Gotta love draft grades!

[alohabillsfan]

Especially before one player steps onto an NFL field, here is a couple;

The Buffalo Bills made one of the worst draft picks in NFL history by taking Donte Whitner at #8 overall and that has nothing to do with Whitner’s potential in the NFL. There is little doubt that Whitner would’ve been available 10-15 spots lower in the draft. The Bills could’ve traded the 8th pick to drop down in the first round. There were a number of teams clamoring for a chance to draft Matt Leinart as he slipped further and further down the first round. The Bills made another terrible pick at #26 picking John McCargo who was almost certainly going no higher than the late second round. The Bills don’t get a failing grade, though, because they made some nice picks in the later stages. Ko Simpson and Kyle Williams are high values in the 4th and 5th rounds. Ashton Youboty may have also been a stretch at #70 but at least Buffalo made an effort to improve its secondary. Whitner and McCargo may end up being fine NFL players. Regardless, the Bills goofed big time on their two first round picks.

Grade: D+

Here is another one (we were 31, redskins dead last)

31. Buffalo Bills - D
8. Donte Whitner, S Ohio State
26. John McCargo, DT North Carolina State
70. Ashton Youboty, CB Ohio State
105. Ko Simpson, S South Carolina
134. Kyle Williams, DT LSU
143. Brad Butler, OT Virginia
178. Keith Ellison

Here's my best guess at how Saturday went for the Buffalo Bills: A huge snowstorm (they have those in Buffalo, you know) prevented any front-office member from arriving at the war-room for the first 6 hours of the draft. When pick 8 rolled around, the only person in the room happened to be the team janitor. Well, the janitor isn't a particularly big football fan; but with the clock winding down, he had to make a selection. He chose a name at random, which happened to be that of Donte Whitner (a player projected by most of us to go between picks 16 and 27). When the pick was announced, the janitor gained a newfound sense of confidence, and decided to trade the team's second and third round picks to take another player at random. This time it was John McCargo, who I thought would have been a reach at any point in the second round. McCargo is similar to Ryan Sims, who put up good numbers at North Carolina despite being overshadowed by Julius Peppers. The only difference - Ryan Sims had real talent. Well, sometime between that pick and the Bills' next selection, coach Marv Levy arrived. He scolded the janitor, and tried valiantly to resurrect his draft. The Bills next three picks were devoted to the same positions its first two were (defensive back and tackle), indicating that the team either forgot who it took in the first two rounds, or that my janitor story is indeed true. While the selections of Youboty, Simpson, and Williams are all good value picks, why in the world would the team make those selections after reaching hard for Whitner and McCargo? Buffalo also appears to be completely oblivious to the fact that its offense is a disaster, and that unless quarterback J.P. Losman is provided with some weapons, he'll continue to be the complete bust that most of us thought he was in the first place. If the team is going to select players like Youboty, Simpson, and Williams in the middle rounds, why not select Matt Leinart and Chad Jackson with the first 2 picks, and help both sides of the ball? The point is: Did Buffalo help itself today? Yes, of course. But did the team help itself to anywhere near the extent that it should have? Not even close.

[YardRat]

The janitor one is pretty humorous :D

[cocamide]

Who wrote this? It's truly sad how little these experts seem to actually know. You would think they'd remain objective, but it seems that they get more hyped up over certain players than a 13 year old girl gets when Britney Spears comes to town. This is why they work in broadcasting and not as a scout or GM for football teams.

[jamze132]

If Kiper knew his head from his ass, he would be employed by an actual NFL team, not the media.

[YardRat]

Not that I'm defending Kiper or his knowledge of players, but I'd bet he makes more as a media-type than he would as a director of personal or similar job with an NFL team.

[G. Host]

Yes he does because the advertisers love his audience - fantasy football players - who are so gulible.

[justasportsfan]

If Kiper knew his head from his ass, he would be employed by an actual NFL team, not the media.

That's just cold ................ as ICE :D .

[BillsFever21]

I would've rather drafted Ngata and then went for a safety in the 2nd round. I can live with the Whitner pick though but not trading up for McCargo.

It's no diss on Whitner because he's been pretty decent this year and should be a great safety. I just felt that a top notch DT like Ngata would've served us better.

There were a lot of good safeties available in the 2nd round. Ngata is much better then McCargo will be at a more important position then Whitner will be over some other safeties in the 2nd round that isn't as important.

That's done and over with though. The McCargo pick was the bad one though. Not only did we toss away an extra draft pick to move up and get him when we may have gotten him had we stayed put but he didn't show anything this season the entire 6 games he played.

He may be a steady DT but will never be a top notch player like Ngata will be and has already shown this season in Baltimore. McCargo may be slightly better then what we already have at best.

Mario Williams, Manny Lawson and other stars on that defense helped his stock and made him look better then he is. If we can build enough stars around him he may be better. He won't be the type to be the man and build the line around.

[John Doe]

I would've rather drafted Ngata and then went for a safety in the 2nd round. I can live with the Whitner pick though but not trading up for McCargo.

It's no diss on Whitner because he's been pretty decent this year and should be a great safety. I just felt that a top notch DT like Ngata would've served us better.

There were a lot of good safeties available in the 2nd round. Ngata is much better then McCargo will be at a more important position then Whitner will be over some other safeties in the 2nd round that isn't as important.

That's done and over with though. The McCargo pick was the bad one though. Not only did we toss away an extra draft pick to move up and get him when we may have gotten him had we stayed put but he didn't show anything this season the entire 6 games he played.

He may be a steady DT but will never be a top notch player like Ngata will be and has already shown this season in Baltimore. McCargo may be slightly better then what we already have at best.

Mario Williams, Manny Lawson and other stars on that defense helped his stock and made him look better then he is. If we can build enough stars around him he may be better. He won't be the type to be the man and build the line around.

I think that McCargo will be much better than what this conjecture indicates.

[justasportsfan]

I think that McCargo will be much better than what this conjecture indicates.
So do I. It takes time to develop and even more time when you're rotating.

[Goobylal]

Not that I'm defending Kiper or his knowledge of players, but I'd bet he makes more as a media-type than he would as a director of personal or similar job with an NFL team.
Possibly. But then again, as just a "draft guru," he has no responsibility for his (no better than anyone else) picks.

[BillsFever21]

I think that McCargo will be much better than what this conjecture indicates.

I guess we'll find out in a couple years Mr. Know it all.

[Goobylal]

McCargo was starting to show something before getting hurt, which is really what sucks. I'd agree with you BF if what you said about him showing nothing is true, but it's not. And take a look at what the other guy most wanted to draft, Broderick Bunckley, has been doing, or more precisely has NOT been doing, with the Eagles. And Ngata only plays on running downs. While that still would have been better than McCargo who was injured, you can't predict stuff like that.

[ublinkwescore]

Here is another one (we were 31, redskins dead last)

31. Buffalo Bills - D
8. Donte Whitner, S Ohio State
26. John McCargo, DT North Carolina State
70. Ashton Youboty, CB Ohio State
105. Ko Simpson, S South Carolina
134. Kyle Williams, DT LSU
143. Brad Butler, OT Virginia
178. Keith Ellison

Here's my best guess at how Saturday went for the Buffalo Bills: A huge snowstorm (they have those in Buffalo, you know) prevented any front-office member from arriving at the war-room for the first 6 hours of the draft. When pick 8 rolled around, the only person in the room happened to be the team janitor. Well, the janitor isn't a particularly big football fan; but with the clock winding down, he had to make a selection. He chose a name at random, which happened to be that of Donte Whitner (a player projected by most of us to go between picks 16 and 27). When the pick was announced, the janitor gained a newfound sense of confidence, and decided to trade the team's second and third round picks to take another player at random. This time it was John McCargo, who I thought would have been a reach at any point in the second round. McCargo is similar to Ryan Sims, who put up good numbers at North Carolina despite being overshadowed by Julius Peppers. The only difference - Ryan Sims had real talent. Well, sometime between that pick and the Bills' next selection, coach Marv Levy arrived. He scolded the janitor, and tried valiantly to resurrect his draft. The Bills next three picks were devoted to the same positions its first two were (defensive back and tackle), indicating that the team either forgot who it took in the first two rounds, or that my janitor story is indeed true. While the selections of Youboty, Simpson, and Williams are all good value picks, why in the world would the team make those selections after reaching hard for Whitner and McCargo? Buffalo also appears to be completely oblivious to the fact that its offense is a disaster, and that unless quarterback J.P. Losman is provided with some weapons, he'll continue to be the complete bust that most of us thought he was in the first place. If the team is going to select players like Youboty, Simpson, and Williams in the middle rounds, why not select Matt Leinart and Chad Jackson with the first 2 picks, and help both sides of the ball? The point is: Did Buffalo help itself today? Yes, of course. But did the team help itself to anywhere near the extent that it should have? Not even close.

Ummm - if that's a bust now, then call me easily satisfied.

Maybe if this guy would quit choking on male sex organs and wipe the seminole fluid out of his eyes, he'd have a more valid opinion.

[patmoran2006]

Its not that I dont think McCargo can develop into a productive NFL player, but the first round was a bit of a reach and trading up to get him and giving up a day one pick is even more puzzling.

McCargo at best will be a good rotational player who plays the same spot as Tripplett. Now while I absolutely love this draft, could you imagine how much complete it would've been had we taken Nick Mangold instead and moved Fowler to right guard?

Still, this pick aside, its hard to argue that this hasn't been an incredible draft to this point.. And Youboty, Whitner and Simpson are only going to get better in that secondary.

[TigerJ]

I would love to see someone grade the 2005 draft right now as the season draws to a close.

[Goobylal]

Its not that I dont think McCargo can develop into a productive NFL player, but the first round was a bit of a reach and trading up to get him and giving up a day one pick is even more puzzling.

McCargo at best will be a good rotational player who plays the same spot as Tripplett. Now while I absolutely love this draft, could you imagine how much complete it would've been had we taken Nick Mangold instead and moved Fowler to right guard?
You can't hindsight like that. As it stood before the draft, the Bills had Tripplett, Jefferson, and Anderson at DT, and Jefferson and Anderson were/are scrubs. The Bills signed Fowler, and since you don't rotate OC's like you do DT's, it basically took Mangold out of the EQ. Although in hindsight taking Mangold would have been great (as would taking Marcus McNeill in the 2nd), you can drive yourself crazy doing that for ANY draft.

Still, this pick aside, its hard to argue that this hasn't been an incredible draft to this point.. And Youboty, Whitner and Simpson are only going to get better in that secondary.
Yep.

[dolphan117]

I actually think he was right at the time and still is. Its not that you guys didn't draft some impressive talent..... Its that you drafted it signifigantly higher than it was valued by other NFL teams. The guy isn't saying you drafted duds because you didn't, just pointing out that you could have done much better particularly at the 8th pick, if you had traded down and still ended up with the same players. I mean imagine if you had traded down to say 14 picked Whitner and then had an extra second round pick to play with?

[Goobylal]

That's possible, but no one knows for sure. Word is that the Rams were set to take Whitner at #11 since they lost Archuleta over the off-season, but once he was gone, they traded down with Denver. Makes perfect sense, and had the Bills traded down past #11, they would have lost him.

[John Doe]

Its not that I dont think McCargo can develop into a productive NFL player, but the first round was a bit of a reach and trading up to get him and giving up a day one pick is even more puzzling.

McCargo at best will be a good rotational player who plays the same spot as Tripplett. Now while I absolutely love this draft, could you imagine how much complete it would've been had we taken Nick Mangold instead and moved Fowler to right guard?


McCargo could end up being an all-star for all we know right now.

[cocamide]

I would love to see someone grade the 2005 draft right now as the season draws to a close.

I think you meant 2006 draft, but I would like to see how the "experts" break down this past draft. I think the Saints should get #1 wish Bush and Colston both having pretty amazing years.

[onceproudbillsfan]

That's possible, but no one knows for sure. Word is that the Rams were set to take Whitner at #11 since they lost Archuleta over the off-season, but once he was gone, they traded down with Denver. Makes perfect sense, and had the Bills traded down past #11, they would have lost him.

I think the Lions were going to take Whitner with the next pick after Buffalo. Thats why Marv took him when he did.

[G. Host]

I think the Lions were going to take Whitner with the next pick after Buffalo. Thats why Marv took him when he did.

That would imply Millen knew what he was doing.

Dd you see this article?

Irate Lions fans plan walkout to protest Millen's reign
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2706094

Of course Millen is smart enough to not be sitting with fans!

[SABURZFAN]

I guess we'll find out in a couple years Mr. Know it all.



pot.........kettle...........



nuff said. :rolleyes: