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They say it takes three years before you can start to grade a rookie draft class. Well, three years later it’s time to make some grades. What do you think?
1A- Donte Whitner- Despite many thinking he was a reach, he was drafted to be a hard-hitting safety who made big plays in the mold of a Brian Dawkins or Adrian Wilson. Three years later, Whitner has done next-to-nothing in the big play department. Want proof? Adrian Wilson has more sacks (2) and as many forced fumbles (2) in his three postseason games THIS season than Whitner has in his entire three year career! Whitner in three years has all of one sack to go with a pair of interceptions and forced fumbles. While it may not be Whitner’s fault he was taken so high, fair or not it’s a standard he must be judged by and after three years, he’s failed miserably. GRADE: D
1B- John McCargo- Is it safe to call him a useless bust? How about if I add that he became (literally) untradeable by the midpoint of his third season? Good thing we couldn’t have used a center like Nick Mangold in this draft. Grade: F
3-Ashton Youboty- Finally proved this summer and fall that he has plenty of talent. Unfortunately, he also proved (yet again) he’s incapable of staying on the field. You can’t be productive when you can’t stay on the field. Grade: C-
4-Ko Simpson- Looked pretty good as a rookie (basically pushing Troy Vincent out the door), but has regressed badly this year after missing almost all of 2007 with an injury. .But hey, he’s worth millions! GRADE: D+
5A- Kyle Williams- More than what the team could have hoped for. Is entrenched as the starter. But even though he’s a “try hard” kind of DT, the fact he’s the starter demonstrates our front four overall is weak. Still, a bargain at this phase of the draft. GRADE: B+
5B- Brad Butler- A starting right guard for the team three years later. While he probably wouldn’t be starting on at least a handful of other teams, the line was even worse when he was injured this year. GRADE: B
6-Keith Ellison: SHOULD be a versatile backup LB who can play all three positions. But he’s clearly not a starter. He’s overmatched and oft-bullied over 16 games if not 60 minutes. But this was a great value pick at this stage of the draft. Grade: B
7 – Terrance Pennington- Started by the end of his rookie season, was cut before the start of the second. That was the state of the Buffalo Bills 2006 offensive line. GRADE: D
7B- Aaron Merz- is he even still in the league? GRADE: Who Cares.
OVERALL: C-
Only good value picks with Williams, Butler and Ellison in the later rounds save this draft from being graded a colossal failure. McCargo is officially a bust, while Whitner teeters on irrelevence. Youboty can't stay healthy, while Simpson looked better in July of '06 than he did in December of '08. When you realize the Bills are still weak on both sides of the trenches, and then realize they could've rather easily, and with little risk took Ngata or Bunkley instead of Whitner, and Mangold instead of McCargo, it's rather sickening.
George Wilson could've started. Granted, he has done next-to-nothing just like Whitner. But hey, he wasn't the 8th overall pick in the draft either. Or maybe, just maybe the Bills could've found a better way to use Jim Leonhard, who by coincidence (or not) is thriving in Baltimore.
1A- Donte Whitner- Despite many thinking he was a reach, he was drafted to be a hard-hitting safety who made big plays in the mold of a Brian Dawkins or Adrian Wilson. Three years later, Whitner has done next-to-nothing in the big play department. Want proof? Adrian Wilson has more sacks (2) and as many forced fumbles (2) in his three postseason games THIS season than Whitner has in his entire three year career! Whitner in three years has all of one sack to go with a pair of interceptions and forced fumbles. While it may not be Whitner’s fault he was taken so high, fair or not it’s a standard he must be judged by and after three years, he’s failed miserably. GRADE: D
1B- John McCargo- Is it safe to call him a useless bust? How about if I add that he became (literally) untradeable by the midpoint of his third season? Good thing we couldn’t have used a center like Nick Mangold in this draft. Grade: F
3-Ashton Youboty- Finally proved this summer and fall that he has plenty of talent. Unfortunately, he also proved (yet again) he’s incapable of staying on the field. You can’t be productive when you can’t stay on the field. Grade: C-
4-Ko Simpson- Looked pretty good as a rookie (basically pushing Troy Vincent out the door), but has regressed badly this year after missing almost all of 2007 with an injury. .But hey, he’s worth millions! GRADE: D+
5A- Kyle Williams- More than what the team could have hoped for. Is entrenched as the starter. But even though he’s a “try hard” kind of DT, the fact he’s the starter demonstrates our front four overall is weak. Still, a bargain at this phase of the draft. GRADE: B+
5B- Brad Butler- A starting right guard for the team three years later. While he probably wouldn’t be starting on at least a handful of other teams, the line was even worse when he was injured this year. GRADE: B
6-Keith Ellison: SHOULD be a versatile backup LB who can play all three positions. But he’s clearly not a starter. He’s overmatched and oft-bullied over 16 games if not 60 minutes. But this was a great value pick at this stage of the draft. Grade: B
7 – Terrance Pennington- Started by the end of his rookie season, was cut before the start of the second. That was the state of the Buffalo Bills 2006 offensive line. GRADE: D
7B- Aaron Merz- is he even still in the league? GRADE: Who Cares.
OVERALL: C-
Only good value picks with Williams, Butler and Ellison in the later rounds save this draft from being graded a colossal failure. McCargo is officially a bust, while Whitner teeters on irrelevence. Youboty can't stay healthy, while Simpson looked better in July of '06 than he did in December of '08. When you realize the Bills are still weak on both sides of the trenches, and then realize they could've rather easily, and with little risk took Ngata or Bunkley instead of Whitner, and Mangold instead of McCargo, it's rather sickening.
George Wilson could've started. Granted, he has done next-to-nothing just like Whitner. But hey, he wasn't the 8th overall pick in the draft either. Or maybe, just maybe the Bills could've found a better way to use Jim Leonhard, who by coincidence (or not) is thriving in Baltimore.
We probably wouldn't have Stroud on the roster though.
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