Would we have picked someone other than Mckelvin if....

[keepthefaith]

I think there were a variety of factors in McKelvin's selection and most have been hit on in this thread. The fact of the matter is the guy is a sick athlete and when the game slows down for him he's gonna be amazing.

 

I remember a lot of people really bagging on McGee when he was tossed in there under fire and he's turned out to be a very good CB.

 

You can never have enough corners.

 

Dick Jauron

[ax4782]

Smart teams look ahead to next years needs due to end of season FA's on the team. A finer point of drafting that many people on this board don't understand.

 

If Youboty was playing like he is now last year they may not have seen it as a big enough need to spend a first rounder on.

 

On this point however, you are absolutely right. The team is playing is very smart in the draft by looking not only at the needs we have now, but planning for the future. That is how teams like Dallas and the Patriots of recent times have been able to get to the top and stay there. They draft not only for their current needs but for the future.

 

Buffalo had a bad habit of not doing that under TD, though since Marv and Brandon have been in charge that mindset has seemed to disappear. Now, however, Buffalo's draft strategy has paid off. The pass D has been much more solid this season, albeit in two games, and the FA additions have been huge in bottling up the run game. We're ranked as the #5 D going into this weekend, and somehow, I get the feeling that D-Mac isn't going to have the same type of game against us that he had last week.

[Tim Anderson's Lunch Pail]

This is a really interesting question. I have taken another look at the draft to see how it played out.

 

Even if we knew Youboty would be this good, I think they would have taken McKelvin simply because of the value at pick 11. He could have gone as early as 7.

 

Now, if they weren't enamored with McKelvin, their only other option would have been to trade down a little and select a WR (Devin Thomas) or another CB (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Aquib Talib, and then vice versa in round two.

 

I think the draft played out exceptionally for the Bills and they still would not have changed anything - although I'm still a believer that they were lucky Hardy fell to them in the second.

[kota]

I think the Bills went with best player available and it happened to be a CB. It works out because i don't think Greer is going to gone next year to another team. Mcgee isn't getting any younger. You need 3 good CB's with backups nowadays anyway.

[oak tree 12]

Would we have picked someone other than Mckelvin if we knew Youboty would step up so dramatically and went from zero to hero? Because when the 08 draft happened, we all thought that Youboty was done for and we would never see him in a bills uniform come september. But now here he is as one of the biggest surprise players. And we have more DBs than any other position we have. I think the chances of us trading down would have been bigger, maybe going after a better TE or maybe taking hardy with another high ranking WR. Because right now there doesnt seem to be even any space for him as a starter even if he was ready. which he might be. thoughts?

 

first off you can never have enough good corners espicially playing NE twice each year.

 

secondly you never draft for need if you do you will fail 95%of the time you always pick the best available player according to your board no matter what position.

 

thank god the bills do it right and your not running our draft room modrak and DJ are and i'm loving it

[SuperKillerRobots]

This is a really interesting question. I have taken another look at the draft to see how it played out.

 

Even if we knew Youboty would be this good, I think they would have taken McKelvin simply because of the value at pick 11. He could have gone as early as 7.

 

Now, if they weren't enamored with McKelvin, their only other option would have been to trade down a little and select a WR (Devin Thomas) or another CB (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Aquib Talib, and then vice versa in round two.

 

I think the draft played out exceptionally for the Bills and they still would not have changed anything - although I'm still a believer that they were lucky Hardy fell to them in the second.

 

I think they were surprised when Jacksonville traded up for Harvey at 8?. If they were both there I bet they would have taken Harvey over McKelvin.

[lets_go_bills]

McKelvin was the right pick. We needed CBs. Greer will probably walk and get a decent deal elsewhere. Youboty has found a spot as an effective nickel CB, but I'm not sure how he would far as a starter. McKelvin was drafted to be a shutdown guy, and we need those.

[Lurker]

I remember a lot of people really bagging on McGee when he was tossed in there under fire and he's turned out to be a very good CB.

McGee continues to get better each season, IMO. He finally seems to understand the position. His deal is up in two years, and he's likely to get a big FA offer as well.

[DanInUticaTampa]

first off you can never have enough good corners espicially playing NE twice each year.

 

secondly you never draft for need if you do you will fail 95%of the time you always pick the best available player according to your board no matter what position.

 

thank god the bills do it right and your not running our draft room modrak and DJ are and i'm loving it

 

 

Well, there are many factors that decide how to pick them. If you always pick the best available player, that won't work either. What if the best available player was a running back? Do we need to pay two RBs that big of money? especially when we have jackson as well? What if we drafted a Rb in the first round, then when we drafted in 2nd round the best available player is an RB? and the same happens happens in round three where the best available is an RB? You get three RBs that you don't need. When people say "draft the best available" there is always wiggle room. And yes, you do draft need sometimes. If you don't, you will fail. What if you team has no QB, but every time you pick the best player available is never a QB? you are going to have to compermise to get a QB, because you need a QB. If you need a position, you better draft it at some point. You can pick all the "best available" you want, but if you are missing a position, your team can't play.

[cfbillsfan]

I think he is talking about Keith Rivers, not Philip. Anyway, the linebacker Rivers was gone when the Bills picked anyway.

 

 

DITTO.

 

As a side note, I work with Rivers' uncle. Nice guy.

 

Word.

 

GO BILLS!

[MRW]

Well, there are many factors that decide how to pick them. If you always pick the best available player, that won't work either. What if the best available player was a running back? Do we need to pay two RBs that big of money? especially when we have jackson as well? What if we drafted a Rb in the first round, then when we drafted in 2nd round the best available player is an RB? and the same happens happens in round three where the best available is an RB? You get three RBs that you don't need. When people say "draft the best available" there is always wiggle room. And yes, you do draft need sometimes. If you don't, you will fail. What if you team has no QB, but every time you pick the best player available is never a QB? you are going to have to compermise to get a QB, because you need a QB. If you need a position, you better draft it at some point. You can pick all the "best available" you want, but if you are missing a position, your team can't play.

I don't think "best available" is generally so clear a determination that it makes the scenarios you describe likely. I would argue that when it is, if you're absolutely convinced that there's one player who is head and shoulders above everyone else available at that slot, you should take him (if for instance you have one player rated 95/100 and everyone else is mid-80s). If it's close (as I would imagine it generally is) then some weight would be given to the fact that you have, for instance, two quality RBs but no WRs.

 

I think glaring holes on the roster should be addressed in FA with at least adequate NFL-level talent, and you should never be approaching the draft from a position of need.

[BuffaloBlood]

Should've picked Rivers in hindsight, knowing (1) Crowell is done, (2) Youboty and Corner can play.

Wasnt Rivers picked at #9?

[lets_go_bills]

Rivers was gone by the time we picked. But I do remember during all the pre-draft hoopla, that many draft pundits had Rivers as one of the guys we could pick.

[Bill from NYC]

Would we have picked someone other than Mckelvin if we knew Youboty would step up so dramatically and went from zero to hero?

 

Of course not! Jauron would have selected McKelvin even if the Bills had a top 5 pick.

If Jauron proved one thing in his 3 drafts, it is that his primary focus is the secondary. Despite this, the stars of this football team consist primarily of players who were drafted or traded for (and of course Peters) that are NOT defensive backs. People might want to call Whitner a star, but he must make more plays to prove it to me.

 

Assuming (big assumption) the Bills extend the contract of Evans, Jauron will almost certainly draft a 1st round safety in 09, and another first round corner wouldn't come as even a small surprise.

[Lori]

I think there were a variety of factors in McKelvin's selection and most have been hit on in this thread. The fact of the matter is the guy is a sick athlete and when the game slows down for him he's gonna be amazing.

 

I remember a lot of people really bagging on McGee when he was tossed in there under fire and he's turned out to be a very good CB.

I'd be one of them, because visions of the Lions' Roy Williams are still scorched into my retinas.

 

Agreed, McGee has gotten much better since then. Here's hoping he gets Russell to make it three weeks in a row with a pick...

[Pete]

Should've picked Rivers in hindsight, knowing (1) Crowell is done, (2) Youboty and Corner can play.

how is Rivers playing?

[BillsVet]

Buffalo's top 3 CB's all have contracts up before 2009. McGee and Youboty after next season, with Greer up after this year.

 

That may have factored into the decision to draft McKelvin, but it's probably minor as compared with the value he had at 11th. Any decent front office understands that they can't retain every player on their team, especially when the team works with a salary cap, or in the Bills case, C2C.

 

McKelvin will be looked to replace a CB at some point, either next season or 2010. My guess is he'll rotate in eventually, and Buffalo will choose among McGee, Youboty, or Greer. Perhaps two, but not all of them will be re-signed.

[Bill from NYC]

Buffalo's top 3 CB's all have contracts up before 2009. McGee and Youboty after next season, with Greer up after this year.

 

That may have factored into the decision to draft McKelvin, but it's probably minor as compared with the value he had at 11th. Any decent front office understands that they can't retain every player on their team, especially when the team works with a salary cap, or in the Bills case, C2C.

 

McKelvin will be looked to replace a CB at some point, either next season or 2010. My guess is he'll rotate in eventually, and Buffalo will choose among McGee, Youboty, or Greer. Perhaps two, but not all of them will be re-signed.

 

All true. Otoh, how old is Stroud? When is his contract up? And, who else do we have at DT? Williams? He might look a bit different without Stroud on the field, ya know? We also need a good center, as well as a TE and more guards. Our DEs are not young.

 

The Bills need to focus on other positions, and jauron has to, at some point, stop chasing defensive backs. Ya think he will?

[murra]

how is Rivers playing?

 

He held out till August 5th. So he hasn't gotten any playing time I don't think. He's on the Bengals, so he'll probably make an impact immediately.

[Guest dog14787]

Good bang for yer buck

 

 

When a CB goes in the first round, CB's have proven to have a better chance of reaching elite status, per their position than most other positions when chosen in the 1st round.

 

I wasn't happy at the time, but couldn't be happier now because you better have good DB's in this league or you are going nowhere.