Running Bills Draft Grade

[K-gunner]

On the whole i would say a solid B. Defense wins...especially ones that get takeaways.The Bill's D needed a influx of young talent and i think the got it.It's not like we were one player away from going to the SB anyway..

[bschmoove]

My nerves have settled.

I say B-.

Donte is an immediate starter. McCargo, Youboty and Simpson all have a chance to be studs and will help the defense climb out of the cellar The three d-backs set us up with possibly dominant defensive backfield for years to come.

[Brandon]

The one position I'm really concerned about coming out of this draft is DE. The lack of pass rushing talent was a problem anyway, but the Bills have only five DEs on the roster, two of which appear to be camp fodder. That's cutting it pretty thin at that position and the Bills need to make the position a priority when signing undrafted FAs.

[Orton's Arm]

I do not think this is outlandsish as the talent we have starting here probably exceeds what JMac had to work with in NYG when he turned a crew led by former Bills Glenn Parker and Dusty Ziegler into a crew that played a big role in getting them to the SB.

Hopefully you're as familiar with why McNally and his head coach were fired as you are with their earlier Super Bowl success. The Giants were one of several teams Dr. Z listed as having collapsed due to an offensive line collapse. The pattern was this: no talent on the offensive line led to the offense as a whole getting shut down. Because of this, the defense was on the field too often, got tired, and gave up too many points. The Giants acted as though McNally was such a good offensive line coach he could turn straw into gold. No offensive line coach is that good, not even McNally.

 

I realize there were a lot of holes on this roster, and that they couldn't all be filled in just one draft. That said, I hope Marv and company are smart enough to know that you can't build an offensive line without talent, and that sometimes you have to invest first day draft picks to get that talent. Apparently, this was the year to fix the defense. Next year, we'd better address the offensive line.

[K-gunner]

The Giants acted as though McNally was such a good offensive line coach he could turn straw into gold. No offensive line coach is that good, not even McNally.

 

As did the former regime...and i agree 100%.

[The Jokeman]

1A Donte Whitner: B- As a player Whitner was clearly the second best SS in the entire draft behind Huff. Yet as many have pointed out he wasn't worth the 8th overall pick in the draft. I think it's a good pick but not a good value pick where he was selected.

 

1B John McCargo: B- McCargo has to answer a lot of questions, mostly was he a product of the success of Mario Williams and/or Manny Lawson or was he as good as he ranked. Not to mention I would have preferred a DT that compliments Larry Tripplett's abilities not mirrors them. Yet talent wise many reports feel McCargo could be a Pro Bowler.

 

3 Ashton Youboty CB: B+ Youboty was a BPA selection and considering the questions around Nate's long term time here it was a good one. At the very least should be an improvement over Jabani Greer or Eric King at nickel/dime DB.

 

4 Ko Simpson S: B+ Should be able to repalce an aged Troy Vincent as early as 2007. Probably the best value pick of the entire draft.

 

5A Kyle Williams DT: C+ I'll admit Williams was low on my list as felt he was a high motor DT kind of like Jeff Zgonina and was was someone I didn't want. Though because we already got McCarge think Williams was a great depth guy to add but we might have been better off addressing our O-line with this pick.

 

5B Brad Butler OT: C Missing out on Jonathan Scott angered me and to me Butler might never be more than a career backup but for that's not bad for a 5th Round pick I suppose.

 

6 Keith Ellison LB C: His scouting report reminded me of Marlo Perry, in that Ellison will likely be nothing more than a nickel/depth LB. Not bad for a 6th Rounder but with OGs like Mutua and Mark Setterstrom still available at this point would have looked elsewhere.

 

7A: Terrance Pennington OT C Just another body for camp, might turn into a career backup.

 

7B: Aaron Merz OG C- I don't like big guards instead give me an athletic guy.

 

Overall grade: B- I think we got talented players in the first five picks but afterwards seems like we just went through the motions and really didn't address our needs on the O-line at all despite coming away with three players.

[njbillsfan]

At the moment i agree with the D's and C's. But this pick seems to be trying to draft all guys who would be top 15 if they stayed in school a year later. That doesnt work for round 7 guys but most round seveners never get any worth. I want to see what these players look like in a year before you give it a real grade. For this season its a D-. But for the long run these may be some great picks.

[bschmoove]

1A Donte Whitner: B- As a player Whitner was clearly the second best SS in the entire draft behind Huff. Yet as many have pointed out he wasn't worth the 8th overall pick in the draft. I think it's a good pick but not a good value pick where he was selected.

 

1B John McCargo: B- McCargo has to answer a lot of questions, mostly was he a product of the success of Mario Williams and/or Manny Lawson or was he as good as he ranked. Not to mention I would have preferred a DT that compliments Larry Tripplett's abilities not mirrors them. Yet talent wise many reports feel McCargo could be a Pro Bowler.

 

3 Ashton Youboty CB: B+ Youboty was a BPA selection and considering the questions around Nate's long term time here it was a good one. At the very least should be an improvement over Jabani Greer or Eric King at nickel/dime DB.

4 Ko Simpson S: B+ Should be able to repalce an aged Troy Vincent as early as 2007. Probably the best value pick of the entire draft.

   

5A Kyle Williams  DT: C+ I'll admit Williams was low on my list as felt he was a high motor DT kind of like Jeff Zgonina and was was someone I didn't want. Though because we already got McCarge think Williams was a great depth guy to add but we might have been better off addressing our O-line with this pick.

 

5B Brad Butler OT: C Missing out on Jonathan Scott angered me and to me Butler might never be more than a career backup but for that's not bad for a 5th Round pick I suppose.

 

6  Keith Ellison LB C: His scouting report reminded me of Marlo Perry, in that Ellison will likely be nothing more than a nickel/depth LB. Not bad for a 6th Rounder but with OGs like Mutua and Mark Setterstrom still available at this point would have looked elsewhere. 

 

7A: Terrance Pennington OT C Just another body for camp, might turn into a career backup.

 

7B:  Aaron Merz OG C- I don't like big guards instead give me an athletic guy.

 

Overall grade: B- I think we got talented players in the first five picks but afterwards seems like we just went through the motions and really didn't address our needs on the O-line at all despite coming away with three players.

678916[/snapback]

 

I think King is valuable and though he's got some work to do, he has flashes of Winfield and can step in and make a play.

Let's face it, Jauron's Bears won games on defense and I'd say if the Bills can muster up a D 75 percent as good, they still have a better offense than the playoff Bears did. Jauron must've convinced Marv and Modrak of this and the plan was exercised to its fullest.

While the picks weren't as flashy as many of us may have liked, the defense is going to be killer in the next few years if McCargo can show us why the front office went for him.

I will say I liked the Eagles draft. If the Bills would have made the same picks, many of us may have given the Bills an A.

[Pyrite Gal]

Hopefully you're as familiar with why McNally and his head coach were fired as you are with their earlier Super Bowl success.  The Giants were one of several teams Dr. Z listed as having collapsed due to an offensive line collapse.  The pattern was this: no talent on the offensive line led to the offense as a whole getting shut down.  Because of this, the defense was on the field too often, got tired, and gave up too many points.  The Giants acted as though McNally was such a good offensive line coach he could turn straw into gold.  No offensive line coach is that good, not even McNally.

 

I realize there were a lot of holes on this roster, and that they couldn't all be filled in just one draft.  That said, I hope Marv and company are smart enough to know that you can't build an offensive line without talent, and that sometimes you have to invest first day draft picks to get that talent.  Apparently, this was the year to fix the defense.  Next year, we'd better address the offensive line.

678893[/snapback]

 

I think it is yet another sigh of the draft psychosis which has been intensified by ESPN wal to wall coverage and by fantasy leagues that folks simply place too much importance on he draft as a team building tool.

 

Do not get me wrong because it is important. Good players have to come from somewhere and good players get drafted. However, as far as team building goes, the draft is primarily a restraint of trade mechanism developed by the owners and agreed to by the vets as a means of avoiding a free market which would result in tons of vets getting cut.

 

The draft is simply one means of player acqusition which along with FA signings, UDFAs, trades and any other contractual mechanisms must all be used and balanced appropriately to build a team..

 

I mean on the face of it, trades and compensation causing some additional picks, teams are now like never before quite capable of turning the team around in a year and actually moving from the toilet to going deep in the playoffs in a couple of years like never before. The draft provides most teams with 7-8 players as a % of a 45=40 man operating roster. Even after two years it is less than a 1/3 of the team and as players begin to get cut big time after the third year on the team the draft even further diminishes as a team building tool.

 

This teamtried to build an OL through the draft and ended up with failures like MW, the injury prone Jennings and camp fodder like Sullivan and Pacillo. Through the acquistion of cut rate FAs like Reyes and Fowler, UDFAs like Peters, amd FAs Villarial and Gandy I would not be suprised to finally see some better results. LMac strikes me as havimg a better or at least comparable set of starters as a crew he already fashioned into a group which like it or not as far as folks theories go did make it to the SB.

 

My recollection of the demise of the Jints from their moment of achievement is not clear. I became famiiliar with some of it because thanks to Larry Felser there was word of JMac coming here well before he left the Jints.

 

My recollection is that the meltdown there was not simply OL focused but Fassel losing control of the entire team. The O problems were not ladeled unto JMAcs plate but Fassel took the unusual step of relieving Sean Peyton the OC of all play calling duties this indicates to me broader issues than just the OL.

 

Also part of the OL problem and running game problems were not the blocking scheme but Tiki having a bad habit of laying the ball on the carpet fpr a season oe so umto; someone worked with him to adjust his arm angle and the problem was solved.

 

Felser kept pointing out the limited experience which fisr Vinklarek and then Ruel brought to the team as OL position coaches and comparing that to the double digit experience of the OL coaches of the last umpteen SB winners. He pointed out consistently that JMac had 25 years of experience, SB berths and thousand yard rushers with the Bengals and Jints and suggested that perhaps he could be gotten since his parents were old and lived in JMacs hometown of Kenmore when his contract emded with the Jints in a year or so.

 

Overall, my sense was that JMac was out the door on his own and though obviously involved with NYGs (you cannot recognize his successes without also at least explaining the failures and vice versa) demise his work and the OL play were not the lead cause of this.

[The Jokeman]

I think King is valuable and though he's got some work to do, he has flashes of Winfield and can step in and make a play.

Let's face it, Jauron's Bears won games on defense and I'd say if the Bills can muster up a D 75 percent as good, they still have a better offense than the playoff Bears did. Jauron must've convinced Marv and Modrak of this and the plan was exercised to its fullest.

While the picks weren't as flashy as many of us may have liked, the defense is going to be killer in the next few years if McCargo can show us why the front office went for him.

I will say I liked the Eagles draft. If the Bills would have made the same picks, many of us may have given the Bills an A.

678936[/snapback]

I think we did well at addressing our needs on Defense but it feel we completely ignored the needs on O. As to me on D we needed to come away with a SS and starter at DT. We did that with Whitner and McCargo and even added a quality depth guy like Williams and looks like landed an eventual replacement for Vincent in Simpson. So I was very happy with our picks on D. Though on O I would have liked to land a lineman or two with the potential to start in a year or two when the likes of Villariall and Gandy might not be here.

[Lurker]

Overall grade: B-

 

Got 2-3 immediate contributors, which is good for any draft class. Lots of potential that now has to be turned into production. Lack of help for the O-line is only glaring (and I mean glaring) weakness.

 

Mort's meltdown elevates this from a C+ as well

[K-gunner]

Overall grade:  B-

 

Got 2-3 immediate contributors, which is good for any draft class.  Lots of potential that now has to be turned into production.  Lack of help for the O-line is only glaring (and I mean glaring) weakness.

 

Mort's meltdown elevates this from a C+ as well 

678975[/snapback]

 

He really loved TD...really.What a bitter poo boy..

[Lurker]

That goes without saying, of course!!

675089[/snapback]

I'd say its the water in WNY thats responsible.

[buffaloboyinATL]

Judging the players that we got, not neccesarily hwen we got them, I give us a B. We have greatly improved our D in my opinion and is a good start. B+ or higher would have required a better OL pick but all in all I'm pretty happy.

[Commander]

I give your Running Bills Draft Guide final grades an F.

 

1. Donte Whitner = D

1. John McCargo = C-

3. Ashton Youboty = B-

4. Ko Simpson = B

5. Kyle Williams = C

5. Brad Butler = F

6. Keith Ellison = Incomplete, no opinion

7. Terrance Pennington = Incomplete, no opinion

7. Aaaron Merz = Incomplete, no opinion

 

Overall Grade: D+

 

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2006 PICKS

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---DONTE WHITNER:

Surprise! The Bills must've watched the playoffs and saw how Troy Polamalu could affect a game and decided to get one of their own.  I have nothing personal against Donte Whitner.  In fact, I like him as a player A LOT.  Here's a link to a post I made TWO WEEKS AGO praising a mock draft in which the Bills trade down and select Whitner at #17 overall: http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showt...5195&hl=Whitner .  The key there, though, is TRADE DOWN for value.  Remember, Ed Reed was picked #24 overall while Polamalu was picked at #16 overall, and now Whitner has gone #8 overall.  Look, Whitner is going to become a very good safety if healthy but he needs to become an All-Pro like Polamalu to justify this pick at #8 overall with no trade downs.  With Philly and Denver both trying to trade up, we should've went ahead and accepted even a third rounder to trade down and still pick up Whitner for less salary; also, not that he has a great history of being right, but John Clayton reports that we could've gotten an extra second-rounder out of the trade from one of these teams...I would've loved to have picked up an extra second in a deep draft.  Furthermore, Whitner had a knee injury his sophomore year that required a scope and kept him out of a couple of games.  If you want to draft a slightly undersized safety in the top 10, I would want him to have a 100% perfect bill of health.  After initially grading this pick an F, I've decided that it's too harsh a grade; an "F" should mean bad positioning AND player.  Whitner is a very good player (but again, needs to become an All-Pro) that anyone who watched OSU saw was all over the field making plays, BUT the Bills didn't leverage the value of their draft position.  Still, the huge positive out of this pick is that we should never have to see Matt Bowen or Coy Wire as a starting safety in our lineup.  Whitner is also allegedly a great leader and hard-working person with much character, something that we need in the locker room and can't be assessed by just watching games.

 

---JOHN MCCARGO:

McCargo has pretty good upside and fits the Cover 2 well with his quickness.  This wasn't a reach; I think the first round is where most teams that use small defenses have him slotted.  I have nothing against John McCargo but again, I have a problem with the strategy we used on this pick. I hate that we traded away a third rounder in a deep draft to move up and get him.  If it were up to me, I would've kept that pick and let the draft come to me at #42 overall; if McCargo didn't fall to 42, take offensive line help instead and then use both third rounders on the defensive line.  There are other good DTs out there that fit our defense.  I like Jonathan Lewis a lot... Jesse Mahelona... we didn't NEED McCargo enough right then and there to trade up for him when you balance that choice against our MULTIPLE roster holes and a deep draft.  When a draft is deep and you have multiple holes, you want to preserve and gain as many picks as possible, and I think the Bills did a poor job with that with both the Whitner and McCargo picks.  Furthermore, as with Whitner, McCargo does not have a clean bill of health and it remains to be seen if he can be durable in the NFL at his position.  Note also that McCargo likely will not start but rather rotate with Tripplett at the 3-tech/undertackle position.  We still need to find ourselves a more stout 1-tech/overtackle/nose type DT from this draft.  Because McCargo does address the lines, and because we're not screwing up with a top 10 pick, this second round grade is a bit higher than the first round grade.

 

---ASHTON YOUBOTY

This pick was pretty good value because of Youboty's upside.  He has the good size/speed/athleticism that people look for in a CB and is a good hitter but at the same time, let's not overrate this kid.  He's boom or bust--good upside, but he could become a complete flop as well (unlike Whitner, who will at least be good).  He really isn't a first round value based on game play and it'll probably be awhile before he can be trusted to make good reads in a cover 2 zone scheme.  OSU fans can attest that he had a much better sophomore year than junior year, and actually, some teams in '05 (i.e. Minnesota) specifically picked on him all game long for big plays.  He's a project, which is fine because he comes from a good lineage (OSU DBs), and because we have time to develop him behind Clements, McGee, and King.  I don't like ignoring the offensive line the first day, though.  Cornerback is the deepest position in this draft and we could've gotten a good prospect in the second day especially since it's not a pressing concern for us like the lines are.  That needs to be taken into account when you grade this pick.

 

---KO SIMPSON

Well, it's quite obvious that the Bills are unhappy with how Vincent and Bowen/Wire project long-term to being Cover 2 safeties (as they should be).  Simpson is a good value pick, period, even though this isn't an immediate need for the Bills.  Very good upside and ball skills, but as with Youboty, his impact will probably be a couple of seasons down the line after he gets used to zone concepts.

 

---KYLE WILLIAMS

Blah.  They just drafted Tim Anderson again, which isn't terrible.  Anderson's not a BAD player and neither is Kyle Williams.  Great motor, durability, and intangibles.  I was just hoping to get somebody with good upside.

 

---BRAD BUTLER

Yuck.  No upside whatsoever.

 

---KEITH ELLISON

No opinion

 

---TERRANCE PENNINGTON

No opinion

 

---AARON MERZ

No opinion

674625[/snapback]

[Orton's Arm]

I think it is yet another sigh of the draft psychosis which has been intensified by ESPN wal to wall coverage and by fantasy leagues that folks simply place too much importance on he draft as a team building tool.

 

I disagree. Take any Super Bowl team. Most of that team's core players will have come from the draft. Yes, there are times when you can use free agency to plug a hole, or to use aging (but still productive) veterans like Rodney Harrison to push you over the top. Sometimes, you can even get a top-tier free agent in the prime of his career, as the Vikings did when they signed Antoine Winfield. But it's rare for players of that caliber to hit free agency while they're in the primes of their careers. Orlando Pace has never seen free agency. Neither has Jonathan Ogden. While you might be lucky enough to sign one or two Antoine Winfields, you won't be able to do much more than that, because there are too few Antoine Winfields, and too many teams trying to sign them.

 

You are, of course, welcome to try to prove me wrong. Find one team--just one--that went to the Super Bowl, and that found half or more of its core players via free agency.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

Draft grade is an A. All selections were made in the proper order, looks like all picks came from viable football programs, pissed a few crazies off.

[syhuang]

Thanks for the grading, which means absolutely nothing before any of the rookes plays a NFL game.

 

By the way, my lucky 8 ball says "wait for 3 seasons and then grade the draft class".

[Ozymandius]

Thanks for the grading, which means absolutely nothing before any of the rookes plays a NFL game. 

 

By the way, my lucky 8 ball says "wait for 3 seasons and then grade the draft class".

679086[/snapback]

 

Let's hope you don't ever make any judgements about any these players before 2009, or else you'd be a big hypocrite. This draft sucked a$$.

[Kelly the Dog]

Let's hope you don't ever make any judgements about any these players before 2009, or else you'd be a big hypocrite.  This draft sucked a$$.

679104[/snapback]

Would you willing to bet $100 that three years from now you are sure that Whitner, McCargo, Youbouty, Simpson et al suck ass?