the next Howard Ballard?

**Mahdi** · 02-20-2010, 11:37 AM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

Originally posted by kernowboy

With the retirement of Butler, we now may find ourselves looking for two bookends on the OL. Whilst Bell, Meredith, or Scott plus others might surprise, two OT in the draft will not surprise.

As an RT is not required to be as athletic it would not surprise to discover a starting RT found on Day3, and here is a small school prospect who could easily immitate 'House'

From ESPN:

"Morehouse College is home to one of the most interesting prospects in the '10 class -- OT Ramon Harewood. He is from the Barbados and has limited football experience, but he is smart and an elite athlete who could become an NFL starting left tackle.

Harewood (6-6 1/4, 359) is a developmental prospect, but he could rise up draft boards quickly this spring with good pre-draft workouts. The biggest knock on Harewood, oddly, is his intelligence. He is an outstanding student with an applied physics and engineering major, so some scouts wonder how important football is to him."

What is doesn't mention is that prior to football, he played a lot of rugby, cricket and soccer in his youth and with a low Day3 pick, we might discover a genuine diamond.

I don't like any other OT at #9 outside of Okung so I hope we find a diamond somewhere.

Jared Veldheer could be a good pick also in rounds 3-4.

**YardRat** · 02-20-2010, 11:38 AM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

Ballard was kind of an anomaly and drafted a year prior to actually joining the pro's (I forget the exact circumstances, to be honest). He would have been a really high pick in '88.

**Dicknoze69** · 02-20-2010, 11:46 AM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

Originally posted by Mahdi

I don't like any other OT at #9 outside of Okung so I hope we find a diamond somewhere.

Jared Veldheer could be a good pick also in rounds 3-4.

Another lower round guy to keep an eye on is T Rodger Saffold from Indiana. He's a four year starter there. We recently hired his former college line coach to be our assistant offensive line coach.

**PECKERWOOD** · 02-20-2010, 04:52 PM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

Originally posted by Dicknoze69

Another lower round guy to keep an eye on is T Rodger Saffold from Indiana. He's a four year starter there. We recently hired his former college line coach to be our assistant offensive line coach.

Jared Veldheer is an athletic freak from a DII school, he may be worth a look also in maybe the 3rd-4th round.

**X-Era** · 02-20-2010, 05:32 PM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

Originally posted by kernowboy

With the retirement of Butler, we now may find ourselves looking for two bookends on the OL. Whilst Bell, Meredith, or Scott plus others might surprise, two OT in the draft will not surprise.

As an RT is not required to be as athletic it would not surprise to discover a starting RT found on Day3, and here is a small school prospect who could easily immitate 'House'

From ESPN:

"Morehouse College is home to one of the most interesting prospects in the '10 class -- OT Ramon Harewood. He is from the Barbados and has limited football experience, but he is smart and an elite athlete who could become an NFL starting left tackle.

Harewood (6-6 1/4, 359) is a developmental prospect, but he could rise up draft boards quickly this spring with good pre-draft workouts. The biggest knock on Harewood, oddly, is his intelligence. He is an outstanding student with an applied physics and engineering major, so some scouts wonder how important football is to him."

What is doesn't mention is that prior to football, he played a lot of rugby, cricket and soccer in his youth and with a low Day3 pick, we might discover a genuine diamond.

Theres a few guys that might be decent.

Guys like Calloway, Sam Young (may be a 3rd rounder), Kyle Jolly, Lee Ziemba, Zane Beadles, Zipp Duncan, maybe even Kevin Haslam (although he may need to be moved to G). Matt Reynolds is another guy I like in the mid rounds. Jerail McCuller is another.

Its a deep class at RT, much thinner at LT.

One more thing, I will be shocked if we don't sign or trade for a T before draft day. Everyone including the Bills knows its a priority.

**Buddo** · 02-20-2010, 05:53 PM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

Originally posted by kernowboy

With the retirement of Butler, we now may find ourselves looking for two bookends on the OL. Whilst Bell, Meredith, or Scott plus others might surprise, two OT in the draft will not surprise.

As an RT is not required to be as athletic it would not surprise to discover a starting RT found on Day3, and here is a small school prospect who could easily immitate 'House'

From ESPN:

"Morehouse College is home to one of the most interesting prospects in the '10 class -- OT Ramon Harewood. He is from the Barbados and has limited football experience, but he is smart and an elite athlete who could become an NFL starting left tackle.

Harewood (6-6 1/4, 359) is a developmental prospect, but he could rise up draft boards quickly this spring with good pre-draft workouts. The biggest knock on Harewood, oddly, is his intelligence. He is an outstanding student with an applied physics and engineering major, so some scouts wonder how important football is to him."

What is doesn't mention is that prior to football, he played a lot of rugby, cricket and soccer in his youth and with a low Day3 pick, we might discover a genuine diamond.

The last bit is quite interesting. These are all other 'ball sports' that would require decent athleticism to be able to play at a moderate standard. As such, it could be quite possible for him to play LT eventually, as he could have the necessary athleticism to do so. Both soccer and cricket require decent footwork, albeit of a different type, but if you have that ability, being taught the right footwork to play tackle, shouldn't be too hard to pick up.

**SABURZFAN** · 02-20-2010, 06:14 PM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

as big as he is, the Bills should draft him and make him a NT.

**kernowboy** · 02-20-2010, 06:25 PM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

I'm thinking as we need both LT and RT in all likelihood, we will possibly go high for the left sided bookend but then see what we might get towards the bottom of the draft again.

At 360lbs he's got to be a load in the running game as a RT

**X-Era** · 02-20-2010, 06:41 PM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

Just scouted him in the Iowa game... Heres my comments:

Roger Saffold, OT, Indiana - BillsZone.com - Buffalo Bills Fan Zone

http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php?p=3160899#post3160899

Rodger Saffold, Indiana Height: 6-5. Weight: 319. Projected 40 Time: 5.13. Projected Round (2010): 3. Comments: 2/20/2010- vs. Iowa (replay)- Tall, relatively thin build. Starts at LT. Quick feet for a big man, kick slides pretty well. Doing a decent job creating the wall on the pass (1st 12:17). Gets knocked down on

I'm impressed with his polish in the pass game... id like to have him as our RT to be honest.

**NOT THE DUDE...** · 02-20-2010, 07:50 PM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

jared veldheer could be another sebastian vollmer

**kernowboy** · 02-21-2010, 04:36 AM

Re: the next Howard Ballard?

Originally posted by JOHN DELLAPELLE

jared veldheer could be another sebastian vollmer

or another Demetrius Bell