Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

[Night Train]

ESPN Insider

We've written for weeks about the future of the Buffalo Bills and how a decision at the quarterback position is key. They select ninth overall in the first round and mocks along the way have projected Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford to land in that spot. But not in Mel Kiper, Jr.'s latest. Kiper has the Bills taking Oklahoma State offensive tackle Russell Okung, since in his most recent scenario the two top quarterbacks are already off the board. Allen Wilson of the Buffalo News presented his own mock draft, and he has the Bills taking another tackle, Bryan Bulaga. Wilson writes "Clausen or Bradford would be popular with fans if either fell this far, but Bulaga addresses the Bills' most glaring need." Can't argue with that. The News' Mark Gaughan explores the top tackles available in this year's class.

Okung or Bulaga would give the Bills a left tackle with which to begin their rebuilding project, but what about going to the other side of the ball with that pick? Included in this list of their options for NT is drafting Tennessee's Dan Williams at No. 9


I mentioned Williams before, especially if the Bills try to secure a young LT prior to the draft. He's been mentioned in the 10-20 range in many mocks, so he's hardly a reach.We've seen all the decent vet NT's either signed or frachised this past week for a reason and just like LT's, these quality players are very hard to find.

If we sit put at #9, I'm thinking our top pick comes from 4 names

1. Russell Okung of Okla St. - LT
2. Bryan Bulaga of Iowa - LT
3. Trent Williams of Oklahoma - LT
4. Dan Williams of Tennessee - DT.

all would be instant starters and fill a crying need

I see QB as a long shot, if even on the radar.

[YardRat]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Scouts 'muncher' has him lasting into the second round...

http://www.theobr.com/public/mdm/

...although they do reference several individual mocks that have him going anywhere from 12 to 31. I think it would be a surprise if Pittsburgh didn't take him at 18 if he was still available.

[Night Train]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Mock Drafts are just that.. something to mock.

I'm betting War Room draft boards look very different.

[Yasgur's Farm]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Here's my top 9 when it comes to Bills needs...

I've assigned a percentage to each of the possibillity of the Bills picking...

IMO

1% DT Ndamukong Suh
2% DT Gerald McCoy
10% OT Russel Okung
20% LB Rolando McClain
25% WR Dez Bryant
20% QB Jimmy Clausen
17% QB Sam Bradford
10% OT Bryan Bulaga
5% DT Dan Williams

[JCBills]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

I don't agree with the "all would be instant starters" bit.

I'm sure the teams taking OTs in the top 10 last year would have liked to think the same, but it ended up not being the case.

[DraftBoy]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Wouldn't surprise me at all if Williams was the pick. Im just not sold yet that he can be a 3-4 NT. Id almost rather take Arthur Jones or move down for Cody. Taking a guy with aboslutely 0 3-4 NT experience and using the #9 pick on him is a risk. All the other likely possibilties,

Okung
Bulaga
Williams
McClain
Bryant
Clausen
Bradford

have experience playing where they would be asked to play in the pros. Now plenty of players have successful switched position but it is an added risk that I usually dont like doing with top 10 picks.

[JCBills]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Wouldn't surprise me at all if Williams was the pick. Im just not sold yet that he can be a 3-4 NT. Id almost rather take Arthur Jones or move down for Cody. Taking a guy with aboslutely 0 3-4 NT experience and using the #9 pick on him is a risk. All the other likely possibilties,

Okung
Bulaga
Williams
McClain
Bryant
Clausen
Bradford

have experience playing where they would be asked to play in the pros. Now plenty of players have successful switched position but it is an added risk that I usually dont like doing with top 10 picks.

I wasn't impressed with D.Williams' combine showing, I expected 30+ reps and he only put up 27.

[Ickybaluky]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Wouldn't surprise me at all if Williams was the pick. Im just not sold yet that he can be a 3-4 NT. Id almost rather take Arthur Jones or move down for Cody. Taking a guy with aboslutely 0 3-4 NT experience and using the #9 pick on him is a risk.

He has a prototype build for the position. 6-2, 325#, pretty long arms. He has a low center of gravity and is tough against the run. I agree he has some 3-4/4-3 versatility, but if you ask me he is a natural NT. I've seen comparisons to Jason Ferguson, and I think that fits his game.

[tampabay25690]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

I wasn't impressed with D.Williams' combine showing, I expected 30+ reps and he only put up 27.

So McCoy neither?
He will probably be a top 4 pick and he put the bar up 23 times....

[JCBills]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

So McCoy neither?
He will probably be a top 4 pick and he put the bar up 23 times....

McCoy won't be asked to eat up two blockers on every play, you typically want your NT to be mind-blowingly strong.

Yeah, that was a let down by McCoy, but this is a Williams thread :P

[TigerJ]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Wouldn't surprise me.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Of all the positions, this is the one where you look at mocks now and watch the draft in April and will screw up your mocks.

Good DT's are going to go WAY higher than most mocks anticipate.. Good DT's are hard to come by and some guys you see in the 2nd even 3rd rounds are going to be first round picks.

At least that's what I been told, and my belief. I also don't think Cody will be there when the Bills pick in round two either as it stands right now.

[don137]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

I feel the Bills need to take the closest thing to a sure thing from both a talent that is NFL ready and character side that addresses a major weakness.
I am sick of reaches or players with low character (Losman-talent, McCargo-talent, Lynch-character, Maybin-talent not NFL ready, etc.).
I feel the safest pick of players realistically have the potential to be there are Okung/Mcclain being the safest and Williams/Baluga one step below them.

[Don't Panic]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

Of all the positions, this is the one where you look at mocks now and watch the draft in April and will screw up your mocks.

Good DT's are going to go WAY higher than most mocks anticipate.. Good DT's are hard to come by and some guys you see in the 2nd even 3rd rounds are going to be first round picks.

At least that's what I been told, and my belief. I also don't think Cody will be there when the Bills pick in round two either as it stands right now.

Agreed. That's why if we don't go Williams in the 1st, we're going to have to go Cam Thomas in the 2nd (if he isn't gone already). They may not be taken where they are ranked, but they'll go higher due to flat out need.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Re: Don't Be Surprised If NT Dan Williams Is In The Mix @ #9

why in the blue hell would we take dan williams who in reality should be a 2nd rd pick and pass on dez bryant the next andre johnson?????? if the top 3 tackles are gone okung, bulaga, williams. then the bills will have no choice but to take dez bryant and then get a lt in rd 2