Why it’s OK to be happy with EJ Manuel.

I’ll first start off by saying EJ was the most intriguing QB in this draft and he’s the guy I wanted to the Bills to go after (in the 2nd round).

1. He’s a big quick QB.
2. His mobility is going to make things tough on opposing defenses especially when they’re running the hurry up.
3. He’s a high character guy, he can lead the locker room from day one. We need a guy on offense who can do that. CJ, and Stevie are not those guys.
4. He’s got a great arm, he can sling it deep and he can put touch on it, this is a total 180 from Fitz and Trent. He can also make quick decisions and get rid of the ball fast, huge plus for our screen game.
5. The Bills liked him enough to ensure no other team got the chance to take him from underneath us.

It’s a bold move any many will say this is another botched pick by the Bills – being the only team to take QB in round 1 you could say we reached. I think the Bills believe they got their franchise guy, and I am on board for taking risks when you think that highly of a player.

Now if EJ isn’t the guy under center in Week 1, we can all throw rocks at Buddy Nix. I’m excited it’s officially a new era.

My Draft Wishlist

My thoughts on the 2013 Draft and what the Bills need to do to continue to improve and move forward.

1. If you have the chance to take an impact player you do it. If that impact player fills a hole on your team you have to do it.
Both Jarvis Jones (OLB/Georgia) and Chance Warmack (G/Alabama) have the build and skill set to be Pro Bowl players in this league for a long time to come. They can also contribute from day 1. If the Bills don’t feel the same way about any QB you simply can’t pass on these guys to reach.

2. This is wear you take the best QB available. And that’s probably going to be EJ Manuel (QB/FSU) I honestly don’t believe the gap between Nassib/Smith and Manuel is that big. Manuel has the tools, he’s got the work ethic and I believe he can lead a team as well as any QB in this draft.

3. In a WR deep draft you have the opportunity to add solid contributor in the 3rd round. Either Da’Rick Rogers (WR/Tenn) orAaron Dobson (WR/Marshall) could be available at this spot, both come at 6’3″, have solid speed (around 4.45) and could fill Donald Jones spot nicely.

4. Another deep position in the draft is safety it’s also a spot the Bills may need to sure up, especially with a Byrd contract pending and Aaron Williams making a position swap. This is where I think Marrone could pull the SU connection and go forShamarko Thomas (SS/Syracuse). If he’s unavailable look for Robert Lester (SS/Alabama) in round 5.

I also really like Chris Gragg (TE/Arkansas) late in this draft, he’s injury prone but he brings a unique quickness, and plays a lot like a 4th WR.

In 4-5 rounds we can sure up 4 positions of need and make this team better. I selected conservatively so the chances of landing these players is really up to the Bills.

An awkward assessment of NFL QB’s

Consider this a bit of satire, with a hint of truth behind it. And this entire article is based on me judging if other men are pretty… so there’s that too.

With all this talk of Barkley, I get a bit uneasy. First off these SoCal QB’s haven’t exactly been ripping it up in the NFL lately, secondly it seems the prettier they are the harder they fall (I’m not talking to you Rob Johnson, you just thought you were pretty).

I think when it comes to good looking QB’s there’s a lack of work ethic, these guys are used to everything coming easy, so when the talent level jumps in the NFL they don’t have the drive to get better, they still get the endorsement deals, make millions and get women. I want my QB studying film not posing for GQ with a bunch of goats.

I want the grunts… I want the Aaron Rodgers over the Alex Smith’s, I want the Matt Schaub’s over the JP Losman’s, I want the Jay Cutler’s over the Matt Leinhart’s…

Let’s take a look at the recent draft history.

2012 we had two clear cut top flight QB’s Andrew Luck (1) and RGIII (2). Both look like extras from the Lord of the Rings. Then you can throw in my mom cuts my hair Wilson (75).

2011 we had a boat load of “starting caliber” QB’s drafted. It was the uglies who turned out to be the winners. Locker (8), Gabbert (10) and Ponder (12) were over-run by the read headed step-child Dalton(35), and the tattooed wonder Kaepernick (36).

2010 most of the QB’s sucked, but the pretty boys sucked the loudest… Tebow (25)and Clausen (48)

2009 Josh Freeman (17) easily outshines Mark Sanchez (5)

2008 two franchise QB’s we’re taken… snaggle tooth Matty Ice (3) and Monsta-brau Joe Flacco (18), neither are breaking any hearts outside of the hash marks.

So let’s look across the league and see how the leading men are leading their teams…

 AZ – Carson Palmer – Palmer is go-to QB when you try to oppose the USC QB’s suck mantra. But let’s face it, he’s almost ugly enough to shake the USC curse. But he’s a USC guy and never lived up to expectations, now playing for his third franchise.
 SF – Colin Kaepernick – This guy looks like a cross between a tattooed rabbit and a goat. He’s undoubtably awesome at football.
 SEA – Russell Wilson – Wilson should be required to obey the Peyton Manning rule… a helmet must be worn at all times. Wilson has the type of hairstyle every 3rd grader has… after they acquire lice.
 STL – Sam Bradford – I’m not sure how to come at this one. Bradford kind of looks like that second cousin you barely know… who may or may not be retarded.
 DAL – Tony Romo – If there ever was a perfect example of what thinking pretty has done to a QB, it’s Tony Romo. Romo went from and underdog success story to a doucher over night.
 NYG – Eli Manning – Little Eli is the epitome of the little brother. No matter what he does it will always be compared to his big brother and he will always have that (I just got a wedgie) expression on his face.
 PHI – Mike Vick – *******.
 WAS – Robert Griffin III – It’s hard to say anything bad about RGIII. But he does kind of look like that hybrid in the Snoop Dogg video where he was turning into a doberman… just sayin.
 CHI – Jay Cutler – Looks like a more desperate Stephen Baldwin. He has that hot fiancé who you know texts all of her friends what a tool she thinks he is LOL LMFAO.
 DET – Matt Stafford – Stafford looks like the type of guy who traps himself under the sheets to smell his own farts.
 GB – Aaron Rodgers – Rodgers is like that girl in the movie who you think is ugly, then you take off her glasses and put on make-up and all of a sudden she’s Rachel Leigh Cook. Yea, he’s like that.
 MIN – Christian Ponder – One more season before he pulls a David Carr?
 ATL – Matt Ryan – Matty is 6’4″ and about 165lbs. He has no detectable upper lip and he’s pretty awesome at football. This leads me to believe the upper lip is a hinderance to Quarterbacks.
 CAR – Cam Netwon – I’m not saying Cam is dumb, but in the NFL Play 60 Commercial he’s clearly being outsmarted by a seven year old.
 NO – Drew Brees – Perfect. Leave it to Drew Brees to get me back on track. The guy has a birthmark on his face the size of a continent… he legitimately has Africa on his right cheek. How every announcer has avoided talking about this on the air for the last 12 years completely baffles me.
 TB – Josh Freeman – Freeman looks like he should work at a Subway Restaurant. He should use those little baggy gloves instead of the crap Nike provides.

Stay tuned for tomorrows analysis on AFC QB’s….