My Three Round Mock Draft

[patmoran2006]

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Patrick_Moran/2007/03/11/My_Three_Round_Mock_DRaft_v

Here is my three round mock draft. Forgive the slight formatting issues, I don't how that happened.

[patmoran2006]

Here are the nfl.com player profiles for the Bills I have listed in my mock...

1. Amobi Okoye, DT (Louisville)
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/okoye_amobi

2. Rufus Alexander, OLB (Oklahoma)
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/alexander_rufus

3a. Darius Walker, RB (Notre Dame)
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/walker_darius

3b. Syvelle Newton, WR (South Carolina)
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/newton_syvelle

[SquishDaFish]

I love it. Dont know who the LB is but love Okoye and Walker.

[patmoran2006]

From what I've studied and read, Rufus Alexander was made to play LB in a cover two defense.


Thanks.

[BuffaloBillsStampede]

Id be happy I think

[camelcowboy]

Walker over Hunt and Irons wow, If they had a choice between all of them in the third id be happy.

[justasportsfan]

3b. Syvelle Newton, WR (South Carolina)
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/newton_syvelle
interesting. the guy can run and catch. :scratch:

[YardRat]

interesting. the guy can run and catch. :scratch:

Maybe that's why he's a wide receiver.

[justasportsfan]

Maybe that's why he's a wide receiver.
so can the ball boy :mad:

[!Papacrunk!]

Interesting 3rd round pick for Miami--Troy Smith. I'm starting to think Quinn will go early, and the Dolphins will pick a QB, but later on as your mock shows. Even though I've seen a lot of people make fun of Cleo Lemon, but I actually think he's got an intriguing future, then again, he may be that forever back up, who knows.

[YardRat]

:D

[Kerr]

Walker. :up:

[patmoran2006]

Walker over Hunt and Irons wow, If they had a choice between all of them in the third id be happy.

From what I've been hearing and reading; Hunt is a little bit on the slow side. He's more of a banger, not that its a bad thing. He actually has a style a lot like McGahee did, hopefully minus the scumbag attitude.

Irons is the polar opposite. He's got that breakaway speed and if he catches a corner or gets in the open field he's gone. The downside with him is that he's not strong running in between the tackles nor is he a strong pass blocker.

Neither back is a bad player and would have a good shot to make their mark here.

But I really like Darius Walker and I think he'd be a good fit for Buffalo. He's not a breakaway back like a LT, but he'll move the chains and he's really good coming out of the backfield and pass blocking. I'm a big Notre Dame guy, and unlike Quinn, when ND played better teams Walker stepped up his play. He reminds me a bit of an old Notre Dame RB, Ricky Watters.

[casdhf]

i wouldnt be suprised to see us draft 2 backs.

[qcsabresfan84]

I like that a lot. Probably a good call on Detroit picking Quinn.

[TacklingDummy]

Having 5 DT's on the roster at the moment, I doubt highly the Bills will be using their 1st pick on DT.

[camelcowboy]

Having 5 DT's on the roster at the moment, I doubt highly the Bills will be using their 1st pick on DT.

Okoye would be the exception in my mind. 19 years old and he would be a DT. for a cover two. He would be the only DT i would like to see the bills take on the first day. Okoye, Lynch, Willis would be great picks at twelve. I'd would be happy with any of the three. Just please no corner backs!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tatonka]

i like it for the most part.

i have to say though, walker is one of my least favorite running backs in this draft.

[Nighthawk]

Walker just isn't the back many people make him out to be. If he is our RB next year, I will be very disappointed. I see the Bills taking a Bush or Irons...guys who can should the load.

[camelcowboy]

Walker just isn't the back many people make him out to be. If he is our RB next year, I will be very disappointed. I see the Bills taking a Bush or Irons...guys who can should the load. Walker takes to many hits for my taste. If Irons could bulk up, then he would be my favorite canidate for a 2nd-3rd round RB.

[TigerJ]

Alexander and Walker don't blow me away, but I would be OK with them I guess. I don't like Hunt for the same reason you don't. I have a feeling he's going to run about a 4.7. That's just not fast enough for a running back. On the college level he can wear people down, but in the pros I think teams can counter that by rotating in fresh players

[patmoran2006]

Well it clearly looks like it will come down to a choice between Hunt, Walker and Irons- assuming we don't take Lynch at 12 and Bush is gone before our second round pick.

Anthony Henry would be a candidate, but I've read that he's very imature and has some real character and motivational issues; something I'm positive doesn't sit well with our front office.

The pick I really like though is LB Rufus Alexander. This guy could be a perfect OLB for our cover two defense.

[Tatonka]

pat, your assuming that other teams view bush as the 3rd rb in the draft.. that is definately not the case.. bush is a totaly different back than irons, and hunt, and walker, as well as booker, for that matter, who will probably be a 3rd round guy.

your own mock has bush going after buffalos 2nd pick.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

I absolutely love the Okoye and Alexander picks at the top of your mock, Pat.

I've written ad nauseum about why I think the Bills should take Okoye at # 12, but haven't said much about Alexander because a lot of attention has been focused on the Bills possibly taking a MLB rather than an OLB in this draft. However, if the Bills are sold on A.Crowell as their MLB (and he did play MLB in college at UVa), Alexander would be a superb pick in the second round.

I know that Alexander didn't show particularly well at the Senior Bowl or The Combine, but he wasn't the third First Team All-American LB for nothing. In the game against Nebraska he was EVERYWHERE--it seemed like he was in on just about every tackle Oklahoma made--and against Boise St. in their bowl game, Alexander seemed to be one of the few Oklahoma defenders who decided to show up that night. He may not be outstanding when it comes to all of the numbers that grab people's attention at The Combine, but he was very productive on the field and a leader for the Oklahoma defense. And, he would be a good fit in the Bills' Tampa 2 defense.

So, I really like those two picks. But, I wouldn't be nearly as happy with the other two picks that you have the Bills making.

While Darius Walker is something of a "poor man's" Marshawn Lynch, I'm not really a fan. Given a choice between the RBs that you have still on the board at that point, I would prefer to go with K.Irons. Irons played hard last season despite being injured--which impacted how hard he ran between the tackles--and, coming from a family with a history in the NFL, knows what will be expected of him on the next level. Irons should fit in quickly, which the Bills will need, and will give a good effort. He started as a FB, blocking for his brother in HS, so he has demonstrated the willingness to sacrifice his body and block--which is something he didn't have to do much at Auburn, but that the Bills will need from any RB that they draft. And, while Irons wasn't much of a receiver when he got to Auburn, he been working hard to improve as a pass receiver, showing well in an ESPN event competing against Walker. Also, if the Bills decide to add to their RB corps by taking a RB in next year's deep class of RBs, Irons has more potential to develop into a compliment to one of the several "scat-back" types who figure to be available in that draft than Walker has.

Finally, Syvelle Newton is a tremendous athlete...but one without a position. Until this season, Newton was a QB who lost his job because he was not a consistently accurate passer. Because of his athleticism, opposing teams could not afford to totally ignore him as a WR, but, compared to S.Rice who played opposite him, Newton wasn't even in the same class--in fact, as I recall, he alternated with another WR opposite Rice. As a WR, Newton is still very raw and would need at least a year or two to develop into a player. And, that showed in the all-star games. If the Bills are going to go with a developmental project at WR in this draft, I would rather they go with one of the smaller school guys like Jacoby Jones than Newton. If they are going to go WR at the spot in the draft that you have them taking Newton, I would prefer to see them take a more experienced and polished receiver like Dallas Baker, Brandon Myles or Paul Williams (you have C.Taylor and S.Newton going before any of these three????). While I doubt that the Bills will go through the first day of the draft without taking a CB, I would be delighted to see the Bills take any one of those three WRs, but Newton, NO!

But, of course, this is your mock and how you see the draft going, so it is your prerogative to lay out the picks as you see things. I'm with you on the first two picks, though--and would be ecstatic to see the Bills end up with those two players!

[DraftBoy]

pat, your assuming that other teams view bush as the 3rd rb in the draft.. that is definately not the case.. bush is a totaly different back than irons, and hunt, and walker, as well as booker, for that matter, who will probably be a 3rd round guy.


I strongly disagree with this setiment, Bush is pretty well thought of as the # 3 RB in this draft, bc Walker left too early, Irons had a down year and Hunt isnt quick enough. Unless Bush absolutely takes a dump on his pro day there is little doubt he is the #3 guy, and he is extremely similar to both Tony Hunt and Kenny Irons. He is quicker than Hunt and stronger than Irons though but all three RB's are the same type of guy. No big play ability, just straight ahead runners who will crush the other team. Bush is the best of the group but he doesnt do anything overly special to make him a completely different back, he has the same style.

As for the Mock itself, Ill pass on Alexander in the 2nd, much prefer a guy like Everett who can play inside and out and is also made for the Cover 2, who goes a little early in your mock, as I think he could be had in the 3rd round. God please done let us take Darius Walker, we just got rid of one RB with no heart, lets not take another on. In the 3rd Round in your mock Id take;

3a. TE Ben Patrick or CB Eric Wright
3b. WR Jacoby Jones No way should this guy not be in your mock imo.