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2024 DL Class Discussion


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Whether we want to divert our attention from the WR group or not, it is likely that the Bills also have to replenish at DT and DE in the draft.  Even if the team can re-sign one of their FA at both positions (or brings in outside FA), they will still need to draft a couple of young guys.

 

Let’s discuss those prospects here.

 

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I don't trust Sweat to stay in shape.  I have Mike Williams trauma still, I guess. 

But I want to avoid the other smaller size guy as we already have Oliver and need some size up front.  

I believe DL will be round 1.  

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I know we have to replenish our DL corps but this draft makes me nervous.  From my understanding it's a weak DL class to begin with and unfortunately identifying DL talent through the draft has so far been one of Beane's weaknesses 

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3 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

I know we have to replenish our DL corps but this draft makes me nervous.  From my understanding it's a weak DL class to begin with and unfortunately identifying DL talent through the draft has so far been one of Beane's weaknesses 

 

 

Yeah you don't reach for talent in a weak draft for that position to fill needs.    That's how you end up with a Boogie Basham and miss on studs at other positions.   It's as simple as that.   If you have to roll with an Eli Ankou as one of your depth DT's then that's what you have to do.   I think the Bills should be planning on filling DL needs in UFA.   They can't shop high end but they can get some cheap rentals and if a DL they like falls their way at some point in their draft then so be it.   But this years DT3 might be next years 4th rounder.

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Think many people are in the I’d like a receiver but feel they’ll take a DLineman camp, myself included. 
 

And honestly, if they feel they can’t bring in some adequate talent via FA then the draft has got to be the solution. If either the Texas boys or Fiske are the choice then I can’t be mad. Same goes with Latu, Turner, Robinson. If that’s who they go with then so be it and let’s hope for the best. 
 

If Turner or Latu fall that far down the board, which I don’t expect, then I think we’ve found a possible solution to the pass rush. 
 

Maybe they resign AJE and Jones? Do they go WR even if the top 5 guys (MHJ, Odunze, Nabers, Thomas Jr., Coleman) are gone???  
 

🤔

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Last year my draft crush was O'Cyrus Torrence. Was elated he fell to us in the second. 

 

This year Sweat is that guy for me, only I don't see him dropping. Actually, the opposite. I'm seeing anywhere from picks 35-50 as his window. But I expect that to change leading up to the draft and for him to end up in the top 32 taken. Someone is gonna fall in love with this kid and grab him.

 

Even though I believe that to be the case I'd be skeptical about taking him at 28. However depending on what the board looks like when we're up and who else is there I'd be open to moving out of Rd 1 all together, picking up another value pick and grabbing Sweat if he's there in the later window. 

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9 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

I know we have to replenish our DL corps but this draft makes me nervous.  From my understanding it's a weak DL class to begin with and unfortunately identifying DL talent through the draft has so far been one of Beane's weaknesses 

Beane is not doing this evaluation on his own. It has been a failure of an entire scouting and player/personnel staff. But I would argue that he has hit on Groot, AJ, and Oliver. The only real miss of his high-round drafting on the DL is Boogie. Also, it is a failure that is shared with alll 32 NFL teams. Do you know that there were four DTs drafted before Chris Jones? And Jones played in the SEC, so it's not like he slipped through the cracks. One of the guys drafted before Jones was Robert Nkemdiche, who is currently in the CFL and another was former Bill Vernon Butler. Outside of a few can't-miss prospects, it is a very inexact science.

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10 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Last year my draft crush was O'Cyrus Torrence. Was elated he fell to us in the second. 

 

This year Sweat is that guy for me, only I don't see him dropping. Actually, the opposite. I'm seeing anywhere from picks 35-50 as his window. But I expect that to change leading up to the draft and for him to end up in the top 32 taken. Someone is gonna fall in love with this kid and grab him.

 

Even though I believe that to be the case I'd be skeptical about taking him at 28. However depending on what the board looks like when we're up and who else is there I'd be open to moving out of Rd 1 all together, picking up another value pick and grabbing Sweat if he's there in the later window. 

Agreed.  Weight is a legit concern but dude is a unicorn.  You don’t see guys that big who move that well.  And it’s not just about straight line speed like Jordan Davis from Georgia.  Sweat is a good athlete that makes plays.  

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26 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

unfortunately identifying DL talent through the draft has so far been one of Beane's weaknesses 


I don't agree with this statement.

As another poster said, I'd qualify Ed Oliver, Groot, and AJ as successes. Oliver is coming off a career year where he was right there among the NFL's best DTs. Groot and AJ have thus far been more modest successes, but they were taken in the late 1st and 2nd rounds, respectively. The arrow is pointing up on both.

I don't think Beane has actually really taken that many swings on D-linemen in the draft overall, and of those swings he HAS taken, only Basham was a complete bust. The rest are all useful to good NFL players.

Now if you want to say he hasn't had any SMASH successes, any out-of-the-park homeruns at DL in the draft, then I'll agree with you. 

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5 minutes ago, BuffaloRebound said:

Agreed.  Weight is a legit concern but dude is a unicorn.  You don’t see guys that big who move that well.  And it’s not just about straight line speed like Jordan Davis from Georgia.  Sweat is a good athlete that makes plays.  

Weight is subjective. If he was 6'1", a tad slender framed yes 366 would concern me.

 

But the dude holds that weight on a 6'4" wide frame. And like you said, is still athletic, moves well and makes plays. And to boot actually played over 55% of his teams defensive snaps last season...team leader among his DL group. 

 

Could he be a weight struggle candidate? Sure. He could also be a guy that an NFL weight plan helps and he ends up in that sweet 350 range. Depends a lot on the kid and his work ethic...and by all appearances he seem to have that down.

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I'm not ready for this.  I get that almost our entire defensive line are free agents, but I still have PTSD from all the drafting of defensive lineman.  

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22 minutes ago, schoolhouserock said:

Darius Robinson has the DNA the Bills always talk about. He’s got a lot to like.

I just don’t know if he is good enough at DE or DT to justify where Bills would likely need to pick him.  If he was available at 60 and you want a big strong run stopping, power rushing DE, OK, but I think he could have trouble with bull rushing NFL OTs and he doesn’t have the speed, quickness or flexibility to be much of a speed rusher.  At DT, he is pretty undersized.

 

I love the stories about his work ethic, but I would not spend pick 28 on him or trade up from 60 for him.

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I just looked up this Sweat kid...

 

DRAFT HIM NOW! We can work to help him fill out a bit more. 

 

I mean, I would settle for 360 given his athleticism. Him + Oliver would be amazing on the DL

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20 minutes ago, Virgil said:

I'm not ready for this.  I get that almost our entire defensive line are free agents, but I still have PTSD from all the drafting of defensive lineman.  

 

Perhaps, but I also have PTSD from watching opposing teams run all over us and our DL going missing at key moments.

 

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