RD 2, Pick 54: DE AJ Epenesa, University of Iowa

[CajunBillsBacker]

4 minutes ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

I love the “look at the tape” guys .... yea, he destroyed the tackle from East bumblebee state - he’s gonna dominate at the NFL level!

You forget Ed Oliver dominated at Houston against a lot of schools worse than Iowa. He looked pretty strong as the season went on.

[Magox]

25 minutes ago, Rob's House said:

I love this pick.

 

Getting a DE with his level of talent this late in the draft is a huge win.

 

I think he'll be a better pass rusher than people think. He doesn't have flashy moves, but he's hard to block and he gets to the QB. Plus, on obvious passing downs you can kick him inside.

 

He looks to be a monster against the run too. No one's running his way on 3rd and short.

 

Bills DL is going to be nasty.

 

 

 

 

 

I think people often mistake that if an end doesn’t have great speed they can’t be a good 10+ sack sort of guy.  That’s a fallacy, Epensa may not be fast but he has a good first step, really good technique and hand usage, strength , fantastic size, coaches son and really good production.  I think there is a good chance he will be a 10+ sack guy in the NFL.

[Lurker]

Just now, LABILLBACKER said:

Or maybe his poor combine is because he's not that good and the reason he fell. We basically just drafted Chris Kelsay.....yay

 

 

So, three years of Power 5 success is trumped by two days of the underware olympics.    Got it...

[newcam2012]

Just now, BuffaloBillsGospel said:

 

Singletary went down last year and we won games with old man Gore. We have yeldon and at some point we will most likely get a runner to spell Singletary.

Right. For me, that runner was Dobbins.

[CapeBreton]

Love the pick. Thought he might be someone we looked at when we had 22, his production has been amazing and he has talent you can’t teach. He’s a steal at 54, can’t believe he was still there.

[1ManRaid]

7 minutes ago, Penfield45 said:

I can already see the panic settling in when we get a few injuries on offense and Allen is throwing to backyard football practice squad players

So the same situation as the other 31 teams in the league?  

 

Name 10 teams who have a better skill position corps than Diggs/Brown/Beasley and Singletary.  Getting tired of you doom and gloomers who piss and moan unless we have All Pros for third stringers.

[BobbyC81]

1 minute ago, VW82 said:

 

I agree we need another RB but you have to look at who our OC is and what we have in place. Our offense is clearly designed around the pass. Our Oline is a passing line. Daboll runs a read and react system between Josh and the receivers. If you want to blame someone for the lack of scoring looking to our QB. He's the squeaky wheel (though I don't think it's quite that simple).  

Yet, McDermott says they need to be a run-based offense.

[purple haze]

19 minutes ago, Penfield45 said:

How many starts is this guy even going to get next season ? 
 

Ed Oliver hardly played last season and he was a 1st round pick. I don’t understand taking another rotational DL guy 

The Bills rotate their D lineman.  It's how McD operates.  His D-line in Carolina was the same.  They are all "rotation"

players.  And as Beane said, it's not just about the current season, but future seasons.

[Mr. WEO]

1 minute ago, VW82 said:

 

I agree we need another RB but you have to look at who our OC is and what we have in place. Our offense is clearly designed around the pass. Our Oline is a passing line. Daboll runs a read and react system between Josh and the receivers. If you want to blame someone for the lack of scoring look to our QB. He's the squeaky wheel in this offense, not the RB situation (though I don't think it's quite that simple).  

 

OC is a straight up bum.

 

Allen deserves better.

[Doc Brown]

2 minutes ago, LSHMEAB said:

Did Tom Donahoe make this pick or what? Defense is desperately in need of ATHLETIC edge players and we draft a guy that ran a 5.1 40?

 

Not happy with this pick, but trust McD on defense and all that jazz.

He did draft a white guy that fell into the 2nd round at DE in 2001 with the #94. 

[LSHMEAB]

1 minute ago, yungmack said:

Are there usually 40 yards between the DE and the QB?

I watched Desaun Watson make our edges look silly in a PLAYOFF game and would have preferred to see them add someone who can track. Sue me.

[NickelCity]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Diggs might be a great WR a some point.  Who are the other 2??  Brown and Beasley?  Come on.. 

 

Great RB?  He had 12.5 caries a game and even at that  led the league in % carries fumbled.

 

You cant cite a percentage and knock that it's based on few carries per game...it's a proportion. If you had said he led the league in fumbles even at 12.5 carries a game it would have made sense. 

 

He needs to clean it up regardless. 

[Kelly the Dog]

17 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Ok after watching a lot of clips on him one thing I can say I do like. He is ALWAYS going for the Ball not just the Sack. 

Noticed that, too. Don't understand why more guys don't do that more. Hughes was the only one that did it consistently. Sometimes Oliver last year.

[Ed B]

Epenesa was really highly ranked.. here is how various outlets right him overall in the draft

Sporting news … 20th
CBS Sports… 34th
NBC ... 28th
Draft network… 27th
ESPN ... 23rd
Walterfootball ... late round 1
Sal Capaccio.. top 40
NFL network ... 26th
Ourlads.com  ... #2 DE

he was considered a first round talent

[Orlando Tim]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Diggs might be a great WR a some point.  Who are the other 2??  Brown and Beasley?  Come on.. 

 

Great RB?  He had 12.5 caries a game and even at that  led the league in % carries fumbled.

Wow- I will not argue because if you are always going to be a pessimist I can't win- 10-6 then without any good players on offense is your argument?

[1st Ammendment NoMas]

36 minutes ago, ColeB said:

I’d be happy with a 3rd AJ in Dillon.

gone

[Búfalo Blanco]

I don't know why people are down on this player. Great size, has played how many different sports? His entire family are/were athletes?

 

Seems like the usual McBeane pick... fills a need. Looks like a good pick to me.

 

BTW, I'm sure there are MANY reasons this guy was picked.. but it might have enhanced the need for his size and power with a massive OT now in the division named Mekhi Becton (6' 7", 369 lbs).

[Kmart128]

5 minutes ago, Bring it said:

Gotta say not really thrilled with this pick. Epenesa is strong with a bull rush but just don’t see that burst! Hope I’m wrong and Beane is right again!

 

Actually prefer guys without bursts. Those fast speedy guys can be amazing. But if one of those guys fell to the 2nd then they can have high bust potential. Typically they are one trick ponies... all they know is blowing by weaker competition. Bigger stronger slowler guys have to use technique to get past guys. Get lower leverage to bull rush and use hands and footwork more. And based off the Tape AJ looks super strong obviously but he looks amazing with his hands. Eventually straight speed and explosiveness catches up with a player. But when a player has technique they are safer selections and have longer careers.

[CapeBreton]

3 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Or maybe his poor combine is because he's not that good and the reason he fell. We basically just drafted Chris Kelsay.....yay

Always going to be some complaining, can’t we just trust our scouting staff after having some great picks the last few years?

[John from Riverside]

8 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Maybe we can turn AJ into a TE. Probably not with that 5.1 40. When guys describe him as plodding they're not wrong. And as far as strength, AJ had as many reps as Mims. Mims will be a stud for our rival.

I dont suppose you need to be reminded that long armed players tend to not do as well on the bench?

 

He is so slow he is double digit in sacks his last 3 years

[VW82]

4 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

OC is a straight up bum.

 

Allen deserves better.

 

I would argue it's unclear, but I do think Allen and Daboll are a terrible fit. That said, we backed up the brinks truck for Morse and signed / traded for high IQ receivers to run a read and react system. Moving to a run / play action system better suited to Allen would require a lot of change beyond just finding a new OC. 

Edited April 25, 2020 by VW82

[Happy]

53 minutes ago, Helpmenow said:

Schobel

 

That would be good.  Aaron Schobel was one of our most underrated DE's ever, probably because he was a bright spot on an otherwise dismal team(s).

[MAJBobby]

 

[Johnnycage46]

I love all the people saying they preferred someone else, or they don't like the pick, or they would have done x, y, z....I didn't realize there were so many unemployed NFL scouts/GMs here.  Pretty hilarious.

 

If any one of us actually knew anything we likely would be employed in the NFL.  Some folks know a bit, some don't.  But by and large none of us know squat about NFL talent evaluation.   If we did, we would be working in the NFL.  

 

Everyone's an expert these days.

[1ManRaid]

4 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Diggs might be a great WR a some point.  Who are the other 2??  Brown and Beasley?  Come on.. 

 

Great RB?  He had 12.5 caries a game and even at that  led the league in % carries fumbled.

Diggs MIGHT be great at some point?  What are you on?

 

And Singletary was a OROTY candidate.

[Mr. WEO]

Just now, Buffalo Timmy said:

Wow- I will not argue because if you are always going to be a pessimist I can't win- 10-6 then without any good players on offense is your argument?

 

Come on....back up your post! No need to run away.  No one is regarding Brown and Beasley as "possibly great"---a d that's OK. And Singletary has a LONG way to go to be considered such.  All of this is obvious.  No need for silly hyperbole.

[purple haze]

5 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Or maybe his poor combine is because he's not that good and the reason he fell. We basically just drafted Chris Kelsay.....yay

The young men don't play track and field.  They play football.  He's played at a high level throughout his career.  We shall see

how it goes, but there is no reason to be negative on the pick.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

We badly need a running back.  Hopefully, Evans lasts. 

[John from Riverside]

5 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Diggs might be a great WR a some point.  Who are the other 2??  Brown and Beasley?  Come on.. 

 

Great RB?  He had 12.5 caries a game and even at that  led the league in % carries fumbled.

Diggs is a very good WR RIGHT NOW

Brown is a excellent number 2

Bease is a excellent 3

 

OUr draft is not over

[newcam2012]

Just now, 1ManRaid said:

So the same situation as the other 31 teams in the league?  

 

Name 10 teams who have a better skill position corps than Diggs/Brown/Beasley and Singletary.  Getting tired of you doom and gloomers who piss and moan unless we have All Pros for third stringers.

I don't see anyone doom and gloom as you put it. I think we are having a legit debate on the pick. Both sides of the argument have valid points. Time will tell who is right. For me, I want offensive weapons. The more the better. However, we do have a glaring need at the edge. Truthfully, Beane has been pretty solid and he has earned my trust.

[MAJBobby]

 

[Bills Fan of St Augustine]

3 minutes ago, BillsRdue said:

gone

Joshua Kelley, RB, UCLA?

[MAJBobby]

 

[Mr. WEO]

6 minutes ago, NickelCity said:

 

You cant cite a percentage and knock that it's based on few carries per game...it's a proportion. If you had said he led the league in fumbles even at 12.5 carries a game it would have made sense. 

 

He needs to clean it up regardless. 

 

He doesn't carry much.  He fumbles a lot.  That's simpler I think

Edited April 25, 2020 by Mr. WEO

[Malazan]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

 No need for silly hyperbole.

 

then why are you using so much of it? Diggs is what you *hope* a rookie WR turns into, but you want to draft a chance at becoming Diggs...just curious, what magic stats and ranking makes a WR "Great"?

[NickelCity]

Just now, Mr. WEO said:

 

He doesn't carry much.  He fumlbes a lot.  That's simpler I think

 

Yes, that's a better way to put it.

[Straight Hucklebuck]

I like that he is young, 21.

 

When you look at our defensive ends, they’re all old.

 

At 6’5” 280 he gives us some versatility. 
 

I like the pick. Productive, played at a Big School in a Big Conference. Got better as his career went along.
 

We need a linebacker too. 

 

 

[Comebackkid]

29 minutes ago, VW82 said:

I'm a big fan of guys who dominate in multiple sports. The fact he was all state in football, basketball, discus, etc. bodes well. Shades of Big Kyle? 

actually his draft profile reads a lot like kyles...nothing fancy...smart player..multi sports talented....   uber dependable and plays 100% to the last second

[VW82]

6 minutes ago, ColeB said:

Yet, McDermott says they need to be a run-based offense.

 

Is that what he said, or did he say they need to be able to establish the run? I bet it's the latter. Clearly they're team building with the idea that their offensive identity will be through their passing game. 

[Mr. WEO]

Just now, jeremy2020 said:

 

then why are you using so much of it? Diggs is what you *hope* a rookie WR turns into, but you want to draft a chance at becoming Diggs...just curious, what magic stats and ranking makes a WR "Great"?

 

I'm not the one calling Brown, Beasely, Singletary possibly great so I can't answer