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View Full Version : The forgotten draft pick: Brad Butler


G. Host
12-23-2006, 01:17 AM
Every other draft pick has contributed, even Aaron Merz who started a game.
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><th style="font-weight: bold;vertical-align: middle;text-align: center;">Round</th><th style="font-weight: bold;text-align: center;vertical-align: middle;">Pick</th><th style="font-weight: bold;text-align: center;vertical-align: middle;">Overall</th><th style="font-weight: bold;text-align: center;vertical-align: middle;">Pos.</th><th style="font-weight: bold;text-align: center;vertical-align: middle;" colspan="1">Player</th><th colspan="2" style="font-weight: bold;text-align: center;vertical-align: middle;">College</th><th style="vertical-align: top;text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Did</span><br></th></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: right;">8</td><td style="text-align: right;">8</td><td>S</td><td colspan="1">Donte Whitner</td><td colspan="2">Ohio State</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">Starter Day1<br></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: right;">26</td><td style="text-align: right;">26</td><td>DT</td><td colspan="1">John McCargo</td><td colspan="2">NC State</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">DL Rotation</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">3</td><td style="text-align: right;">6</td><td style="text-align: right;">70</td><td>CB</td><td colspan="1">Ashton Youboty</td><td colspan="2">Ohio State</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">4th CB (late)<br></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">4</td><td style="text-align: right;">8</td><td style="text-align: right;">105</td><td>S</td><td colspan="1">Ko Simpson</td><td colspan="2">South Carolina</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">Starter<br></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: right;">1</td><td style="text-align: right;">134</td><td>DT</td><td colspan="1">Kyle Williams</td><td colspan="2">LSU</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">DL Rotation<br></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">5</td><td style="text-align: right;">10</td><td style="text-align: right;">143</td><td>OT</td><td colspan="1">Brad Butler</td><td colspan="2">Virginia</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">6</td><td style="text-align: right;">9</td><td style="text-align: right;">178</td><td>OLB</td><td colspan="1">Keith Ellison</td><td colspan="2">Oregon St.</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">Starter Midseason<br></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">7</td><td style="text-align: right;">8</td><td style="text-align: right;">216</td><td>OT</td><td colspan="1">Terrance Pennington</td><td colspan="2">New Mexico</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">Starter Midseason<br></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;">7</td><td style="text-align: right;">40</td><td style="text-align: right;">248</td><td>G</td><td colspan="1">Aaron Merz</td><td colspan="2">California</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">Started a game<br></td></tr></tbody></table>

For a 5th round pick of his potential I thought he would at least get some time on kick teams on line. I know they only keep so many on the OL active but for the Bills to draft him in the 5th, even before Pennington, it means they must have seen something in him. Hopefully he is not "Mr. Project" for the Bills but I had hope for him due to his size and speed.
YardRat
12-23-2006, 07:25 AM
With Peters cementing himself on the left side, and Pennington growing into the right game-by-game, it's nice to have the luxury of being able to develop Butler.
Forward_Lateral
12-23-2006, 07:42 AM
Butler's seen game action.
Dr. Lecter
12-23-2006, 07:44 AM
To have 7 or 8 (I don't count Youboty, it was one game) picks contribute as rookies is purely awesome.

No complaints here. Maybe he will develop, maybe not. Being Mr. Project would not be too bad. Howard Ballard was at one point.
Tatonka
12-23-2006, 09:59 AM
yeah, it is really wierd that the guy hasnt seen any time.. i really thought he would be the one inserted into the right tackle spot over pennington.. butler was the more polished college player and was deemed to have more a "mean streak". i really thought he would be a starter sooner rather than later.. i am not complaining that pennington has worked out, but i am surprised that butler has not seen the field much.
jamze132
12-23-2006, 10:14 AM
Maybe Pennington "gets" the NFL game better then Butler.
mysticsoto
12-23-2006, 10:18 AM
To have 7 or 8 (I don't count Youboty, it was one game) picks contribute as rookies is purely awesome.

No complaints here. Maybe he will develop, maybe not. Being Mr. Project would not be too bad. Howard Ballard was at one point.


Agreed. This has been our best draft in a LONG time!!! Kudos to Marv for picking the right people.

I suspect Butler will be good also, but my initial thought on him when we drafted him was that he needed to gain some weight or DEs would push him around easily...I just went to look him up and it says 309 lbs for him. Did he gain some already? I thought he was less than that???
John Doe
12-23-2006, 11:08 AM
Agreed. This has been our best draft in a LONG time!!! Kudos to Marv for picking the right people.

I suspect Butler will be good also, but my initial thought on him when we drafted him was that he needed to gain some weight or DEs would push him around easily...I just went to look him up and it says 309 lbs for him. Did he gain some already? I thought he was less than that???

The official Bills bio has him listed at 292 lbs.
YardRat
12-23-2006, 11:08 AM
From different draft profiles...

6'8", 296
6'7", 310
6'7", 303
6'7", 309
Goobylal
12-23-2006, 11:44 AM
I thought I read that Butler, despite his size, was pretty weak for an OL. Don't know since I couldn't get combine numbers this year, unlike previous years. That's probably what his problem mostly is, and he also probably hasn't picked things up as quickly as Pennington and Merz. But I suspect his future, if anywhere, is at OG.
Scumbag College
12-23-2006, 11:53 AM
Is there any chance that they may be having him bulk up and play RG? I don't know much about him, but if he played tackle in college it could benefit in pass blocking being moved to guard.
Goobylal
12-23-2006, 11:59 AM
Is there any chance that they may be having him bulk up and play RG? I don't know much about him, but if he played tackle in college it could benefit in pass blocking being moved to guard.
With Peters and Pennington entrenched as the starting OT's, Butler can only get a shot to start at OG. They had him there earlier, but he's currently listed as the backup RT. It just might be a case where they want him to only be a backup OT, and I suspect if Gandy leaves, he'll be the backup there as well.
Scumbag College
12-23-2006, 12:11 PM
With Peters and Pennington entrenched as the starting OT's, Butler can only get a shot to start at OG. They had him there earlier, but he's currently listed as the backup RT. It just might be a case where they want him to only be a backup OT, and I suspect if Gandy leaves, he'll be the backup there as well.

Makes sense to me. With the Bills offense improving the way it has since the bye week, I think the insertion and improvement of Pennington, along with Gandy's switch to LG and Peters to LT, has been the biggest reason for the improvement besides JP's play. With Gandy at LG and Peters at LT, not only has the pass protection been great, but Willis has been having alot of success running over that side of the line. I really hope they try to resign Gandy this offseason and keep him at LG, where he is very capable. If that happens, I think Butler would be a good prospect-solid backup at both tackle spots.
G. Host
12-23-2006, 12:23 PM
I thought I read that Butler, despite his size, was pretty weak for an OL. Don't know since I couldn't get combine numbers this year, unlike previous years. That's probably what his problem mostly is, and he also probably hasn't picked things up as quickly as Pennington and Merz. But I suspect his future, if anywhere, is at OG.

Individual Workouts
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:MKIh1jgEnhsJ:www.nfl.com/draft/analysis/individual_workouts+%22Brad+Butler%22+site:www.nfl.com&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=10

Prospect Profiles
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:-5d3WPrep8YJ:www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2006/butler_brad+%22Brad+Butler%22+site:www.nfl.com&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1
Goobylal
12-23-2006, 12:27 PM
It depends on what Gandy asks for; and if it's close to say, what Steinbach (Bungles) or Dielman (Chargers) want, you go with them.