Two Bills Drive

‘Of Williams, Bills’ president/general manager Tom Donahoe enthused, “He’s a large, agile, tough individual who adds chemistry to our football team.” Indeed, personality was seemingly one factor that pushed him ahead of McKinnie.’

‘”We never got a call,” said an almost incredulous Buffalo president/general manager Tom Donahoe, who quickly added, “and we never made one.”‘

‘”If you want a quality football team in Buffalo, it starts with the offensive line,” Donahoe said. “It makes the whole team better. You look at teams that are quality teams year in and year out and it usually starts with the offensive line.”‘

‘”I felt like they wouldn’t have made that pick if they didn’t think I could do it,” Reed said. “They showed some belief in me so now I’m going to have to show some belief in myself.”‘

‘”It feels great to be selected by such a good team.”

‘”It feels great to be selected by such a good team,” Reed said. “It’s been a long day, an anxious day. I’m really happy that it finally came in and the way it came in.”‘

‘Reed is in the NFL. And the Bills are thrilled to have him. “He’s tough, and he’s going to give you a full day’s work,” said Tom Modrak, the Bills’ director of football operations. “He’ll sneak deep on you. . . . He knows how to get open.”‘

‘”I went out there (to Buffalo) and it was a great trip,” Denney said. “I talked to each coach individually. They said there’ll be an opening at left defensive and, and if I came there, I’d have a chance at that position. “I liked the trip out there. If I hadn’t gone, I’d be a little preoccupied about (playing for Buffalo). But they have great coaches that are defensive-minded.”‘

‘Although ESPN mistakenly used a photo of his younger brother, John, when announcing the pick, Denney was thrilled to wind up in Buffalo, where team officials told him he will have a chance to compete for significant playing time at left end — particularly in running situations. The Bills need somebody to fill the void left by the retirement of Phil Hansen, and they made a trade with San Francisco to move up and take Denney.’

‘A short time later, Denney was fielding a phone call from the Pittsburgh Steelers, who informed him the team was set to select him with its No. 62 pick. But thanks to call-waiting, that conversation was interrupted by another call — this one from the Buffalo Bills, announcing they would pick Denney at No. 61.’

‘Williams, who grew up outside Dallas, has never spent any extended time in the snow belt. That’s why the first postdraft advice he received, Williams said, “was to buy an SUV.”‘

‘When the Buffalo area media asked Williams to describe his style of play, he said, “I’ve got a mean streak on the field. I want to dominate every man I go against. “That’s what I’ve been doing, and that’s what I plan to be doing.”‘

‘Texas offensive lineman Mike Williams knew he would go high in the NFL draft, but not higher than teammate Quentin Jammer.’

‘Mike Williams missed his guess but earned perpetual bragging rights on former Texas teammate Quentin Jammer.’

‘”I simply wasn’t going to give up a pick in this year’s draft for a guy we never even got the chance to talk to,” Donahoe said. “That’s just not practical. We didn’t know if Drew would even have reported to us. They never gave us the chance to ask him.”‘