Tyler Bass is the Bills' best pick of the 2020 draft

[Inigo Montoya]

The Bills' 2020 Draft Class;

 

2nd    DE A.J. Epenesa

3rd    RB Zack Moss

4th    WR Gabriel Davis

5th    QB Jake Fromm

6th    K Tyler Bass

6th   WR Isaiah Hodgins

7th   CB Dane Jackson

UDFA   TE/FB Reggie Gilliam

 

Buffalo is generally acknowledged as being the toughest kicking venue in the NFL.  Despite that, Bass has been rock solid for the Bills since his arrival in Buffalo.  If memory serves, the first couple games of his rookie season he was shaky, but then he seemed to find his groove and has been hammering it ever since.  He should have been a Pro Bowl selection this year.  Here are his stats for this year;

 

Field Goal %     87.1

20-29 yards     4/4

30-39 yards   11/13

40-49 yards   10/11

50-59 yards     2-3

 

Extra points  43/45

 

We've seen the conditions the Bills have played in this season.  These numbers are incredible.  Having an elite kicker on the roster who you trust with the game on the line, kicking in December and January in Orchard Park, is an enormous advantage for the Bills.  He is mentally tough and has a booming leg.  The value of having a great kicker, especially in Buffalo, can't be overstated.

 

I think Bass is clearly the best pick of the 2020 draft class for Beane and the Bills.  

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Bass is the man.  Risky move for a GM because if you spend any draft capital on a K it needs to work out.  
 

Gabe was also a really good value pick in the 4th even though we’re all a little disappointed he didn’t blossom into a pro bowler this year.

[Dopey]

Dane gets honorable mention to me. 

[John from Riverside]

Gabe Davis has one down here and all of a sudden he’s a bum fans are so fickle

[Inigo Montoya]

1 minute ago, John from Riverside said:

Gabe Davis has one down here and all of a sudden he’s a bum fans are so fickle

 

I don't think Gabe is a bum.

 

🍻

[unbillievable]

Ranking.

1)Bass (Will probably outlast everyone)

2)Davis (Will leave in FA)

3)Gilliam (already signed extension)

4)Jackson (Will not get to 2nd contract)

5)Epenesa (Will not get to 2nd contract)

6)Moss  (not on Bills)

7)Hodgins (might turn out better, but not for the Bills)

8)Fromm (not on Bills)

[Buffalo03]

5 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

 

I don't think Gabe is a bum.

 

🍻

Gabe isn't an elite player but is far from a draft bust and better that his 4th round draft status

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

16 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Gabe Davis has one down here and all of a sudden he’s a bum fans are so fickle

 

It's not even really a "down year".  Statistically he's already set or matched personal records for yardage, TDs, targets, receptions, first downs, longest reception, etc.

 

It's more that we may need more than what he offers as a WR2.  Josh needs the same quality of WR tandem that the Eagles, Bengals and Dolphins have.

[Heavy Kevi]

12 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Gabe Davis has one down here and all of a sudden he’s a bum fans are so fickle

 

It's not even a down year for Davis. He has almost 250 more yards this year than his personal best (last year).

 

The problem is he was supposed to step into WR2 and he just hasn't been as productive as that position should be in this offense.

 

But even more than the stats... The eye test. He needs a more diverse route tree. He doesn't create separation. He doesn't fight for the contested catches like he used to. He disappeares for long stretches.

 

Fans are disappointed because there was the prevailing narrative that Gabe and McKenzie were going to break out and we were set at receiver. Obviously nothing could be further from the truth, and I suspect this off-season Beanie will finally focus on real weapons for Josh (as opposed to hoping guys already in the building step up).

 

--

 

To the spirit of the thread. Bass may well be the best pick of that draft, and frankly... With the offense we have now, if he sticks around for awhile, Bass will be the teams leading scorer.

 

Right now though it's hard not to give it to Dane Imo. Has started alot of games, fared well in whites absence last year, and was the "veteran" at corner (not counting nickel) this year until white came back.

 

Gabe still has a chance. But he's running out of time on a team with a super bowl window that's not going to be super patient at WR2.

[Dablitzkrieg]

7 minutes ago, SageAgainstTheMachine said:

 

It's not even really a "down year".  Statistically he's already set or matched personal records for yardage, TDs, targets, receptions, first downs, longest reception, etc.

 

It's more that we may need more than what he offers as a WR2.  Josh needs the same quality of WR tandem that the Eagles, Bengals and Dolphins have.

Correct.  Gabe is a 3.  We need a 2

[DCbillsfan]

23 minutes ago, unbillievable said:

Ranking.

1)Bass (Will probably outlast everyone)

2)Davis (Will leave in FA)

3)Gilliam (already signed extension)

4)Jackson (Will not get to 2nd contract)

5)Epenesa (Will not get to 2nd contract)

6)Moss  (not on Bills)

7)Hodgins (might turn out better, but not for the Bills)

8)Fromm (not on Bills)

Why do you believe Jackson won't get a 2nd contract?  He'll be an RFA after this season and all the Bills have to do is give him a qualifying offer and possibly match an offer similar to Bates last year.  Jackson has been the starter CB1 or CB2 all season.  Benford and Elam have never challenged him enough.  His play has been uneven this year but it's only year 3 for him.  Think the Bills bring him back.

[Coach Tuesday]

If Beane would stop throwing his Day 2 pick in the trash every year, his overall drafting would go from good to fantastic.

[DCofNC]

29 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Gabe isn't an elite player but is far from a draft bust and better that his 4th round draft status

This is the truth.  He’s a solid #3 with extra potential, not a bust, just not what irrational Bills fans wanted him to be after seeing one big game last year.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

2 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

This is the truth.  He’s a solid #3 with extra potential, not a bust, just not what irrational Bills fans wanted him to be after seeing one big game last year.

It’s not so irrational when the front office expected him to be a #2 as well.  The team had no acquisitions at outside WR in the draft or FA. 
 

Again, I think he’s a good player but he absolutely had a chance to make his mark on the league with the targets he’s getting.

[MAJBobby]

It is good he became what Bass became. Because that is what you need to happen when you take a draft pick and use it in a Kicker or Punter. 

[BlazinBill]

1 hour ago, Inigo Montoya said:

The Bills' 2020 Draft Class;

 

2nd    DE A.J. Epenesa

3rd    RB Zack Moss

4th    WR Gabriel Davis

5th    QB Jake Fromm

6th    K Tyler Bass

6th   WR Isaiah Hodgins

7th   CB Dane Jackson

UDFA   TE/FB Reggie Gilliam

 

Buffalo is generally acknowledged as being the toughest kicking venue in the NFL.  Despite that, Bass has been rock solid for the Bills since his arrival in Buffalo.  If memory serves, the first couple games of his rookie season he was shaky, but then he seemed to find his groove and has been hammering it ever since.  He should have been a Pro Bowl selection this year.  Here are his stats for this year;

 

Field Goal %     87.1

20-29 yards     4/4

30-39 yards   11/13

40-49 yards   10/11

50-59 yards     2-3

 

Extra points  43/45

 

We've seen the conditions the Bills have played in this season.  These numbers are incredible.  Having an elite kicker on the roster who you trust with the game on the line, kicking in December and January in Orchard Park, is an enormous advantage for the Bills.  He is mentally tough and has a booming leg.  The value of having a great kicker, especially in Buffalo, can't be overstated.

 

I think Bass is clearly the best pick of the 2020 draft class for Beane and the Bills.  

I can get onboard with this- Bass is the type of player that could be winning or tying games late  in games for us long into the future 

[John from Riverside]

2 hours ago, SageAgainstTheMachine said:

 

It's not even really a "down year".  Statistically he's already set or matched personal records for yardage, TDs, targets, receptions, first downs, longest reception, etc.

 

It's more that we may need more than what he offers as a WR2.  Josh needs the same quality of WR tandem that the Eagles, Bengals and Dolphins have.

You know I was having a little YouTube conversation with a Bengals fan since we have our game coming up in the opinion of Bengals fans is that Josh Allen has quality weapons I personally don’t think they’re as good as the Bengals weapons

2 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

If Beane would stop throwing his Day 2 pick in the trash every year, his overall drafting would go from good to fantastic.

so your opinion is that cook is trash?

2 hours ago, DCbillsfan said:

Why do you believe Jackson won't get a 2nd contract?  He'll be an RFA after this season and all the Bills have to do is give him a qualifying offer and possibly match an offer similar to Bates last year.  Jackson has been the starter CB1 or CB2 all season.  Benford and Elam have never challenged him enough.  His play has been uneven this year but it's only year 3 for him.  Think the Bills bring him back.

Elam is challenging him they’re splitting reps right now you honestly think that Dane is going to be able to hold off a first round draft pick

[John from Riverside]

3 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

 

I don't think Gabe is a bum.

 

🍻

Sorry Inigo I should’ve been more specific I don’t mean you specifically in this post to have just been hearing a lot of that this year overall
 

 

Gabe has not taken the step that the front office thought that he was going to this year but he has all the tools and I really hope that they don’t give up on him

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

2 hours ago, DCbillsfan said:

Why do you believe Jackson won't get a 2nd contract?  He'll be an RFA after this season and all the Bills have to do is give him a qualifying offer and possibly match an offer similar to Bates last year.  Jackson has been the starter CB1 or CB2 all season.  Benford and Elam have never challenged him enough.  His play has been uneven this year but it's only year 3 for him.  Think the Bills bring him back.

 

They may make the qualifying offer, but not match.  With White plus two rookies Elam and Benford that look real good, Jackson becomes more a luxury for a team that doesn't have much money.  True only been 3 years for Jackson, but only 1 for the other two and in one season have looked almost as good, sometimes even better than Jackson.  Jackson has just been a bit too erratic at times it seems.  When talent level is close, teams tend to go with the cheaper option.

 

He could back, but likely only if he finds he's not worth as much as he may think he is and accepts a team friendly deal from Bills.  But this is likely Jackson's best chance at getting a big contract, so likely he gets it elsewhere.  I kind of see him in similar mode to Lawson and Phillips, contract ran out, gets big deal elsewhere, in 2 years back to Buffalo.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

3 hours ago, Dopey said:

Dane gets honorable mention to me. 

Agreed; getting a serviceable starting CB in the 7th round is highway robbery. 

[gonzo1105]

People trashing Epenesa he has 7 sacks this year. Looks like he's figuring it out. I think Moss was just a bad scheme fit. He looks really good running the ball in Indianapolis the last few games he's gotten the opportunity to start. Maybe he just works better in an under center turn power scheme vs the Bills scheme. 

[Inigo Montoya]

1 minute ago, John from Riverside said:

Sorry Inigo I should’ve been more specific I don’t mean you specifically in this post to have just been hearing a lot of that this year overall
 

 

Gabe has not taken the step that the front office thought that he was going to this year but he has all the tools and I really hope that they don’t give up on him

 

I agree with you.  I expected a lot more out of him following the KC game to end the season.  I'm not sure what it going on.  All reports say Gabe is an incredibly hard worker.  Not sure if he is still injured, DBs have caught up with his game, or just a bit of a slump?

 

I hope we get playoff Gabe back soon, we're going to need him to win a championship.

[Dr.Sack]

Bass, Dane, Gabe all good 

[CDogg20]

Thats 7 starters in 1 draft…

 

Granted Moss and Hodgins are on different teams thats still 7 starters 👀 

[LABILLBACKER]

3 hours ago, Dopey said:

Dane gets honorable mention to me. 

The thing that's frustrating with Dane, Gabe and AJ is they're all good players but I don't see any of them being great?  Bass has been amazing. Wish we could've hung on to Hodgins a little longer. 

[Roundybout]

3 hours ago, DCofNC said:

This is the truth.  He’s a solid #3 with extra potential, not a bust, just not what irrational Bills fans wanted him to be after seeing one big game last year.

 

He can be what Tyler Boyd is for the Bengals - a really good WR3/Low-end WR2, but not someone as dependable as Chase and Higgins. 

[HOUSE]

Gilliam will rip the Bengals apart

 

[Punching Bag]

3 hours ago, SageAgainstTheMachine said:

Bass is the man.  Risky move for a GM because if you spend any draft capital on a K it needs to work out.  
 

Gabe was also a really good value pick in the 4th even though we’re all a little disappointed he didn’t blossom into a pro bowler this year.

 

Considering how well Bills were stocked with talent there was a good chance any late round pick might not make roster so not that risky.

Only risky for those who think special teams players should all be UDFAs.

[JaCrispy]

What an extremely pedestrian draft class…👎

[DCbillsfan]

1 hour ago, John from Riverside said:

Elam is challenging him they’re splitting reps right now you honestly think that Dane is going to be able to hold off a first round draft pick

No, I didn't say nor think that Jackson would hold off Elam going forward.  All I said was I think the Bills will re-sign Jackson.  I don't think he'll cost that much to keep.  Besides if they let him go they'll probably have to draft a replacement.  

[peterpan]

4 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

Gabe Davis has one down here and all of a sudden he’s a bum fans are so fickle

He has been a bum all year.  Real disappointed, I thought he would make a huge leap forward, but it’s been backwards.

[DCbillsfan]

1 hour ago, John from Riverside said:

 The opinion of Bengals fans is that Josh Allen has quality weapons I personally don’t think they’re as good as the Bengals weapons

 

Most Bills fans probably agree with you.  A fair number of them are hoping they draft a WR with their 1st pick.  Myself included.

[whorlnut]

The clear answer is definitely Bass. He looks to be our kicker for years to come. Davis might be gone after next year. 

[CNYfan]

I think Gabe should have caught the TD pass in the first Miami game.  Makes the l a W.  

I would like to see Gabe more urgent and focused.  

2B or 3A.   

 

[Max Fischer]

Overall, a very impressive draft class, with Fromm as a notable (head scratching) miss. 

 

- Moss is still a productive player and could last many more seasons. His injury coupled with Singletary's reliability and steady improvement was too much of a hurdle. 

 

- Isaiah Hodgins has ability but not enough to justify putting him on this Bills' roster. Could play a while for teams with little WR depth. 

 

- All others are solid draft picks. Epenesa may be a "disappointment at #2" but if he's a quality rotation player who could see a second, affordable contract with the Bills, or a hefty raise elsewhere. I think he has 5 to 7 years left. 

 

- Davis should not be considered a "disappointment" from the 4th round. He may not have progressed but the Bills have squeezed a lot of production from that pick. As with Epenesa, he'll be affordable and worthy extension or "good for him" raise elsewhere.

 

- Dane Jackson - See Davis. Dane has been a tremendous return on investment. 

 

- Gilliam - Same for Gilliam. Well worth the roster spot. 

 

- Bass. Clearly the best pick, would have been worth a 4th or 5th. 

 

 

 

 

[Airseven]

57 minutes ago, JaCrispy said:

What an extremely pedestrian draft class…👎

 

To be fair, no first round pick calls for an asterisk.

 

That being said, Beane doesn't deserve the free pass he seems to get. This off-season left a lot to be desired. Where to begin!? McKissic fiasco, lucrative match for Bates, Saffold fleecing, new deal for McKenzie, trading up for Elam, Bernard in R3?? The nagging issues with the Bills this year are directly a result of these failed personnel moves.  

Edited December 28, 2022 by Airseven

[ToGoGo]

4 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

Gabe Davis has one down here and all of a sudden he’s a bum fans are so fickle

 

The OP has such a December 2022 take. 

 

Davis will be a hero again after we win the SB this year. 

[Success]

Bass has really come through.  Great pick.

 

Watching Hodgins w/ the Giants, I think that's one that got away.  He was great in the preseason here. Obviously, our coaches saw more in the WR's we kept on the active roster, and they know more than me, but it's hard to see what they were seeing on that one.

 

[BuffaloBill]

A passable but not great draft class.  It’s really disappointing that Gabe Davis is not playing at a higher level.  Other than Bass, the list contains depth players but nobody that makes you say “wow.”

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Bass has been solid. A starting CB is probably more valuable than a PK. Even the worst PKs make the majority of their kicks so you can argue his value above replacement isn't that much.  Really not trying to take away from Bass as he is very good and probably ahs the chance to be with us the longest.  However in terms of immediate impact, I would say Jackson being able to start last season and this has kept the Bills D competitive.   

Not sure why everyone has turned on Davis.  He has nearly 800 yards as WR#2. Not long ago we would have been happy if WR#1 got 800 yards.  He doesn't seem as focused as last year.  I really didn't like how he did not fight for the PI in the end-zone last week.  He has more drops than in the past but he still has some amazing sideline and contested catches - ie. Steelers game vs an All-Pro FS.

So I guess I would say for me the order right now is, Jackson, Davis, and then Bass. But in 3 years time I can easily see Bass being the only guy left on the Bills' roster from this class.