The 2013 season is over and the Bills finish another year without a playoff berth. However for a team that finished 6-10 there are surprisingly few holes. The only holes I really see are LG, RT and ILB, the other positions just need pieces to complement what they currently have. The Bills can use this draft to focus on building the team up and end the playoff drought.
In the 1st round the Bills can go one of two directions. One they can address the linebacker position by getting either Khalil Mack from Buffalo or CJ Mosley from Alabama. Or, they can give EJ Manuel a weapon in Eric Ebron or Austin-Sefarian Jenkins. Ebron gives the Bills a Vernon Davis-like weapon at TE while ASJ gives them a Gronk which is just super scary. Both of them would help develop EJ along quite well and both could be picked up by trading back to accumulate more picks. If I were the Bills, I would go defense. My view is this team will be just like the Seahawks, Niners and early Big-Ben Steelers that is built around a strong defense and running game. Mack if available would be who I would pick because he would give the Bills an elite talent at linebacker to go with Kiko, Super Mario and Jerry Hughes.
In the 2nd round, the focus should be on offense. The plan should be to get a big LG or to get a playmaking WR who is taller than anyone currently on the Bills (which isn’t saying much). For LG they can choose from Cyril Richardson from Baylor who is a massive 6’5 350 pounds and has played many positions on the line, or a Gabe Jackson from Mississippi State who is 6’4 340. Both players are mammoths and with Head Coach Doug Marrone preaching big, are perfect for what he wants. In the playmaking WR the two names that come to mind are Allen Robinson and Jordan Matthews. Both are 6’3, good route runners and give the Bills a physical presence on the outside. Plus Jordan Matthews is Jerry Rice’s cousin which means he can play. If I had to choose I would pick either Cyril or Gabe and give the Bills an upgrade at LG which will keep EJ upright and help the run game which struggled at time.
For the 3rd round the only two players that are of interest to me are TE CJ Fiedorowicz from Iowa and WR Donte Moncrief from Ole Miss. Both of them are not elite talents which will cause them to drop in the draft but both possess a size which the Bills lack. In CJ’s case, he stands at a massive 6’6 and is the best run-blocking TE of this draft, plus he can catch. Also he went to Iowa which means him, Tony Moeaki and Scott Chandler (assuming he resigns) can all do the Iowa fight song together. Moncrief is 6’4 and while not possessing elite speed is a good receiving threat at least in the red zone. If I had to pick, I would choose CJ since he would help upgrade the TE position plus he would improve the run game which is the bread and butter of the Bills offense.
In the 4th-7th rounds the Bills should be focusing on developmental prospects. They can range from offensive lineman to CBs, pretty much guys with upside that can at least help in special teams. Marrone is an oline guy and I’m sure there is some RT out there that can be that diamond in the rough he can coach up. One player that should be looked at is James Wilder Jr from FSU, not only is he the best player in this draft (no bias there of course), but he is a power back which is what Hackett wants. Overall the last couple of rounds should be finding those guys who can contribute a little at first but can develop into big players in the future.
If the Bills knock this out of the ballpark, they will upgrade the line and help build an already great defense into something special. If it works, watch out AFC.
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