First day draft scenarios

[Astrobot]

Leonard is also a very good blocker. Also a very good leaper over would-be tacklers.

[Tcali]

Leonard isn't going to play FB. He's going to play RB, FB, 3rd down back, short yardage back, two back backfield back. He's got great hands. He can leap a mile. He's tough as hell.

We need a feature back. Leonard is talented but we leave ourselves with a huge void. We cant have a feature back AND him.We dont have the luxury while we need a LB, CB and DT.

[Kelly the Dog]

I agree, for another reason. It would take up 2 draft picks to get Leonard and, say, Pittman. We need those picks for other positions.

Yes and no. Obviously, you're right insofar as we have several positions we need to fill. But unless we get Peterson, and even if we get Turner or even Lynch, we still need someone that can block, we probably still need several if not all of the following: a third down back, a power back, a short yardage back, a goalline back, a split backfield back, a fullback. We have an extra 3rd round pick and frankly, I think the Leonard/Pittman combination makes a better team as long as we get a starting LB like Willis than any other player who is going to be a back-up. We have the backfield set, the starting LBs set, and the starting lines set. With the other 3rd rounder we can go WR or CB or OL or LB.

[Kelly the Dog]

We need a feature back. Leonard is talented but we leave ourselves with a huge void. We cant have a feature back AND him.We dont have the luxury while we need a LB, CB and DT.

This is only if we don't trade for Turner or draft Lynch or Peterson. Our backfield "feature back" will be a combination of A Train, Leonard and Pittman in various combinations. I could easily live with that.

[Astrobot]

Yes and no. Obviously, you're right insofar as we have several positions we need to fill. But unless we get Peterson, and even if we get Turner or even Lynch, we still need someone that can block, we probably still need several if not all of the following: a third down back, a power back, a short yardage back, a goalline back, a split backfield back, a fullback. We have an extra 3rd round pick and frankly, I think the Leonard/Pittman combination makes a better team as long as we get a starting LB like Willis than any other player who is going to be a back-up. We have the backfield set, the starting LBs set, and the starting lines set. With the other 3rd rounder we can go WR or CB or OL or LB.

 

Many of those running back needs were offensive line-related. No push. We were awful on third down, fourth down, goal line, and red zone. Snelling in the 6th or Cory Anderson in the 4th will take care of some of those needs. The other factors will be Dockery, using the same offense 2 years in a row, additional redzone WR (providing a bigger threat out wide), and a QB who now has a little more seasoning. I'd add TE in here but I'm not seeing changes there.

[Kelly the Dog]

Many of those running back needs were offensive line-related. No push. We were awful on third down, fourth down, goal line, and red zone. Snelling in the 6th or Cory Anderson in the 4th will take care of some of those needs. The other factors will be Dockery, using the same offense 2 years in a row, additional redzone WR (providing a bigger threat out wide), and a QB who now has a little more seasoning. I'd add TE in here but I'm not seeing changes there.

My argument is basically that any second and third round pick is at best 50-50. I am not all that sold, at all, on, say, a A train/Tony Hunt (or Kenny Irons) backfield. Others may be, it's just an opinion. But IMO Leonard, even if he proves to be just average as a feature back, is almost guaranteed to be pretty good at certain things, the things he does well, like catching the ball out of the backfield and short yardage. None of the 2nd and 3rd round backs to me excite me that much to think they are going to be greater than a 50-50 chance. If we take two, which I think we can afford to, there is twice as good a chance of filling our RB needs for a few years, and a slight chance to strike gold if we get lucky and both of them prove to be good.

[Astrobot]

My argument is basically that any second and third round pick is at best 50-50. I am not all that sold, at all, on, say, a A train/Tony Hunt (or Kenny Irons) backfield. Others may be, it's just an opinion. But IMO Leonard, even if he proves to be just average as a feature back, is almost guaranteed to be pretty good at certain things, the things he does well, like catching the ball out of the backfield and short yardage. None of the 2nd and 3rd round backs to me excite me that much to think they are going to be greater than a 50-50 chance. If we take two, which I think we can afford to, there is twice as good a chance of filling our RB needs for a few years, and a slight chance to strike gold if we get lucky and both of them prove to be good.

 

I totally agree with you. I think we might take a Day 1 RB and a Day 2 RB. Pittman and Leonard are probably the RD#2 choices, and they seem more palatable than the RD#3 (Lo-Book, Hunt, Irons, Bush). Bush is the wild card due to three past injury issues, and Hunt's stock has fallen. Jackie Battle may go as high as RD#3, but I suspect he's early round 4. If I had to guess on the Day 1 guy, it'd be Pittman, as he offers a good change-up from A-Train. Pittman tied Adrian Peterson and Chris Henry for fastest official 40 time, so he has the speed. He's still raw, and would need seasoning. He's a safer bet than Hunt-Irons-Bush. I have a feeling we'll be seeing Leonard in the AFC East if we don't take him (Jets-Patriots both interested).

 

On Day 2, my best guess for the Bills would be Kenneth Darby in Round 6. He ran behind one one of the worst OL's in the country and averaged 4.7 ypc, caught 70 balls, and had zero fumbles.

[jangalang]

On Day 2, my best guess for the Bills would be Kenneth Darby in Round 6. He ran behind one one of the worst OL's in the country and averaged 4.7 ypc, caught 70 balls, and had zero fumbles.

 

True true. DEFINITELY the worst OL in the country. Drafting Darby would give Buffalo two crimson tiders in the backfield though...if only we could make it 3 and bring Shaun Alexander..hmmm?