No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

[YardRat]

http://www.buffalonews.com/incoming/article710382.ece

There are 3 1/2 months to go before the 2012 National Football League draft. We may need all that time to figure out the rankings of the pass rushers in the draft.

In the immediate wake of the college football season, there is zero consensus among professional draft analysts outside the NFL on how the pass rushers should stack up. The Buffalo Bills, of course, will be studying the rushers intensely, because the position is the team's biggest need. It would be nice for the Bills if a pass rusher they loved was available when they pick 10th overall.

The best one might be North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples. He's a 285-pounder and a phenomenal physical specimen. But he wasn't consistently great in 2011. After getting 10 sacks in 2010, he had 7.5 this year.

It might be Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw, a 6-foot-2, 272-pounder who is a great football player but not a phenomenal speed rusher in the mold of Denver's Von Miller, last year's top rush rusher. Upshaw had 9.5 sacks this year.

Guys who could rank in the top three at pass rusher include Clemson defensive end and outside linebacker Andre Branch, a prototypical 4-3 end at 260 pounds who had 10.5 sacks this season after getting 5.5 in 2010.

Another could be South Carolina's Melvin Ingram, who can play 4-3 end or 3-4 outside linebacker. He had 10 sacks this year, nine last year. It might be Illinois' Whitney Mercilus, a great athlete who led the nation with 16 sacks this fall but who's a one-year wonder.

Here's how much the pass-rusher rankings vary. The numbers reflect the overall player ratings, not a prediction of where they will be picked, unless noted. That's a big distinction, because pass rushers generally move up the board.

[mjt328]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Go to www.draftbreakdown.com
Watch some game film on all the top guys.

The top pass rusher in this draft is Whitney Mercilus. And I don't think it's close.

[Bmax]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Well i think five guys should be in the mix

Not in this order

1. Nick Perry-USC-6-3-255-explosive off the edge...4-3 de or 3-4 olb..looks like he could put on more wight not a light small guy .. Not a Maybin guy can beat and push linemen..

2. Melvin Ingrim-Freaky athlete-only 6-1 272 but is a force on rush and will stand up to run..

3. Courtney Upshaw-6-1.5 265-the favorite now.. played in big boy sec....

4. Quinten Coples-6-6-285-Big physical ..effort in question

5. Whitney Mercelus-6-4-265-good pass rusher climbing boards...

Would be happy with anyone of them but not at 10...

Right now i would take Upshaw .. But Perry is a guy who may have the best rush ability off the edge .. The combine will tell for some of these guys...

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Well i think five guys should be in the mix

Not in this order

1. Nick Perry-USC-6-3-255-explosive off the edge...4-3 de or 3-4 olb..looks like he could put on more wight not a light small guy .. Not a Maybin guy can beat and push linemen..

2. Melvin Ingrim-Freaky athlete-only 6-1 272 but is a force on rush and will stand up to run..

3. Courtney Upshaw-6-1.5 265-the favorite now.. played in big boy sec....

4. Quinten Coples-6-6-285-Big physical ..effort in question

5. Whitney Mercelus-6-4-265-good pass rusher climbing boards...

Would be happy with anyone of them but not at 10...

Right now i would take Upshaw .. But Perry is a guy who may have the best rush ability off the edge .. The combine will tell for some of these guys...

Is nick perry really that explosive off the edge? i think upshaw is better...

[elltrain22]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Even though we won't do it, we should trade down in the 1st, either pick late 1st and/or early 2nd, and stockpile picks. Draft front-7 defenders, and/or O-line the rest of the way.

[better days]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Even though we won't do it, we should trade down in the 1st, either pick late 1st and/or early 2nd, and stockpile picks. Draft front-7 defenders, and/or O-line the rest of the way.

I would be for trading down if it included a #1 next year to the Bills in the trade.

[kingJofNYC]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Man I'd trade down for just about anything, I'm not saying we should get ripped off but moving down and acquiring more talent is probably a good move for this team.

That said, not a fan of the pass rushers and if we stay at 10 I wouldn't want any of them. Where's the Von Miller, Aldon Smith, and JJ Watt (who went at 11 last year) of this class? Don't exist, Upshaw is not explosive. Good backer against the run, but only an average pass rusher.

If we stay at 10 it's time to get a LT, Smith went 10 last year and he was a stud for Dallas and this year the OT class is better than last.

Good read on the top two tackles.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Man I'd trade down for just about anything, I'm not saying we should get ripped off but moving down and acquiring more talent is probably a good move for this team.

That said, not a fan of the pass rushers and if we stay at 10 I wouldn't want any of them. Where's the Von Miller, Aldon Smith, and JJ Watt (who went at 11 last year) of this class? Don't exist, Upshaw is not explosive. Good backer against the run, but only an average pass rusher.

If we stay at 10 it's time to get a LT, Smith went 10 last year and he was a stud for Dallas and this year the OT class is better than last.

Good read on the top two tackles.

what the hell would you do about our pass rush?

coples or upshaw please, they are plenty explosive...

we have hairston, we will take a lt in rds 3 or 4..

[kingJofNYC]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

You probably haven't watched Coples play, LOL at Hairston. You fellas will never learn.

Let's reach like we always do for a position of need, never hurt us in the past. Better pass rushers last draft and we passed on them repeatedly, but let's fill our current hole with a mediocre player instead. Would rather take a sure thing at LT, a position we haven't filled since jettisoning Peters.

I'd rather take Branch in the 2nd and solidify LT in the first. Hairston is a RT at best.

Coples sucks balls.

[better days]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Man I'd trade down for just about anything, I'm not saying we should get ripped off but moving down and acquiring more talent is probably a good move for this team.

That said, not a fan of the pass rushers and if we stay at 10 I wouldn't want any of them. Where's the Von Miller, Aldon Smith, and JJ Watt (who went at 11 last year) of this class? Don't exist, Upshaw is not explosive. Good backer against the run, but only an average pass rusher.

If we stay at 10 it's time to get a LT, Smith went 10 last year and he was a stud for Dallas and this year the OT class is better than last.

Good read on the top two tackles.

The further down you go, the players have more question marks about them. It is one thing to move down a couple spots & pick up a 2nd or 3rd rnd pick, but I would not move further down than 2 spots unless it involved next years #1. The 10th pick in the draft is like GOLD, it has VALUE.

Many times in a draft, there is a run on certain positions where all the GOOD players go early. I would be happy with Upshaw at 10 because I know he could help this team for years. If nobody takes any of the pass rushers before the Bills pick I would not mind trading down a couple spots, but if a couple are already gone when the Bills pick, I would rather stay put unless the Bills get great compensation to move.

[DesertFox24]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Nick Perry destroyed Jonathan Martin and it was not even close he took him to the tool shed.

I like Upshaw a lot but you heard buddy Nix talk about what he looks for.

I would expect our first pick to be Nick Perry, Riley Rielf, or Alshon Jeffery.

Every year the bills state their need and what they are looking and what do they do.

We need a scat back - Spiller
We need to stop the run - Dareus
We need a pass rusher and a Calvin type WR - Jeffery or Perry in my opinion

Nix said we will take a LT but to me that means later, just the way he said it.

Look for buffalo to add some linebackers and a corner in FA and make a play at a pass rusher and a tall WR if any are available.

[better days]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Nick Perry destroyed Jonathan Martin and it was not even close he took him to the tool shed.

I like Upshaw a lot but you heard buddy Nix talk about what he looks for.

I would expect our first pick to be Nick Perry, Riley Rielf, or Alshon Jeffery.

Every year the bills state their need and what they are looking and what do they do.

We need a scat back - Spiller
We need to stop the run - Dareus
We need a pass rusher and a Calvin type WR - Jeffery or Perry in my opinion

Nix said we will take a LT but to me that means later, just the way he said it.

Look for buffalo to add some linebackers and a corner in FA and make a play at a pass rusher and a tall WR if any are available.

Good point about FA. I think the Bills are now in position where a couple of GOOD FA pick ups will make a HUGE difference on this team. I think Nix is aware of that & he will get one or two guys that we are all excited about in free agency & that will affect who we need in the draft.

[jpdex12]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Nick Perry destroyed Jonathan Martin and it was not even close he took him to the tool shed.

I like Upshaw a lot but you heard buddy Nix talk about what he looks for.

I would expect our first pick to be Nick Perry, Riley Rielf, or Alshon Jeffery.

Every year the bills state their need and what they are looking and what do they do.

We need a scat back - Spiller
We need to stop the run - Dareus
We need a pass rusher and a Calvin type WR - Jeffery or Perry in my opinion

Nix said we will take a LT but to me that means later, just the way he said it.

Look for buffalo to add some linebackers and a corner in FA and make a play at a pass rusher and a tall WR if any are available.

somewhat agree but Reif was owned in the bowl game I watched of him. Looked very average and slwo against a quick DE. Jeffery seems like a bust in the waiting. Attitude and not work ethic especially keeping fit.

[Bill Cody]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Let's pass on a Pro Bowler and take an undersized guy with only one year of starting experience instead, shall we?

[JCBills]

Re: No. 1 pass rusher in draft is an open question

Is nick perry really that explosive off the edge? i think upshaw is better...

How can you make that judgement without seeing him?

"I haven't seen this one, but still think that one is better."