RD 1, Pick 23: CB Kaiir Elam, Florida

[Nelius]

I actually just read that "Tommy Doyle needs competition" as justification for holding on to the 4th round pick...

 

Gonna go wash my eyes and down about 8 more beers. There will be trainwreck, look-at-me takes, regardless of the pick. We filled a huge need. On to tomorrow.

[purple haze]

12 minutes ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

What the Cowboys took the Tulsa offensive tackle when if they wanted corner could have taken Dax Hill whose every bit as good as Elam 

Hill is a Safety though 🤔.  So, what’s your plan B complaint talking point?

[junior]

3 minutes ago, NewEra said:

He tackles like a little kid. Soft.  Coaches will coach him up.  Hopefully he has the mentality that allows him to adapt and adjust 

 

Lacks run-support physicality to be an every-down corner, but he's talented enough to challenge for slot duties right away.

 

Finesse cornerback with relatively slender frame.

 

Big-bodied slot targets will post him up in space and drive him off the line in run game.

 

He's kind of soft, but he can cover. He's not really what our team looks for because we play so much sub packages and he would have to be a better tackler to be on the field that much. He's a fit for what some teams do though. Like I said, he can cover.

 

 

 

 

^^ I sure hope that soft, weak Tre'Davious White kid can toughen up and become a good cornerback!

 

[Simon]

2 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Are you watching highlights?  If not, which game?

 

Just video; highlights and lowlights.

He needs to get better using his hands (and not using his hands at times) and his tackling is sloppy, but I see zero fear in him.

[HappyDays]

7 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Honestly was hoping they traded up for a WR but once just about every first round wide out(and then Penning) were off the board I was hoping they’d trade down at that point…. We will see what else happens but I think these next two rounds need to be offense(and please not a ***** RB).

 

Trade down and take who? You're just complaining to complain. The offensive players taken after us were all IOL - Tyler Smith, Tyler Linderbaum, and Cole Strange. I would have been underwhelmed with any of those picks in the 1st round. I knew when the pick came it was going to be CB or edge rusher. The only offensive player I even considered was Christian Watson. The board didn't work out to where an offensive player would have been a good pick.

[Bruffalo]

1 minute ago, Nelius said:

I actually just read that "Tommy Doyle needs competition" as justification for holding on to the 4th round pick...

 

Gonna go wash my eyes and down about 8 more beers. There will be trainwreck, look-at-me takes, regardless of the pick. We filled a huge need. On to tomorrow.

If Bills fans are this upset, I can't imagine what it must be like to be a Patriots fan when they traded back to take a late 3rd round guard at 29.

[Just Joshin']

2 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

especially when everyone and their mother knew we were very likely going CB

Except all the mock draft "experts" who were projecting RB.

[buffaloboyinATL]

11 minutes ago, RocCityRoller said:

 

You realize that Green Bay let Adams go, KC let Hill go, TENN let AJ Brown go, Seattle let Wilson go etc etc, yet some on this board are apoplectic about Buffalo giving up a 4th 🤣🤣🤣

 

BUF wanted a 6'1" 200 CB with 4.39 speed. He has given up a paltry 45.5% completion %, and a 55 QB rating against.

Both are top 4 stats for all CBs in all of FBS football since 2019.

 

If McDermott and Frazier can make Dane Jackson and Levi Wallace legitimate DBs, what is he going to do with a guy like this?

 

CB was clearly the position of need. Don't be surprised to see another CB and even a S. The secondary has largely been neglected in the draft since White.

 

Yup. My prediction was 2 DB's and 1 WR in the first 3 rounds, in no particular order.  I still believe that will happen. 

[HerdMentality]

I like the pick.

 

Interesting tho that Beane says he was the only 1st round rated pick left on the board when it’s pick #23…? Aren’t there 32 picks?

Did they only rate 20 players as 1st round talents? And based on what year’s class? 2015?

Edited April 29, 2022 by HerdMentality

[Bruffalo]

Just now, buffaloboyinATL said:

Yup. My prediction was 2 DB's and 1 WR in the first 3 rounds, in no particular order.  I still believe that will happen. 

I could totally see that happening, especially with the 4th round pick gone now. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

12 minutes ago, What a Tuel said:

 

Not according to Beane.

 

10 minutes ago, The Dean said:

 

I could say that about any trade/different pick in ANY draft. This isn't about who we think is "more likely" to be a star. It's about what the Bills FO thinks. And if they think Elam is worth giving up a 4th for, then who am I to argue?  Then I become a second guesser now and/or Captain Hindsight.

 

From what I hear the Bills loved him and he was really their only Rd 1 graded player left. If they think that highly of him I'm sold.

Epenesa and Ford were probably loved too and they are busts. 

 

I'm moving on. I've been on record they need to be all in this year. They got a desperately needed CB. Hell if Beane drafted another DB tomorrow I'd be fine with that too. 

[BADOLBILZ]

5 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

One of my pet peeves is someone using "IMO".  Of course it's your opinion.  You're the one who typed it.  That's the only time I'll ever type that again and the acronym should be banned IMHO.

 

If you are a proven successful shot caller you don't need it.

 

If you are historically a brick layer...........with a generationally bad take or two like that on your stat sheet...........it should be required. 

 

imHo......of course.

[Simon]

2 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Trade down and take who? 

 

I probably would have been hunting opportunities to trade down for future picks to help find cheap talent when we start losing guys to the cap the next couple years.

But the Bills have clearly pushed all their chips into the middle of the table and are playing for the big pot right freaking now.

 

[Alphadawg7]

This thread gets funnier by the minute.  Reminds me of the "Wrong Josh" melt downs.  Reminds me of the "Tre White" melt downs.  Reminds me of TSW really...lmao.

 

This pick is a great pick, love it and exactly what we needed.  

 

PS:  Offense Averaged 41.5 points per game in the playoffs.  Defense gave up 42 to send us home including 3 scores in final 3 minutes of the game.  

 

PPS:  Whining about a 4th round pick is even sillier.  We got the guy they wanted, thats all that matters.  And Beane knows more about evaluating football players than this whole forum combined.  

 

Great job Beane, can't wait until tomorrow.  

 

 

[The Dean]

1 minute ago, HerdMentality said:

I like the pick.

 

Interesting that Beane says he was the only 1st round rated pick left on the board when it’s pick #23…? Aren’t there 32 picks?
Did they only rate 20 players as first round talents? And based on what year’s class? 2015?

 

 

Teams assign grades on what round they think the player is worth. Some teams reported only having 15 players with first round grades this year. I can't remember the Bills #, but I think it was 18 or so.  That's just saying there are only that many players truly worthy of a 1st round commitment. 

[junior]

3 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

They def needed depth… given the Bills defensive system didn’t think it needed to be a first rounder at all…. And crossing my fingers for that…. You got to keep up with what the rest of the league is doing and give Allen the help he deserves. 

 

I'm on the same page - I agree JA needs to be surrounded by talented offensive weapons. I'm just not sure the right value was there at #25 or #23 for us. 

 

On offense, Knox is a UFA next year, as is Singletary. On defense, Edmunds is a UFA and Poyer could hold out unless he gets a new contract. There's limited resources to go around, and I don't know how we fill those gaps AND address WR in a meaningful way in the next two off seasons.

[KOKBILLS]

It's cliché as a Bills fan now but...I'm going to go ahead and trust McBeane on this...They needed a CB, and I think McD especially knows what DB's fit in their system. His record is pretty good here... Elam has traits and pedigree...It's a big need area. I think it's fine. My guess would be that we could have had him at #25. But that's a guess...So...GO BILLS...

[The Dean]

3 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

 

Epenesa and Ford were probably loved too and they are busts. 

 

I'm moving on. I've been on record they need to be all in this year. They got a desperately needed CB. Hell if Beane drafted another DB tomorrow I'd be fine with that too. 

 

 

So Captain Hindsight it is!  

[RocCityRoller]

3 minutes ago, HerdMentality said:

I like the pick.

 

Interesting tho that Beane says he was the only 1st round rated pick left on the board when it’s pick #23…? Aren’t there 32 picks?

Did they only rate 20 players as 1st round talents? And based on what year’s class? 2015?

 

Beane was saying Buffalo only 20 players they scouted were valuable enough to draft in the 1st round.

I think the run on OG early messed up their board a bit.

[HappyDays]

2 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Trade down into the 2nd and take Pickens or Watson was my preference after Penning went off the board. Just my opinion. 

 

Absolutely not to Pickens. Major character concerns and coming off an injury year.

 

Watson's hands and small school competition concerns me. The speed is tantalizing. But he'll be facing off against much much better CBs than he's seen up to this point. I don't like receivers that aren't natural pass catchers and it's only going to get harder for him.

 

Nah I'm good taking their one remaining player with a 1st round grade. Von Miller and Kaiir Elam immediately solve the two biggest problems the Bills had in the playoffs last year. Offensive depth will still be there.

[Rochesterfan]

6 minutes ago, HerdMentality said:

I like the pick.

 

Interesting tho that Beane says he was the only 1st round rated pick left on the board when it’s pick #23…? Aren’t there 32 picks?

Did they only rate 20 players as 1st round talents? And based on what year’s class? 2015?

 

No teams ever have 32 first round grades.

 

The best draft Beane has ever seen had close to 25 according to Sal.

 

This year it sounded like they had about 15-20 1st round grades.

 

The hope is at least 1 will be available when you pick.  It sounds like Elam was their last one.  
 

 

[RocCityRoller]

10 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

 

Epenesa and Ford were probably loved too and they are busts. 

 

I'm moving on. I've been on record they need to be all in this year. They got a desperately needed CB. Hell if Beane drafted another DB tomorrow I'd be fine with that too. 

 

I had to chime in because we agree on something! I could see S and CB drafted still.

 

McBeane tend to try to fix units at a time. They scrapped a lot of dead weight on DL in FA, and I would not be surprised at all to see a big youth injection at DB this draft.

Edited April 29, 2022 by RocCityRoller

[purple haze]

6 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

PPS:  Whining about a 4th round pick is even sillier.  We got the guy they wanted, thats all that matters.  And Beane knows more about evaluating football players than this whole forum combined.  

Preach...

 

Tomorrow I’m just here for the meltdown after Beane trades up in round 2. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[CorkScrewHill]

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

 

yet Siran Neal, Taran Johnson, Jaquon Johnson, Dane Jackson and Rachad Wildgoose are why the Bills just traded up in a reach for this kid in the 1st.....

You named a bunch of late round picks most of whom are contributors. Taron was a 5th and is one of the better slot corners in the league. Levi was undrafted and while not a stud developed into a solid NFL player…. Hence why people trust MCDermott. Then of course is the question of how a projected 1st rounder / very early second rounder is considered a reach? He landed right around where the projections had him. Is he a reach because you in your other job as an NFL scout had him later due to your intensive research?

[Governor]

12 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

This thread gets funnier by the minute.  Reminds me of the "Wrong Josh" melt downs.  Reminds me of the "Tre White" melt downs.  Reminds me of TSW really...lmao.

 

This pick is a great pick, love it and exactly what we needed.  

 

PS:  Offense Averaged 41.5 points per game in the playoffs.  Defense gave up 42 to send us home including 3 scores in final 3 minutes of the game.  

 

PPS:  Whining about a 4th round pick is even sillier.  We got the guy they wanted, thats all that matters.  And Beane knows more about evaluating football players than this whole forum combined.  

 

Great job Beane, can't wait until tomorrow.  

 

 

Well, we got the last Option at CB on our board after McDuffie was snagged away from us. No one can say it was the guy “we wanted.” He was the guy “we needed”’ since the others were gone. We made the pick based strictly on need as opposed to BPA. 

 

There’s really no reason to make excuses about any of it. KC sneakily clowned us with the help of NE. It happens. We’re the hunted now and didn’t see it coming.

 

We’ll have the last laugh.

Edited April 29, 2022 by Governor

[HappyDays]

2 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

no matter who they add you are still going to see the opposing offenses/elite QBs have their way against defenses in the playoffs

 

Replace Hughes or Addison with Von Miller last year and I think we win that Chiefs game. Replace Dane Jackson with Kaiir Elam and we might win the Bucs game. It's ridiculous to say our defense can't have possibly played any better last year.

 

And does adding George Pickens somehow help us overcome a loss where we put up 36 points? You've just gotten it in your head that it was offense or bust in the 1st round and as a result you can't evaluate the pick fairly.

[Putin]

Patriots BY FAR won the 1st  round 

[Bruffalo]

Just now, Governor said:

Well, we got the last Choice of CB on our board after McDuffie was snagged away from us. No one can say it was the guy “we wanted.” He was the guy “we needed”’ since the others were gone. We made the pick based strictly on need as opposed to BPA. 

 

There’s really no reason to make excuses about any of it. KC sneakily clowned us with the help of NE. It happens. We’re the hunted now and didn’t see it coming.

 

We’ll have the last laugh.

We don't know that for sure though really, and we probably never will.  Beane said Elam was the last guy left that they had a 1st round grade on, but we don't know if he had McDuffie higher on the big board.  I think it's possible that they had size concerns about him. 

[78thealltimegreat]

24 minutes ago, Governor said:

The Titans replaced Brown with a younger, likely better version of Brown with identical size that won’t cost 100 million bucks.

 

That was the pick/trade of the night!

 

Looks like numerous teams went in with a similar strategy.

The eagles had no problem taking his contract so the reverse was done as well

[Doc Brown]

3 minutes ago, CorkScrewHill said:

You named a bunch of late round picks most of whom are contributors. Taron was a 5th and is one of the better slot corners in the league. Levi was undrafted and while not a stud developed into a solid NFL player…. Hence why people trust MCDermott. Then of course is the question of how a projected 1st rounder / very early second rounder is considered a reach? He landed right around where the projections had him. Is he a reach because you in your other job as an NFL scout had him later due to your intensive research?

Taron was a 4th.  I agree with everything else here though.

[Alphadawg7]

Just now, Governor said:

Well, we got the last Choice of CB on our board after McDuffie was snagged away from us. No one can say it was the guy “we wanted.” He was the guy “we needed”’ since the others were gone. We made the pick based strictly on need as opposed to BPA. 

 

There’s really no reason to make excuses about any of it. KC sneakily clowned us with the help of NE. It happens. We’re the hunted now and didn’t see it coming.

 

We’ll have the last laugh.

This is such a terrible take.  
 

Except you have literally no idea if that is true at all.  You 100% just made that up.  You’ve decided in your mind they preferred McDuffie when you literally have no idea which CB they preferred.  
 

In fact the CB they were linked a lot more to was Booth who is still available.
 

I don’t know why people just make things up to sell an agenda.  

[BillsFanForever19]

"Man, I'm feeling great! We're gonna win the Super Bowl man!"

 

 

Edited April 29, 2022 by BillsFanForever19

[RocCityRoller]

I'm just happy they passed on Jermaine Johnson II. When I saw Beane had moved up with JJ still available I was yelling at my TV.

"Not another DE Beane" 🤣

[CorkScrewHill]

I have not seen this already posted .. full 57 seconds of him getting the call from McDermott .. before the ESPN / NFL Network clip

 

 

[CNY315]

I’m very happy with the pick👍 

[dollars 2 donuts]

White and Elam together at CB for the next 4 years, through 2025?

 

 

Yeah, I’ll take it.

[Governor]

6 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

This is such a terrible take.  
 

Except you have literally no idea if that is true at all.  You 100% just made that up.  You’ve decided in your mind they preferred McDuffie when you literally have no idea which CB they preferred.  
 

In fact the CB they were linked a lot more to was Booth who is still available.
 

I don’t know why people just make things up to sell an agenda.  

We likely had 4 CB’s on our board and traded up to secure the 4th ranked one. I don’t think anyone could say he was BPA. 
 

Beane’s job was to come home with a CB. He did that.  You’re throwing around phrases like “we got our guy” and that’s just silly.

Edited April 29, 2022 by Governor

[Doc]

14 minutes ago, Governor said:

Well, we got the last Option at CB on our board after McDuffie was snagged away from us. No one can say it was the guy “we wanted.” He was the guy “we needed”’ since the others were gone. We made the pick based strictly on need as opposed to BPA. 

 

There’s really no reason to make excuses about any of it. KC sneakily clowned us with the help of NE. It happens. We’re the hunted now and didn’t see it coming.

 

We’ll have the last laugh.

 

If Beane said he was the last guy with a 1st round grade left on their board...it obviously means he was BPA.  How is this difficult to grasp?

 

As for whether he had McDuffie higher, that's conjecture on your part.  The knock on McDuffie was his sub-30" arms and thus his projection to nickel CB.  So I would surmise the Bills had Elam rated higher.

Edited April 29, 2022 by Doc

[BobbyC81]

I don’t understand the whole thing.  McD always says his CBs need to tackle and of the top CBs, Elam had a specific negative by Lance Zierlien of “weak run support”.  Booth, who was still available, was noted for great run support and tackling.  They could’ve just stayed at 25 and taken Booth.

[Adam727]

I don't like that this felt like a bit of a reach for a "need" pick, and not BPA.  You can't convince me Elam was BPA over Devon Lloyd, Linderbaum, & Jermaine Johnson.

 

I don't understand the need for a trade up.

 

But I'm not going to question Beane/McD when it comes to DBs, and if they were willing to trade up for him, this was clearly the player they wanted.  I'm excited we have a CB opposite White with good size, and the biggest hole on our team has been addressed. 

 

Not the player I was hoping we would get but I'm looking forward to seeing what Beane/McD can do with him.