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]

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]

Mock Drafts are just that.. something to mock.

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

[Yasgur's Farm]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Wouldn't surprise me.

[patmoran2006]

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]

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]

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...]

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

[NOT THE DUDE...]

i would take brandon graham before dan williams....

[patmoran2006]

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

2nd round pick by whom? Website mocks in late February?

[WeAreArthurMoates]

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. Noplenty of players have successful switched position but it is an added risk that I usually dont like doing with top 10 picks.

I like Williams a lot but agree 100% with ya. I think it would be more beneficial to take a LT at 9 then trade up for Cody (second round pick and a player). Cody has played in the 3-4 and having Kyle supplement as the pass rushing NT would be a great combo. My perfect draft is Bulaga 1, Cody 2, Norwood 3 and Skelton 4.

[mayotm]

I wasn't impressed with D.Williams' combine showing, I expected 30+ reps and he only put up 27.Do you have any idea how absurd it would be to draft (or not draft) a player because of his bench press?

[DraftBoy]

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.


As are plenty of DT's (Pat Williams, and Jimmy Kennedy to name just two), build is less than half the battle though. He has never been in the scheme and has spent his whole life doing things and being coached to do things that our current scheme doesn't ask him to do. Im not saying he can't do it, Im simply saying its yet another risk being added on in an already extremely risky process. And one where we really can't afford to go wrong.

Now if we take Dan Williams, I like the pick, I just like a LT more, less risk, more value.

[JCBills]

Do you have any idea how absurd it would be to draft (or not draft) a player because of his bench press?

Do you have any idea how annoying it is when people put words in your mouth? I do, because you just did. I said it wasn't impressive, but see what you want, it's normal.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

How many bench press reps did d williams do, also what was his short shuttle and vertical?

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Never mind.... lol

i guess i would be ok with the pick after seeing his tape. we need a nt really bad. and there are tons of lts that can be had in rd 2

zane beadles
selvish capers
rodger saffold
charles brown
tony washington
ciron black
vladimir ducasse
jason fox
kyle calloway
jared veldheer

[NOT THE DUDE...]

my new mock with dan williams

1 DAN WILLIAMS NT
2 RODGER SAFFOLD OT
3 ERIC NORWOOD OLB
4 C.J. WILSON DE
5 ZANE BEADLES OT
6 BRANDON DEADERICK DE
6 CHARLES SCOTT RB
7 JOSH HULL ILB
7 MITCH PETRUS C/G

[mysticsoto]

I'd be surprised if we went this way considering the Bills have signed 3 DTs in the offseason and apparently also like Kyle Williams (though he will likely shift to 3-4 DE in our new scheme).

[NOT THE DUDE...]

they already said that williams is a nt...

[JCBills]

Do you have any idea how absurd it would be to draft (or not draft) a player because of his bench press?

LOL I can't believe this ignorance got thanked.

[JCBills]

they already said that williams is a nt...

Everyone is sleeping on Torrell Troup though.

We DON'T need to draft NT in the first two rounds.

[mjgola01]

profootballcentral.com seems to think that we are interested in drafting Tebow

[DraftBoy]

Everyone is sleeping on Torrell Troup though.

We DON'T need to draft NT in the first two rounds.

Troup is rising pretty well, he may go in the top two rounds.

And nobody is really sleeping on him, he has questions about his ability to play the NT considering how much talent he has surrounding him as pass rush threats at UCF. And Im going to answer your PM tonight, Ive been really busy.

[YardRat]

I like Troup.

[JCBills]

Troup is rising pretty well, he may go in the top two rounds.

And nobody is really sleeping on him, he has questions about his ability to play the NT considering how much talent he has surrounding him as pass rush threats at UCF. And Im going to answer your PM tonight, Ive been really busy.

A lot of what he was asked to do is eat double teams to allow his teammates to make plays. Miller and Geathers both saw their production increase when Troup took a new role.

That's kind of like saying Cam Thomas should be questioned because he's coming from an absolutely stacked defense, the talent returning to NC next year will produce quite a few 1st to 3rd round picks in next year's draft between Marvin Austin and their stacked LB corps and secondary.

Same goes with Linval Joseph and Jay Ross, ECU's defense looks like it has quite a bit of NFL talent on it.

[clumping platelets]

Trade down a few spots and then take Williams.

Trade Kyle Williams to Indy for Gonzalez

[DraftBoy]

A lot of what he was asked to do is eat double teams to allow his teammates to make plays. Miller and Geathers both saw their production increase when Troup took a new role.

That's kind of like saying Cam Thomas should be questioned because he's coming from an absolutely stacked defense, the talent returning to NC next year will produce quite a few 1st to 3rd round picks in next year's draft between Marvin Austin and their stacked LB corps and secondary.

Same goes with Linval Joseph and Jay Ross, ECU's defense looks like it has quite a bit of NFL talent on it.

I absolutely think Cam Thomas should be questioned. He was by far one of the lesser talented players on the UNC DL and the fact that he is slated to go as high as Round 2 (which is ridiculous) is based more on his perceived ability to play the 3-4 NT, than on his actual skill level.

Troup has far more skills than Thomas.

[JCBills]

I absolutely think Cam Thomas should be questioned. He was by far one of the lesser talented players on the UNC DL and the fact that he is slated to go as high as Round 2 (which is ridiculous) is based more on his perceived ability to play the 3-4 NT, than on his actual skill level.

Troup has far more skills than Thomas.

I think so too, Thomas definitely benefited from the talent around him much more than Troup did. A lot of the attention on Thomas is just due to size.

Though I think ECU's DL is legit.