nfldraftcountdown.com has us taking Leon Hall (CB) now...

[mysticsoto]

They have Okoye going to San Fran right before us and us taking Leon Hall (CB).

To re-sign Nate Clements under a one-year deal the Bills promised not to franchise him this offseason which means he is more than likely gone, leaving a gaping hole in the secondary at cornerback. There is not an elite cover guy available this year and nobody will confuse Leon Hall for Champ Bailey but he is just a very solid player who does everything real well and because he's widely regarded to be one of the top defensive backs available he will more than likely get pushed up draft boards a bit simply because of the emphasis teams put on the position. The Bills are also looking to improve their run defense but this would be way too early for Patrick Willis and it's still too soon to give up on all of the defensive tackles like John McCargo, Larry Tripplett and Kyle Williams they brought in just last offseason, although Amobi Okoye would be intriguing. At the end of the day Hall really is a perfect fit for the Bills and they would be pretty lucky to find the top rated player at arguably their greatest position of need still on the board in mid-round one.

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/mockdraft.html

[mysticsoto]

In case some of you are interested in Leon Hall's profile:

Strengths:
Very good size...A smooth athlete with fluid hips and great quickness...Physical, tough and aggressive...Does an outstanding job in run support and is a reliable tackler...A playmaker with great hands and ball skills...Very smart with excellent instincts and awareness...Is technically and fundamentally sound...Versatile and has also seen some action at safety...Hard worker with premier intangibles...Has a lot of experience against Big Ten competition...Also offers punt return potential.

Weaknesses:
Might not have elite timed speed...Gives a big cushion in coverage...Lacks a burst and struggles to recover from mistakes...There could be some concern that he's a bit of a CB / S 'tweener, especially if he does not run well in workouts...Receivers will make some catches against him...Might profile best as a zone coverage type.

Notes:
Terrific all-around cover guy but is not quite in the same class as guys like Deion Sanders and Champ Bailey...The Wolverines have a strong tradition of producing pro defensive backs in recent years (i.e. Ty Law, Charles Woodson and Marlin Jackson) and this guy will try and help carry on that legacy...Should easily be the first cornerback selected and he'll more than likely come off the board very early.

[alohabillsfan]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Please!

[bigbub2352]

i watched him get burned in a few games i really hope this is not our pick

[L.A. Playa]

is that the guy Dwayne Jarret made his ***** in the Rose Bowl ??

[OpIv37]

aarrrrgh.... if Nate leaves (which he probably will), we will need a CB so it's not a bad pick. However, this sorta leaves us screwed at DT and LB....

[BillsNick]

These mock picks are all a load of crap.

I'll start paying more attention in March.

[eyedog]

I would not be happy at all with Hall at #12. He's a step slow in coverage from what I saw this year and I'm not big on taking d-backs when you have that high of a draft pick. Like safties at #8.

[BillsNick]

I would not be happy at all with Hall at #12. He's a step slow in coverage from what I saw this year and I'm not big on taking d-backs when you have that high of a draft pick. Like safties at #8.

That safety we picked at #8 sure turned out to be great pick.

[Kerr]

Like you really need a top rated d-back for a cover 2 scheme.

[eyedog]

That safety we picked at #8 sure turned out to be great pick.

We'll see. At #8 and being a safety he had better be great or in the pro bowl.

[Earthquake Enyart]

I think Hall is our pick, unless he lays a total egg at the combine.

[BillsNick]

We'll see. At #8 and being a safety he had better be great or in the pro bowl.


Will being on the "All Rookie" team do, for his first year?

[R. Rich]

Again, it's important to note the golden rules of the offseason:

1. There is no free agency
2. The draft is only one round
3. The Bills must take (player du jour's name here)


There you have it.

[R. Rich]

Will being on the "All Rookie" team do, for his first year?

No.

[ICE74129]

aarrrrgh.... if Nate leaves (which he probably will), we will need a CB so it's not a bad pick. However, this sorta leaves us screwed at DT and LB....

Again we DONT need a CB. Cover 2 CB's are a dime a dozen. The cover 2 does not require 'shut down' corners. the Linebackers and safetys are more important

[Earthquake Enyart]

Oh I forgot. We are only losing 2 CB's in FA, but we have the great Youboty.

[eyedog]

Will being on the "All Rookie" team do, for his first year?

Since he was the first safety taken and the 8th pick overall I fully expected him to be on the all-rookie team. Now let's see him make a pro bowl team.
So far so good for his first year but he still has a long way to go to justify being taken that high for the safety position.

[eyedog]

Again, it's important to note the golden rules of the offseason:

1. There is no free agency
2. The draft is only one round
3. The Bills must take (player du jour's name here)


There you have it.

Or you could sign six mediocre/backup free agents and let your best defensive player walk. Makes sense to me. Then draft another d-back in rd. 1 and let the opposition run the ball down your throat all year again in 2007.

[Jan Reimers]

I don't see us taking a CB at 12, given our other needs and the fact that we have a high pick from last year waiting in the wings. I see no indication that we have given up on Youboty, who was thought by many last year to have first round ability.

[mysticsoto]

I forgot to mention that they have us taking Zach Miller (TE) in the 2nd rd.

Zach Miller: Will help aid in the development of J.P. Losman and provide another threat in the pass game.

Ridiculous!!!

Given things as they are without taking what may happen in FA into account, they should have given us Buster Davis as the next best ILB. They clearly know nothing about the Bill's needs! You don't draft a TE for a team that uses TEs to help block on the Oline b'cse our Oline is not good enough to protect on their own. Instead, you shore up the Oline 1st - which is why at the very worst, they should have had us picking Justin Blalock (OG) then.

[Night Train]

Oh I forgot. We are only losing 2 CB's in FA, but we have the great Youboty.

And we all know a Rookie, fresh out of College, will step in and be a total shutdown corner in year one. Let me list the numerous times it's happened.

1. Darrell Green - Redskins- 1983
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

[patmoran2006]

I do NOT want a CB in round one.. I dont care how good he may be someday, it is a short term DOWNGRADE and Im tired of "rebuilding"...

If CB is that high a priority, either try to pay Clements the max you can, or go get a veteran like Harper that can hold the fort.. WE didnt draft a CB (Youboty) less than a year ago so we can take ANOTHER CB in round one and make Youboty a 2-3 year NICKEL back..

wtf.

[OpIv37]

These mock picks are all a load of crap.

I'll start paying more attention in March.


I forgot to mention that they have us taking Zach Miller (TE) in the 2nd rd.

Zach Miller: Will help aid in the development of J.P. Losman and provide another threat in the pass game.

Ridiculous!!!

Given things as they are without taking what may happen in FA into account, they should have given us Buster Davis as the next best ILB. They clearly know nothing about the Bill's needs! You don't draft a TE for a team that uses TEs to help block on the Oline b'cse our Oline is not good enough to protect on their own. Instead, you shore up the Oline 1st - which is why at the very worst, they should have had us picking Justin Blalock (OG) then.


I think these two pretty much hit the nail on the head. We shouldn't get worked up over mock drafts because they're just speculation. But we should get worked up over these jackasses who supposedly cover the NFL but have absolutely no idea what the Bills' team needs are. I know we're a small market and we haven't been very exciting over the last few years, but damn- if you're gonna comment on a team, at least do a little ****ing research first.

[BillsNick]

I think these two pretty much hit the nail on the head. We shouldn't get worked up over mock drafts because they're just speculation. But we should get worked up over these jackasses who supposedly cover the NFL but have absolutely no idea what the Bills' team needs are. I know we're a small market and we haven't been very exciting over the last few years, but damn- if you're gonna comment on a team, at least do a little ****ing research first.


I guess they godda do something to pass the time until the draft.

[R. Rich]

Or you could sign six mediocre/backup free agents and let your best defensive player walk. Makes sense to me. Then draft another d-back in rd. 1 and let the opposition run the ball down your throat all year again in 2007.


Now, how can you do that when.....

Again, it's important to note the golden rules of the offseason:

1. There is no free agency


let's try to pay attention here, shall we?


Then draft another d-back in rd. 1 and let the opposition run the ball down your throat all year again in 2007.

Only if said d-back applies to rules 2 and 3...

Again, it's important to note the golden rules of the offseason:
2. The draft is only one round
3. The Bills must take (player du jour's name here)


...as of now, we cannot, since we must take Okoye or suffer the eternal tortures of the damned.

Try back in a few weeks. Maybe the tide will change once the torches have been re-lit and the pitchforks have been sharpened.

[eyedog]

Whatever all that bs means, if I were the Bills I would not pass on Okoye for a d-back. I also think he may not even be there at #12.

[Ingtar33]

Leon Hall couldn't cover a single WR all season long who was remotely "elite"

I thought he might make a superb FS if he had a little more speed.

But he's a nickel CB at best for the NFL, likely one of the guys who falls while the draft press wonders where he'll be drafted.

I really did not like much about him (for as highly touted as he's been)

[Ingtar33]

and zack miller will not last to our second pick, and likely not the 2nd round.

he's a 1st round player.

[Devin]

I forgot to mention that they have us taking Zach Miller (TE) in the 2nd rd.

Zach Miller: Will help aid in the development of J.P. Losman and provide another threat in the pass game.

Ridiculous!!!

Given things as they are without taking what may happen in FA into account, they should have given us Buster Davis as the next best ILB. They clearly know nothing about the Bill's needs! You don't draft a TE for a team that uses TEs to help block on the Oline b'cse our Oline is not good enough to protect on their own. Instead, you shore up the Oline 1st - which is why at the very worst, they should have had us picking Justin Blalock (OG) then.

:pray: id love to see Miller here. The next Todd Heap mark my words!

[Devin]

and zack miller will not last to our second pick, and likely not the 2nd round.

he's a 1st round player.

THANK YOU!

[Mr. Miyagi]

We have Youboty. He was drafted to replace Clements. No we don't grab another CB in the first round.

[Jaybird]

hes no good ive watched him play many many times. bad bad pick if we take him

[mysticsoto]

Leon Hall couldn't cover a single WR all season long who was remotely "elite"

I thought he might make a superb FS if he had a little more speed.

But he's a nickel CB at best for the NFL, likely one of the guys who falls while the draft press wonders where he'll be drafted.

I really did not like much about him (for as highly touted as he's been)

Scott Wright appears to think that Leon Hall is a better cover zone guy than a man-to-man type of guy which is why he thinks we might pick him.

In any case, most people do seem to have Leon Hall rated as their highest CB. If you don't think he's elite...what does that say about all the other CBs rated after him?

[Talk0fNewYork]

San Fran is not gonna take Akoye while running a 3-4, and thier not gonna change to a 4-3 for a rookie! I wouldn't take a CB in the 1st regardless! I would take Jarrett, Ginn Jr., Lynch, or Willis.

[DraftBoy]

Scott Wright appears to think that Leon Hall is a better cover zone guy than a man-to-man type of guy which is why he thinks we might pick him.

In any case, most people do seem to have Leon Hall rated as their highest CB. If you don't think he's elite...what does that say about all the other CBs rated after him?


Im no pro like Igntar but I think the top end of the CB class (Revis, Hall, McCauley) are not that good, and I really like CJ Gaddis out of Clemson, Josh Wilson of Maryland, and Eric Eright of UNLV. Who are all 3-4 round prospects.

[DraftBoy]

San Fran is not gonna take Akoye while running a 3-4, and thier not gonna change to a 4-3 for a rookie! I wouldn't take a CB in the 1st regardless! I would take Jarrett, Ginn Jr., Lynch, or Willis.

He could be a good 3-4 DE, ala Marcus Spears of Dallas. Also Luis Castillo of SD.

[R. Rich]

Whatever all that bs means, if I were the Bills I would not pass on Okoye for a d-back. I also think he may not even be there at #12.

That bs means that people on these Bills message boards tend to get a bit "angry mob"-ish when it comes to the offseason. I remember a couple years ago how we absolutely had to draft K Mike Nugent in the second round. There were no other choices; we just had to get him! It was borderline ******ed, but you couldn't talk sense to the angry mob.

Last year, it was Ngata. We had to have him. Now, while I do like his skill, the fact that he played w/ 4 other guys in their defensive front who were selected to the Pro Bowl (could've been 5 if Trevor Pryce and his 12.5 sacks would've gotten the nod) should factor into how well he did this past season.

Now, it seems to be Okoye, especially after the Senior Bowl.

[Earthquake Enyart]

I j ust don't get this Youbouty love.

The freaking guy couldn't even dress for special teams and now he's our shutdown corner?

What are you guys smoking?

[Jan Reimers]

I agree, Rich.

After the great draft we had last year (which will prove even better if McCargo and Youboty progress as I expect), I'll trust Marv and Modrak to continue building this team back to respectability.

I think they know more than the angry mob.

[patmoran2006]

The angry mob pays their salaries..

And after year after year of mediocrity, a lot more Bills fans are growing tired of "rebuilding"

[mysticsoto]

New update today. They still have us taking Leon Hall, but our 2nd rd pick is now Greg Olsen instead of Zach Miller.

Doesn't change anything for me...I still don't like either pick!!!

Interestingly, they changed Miami's pick and gave them Levi Brown - and Okoye fell past us...as did several good looking DE's. I think except for Alan Branch and Jamaal Anderson, Levy may have his pick on DL player...if he wants.

As things are, I'd love to trade down and pick up Patrick Willis (ILB) along with a n extra second 2nd rd pick, but it would mean trading down with someone above Philadelphia as they could be likely candidates to grab Willis, and in truth, it'd have to likely be above #24. The only chance for this to happen is if a high prospect happens to fall to us at #12 that someone might want. For example, if Brady Quinn fell past the Dolphins (unlikely) perhaps a trade with Jacksonville could be worked out. Or if the Giants might want to trade up for Marshawn Lynch to replace Tiki...etc.

[R. Rich]

The angry mob pays their salaries..



Really? That same mob that can't afford season tickets and now won't even sell the damn stadium out any more? The mob that cries about ticket prices, even though they're among the lowest in the entire league? They pay their salaries?

Oh, maybe they do in the way of all the Bills merchandise they buy, huh?

[HHURRICANE]

These articles are ridiculous. Ohh were not signing Nate so we are going to draft a CB that some have project going late in the first round? We are not taking Hall. Guaranteed.

[eyedog]

The "angry mob" must know something because the "know it alls" in the front office seem to be screwing things up for the past seven years. Did I miss a play-off game during that time? I do know this, you will never win being soft on both offensive and defensive lines, and letting your best young players leave with no return because you don't want to pay them. You think the "know it alls" have fiqured it out yet that our lines stink and our the reason this team is being held back ? If not, draft another skill position player first because it won't matter. Who here wants to watch the opposition run the ball down our throat again in 2007 ? One more, Who would take Ngata today over Whitner ?

[R. Rich]

The "angry mob" must know something because the "know it alls" in the front office seem to be screwing things up for the past seven years. Did I miss a play-off game during that time? I do know this, you will never win being soft on both offensive and defensive lines, and letting your best young players leave with no return because you don't want to pay them. You think the "know it alls" have fiqured it out yet that our lines stink and our the reason this team is being held back ? If not, draft another skill position player first because it won't matter. Who here wants to watch the opposition run the ball down our throat again in 2007 ? One more, Who would take Ngata today over Whitner ?

No argument from me on the neglect of the lines. I've said numerous times how I believe the beginning of the end was way back when we let BOTH of our Pro Bowl tackles test the free agency waters and both bolted (House Ballard to Seattle, Will Wolford to Indianapolis). Things got kicked into overdrive a while later w/ the retirement of one of my all time favorite Bills in Kent Hull.

None of those guys have ever been properly replaced here. Peters is the closest thing to an attempt to do so, and even he is still very raw.