2023 Draft- Wide Receiver discussion

[Mark Vader]

3 hours ago, buffaloaggie said:

We have quality WRs but we obviously lack depth. WR should not be a day 1 or 2 priority. Maybe UDFA. O-Line should be a priority after watching Quessenberry try to fill in. LB and Safety are priorities. You improve the O-line, RB becomes less of a priority. 

 

30. Antonio Johnson S Texas A&M - assuming Poyer is gone

62. Tommy Eichenberg LB Ohio State - assuming Edmunds is gone

94. Steve Avila OG TCU - can also play C

130. Olusegun Oluwatimi OC Michigan - Morse concussions

135. Jalen Graham LB Purdue - Our LB depth is bad

162. Cody Mauch OT North Dakota State - started as a TE in college - banking on better than average athleticism 

OR

Charlie Jones WR Purdue - 1st in receptions  

 

I think this is a solid draft, overall.

 

Like the O-Lineman picks, and Antonio Johnson would be a good addition.

 

I don't see the Bills drafting 2 more Linebackers, nor do I see them going defense with our first two picks.

[buffaloaggie]

2 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

I would suggest having a look at the WR corps for Alabama!  They will probably all end up in the NFL anyway...one or 2 of them have to be phenomenal athletes.

That place is a conveyor belt of nationally ranked talent.

 

 

Are you talking this year? Bama took a big step back at receiver this year. Ja'Corey Brooks is the closest guy they have to call a #1 option. A lot of development needs to happen for their current corps. Two of their top 3 in yardage receivers were from the portal. One was a RB. No doubt, they have been a top 3 producer of NFL talent at WR. Bama, LSU, Ohio State.

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, Kirby Jackson said:

 

He’s Diggs 2.0. He’s a ridiculous route runnner with outstanding hands. He just gets open. He may be a slot guy at the next level, especially early, but so what. That’s what Diggs was too. We just added our a slot guy out of retirement. If the Bills want to use him, like they did Beasley. Earlier in his career, so be it. That is a big need.

 

JSN is more explosive than he gets credit for. The Bills need a WR that they can count on. They have some guys that can go crazy (like Davis and McKenzie). JSN would add some stability. He’d be a star for the Bills IMO.

 

I am leery about drafting slot only in round 1. And while people projected Diggs inside he played outside really early as a rookie that was when I first noticed him - working over Darius Slay as a rookie. And obviously Diggs was a 5th rounder.

 

I like JSN from the games I saw him play last year but if my conclusion when I dig into his tape is that he can't play outside consistently in the NFL if will affect my grade on him. If, however, he is a Stef Diggs who can instantly translate to an outside guy then I think he has a chance to be graded very highly (but is likely gone before we pick!)

[DCofNC]

Unfortunately, WRs are going to be a hot commodity for a couple years, contracts exploded for Vets and young guys are producing early returns.  Teams are going to have to take them early, there’s no budget for a 40M QB and 2WRs at 22M+  if you have half the cap tied to 3 people, you won’t have a team.

[buffaloaggie]

2 hours ago, whorlnut said:

If you can’t recognize WR as a need after this season then I think you just don’t want to see it. 

No, when you are about to lose your starting ILB and Safety to Free Agency, you see needs elsewhere that should be addressed. We lost to the Jets because of our lack of linebackers and no quality to backup Milano. Dodson (or Bernard) can't replace Edmunds. We're going to have a hard time replacing Poyer. Beane backed himself into a 2023 draft of needs.

[ghostwriter]

12 hours ago, NewEra said:

Jaxon Smith-Njigba 

 

I’ve done very light research but this man intrigues me. As does Cedric Tillman. Not saying it’s “too early” for draft talk, I just don’t know enough to deserve an opinion on anything. I do know that Marvin Harrison Jr. is going to be an absolute monster in a few years though.

 

My #1 FA for Buffalo would be Mike Gesicki. He had a bad year, he’ll be cheap and Buffalo could run Twin TE/Big/Jumbo sets with him and Knox.

 

Bills desperately need OL help as well.

[BADOLBILZ]

6 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Personally, I think that the medicals this year was just a way to protect himself. I know that the OSU fans have been annoyed but I don’t blame him. I believe that he can, and will, play in and out in the NFL (like Diggs). Without the injury there is no way that JSN would have fallen to 30 (or whatever). He’s going to be a great pro, day 1, imo. 

 

We tend to view all knee issues as random but the vulnerabilities can be hereditary.    Given how the injuries set back his bro you can't blame them for having him sit out.    But a team can be cautious about it.    If he clears medical concerns and tests thru the roof he could very well be a top 10 pick regardless.    Not a great WR class.     

[Solomon Grundy]

5 hours ago, Solomon Grundy said:

Johnny Wilson(Fl. St) although Wilson hasn’t declared yet

8 rec for 202 tonight

[The Firebaugh Kid]

I think the Bills find WR2 in free agency (if Gabe doesn’t have 4 tds in the Superbowl this time)

[HappyDays]

Of the little I've read up on the draft I like Jordan Addison as our 1st round WR target. A few clips here:

 

https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/lists/vikings-skol-search-jordan-addison-scouting-report/

 

Nothing flashy about his game, he just does a little bit of everything well. In our offense with Josh Allen in particular I think he would thrive. He is smart, QB friendly, instinctive reading blocks and finding holes in zone, and plucks the ball out of the air. Sounds like the kind of player that fits right into Josh Allen's motto "get open, catch the ball".  And it seems that he can play outside or in the slot which means we could move him and Diggs all over the LOS. If his football character checks out he seems like a player Beane would really like. Not sure that he really pops 1st round talent but in the 30s you take what you can get.

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by HappyDays

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Are there any Williams’s available?

[HappyDays]

7 hours ago, starrymessenger said:

what we need is a big bodied vertical outside guy who can make contested catches

 

Contested catch is a highly overrated skill in the pros IMO. I can count the number of above average WRs that make a living off of contested catches on one hand. Who needs contested catches when you can get open with route running and intelligence? I would take a lesser version of Stefon Diggs over Mike Williams for example, not even close.

[Solomon Grundy]

7 hours ago, starrymessenger said:

what we need is a big bodied vertical outside guy who can make contested catches

I totally agree. A Tee Higgins type

[starrymessenger]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

 

Contested catch is a highly overrated skill in the pros IMO. I can count the number of above average WRs that make a living off of contested catches on one hand. Who needs contested catches when you can get open with route running and intelligence? I would take a lesser version of Stefon Diggs over Mike Williams for example, not even close.

Well you maybe don't make a living off of it but it's a nice thing to have.  Mike Evans is a vertical threat who can make contested catches. Mike Williams doesn't just make contested catches. I sure had wishful visions of him in a Bills uni before he signed again with the Chargers. I wish Gabe Davis could win more contested passes (but it seems he can't). Its an important skill for outside receivers, especially the big ones who typically get less separation. And "making contested catches" is here a bit of shorthand for all of the skills that kind of receiver should have - the ability to use his length to win by high pointing the ball, the body control and physicality to box out DBs and, yes, strong hands.

I would love to have George Pickens.

There appear to be some quite good slot/power slot receivers in this draft (though that's not where the cream of this years class is). If any of them turns into an elite player of course you'd be overjoyed to have him (and regret having passed) and that position is also a need what with Beasley's absence, McK's inconsistencies, Crowder's injury and the teams reluctance to give Shakir a bigger role. Still if I had to choose between equally promising slot and big bodied vertical threats I'd go for the latter. Its just harder to find.
I see the Bills taking a receiver later in the draft, and not before Rd 3 but probably later (unless they love a guy who falls).

[Udubalum07]

I do like Josh downs.  It is really for a strict slot, but considering Cole was almost at 1000 for a couple of years, he can be utilized.  I wish Shakir was ready, but doesn't seem to be that threat.  Downs goes up and gets it and will be in the 4.4's in the combine. 

[Dr.Sack]

Ideally a freak athlete with a crazy RAS score and high football IQ. 

[gobills404]

9 hours ago, buffaloaggie said:

No, when you are about to lose your starting ILB and Safety to Free Agency, you see needs elsewhere that should be addressed. We lost to the Jets because of our lack of linebackers and no quality to backup Milano. Dodson (or Bernard) can't replace Edmunds. We're going to have a hard time replacing Poyer. Beane backed himself into a 2023 draft of needs.

Didn’t realize a lack of depth at LB was the reason the Bills only scored 17 points

Edited December 30, 2022 by gobills404

[Ayjent]

14 hours ago, ArtVandalay said:

Well not quite, don't forget Ruggs (12), Jeudy (15), Lamb (17), Reagor (21) were all taken in front of him. 

 

Coming out of college there was a lot of talk that Jefferson benefited too much playing from the slot on LSU basically being given free space at will and that wouldn't be there for him in the NFL.

Reagor was an awful pick and I never understood the fascination with Jeudy who benefitted way more than Jefferson from the talent around him.  Jefferson had size, speed and contested catch ability that was very impressive.  I thought Chase was better but he was awesome in college. I actually didn’t understand why the Bills traded for Diggs that draft with all of the WR talent but it worked out very well for both the Vikings and Bills.  And I wouldn’t change anything because Diggs is a leader and a good teammate that helped Josh take it to the next level.

[GunnerBill]

14 hours ago, ArtVandalay said:

Well not quite, don't forget Ruggs (12), Jeudy (15), Lamb (17), Reagor (21) were all taken in front of him. 

 

Coming out of college there was a lot of talk that Jefferson benefited too much playing from the slot on LSU basically being given free space at will and that wouldn't be there for him in the NFL.

 

This. His one year of elite production came from the slot and teams are leery about taking slot only guys high. His prior year's tape on the outside was pretty average. He'd have been a mid day 2 guy based on that tape. It made me wary of him too. Ultimately I was wrong, the teams that passed were wrong. But they had a legit reason for concern. Even if in hindsight they should have seen past it. 

 

If JJ's final year at LSU he had put up the numbers he did playing outside he'd have been a top 5 pick. 

[Bill from NYC]

17 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

I would suggest having a look at the WR corps for Alabama!  They will probably all end up in the NFL anyway...one or 2 of them have to be phenomenal athletes.

That place is a conveyor belt of nationally ranked talent.

 

 

Not this season. Their WRs did not do a great job at all and iirc 3 of them hit the transfer portal. Some of the younger guys look promising but much of this will depend on the QB situation in 2023.