What Buffalo Bills draft choice surprised you the most on draft day?

[msw2112]

Whitner was a huge surprise for me.  At the time, I was pretty familar with the top draft prospects, and also watched Michigan-Ohio State every year (Whitner played at Ohio State), and had never even heard of Whitner.  I was shocked at him being picked so early, given the talent on the board.  I was really upset by the pick.

 

The other one that comes to mind is Maybin.  I was just as furious, if not more, than the Whitner pick.  The difference is that I was not surprised in the least.  I knew who Maybin was, had a sick feeling the Bills were going to pick him, knew he'd be a bust, and unfortunately, was correct on all counts.  Maybin was a nobody at Penn State for a couple of years, then had one "great" year that wasn't all that great.  He piled up sacks in the first few games against inferior opponents, but did little to nothing against the better competition in the Big 10.  Those results, along his small stature, were easy indicators that he'd be a bust.  But Dick Jauron really liked that "first step."

 

Don't even get me started with McCargo and Troupe.  I love COACH Marv Levy, but GM Marv Levy no so much.

[KCNC]

Whitner

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

Spiller. Hated that pick and still do. I know Lynch was having his problems, but Fred Jackon was certainly capable of leading that backfield. And it amazed me that people on forums were still trying to justify it. To be completely honest I wanted Jimmy Clausen so though both were gonna be equally terrible picks.

Edited April 13, 2023 by ChronicAndKnuckles

[Free Speech]

Donte Whitner and it's not even close. I remember sitting there in disbelief

Edited April 13, 2023 by Free Speech
Misspell

[Jay_Fixit]

4 hours ago, Sherlock Holmes said:

Troup over Gronk, Zay over Kupp

Basham over Humback Whale

You wanted the Bills to draft Cooper Kupp over Zay Jones?

 

bull to the *****.

Edited April 13, 2023 by Jay_Fixit

[Ethan in Cleveland]

As others have said, Whitner and McGahee are the two that made zero sense. Sure Maybin was a bad pick but it made some sense. 

Whitner over Ngata? Why Marv why?

And what arrogance to take McGahee thinking your team which didn't make the playoffs the year before was good enough to take a RB to sit out an entire year.

 

[Jay_Fixit]

Whitner

Spiller

McGahee

[oldmanfan]

Some others have forgotten:

 

1.  Tony Hunter with the initial first round pick before Kelly

2.  Walt Patulski with the first overall pick.

3.  Cousineau with the first overall pick when he was saying he wouldn’t come to Buffalo

Edited April 13, 2023 by oldmanfan

[Nihilarian]

Sammy Watkins for sure. The kid made most of his plays, yards from screens...exactly how many screen plays did the Buffalo Bills throw at that time?

[BillsFanForever19]

15 minutes ago, Jay_Fixit said:

You wanted the Bills to draft Cooper Kupp over Zay Jones?

 

bull to the *****.

 

Exactly. This post is for in the moment on Draft Day reactions. Anyone who says they wanted Cooper Kupp over Zay Jones on Draft Day is a liar.

[Scott7975]

I dont watch College ball so I dont really know anything about players, which makes it hard to be surprised.

 

I'll say CJ Spiller.  RB at 9 overall on a team that had two great backs.  Then I would say Basham... right after drafting DL in round 1.

Edited April 13, 2023 by Scott7975

[billsbackto81]

Maybin over Orakpo

Whitner over Ngata

 

But the one that was surprising, to me at least was when they traded up and took Sammy Watkins. 

 

When they made the announcement a trade was made me and my best friend were dancing like school girls because we thought for sure we were picking Khalil Mack.

[smward8]

5 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Easily Whitner over Ngata.  Never saw that coming and was stunned when they didn’t call Ngata’s name.  
 

 

[First Round Bust]

70s - Patulski, Dokes,Gant - it was the best of times, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll, it was the worst of times on the field

80s - Tuttle, Booker Moore - when Knox left so did the winning until Polian 

90 - Williams James (he of the flame retarndant jersey), Flowers - Butler kept the boat afloat and the cigarettes lit

00s - Mcargo, Maybn - after Butler left and broke his heart, old man Wilson did not know and trust anyone without gray hair: Levy, Donahoe, Nix

10s - EJ , Sammy - Whaley

Beane Era - not Tre, but Josh, Edmunds, Oliver, Rousseau, Elam - I dont see a bust, but Elam was a reach based on need

 

[TampaBillsJunkie]

When I read all of these I get really really sad and some Bills PTSD.

[TC in St. Louis]

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Biggest surprise for me was probably Whitner.  I freaked out.  I remember thinking they had the USC QB in their hands, and they surely could've traded down.  

 

Nobody really knows how players will turn out.  Read the pre-draft analysis on just about anybody and you might think he's gonna be great.  

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Biggest surprise for me was probably Whitner.  I freaked out.  I remember thinking they had the USC QB in their hands, and they surely could've traded down.  

 

Nobody really knows how players will turn out.  Read the pre-draft analysis on just about anybody and you might think he's gonna be great.  

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Biggest surprise for me was probably Whitner.  I freaked out.  I remember thinking they had the USC QB in their hands, and they surely could've traded down.  

 

Nobody really knows how players will turn out.  Read the pre-draft analysis on just about anybody and you might think he's gonna be great.  

[JohnNord]

3 hours ago, chongli said:

 

I'm a little confused by your post.

 

1. I actually expected Buffalo to take McGahee, given the value. He was a likely top 5 pick who fell. It would be like if Jalen Carter fell to 27 this year. Of course we would take him. And Buffalo had a reputation for shocking then world back then on draft day, like when traded our first the previous year for Bledsoe. 

 

2. As for Losman, there was huge talk of Buffalo wanting a QB that year. We desperately wanted Roethlisberger and almost had him.

Like I said, I didn’t follow the team as closely as I do now and I was younger then, but I don’t remember any reports linking McGahee to Buffalo.  
 

As far as the interest in Roethlisberger, that came out months after the draft.  It wasn’t common knowledge beforehand.  If there was talk about Buffalo wanting a QB, I wasn’t aware of it 

[McBean]

Josh Allen.

 

That’s right, Josh Allen.

 

thought we were taken Rosen.

 

When I’m wrong, I’ll admit it. The crow has never tasted better.

Edited April 13, 2023 by McBean

[Don Otreply]

Maybin, 

 

and it wasn’t a good surprise, 

Edited April 13, 2023 by Don Otreply

[MrEpsYtown]

2 hours ago, Jay_Fixit said:

You wanted the Bills to draft Cooper Kupp over Zay Jones?

 

bull to the *****.

I remember everyone wanting Smith-Schuster and Chris Godwin
 

I also believe @Sherlock Holmes Kupp fits their type

[stuvian]

McCargo , Maybin and Manuel were bodies with no talent. 

 

2014 draft was the biggest washout

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/draft.htm

 

 

[Beck Water]

7 hours ago, MrEpsYtown said:

EJ Manuel. 

 

Did that honestly surprise you though?

 

In 2013, Buddy Nix was telegraphing "we're gonna draft a QB this year" so loud that the -.. .-. .- ..-. - / .- / --.- -... was imprinted in every reporter's notebook

And there was lots of "smoke" about having had a horrid interview with Geno Smith, and a lot of stuff about how respectful and well mannered EJ was.

 

So it was not a surprise to me that we drafted a QB, or that the QB we drafted was Manuel.  I'm not saying I wanted it - just saying I wasn't surprised.

[NeverOutNick]

7 hours ago, Beck Water said:

I would have to say TJ Graham in the 2012 3rd round.

 

Russ Wilson was on the board and there had been murmurs about "can't measure the heart of a player" that Nix liked him.

It was evident at that point that the Bills really needed to draft and develop a QB.  Kirk Cousins was also on the board.  A 3rd round pick would be a totally reasonable investment in a guy who could learn behind Fitzpatrick.

 

So the Bills traded up and my pulse accelerated and I was thinking "they're gonna draft Wilson!"...."TJ WHO?"

The Bills got 31 games and 54 receptions out of Graham in 2 seasons. 

In the same 2  seasons, Russ Wilson lead the Seahawks to the Divisional Round and won a Superbowl.

Then in 2013, one of the worst QB classes ever, the Bills drafted EJ Manuel.

100% agree talk about a shot to the giblets

[Canadian Bills Fan]

Torell Troup

[The Jokeman]

5 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

OJ Simpson….talk about a ‘reach’! 

I think you meant Al Cowlings.

[GreggTX]

Booker Moore

[TheyCallMeAndy]

I hated the EJ pick but talked myself into it.

 

I was pumped up when we drafted Shaq Lawson and Raggie Ragland. 

[chongli]

1 hour ago, JohnNord said:

Like I said, I didn’t follow the team as closely as I do now and I was younger then, but I don’t remember any reports linking McGahee to Buffalo.  
 

As far as the interest in Roethlisberger, that came out months after the draft.  It wasn’t common knowledge beforehand.  If there was talk about Buffalo wanting a QB, I wasn’t aware of it 

 

I recall there was a need and desire to draft a QB in 2004 after the Bills became disillusioned with Bledsoe. From one article:

 

https://buffalowdown.com/2020/05/29/buffalo-bills-select-linebacker-b-r-2004-nfl-draft-re-draft/

 

"The 2004 NFL Draft is known for the QB class at the top with Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers and the Buffalo Bills did enter this NFL Draft in need of a quarterback. However, all three were gone by the time the Bills selected at 13th overall."

[TheCockSportif]

You name it, and we've seen it.

 

The Bills were going to pick Manuel, so that doesn't surprise me.  He sucked, but it was what it was.

 

In no specific order:

 

1. Spiller
2. Whitner
3. Watkins
4. Lawson
5. Losman (not so surprised about a QB being picked, but Losman?  Oy vey.)
6. Maybin.  Holy crappy pants.  He was SO BAD.
7. McGahee
8. McCargo
9. Hardy

[MrEpsYtown]

52 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Did that honestly surprise you though?

 

In 2013, Buddy Nix was telegraphing "we're gonna draft a QB this year" so loud that the -.. .-. .- ..-. - / .- / --.- -... was imprinted in every reporter's notebook

And there was lots of "smoke" about having had a horrid interview with Geno Smith, and a lot of stuff about how respectful and well mannered EJ was.

 

So it was not a surprise to me that we drafted a QB, or that the QB we drafted was Manuel.  I'm not saying I wanted it - just saying I wasn't surprised.

 

It did surprise me. That draft class was so weird and he seemed to have a lot of flaws in his game. It didn’t think he was going to be their guy. People were projecting Smith as the number 1 QB and most people were mocking Matt Barkley or Ryan Nassib in that spot. Some mocks had us taking Tavon Austin or Jonathan Cooper as well. Cordarelle Patterson was a hot one too. There were even some Mike Glennons in there. EJ wasn’t really on my radar. 

[Goin Breakdown]

Probably the wrong thread, but I keep seeing TJ graham pop up here. Was he the one who went to the jets and then laid down in the end zone to blend in on a punt?  Does anyone remember that play?

[Warriorspikes51]

When the Bills traded up 10 picks in the 1st to draft RB Bijan Robinson…with all WR’s and TE’s still on the board….after signing Damien Harris and Latavius Murray to go with James Cook and Nyheim Himes😆😂

 

 

[Manther]

10 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Easily Whitner over Ngata.  Never saw that coming and was stunned when they didn’t call Ngata’s name.  
 

100% agree!  I was doing quite a bit of Draft research those years.  My friend and I who also is a huge Bills fan and was doing research at the time......we thought "you gotta Ngata" and then he was there when we picked.  Whitner's name was called, we looked at each other and said who?  Safety never seemed like a round 1 pick to us, so, we never looked at Safeties.  And, we had ZERO idea who he was and got onto the Google machine immediately. 

10 hours ago, Beck Water said:

I would have to say TJ Graham in the 2012 3rd round.

 

Russ Wilson was on the board and there had been murmurs about "can't measure the heart of a player" that Nix liked him.

It was evident at that point that the Bills really needed to draft and develop a QB.  Kirk Cousins was also on the board.  A 3rd round pick would be a totally reasonable investment in a guy who could learn behind Fitzpatrick.

 

So the Bills traded up and my pulse accelerated and I was thinking "they're gonna draft Wilson!"...."TJ WHO?"

The Bills got 31 games and 54 receptions out of Graham in 2 seasons. 

In the same 2  seasons, Russ Wilson lead the Seahawks to the Divisional Round and won a Superbowl.

Then in 2013, one of the worst QB classes ever, the Bills drafted EJ Manuel.

This was probably my 2nd WTF after Whitner.

9 hours ago, 947 said:

Maybin

 

I knew he was a bust in waiting, like everyone else. I didn't think anyone would take him in round 1, let alone us.

This is probably 3rd on my list after Whitner, then TJ Graham.  Actually, will move it up on my list since it is a top of the 1st round pick.

 

Whitner

Maybin

Graham

[Manther]

4 hours ago, TC in St. Louis said:

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Biggest surprise for me was probably Whitner.  I freaked out.  I remember thinking they had the USC QB in their hands, and they surely could've traded down.  

 

Nobody really knows how players will turn out.  Read the pre-draft analysis on just about anybody and you might think he's gonna be great.  

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Biggest surprise for me was probably Whitner.  I freaked out.  I remember thinking they had the USC QB in their hands, and they surely could've traded down.  

 

Nobody really knows how players will turn out.  Read the pre-draft analysis on just about anybody and you might think he's gonna be great.  

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Biggest surprise for me was probably Whitner.  I freaked out.  I remember thinking they had the USC QB in their hands, and they surely could've traded down.  

 

Nobody really knows how players will turn out.  Read the pre-draft analysis on just about anybody and you might think he's gonna be great.  

Sorry, could not resist....

 

Nobody really knows how players will turn out.  Read the pre-draft analysis on just about anybody and you might think he's gonna be great.  

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Biggest surprise for me was probably Whitner.  I freaked out.  I remember thinking they had the USC QB in their hands, and they surely could've traded down.  

 

Nobody really knows how players will turn out.  Read the pre-draft analysis on just about anybody and you might think he's gonna be great.  

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Biggest surprise for me was probably Whitner.  I freaked out.  I remember thinking they had the USC QB in their hands, and they surely could've traded down. 

[akcash]

Donte Whitner

[Manther]

2 hours ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

I hated the EJ pick but talked myself into it.

 

I was pumped up when we drafted Shaq Lawson and Raggie Ragland. 

Trading up for Reggie Ragland was extremely disappointing.  F Rex Ryan!

[Nelius]

4 hours ago, TC in St. Louis said:

I'll wait on Bernard.  When he got on the field, it was due to injury and he wasn't ready.  They chose him to develop over time, and it's time now to see him develop.  Maybe he'll put on 15 pounds and get taller and become a beast.  

 

Maybe I'm missing a joke here, but get taller? Man's gonna be 24 years old.

[chongli]

4 hours ago, Goin Breakdown said:

Probably the wrong thread, but I keep seeing TJ graham pop up here. Was he the one who went to the jets and then laid down in the end zone to blend in on a punt?  Does anyone remember that play?

 

 

[Freddie's Dead]

$hitner instead of Ngata was the worst.  Leinart and Cutler were still on the board, so you could have traded down and gotten more picks.  You had options, and chose the worst one.

 

Picking Spiller when Bulaga was there was just brutal.

 

I forgot about how bad the TJumptomakeacatch Graham pick was, especially with Russ and Captain Kirk still on the board.

 

McGahee was a joke pick.  You don't pick a guy in the first round who won't play for a year.  Donahoe's Reign of Error was a disaster.

[NeverOutNick]

I’m driving to work so this might auto correct and sound stupid but a couple of the most memorable fails I remember are taking TJ Graham over Russell Wilson when it was clear we had interest in Wilson. I remember being so distraught after that because Russell Wilson in my opinion was a better prospect than RGIII and I remember even saying that years ago he just had such a feel for the game in college even with the transfer from NC State to Wisconsin. He didn’t miss a beat and even got better. I also absolutely hated the 2004 draft miss cues of three Hall of Fame quarterbacks going early and instead of saying Welp we missed it this year. Let’s draft best player available and move on to next year‘s class. We decide to trade up for JP Losman. The 💩 icing on the 🗑️ cake was the following year. We did not have a first round pick because of the losman trade up , and you know, with every fiber of our being that Aaron Rodgers would not have fallen to the Packers because our pick would’ve been worse than theirs, and he would’ve been our franchise quarterback, and probably have won us a Super Bowl as well. But after all the misery and heartache, since the Kelly era, we as fans  have grown stronger and more loyal and now that we have Josh Allen it’s going to be that much sweeter when we finally win it all and hoist up the Lombardi trophy