointed out that DLs are now putting a premium on quickness/speed and one way to combat it  is with OL power.

 

I think our OL revamp ++ getting Oliver, shows we are simultaneously following both trends.

 

I think Oliver may get moved around quite a bit, along with stunts to make him tough to locate. 

I do think his weight and short arms will make it tough sometimes.  He’ll just need to be tougher.

 

His Never Quit attitude may be his biggest strength.  He will lose sometimes, but if he wins 2/3, he’ll be great.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

who?

[JESSEFEFFER]

He's opinionated and he puts his name to them.  To me that's something rare in the business.  The thing about Josh seems legit.  If you just look at the tape and do not get the context from the Wyoming coaches you do not get the full picture.   Most all the opinions we hear about are from the tape and hearsay only, the full backstory is in the realm of the actual team scouts/GMs.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, Phil The Thrill said:

 

Play on the hosts last name - Pat Moran

 

I get it, and he was probably thinking play on "More Analytics" when he named the show

But the analogy to "moron analytics" is just low-hanging fruit, so there to be plucked

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, YoloinOhio said:

Unemployed scouts are the best. They can say whatever they want for attention. 

 

It's been a long slide down for Greg. Might still be a little bitter he didn't latch on to the Bills, being a local boy and all.

[Niagara Dude]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

2 hours ago, Phil The Thrill said:

Going back and listening to the draft coverage of my podcasts.  I was way behind on Moranalytics and I listened to a show before the draft with Greg Gabriel - the Buffalo-born ex scout and personnel guy.  Greg is super opinion and seems to hold his philosophy in high regard.  Bills fans either respect Greg for his experience or disregard his opinion for being out of touch (remember he said Peterman was going to be an NFL caliber starter...but apparently forgot it).

 

At the time of this interview before the draft Ed Oliver was rising and many thought NYJ would take him at #3.  Pat Moran asked Greg about the Bills taking Ed (he said he was a “Top 6 lock”), and that’s when Greg went on somewhat of a rant.  I did the best I could to transcribe.  Might be off by a little but this is the gist:

 

Time stamp: 32:00

 

“I’ll say this. Right now there’s a number of people speculating that he’s going to go to the Jets at number three and Gregg Williams thinks he can be another Aaron Donald. I’ll tell ya right now.  I think that’s a mistake. I don’t like him. I don’t like him at with the Bills at 9.  I think he’s a middle of the first round player at best, and there’s bust potential in him.  Because you go back and you look at the tape and the tape isn’t very good. 

 

He didn’t make many plays. He’s kind of lackadaisical. He had a problem with the coaching staff later in the year. You know I look at that and it turns me off from from football.   Because you want a guy playing down in and down out.  And that’s not him.

 

Personally from my standpoint if the Jets take him that’s great. It means the bills get to play against him twice a year.”

 

The discussion then turns to Rashan Gary to the Bills and Greg says both Rashan and Eddie are bad fits for the Bills based on their attitudes:

 

Time stamp: 39:00

 

 

“From what I’ve been told, the type of person that Sean McDermott wants is a great player in the locker room. A glass heater so to speak. A guy that’s all team.  And to players like Oliver and Gary to me are the opposite of what he’s looking for the Buffalo Bills team.  Now could they still take these guys?  Absolutely, I just think thats not what they’re looking for.”

 

All in all, Greg felt the Bills would draft Jonah Williams or TJ Hockenson and he was high on both.

 

He also says he was wrong on Josh Allen last year but it was because he was only going on what he saw on tape and didn’t know the type of person/leader Allen is.  He expects him to make progress similarly to a Trubiaky...maybe a Goff.

 

You can hear the audio yourself at 32 and 39 minute mark:

 

http://moranalytics.com/ep-113-greg-gabriel-plus-final-bills-four-round-mock-draft/

 

If this guy is not good then the whole draft will be bust because other players look like garbage.

[Alphadawg7]

2 hours ago, jeremy2020 said:

He also says the Giants did a great job in the draft

 

2 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

Oh no, we suck again.

 

2 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Unemployed scouts are the best. They can say whatever they want for attention. 

 

2 hours ago, Just Joshin' said:

The verdict is in so cut Oliver, fire Beane.

 

KUDOS!  Those were 4 straight funny posts by you guys that got me laughing and just stopped right there.  Nice work boys

[Bangarang]

Hey look, some guy has an opinion. 

[Ima Fan]

25 minutes ago, ngbills said:

Opinions are like ... everyone has one.

And they usually stink ?

[chris heff]

10 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

It's been a long slide down for Greg. Might still be a little bitter he didn't latch on to the Bills, being a local boy and all.

I’m not sure about your assessment, Greg had a career in the NFL basically working for two organizations, that’s pretty uncommon. People in the NFL get fired and hired all the time. This is conjecture, but I think when his time with the Bears ended he was happy in Chicago. Never struck me as a bitter guy. I did have the occasion to be on a beach with him after the Bills drafted JP, boy was his assessment of JP on the money. Just my two cents.

[HappyDays]

Greg Gabriel has a consistent issue with players that show any kind of attitude at all. Any player that goes beyond saying "yes sir" is a likely bust in his eyes. Very old school mentality. He can talk about Oliver's tape all he wants. As soon as Oliver got in an argument with his coach he became a bust.

[BarleyNY]

2 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

My boss is a lions fan (and a Michigan fan too wtf did I do to deserve this btw) and was bitching yesterday about the Hock pick. I know she didn’t pay attention to the draft process and insisted this was one of the bigger names and assured he was a different type of TE then Ebron. I lied though saying I would have taken him at 8 ahead of Oliver, I would not have. 

 

Brown noser

[CommonCents]

I like Oliver and I think he is an ####### who does have bust potential. Still, it’s a better pick than playing it safe with Jonah etc.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

51 minutes ago, Niagara Dude said:

If this guy is not good then the whole draft will be bust because other players look like garbage.

[billspro]

5 hours ago, SWATeam said:

Calling him lackadaisical is beyond laughable.

 

Also, saying he didn’t make many plays is incorrect . He had like 60 TFLs.

[klos63]

Doesn't every first round pick have 'bust potential'?

[Alphadawg7]

3 minutes ago, klos63 said:

Doesn't every first round pick have 'bust potential'?

 

Haha just came in to say the exact same thing and found the most recent post was this.  Kudos

[Punching Bag]

Greg Gabriel has higher bust potential.

[downunderbill]

4 hours ago, BubbaT said:

Yes and I wouldnt hire any one of you as Bills GM either.

 

But there is a someone in these forums that thinks he'd be a better GM. Seriously.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

I will be pissed if Oliver busts, especially since he wasn't my first choice.

 

 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

I only saw three games but Oliver was invisible in those , then the sideline meltdown was enough for me to say no thanks. I really hope im wrong because nothing worse than busted picks.

 

i really wanted Hockenson.

 

i saw a video of the bills war room and they had an offer to go to 11 and get 37. I would have jumped all over that.

 

[Kirby Jackson]

6 minutes ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

I only saw three games but Oliver was invisible in those , then the sideline meltdown was enough for me to say no thanks. I really hope im wrong because nothing worse than busted picks.

 

i really wanted Hockenson.

 

i saw a video of the bills war room and they had an offer to go to 11 and get 37. I would have jumped all over that.

 

Go back and watch Oliver from freshman and sophomore year and you’ll be in love. Last year he played zero and tried to protect his draft status. A year ago, he and Bosa were the consensus top 2 picks. He’s going to be SPECIAL. 

[Chandler#81]

10 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

My boss is a lions fan (and a Michigan fan too wtf did I do to deserve this btw) and was bitching yesterday about the Hock pick. I know she didn’t pay attention to the draft process and insisted this was one of the bigger names and assured he was a different type of TE then Ebron. I lied though saying I would have taken him at 8 ahead of Oliver, I would not have. 

Way to suck up to Ms. Boss??

[Buffalo Barbarian]

1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Go back and watch Oliver from freshman and sophomore year and you’ll be in love. Last year he played zero and tried to protect his draft status. A year ago, he and Bosa were the consensus top 2 picks. He’s going to be SPECIAL. 

 

I hope so but, saving oneself for the draft while playing is also a red flag. Would have been better to not play and get ready for the draft. Clowney saved himself and he has been good but i wouldn't call him elite.

 

Who knows, i just hope Ed kills it.

 

 

[Chandler#81]

It’s a red flag, to be sure -for fans anyway. You KNOW Team McBeane did their due diligence. Listening to Oliver, he says he was ready to go pro after his sophomore season but had to wait to become eligible. Couple this with playing out of position and getting injured, I can understand some of this critique. We’re offering him everything he’s ever wanted. I have high expectations for him as a Bill.

[Kirby Jackson]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

I hope so but, saving oneself for the draft while playing is also a red flag. Would have been better to not play and get ready for the draft. Clowney saved himself and he has been good but i wouldn't call him elite.

 

Who knows, i just hope Ed kills it.

 

 

Oliver was playing out of position, on an average team, and not for the coach that recruited him. He would have been out a year earlier if he allowed to be. He was being wasted and had nothing to do but go back. 

 

I NEVER think that protecting your draft status is a bad thing. Bosa did it too and he was on a competitive team. If you have a Jaylon Smith type of injury you earning potential plummets. Smith was a consensus top 3 pick and has made $6.5M total including this year. Joey Bosa went 3rd in that draft and has made $25.9M total including this year. NOT protecting his draft status has already cost Jaylon Smith between $19m-$20m. I’m sorry but I don’t see that as a red flag at all. To me, it’s like Final Jeopardy. If you already have a runaway victory there’s no reason to bet an amount to where you could possibly lose!! You’ve already clinched. 

[BillsFan1988]

11 hours ago, BubbaT said:

Yes and I wouldnt hire any one of you as Bills GM either.

But the question remains had one of us faired better then the guys that did work at one Bills drive over these last 20 plus yrs. Mof I'm pretty sure our poll system would of done us just right . Way better then the clowns that worked for the Bills. 

[HOUSE]

[prissythecat]

14 hours ago, Phil The Thrill said:

Going back and listening to the draft coverage of my podcasts.  I was way behind on Moranalytics and I listened to a show before the draft with Greg Gabriel - the Buffalo-born ex scout and personnel guy.  Greg is super opinion and seems to hold his philosophy in high regard.  Bills fans either respect Greg for his experience or disregard his opinion for being out of touch (remember he said Peterman was going to be an NFL caliber starter...but apparently forgot it).

 

At the time of this interview before the draft Ed Oliver was rising and many thought NYJ would take him at #3.  Pat Moran asked Greg about the Bills taking Ed (he said he was a “Top 6 lock”), and that’s when Greg went on somewhat of a rant.  I did the best I could to transcribe.  Might be off by a little but this is the gist:

 

Time stamp: 32:00

 

“I’ll say this. Right now there’s a number of people speculating that he’s going to go to the Jets at number three and Gregg Williams thinks he can be another Aaron Donald. I’ll tell ya right now.  I think that’s a mistake. I don’t like him. I don’t like him at with the Bills at 9.  I think he’s a middle of the first round player at best, and there’s bust potential in him.  Because you go back and you look at the tape and the tape isn’t very good. 

 

He didn’t make many plays. He’s kind of lackadaisical. He had a problem with the coaching staff later in the year. You know I look at that and it turns me off from from football.   Because you want a guy playing down in and down out.  And that’s not him.

 

Personally from my standpoint if the Jets take him that’s great. It means the bills get to play against him twice a year.”

 

The discussion then turns to Rashan Gary to the Bills and Greg says both Rashan and Eddie are bad fits for the Bills based on their attitudes:

 

Time stamp: 39:00

 

 

“From what I’ve been told, the type of person that Sean McDermott wants is a great player in the locker room. A glass heater so to speak. A guy that’s all team.  And to players like Oliver and Gary to me are the opposite of what he’s looking for the Buffalo Bills team.  Now could they still take these guys?  Absolutely, I just think thats not what they’re looking for.”

 

All in all, Greg felt the Bills would draft Jonah Williams or TJ Hockenson and he was high on both.

 

He also says he was wrong on Josh Allen last year but it was because he was only going on what he saw on tape and didn’t know the type of person/leader Allen is.  He expects him to make progress similarly to a Trubiaky...maybe a Goff.

 

You can hear the audio yourself at 32 and 39 minute mark:

 

http://moranalytics.com/ep-113-greg-gabriel-plus-final-bills-four-round-mock-draft/

 

 

 

What I want to know is...  are you betting 5k on the Bills to win 6 games or less this season ?

[YodaMan79]

After the draft, what's the point of tearing these kids down?  You can disagree with the value, position or spots they were picked, but go after the GM.  My only caveat would be is if they are so low on character and have a track record of being a trash human being (think Mr. Crab legs, Hill, Mixon ect..)  These kids have plenty of time as a pro to get criticized or called out moving forward.  Once they start collecting a check they're fair game.  

[FeelingOnYouboty]

15 hours ago, SWATeam said:

Calling him lackadaisical is beyond laughable.

 

Anyone saying that about Ed Oliver makes everything else they have to say null. There's no way you see a 280 pound DL make as many plays down the field as much as he does. 

 

He's not a perfect prospect but effort is not something you can knock him for.

[Doc]

I can understand EO trying to preserve himself considering he was playing out of position and getting beaten up at NT.  

[buffaloboyinATL]

15 hours ago, Phil The Thrill said:

 

 

“I’ll say this. Right now there’s a number of people speculating that he’s going to go to the Jets at number three and Gregg Williams thinks he can be another Aaron Donald. I’ll tell ya right now.  I think that’s a mistake. I don’t like him. I don’t like him at with the Bills at 9.  I think he’s a middle of the first round player at best, and there’s bust potential in him.  Because you go back and you look at the tape and the tape isn’t very good. 

 

He didn’t make many plays. He’s kind of lackadaisical.

This reasoning is always so stupid to me.  I wouldn't take him at 9 but I would at 15.  If you like a player, you take him where you can get him.  He also loses alll credibility describing Oliver as "lackadaisical".  I have watched plenty of tape on Oliver, and there are many ways to describe him, but lackadaisical is definitely not one of them.  That man is high energy, high effort.  Just like Allen last year, some "experts" have agendas and nothing will sway them from inaccurate hot takes.

[Doc]

Sounds like Gabriel saw the sideline blowup and then stopped even trying to scout him.

[blacklabel]

Gabriel is a schmuck. There's a reason he no longer has a job in a front office.

[nedboy7]

He also has perennial pro bowl potential.