RD 1, Pick 23: CB Kaiir Elam, Florida

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Just now, John from Riverside said:

I am not into conspiracy stuff that is not proven.....but my gut tells me it was Dallas

 

Ive heard similar.

 

also Not a conspiracy if its true 

 

 

[Doc Brown]

12 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

The Bills turned Tre White who has lesser traits into a top end CB. Wait until you see what they do with a guy that has elite traits and athletic profile. 
 

don’t be surprised if in a couple years Elam is the CB1 and Tre is CB1B. Two top end boundary CBs in a passing league. With a top end Nickel as well. 

I also wonder if they have it in mind to possibly move Tre White to safety eventually if Elam turns into an elite CB.  We'll see how he comes back from the ACL tear.

[NewEra]

26 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.

Yeah, we were hoping that we would draft the 3rd good short armed corner in the last 34+ years.

 

We had a first rd grade on him.  That’s all that mattered.  If they had him as a 2nd rd pick (like I did) and traded up for him, it would be a bad move.  But they got their traits.  Now go to work and implement him quickly  we need him this year 

[BillsFanForever19]

Kaiir Elam was NOT a reach.

 

Cole Strange, THAT was a reach.

[John from Riverside]

1 minute ago, Doc Brown said:

I also wonder if they have it in mind to possibly move Tre White to safety eventually if Elam turns into an elite CB.  We'll see how he comes back from the ACL tear.

Praying for a full recovery.....the thought of White, Elam, Jackson, Johnson creating a now fly zone is happily dancing in my imagination

[MAJBobby]

19 minutes ago, BobbyC81 said:

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.

Tackling Technique is Elams issue. Not the will to support against the run. 
 

technique can be fixed. Guess who else had those same negatives???  Tre White. Go read his scouting reports. 

[Governor]

2 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Beane never specified "at a position of need."  And the only other positions of need was arguably RB and a 1st round RB is a bad investment, while Hall fell out of the 1st round entirely.

I’m glad we didn’t trade up 2 spots for a RB. We would’ve been laughed out of the building. 
 

I think safety, LB, WR are still needs.

 

What was the ranking of the top safety compared to the CB we settled on? I bet it was pretty tempting. I didn’t get a chance to look yet.

[Buffalo716]

19 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

The Bills turned Tre White who has lesser traits into a top end CB. Wait until you see what they do with a guy that has elite traits and athletic profile. 
 

don’t be surprised if in a couple years Elam is the CB1 and Tre is CB1B. Two top end boundary CBs in a passing league. With a top end Nickel as well. 

Elam is definitely physically superior but I don't think he's as good in all facets of coverage as Tre was coming out ...Tre played all coverage techniques at a high degree

 

If Tre had his height and physical gifts he would have went top five 

 

He definitely has a very high ceiling learning from Tre and our coaches

Edited April 29, 2022 by Buffalo716

[MAJBobby]

Just now, Buffalo716 said:

Elam is definitely physically superior but I don't think he's as good in all facets of coverage as Tre was coming out 

 

If Tre had his height and physical gifts he would have went top five 

 

He definitely has a very high ceiling learning from Tre and our coaches

And they BOTH had the weak in run support tag. 

[Doc]

1 minute ago, Governor said:

I’m glad we didn’t trade up 2 spots for a RB. We would’ve been laughed out of the building. 
 

I think safety, LB, WR are still needs.

 

What was the ranking of the top safety compared to the CB we settled on? I bet it was pretty tempting. I didn’t get a chance to look yet.

 

The top S left was Hill.  Many had knocked him down because of bad interviews. 

[Zerovoltz]

FYI.  Veach says they felt they had to get ahead of the Bills.

 

https://twitter.com/pgsween/status/1519889179634716672?s=21&t=_R-WCljBWcL5Shu1-DSRjA

[MAJBobby]

Full-time starter for better part of four years and one of the premier mirror-and-match cornerbacks in the game. Has the feet, athleticism and instincts for prolonged coverage responsibilities and his twitch will always have him near the throw. Best suited for all forms of man coverage. Should compete as special teams performer. Lacks run-support physicality to be an every-down corner, but he's talented enough to challenge for slot duties right away.  
 

Weaknesses

Finesse cornerback with relatively slender frame

Physicality and play strength a concern from slot

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

Tackles when necessary, but doesn't seek out contact

Less technique-oriented and more grabby from slot

Finished career with just six interceptions despite extensive playing time

Early anchor from off coverage caused struggles opening hips when receivers would stem and go

Recovery-quick but not recovery-fast

Texas Tech speedster Jakeem Grant gave him all kinds of vertical work in 2015 Texas Bowl. - Zierlein on Tre White Draft scouting report. 
 

Zierlein on Elam 

Elam is the next up in a long line of talented Florida cornerbacks, but he failed to play his best football in his final collegiate season. He is patient and strong to mirror and impede releases but inconsistent staying connected to the early stages of the route. He plays with good awareness in zone and has the twitch and length to make plays on the throw when squatting in space. He was beat on deep patterns against Alabama, Arkansas and Georgia, which might have led to excessive grabbing and an overall lack of trust in his technique on the 2021 tape. He plays big at the catch point but smaller in run support. Elam has early CB3 and eventual CB2 value as a press and zone corner.
 

Weaknesses

Loses his leverage unnecessarily.

Allows a little too much clearance early in the route.

Needs better open-and-sprint timing when squatting underneath.

Vertical specialists can overtake and stack him.

Inconsistent digesting route combinations.

Too much panic and grab in his 2021 tape.

Can improve his eye balance between the man and the ball.

Doesn't play to his size in run support duties.

Inconsistent coming to balance as open-field tackler.

 

 

11 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Praying for a full recovery.....the thought of White, Elam, Jackson, Johnson creating a now fly zone is happily dancing in my imagination

The thing that got me was first time I have heard Beane say “Expects white to be ready by start of season”. When talking Elam. First time I think I heard that this offseason from the Bills. 

[Turk71]

I like it 

I have a good feeling they got the right guy. 

[CorkScrewHill]

2 hours ago, Governor said:

The Chiefs stole our guy. We definitely weren’t anticipating that.

I am thinking this is unlikely to be true as the Bills have tried to bring in for Top 30 visits the people they are actually considering. Sauce and Stingley may have been higher on their board but since they were unlikely to get them it might not have made sense to bring them in. However, McDuffie was in the range and yet they elected to not bring him in. I suspect he was not a candidate for their first round pick. Similarity if Booth was removed from their list .. why did they bring him in for a top 30 visit if he was already blacklisted due to health issues

[Alphadawg7]

35 minutes ago, Governor said:

I thinks it’s possible that he was the last player left out of the 2 or 3 positions of “need” that we were willing to draft in the 1st.

 

You sure think a lot of things you literally just made up in your head

Edited April 29, 2022 by Alphadawg7

[Doc Brown]

17 minutes ago, Zerovoltz said:

FYI.  Veach says they felt they had to get ahead of the Bills.

 

https://twitter.com/pgsween/status/1519889179634716672?s=21&t=_R-WCljBWcL5Shu1-DSRjA

I can't see the Bills taking him with his arm length in this system.  Teams like the Chiefs weren't blind to the fact we were highly likely to draft a CB though which is pry why Beane felt moving up was necessary for Elam.  

[purple haze]

20 minutes ago, Zerovoltz said:

FYI.  Veach says they felt they had to get ahead of the Bills.

 

https://twitter.com/pgsween/status/1519889179634716672?s=21&t=_R-WCljBWcL5Shu1-DSRjA

He was right, but who he thought the Bills were targeting might have been off.   That said, McDuffie is a good football player and definitely a process type of player.  I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Bills grabbed him.

[John from Riverside]

I’m of the belief that many of these corners are gonna end up being good out of this draft that doesn’t mean that Elam was the wrong pic

[SCBills]

27 minutes ago, Zerovoltz said:

FYI.  Veach says they felt they had to get ahead of the Bills.

 

https://twitter.com/pgsween/status/1519889179634716672?s=21&t=_R-WCljBWcL5Shu1-DSRjA

Based on Beane’s comments regarding what we needed to add to the secondary, I’d be surprised if McDuffie was on our list.
 

That said, I do think Beane got the memo that teams may want to get ahead of the Bills for a CB after the Chiefs traded up.  
 

Hence our trade up for Elam. 

[Rochesterfan]

29 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Full-time starter for better part of four years and one of the premier mirror-and-match cornerbacks in the game. Has the feet, athleticism and instincts for prolonged coverage responsibilities and his twitch will always have him near the throw. Best suited for all forms of man coverage. Should compete as special teams performer. Lacks run-support physicality to be an every-down corner, but he's talented enough to challenge for slot duties right away.  
 

Weaknesses

Finesse cornerback with relatively slender frame

Physicality and play strength a concern from slot

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

Tackles when necessary, but doesn't seek out contact

Less technique-oriented and more grabby from slot

Finished career with just six interceptions despite extensive playing time

Early anchor from off coverage caused struggles opening hips when receivers would stem and go

Recovery-quick but not recovery-fast

Texas Tech speedster Jakeem Grant gave him all kinds of vertical work in 2015 Texas Bowl. - Zierlein on Tre White Draft scouting report. 
 

Zierlein on Elam 

Elam is the next up in a long line of talented Florida cornerbacks, but he failed to play his best football in his final collegiate season. He is patient and strong to mirror and impede releases but inconsistent staying connected to the early stages of the route. He plays with good awareness in zone and has the twitch and length to make plays on the throw when squatting in space. He was beat on deep patterns against Alabama, Arkansas and Georgia, which might have led to excessive grabbing and an overall lack of trust in his technique on the 2021 tape. He plays big at the catch point but smaller in run support. Elam has early CB3 and eventual CB2 value as a press and zone corner.
 

Weaknesses

Loses his leverage unnecessarily.

Allows a little too much clearance early in the route.

Needs better open-and-sprint timing when squatting underneath.

Vertical specialists can overtake and stack him.

Inconsistent digesting route combinations.

Too much panic and grab in his 2021 tape.

Can improve his eye balance between the man and the ball.

Doesn't play to his size in run support duties.

Inconsistent coming to balance as open-field tackler.

 

 

The thing that got me was first time I have heard Beane say “Expects white to be ready by start of season”. When talking Elam. First time I think I heard that this offseason from the Bills. 

 

Nice to hear from the Bills, but Sal has said it several times.  Everything he had heard was White was ahead of schedule and they were expecting him to sit out TC, but be ready Week 1 or Week 2.

 

Barring a setback - They said the Bills were eyeing Week 1 with some limited snaps and then letting him work back to health.

 

I think this pick helps limit any rush and let’s Tre’ have the time they need.