Leods McKevlin.. Awesome...Donte Whitner...not so much

[LGB]

Mike Williams was the only 1 st round bust in the last 7 years.

2008 McKelvin is awesome

2007 Lynch, best player on the team

2006 Whitner is a decent player who we may have reached for but by no means a bust

2005 no 1st

2004 Evans good player, Ok losman sucks, so thats 2

2003 McGahee, total jerk-off but not a bust, did ok here

2002 Williams - bust

2001 Clements, very good player.

Our screw ups are more with free agency i think.

 

2006 McCargo = bust (no one wants him)

2004 JP Looseman = Bust (has any Bill turned the ball over more than JP - for their time on the field?)

2003 McGahee = bust (just ask the Ravens)

2002 Mike Williams = bust

2000 Erik Flowers = bust

 

So that is five first round busts in 8 years (I guess continuing to be 7-9 year after year is not bad either - right?)

[BrooklynBills]

Leodis is going to be a gamebreaker, which the defense desperately needs. He is all but gauranteed to be our number 1 corner next year.

 

Whitner is a good player, but he has shown that he is not in the elite level yet, or close to it really. One thing: Ed Reed and Polamaulu play FS and are much better in coverage. You rarely ever see Reed close to the line. Completely different player.

 

Whitner reminds me of Adrian Wilson from the Cards. Took him a few years to put it all together.

 

If you look at other defenses who play a similar style to ours, overall secondary play will suffer when you don't rush the QB. It's easy to find the soft spots in the zone when you have time. That's not an excuse, it's just a given. Elite players will make some plays regardless. Whitner is not elite, but he is not average or below average as some suggest.

[Bufcomments]

I'll agree with that sentiment... to a point. If Whitner were any good, he'd be making plays regardless of the front seven. As other posters have already mentioned, he's left PLENTY of plays on the field that were there for the making. This, coupled with his substandard coverage skills, leads me to believe he just ain't that good.

 

And while he likely wouldn't be considered the best safety in the game if he were on the Bills, I'm pretty certain Ed Reed would still be making huge play after huge play were he on the Bills... because he's a ridiculous talent. A stronger front seven will only make Whitner so much better. The rest is on him to provide, and I just don't think he's got it.

 

Totally agree with your thoughts

 

Whitner does not make enough game changing plays for a player drafted that high. # 8 overall

 

Ngata from the Ravens..... he was sitting there in the draft that year before Whitner.

Theres more talent than Whitner by far and we would be a far better defense with him AND Stroud in the middle

[Big Bills Fan]

No doubt Leodis is a stud and will only get better - so far it is looking like a great pick.

 

Don't forget that Whitner has been injured and it wouldn't surprise me if he is playing through some pain and will have surgery this off-season. He could be a bigger playmaker at this point in his career, but as has been pointed out, the defensive scheme and lack of a quality pass rush is likely holding him back a bit. He is versatile and has stepped in to play corner more than a few times. Polamalu, Reed, etc. all have great players and schemes around them allowing them to go out and make plays.

 

I think that he will get better with a stronger pass rush and a playmaker or two on the D. His leadership stands out right now though and will pay dividends as this team grows up. Although it didn't get big press at the time, one the keys to the 90's Bills emergence was bringing in Leonard Smith from AZ. Donte will be better than him in the long run.

 

- BBF