Round 2 - OT Cordy Glenn
Round 3 - WR T.J. Graham
Round 4 - OLB Nigel Bradham
- CB Ron Brooks
Round 5 - OT Zebrie Sanders
- OLB Tank Carder
Round 6 - OG Mark Asper
Round 7 - K John Potter
The Bills really revamped their team this offseason. Headlined by $100 million free agent defensive end Mario Williams, they switched their defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3. Also adding Mark Anderson, a breakout player for the Patriots last year, completes their pass rushing duo. This solidifies their defensive line as they make the transition. With an already talented secondary, the drafting of Stephon Gilmore cranks it up a notch. Finally, last year's offensive line played miserably down the stretch. Introducing Cordy Glenn, an absolute mountain of a man, to the lineup should drastically improve the overall play.
Buffalo needed an offensive tackle more than a cornerback, but they felt that none of the available players at that position were talented to warrant a top ten pick. Instead they selected an ultra-talented corner in Stephon Gilmore. A long, lean corner with great speed and fluidity, he can develop into a shutdown cover man. His physicality leads his out-muscling receivers for jump balls, but he will also come up to hit the running back. If he can improve his technique, Gilmore should be making Pro Bowls in a few years.
Glenn fell to the early second round due to uncertainty over which position he would play. After playing mostly guard his first few years at Georgia, he was forced to play left tackle his senior season. With excellent size and strength, he dominates as a road grader. However, his average get-off leads to his struggling against speed rushers. The Bills believe that more experience at left tackle will gradually improve his play at the position. Even if this experiment fails, they will still have an excellent guard or even right tackle.
Desperate for a genuine talent across from Stevie Johnson, they reached slightly for T.J. Graham, a speedy deep threat. Because he doesn't play physically, Graham is mostly limited to deep routes. Nevertheless, he does contribute as a returner on special teams. Theoretically, he's a perfect receiver to complement Johnson, but at this point, he is mostly a project.
Though already solid with linebacker depth, Buffalo probably sees Nigel Bradham as a future starter. His intriguing skill set makes him effective against both the run and pass. Athletic enough to pursue from sideline to sideline and also to drop back into coverage, Bradham could play as an every-down linebacker. He also plays physically and will wrap up fairly consistently and lay hits on the ballcarrier. In addition, while too many linebackers can be neutralized by blockers, he sheds blocks well. Though he won't start immediately, Bradham should start down the line.
The Bills drafted their second corner in the fourth round, despite taking one in the first round. However, Ron Brooks is still a talented player. Playing behind star corners like Peterson, Claiborne, and Mathieu, he saw limited time on the field. Nevertheless, he was productive when he did play, which was mostly nickel and dime packages. Aggressive, fast, and fluid, Brooks should develop into an excellent slot corner in the NFL. To add to his repertoire, he is an excellent gunner on special teams.
Zebrie Sanders shows the potential to eventually become a very good starting offensive tackle. As Florida State prefers their offensive linemen to play at leaner weights, Sanders should easily fill out his big frame in time. Adding muscle should increase his effectiveness in run blocking, his weakness at this point. An athletic specimen, he plays well for the most part in pass protection, but he could use work on his hand placement. Sanders should start for them sooner than later if he can develop quickly.
Next, they added a Tank Carder, a hard-working, blue collar player who can provide leadership in the locker room. He shows great instincts in the running game, but his limited athleticism restrict him to playing inside the box. Though he doesn't wrap up the ballcarrier very well, he can hit hard if he gets a clean shot at the player. He should be a great reserve linebacker immediately, but if he gets on the field for extensive snaps, the team is in trouble.
A good scheme fit, Mark Asper shows nice athleticism, especially with his mobility. He plays physically, but his forte is using angles to block defenders effectively. If Asper can play with better leverage, it should improve his overall level of play. He should provide nice depth for their line.
With their final pick, the Bills took a flier on a kicker. He possesses a nice, strong leg which Buffalo hopes to use on kickoffs. Potter shouldn't threaten to take over the job of Ryan Lindell, who they signed to an extension this offseason.
The additions that they made to the defense should only ease the transition as they switch schemes. They now appear to possess a nice, young corps on defense. While it's a foregone conclusion that Gilmore will start right away, Brooks might surprise and contribute early as well. Indeed, though Bradham isn't expected to see the field much this year, he could soon see action at weakside linebacker. On offense, Buffalo really solidified their line by adding two guys with starting-caliber talent. T.J. Graham could become decent in time. The Bills drafted well, and it could pay dividends as soon as this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment