#1 QB DRAFTED

[LVGrown]

I am amazed that E.J. Manuel was the #1 QB drafted and yet all I see all over ESPN and NFL Network is the Jets with Geno Smith and the Eagles with Matt Barkley. Wtf???

[DynaPaul]

Bigger markets. No one covers the Bills unless we're winning.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

I am amazed that E.J. Manuel was the #1 QB drafted and yet all I see all over ESPN and NFL Network is the Jets with Geno Smith and the Eagles with Matt Barkley. Wtf???

Bigger markets and also ESPN and NFL guys had fantasy drafted Barkley, Smith, and Nassib for that matter, as the top qbs. They're self described football geniuses and it pisses them off when front office people don't make the picks they like.

[Extremebillsfan247]

Geno Smith was media hyped from the beginning, the Bills made them look bad by picking another QB. The media think they are smarter than NFL clubs. So, showing them up will often lead to criticism. Chip Kelly is another media darling, it's why Barkley is getting hype. But, both he and Geno can fail just like Manuel can. Personally, I feel Manuel is in better position to succeed than these other 2 QB's because the situation he was drafted into is far more stable. But, that's my opinion.

[Ingtar33]

Barkley was always over-rated... but Smith was the best QB in the class and should have been the bills pick. (that said he was only a marginal first rounder)

[SquishDaFish]

Barkley was always over-rated... but Smith was the best QB in the class and should have been the bills pick. (that said he was only a marginal first rounder)

I wouldnt of minded Geno but disagree with this statement. He disappeared in games against good teams. Not saying any of them should of been a clear cut #1 though

[Buffalo Billy Bison]

Brady must have been watching our draft! Which is why he crying!

[Ingtar33]

he was pretty much the clear cut number one... when you are talking about a draft filled with late 2nd mid - 4th round qbs, the lone qb worth a late 1st- early 2nd round grade is instantly the best guy in the class.

will Smith be any good? that's debateable... Its entirely likely he'll flame out of the league. That said he's got a better chance to make it then Manuel (or he would if he was anywhere but the NYJ).

[JoeMama]

I am amazed that E.J. Manuel was the #1 QB drafted and yet all I see all over ESPN and NFL Network is the Jets with Geno Smith and the Eagles with Matt Barkley. Wtf???

Maybe because EJ Manuel was a subpar collegiate QB who benefited from a meaningless Senior Bowl?

Of course he's not getting love from anyone but us. He did nothing to inspire anyone but us.

We're all hoping he pans out, but we'd be idiots to assume everyone else in the media will glorify a second rate QB in the first round.

[RedEyE]

Maybe because EJ Manuel was a subpar collegiate QB who benefited from a meaningless Senior Bowl?

Of course he's not getting love from anyone but us. He did nothing to inspire anyone but us.

We're all hoping he pans out, but we'd be idiots to assume everyone else in the media will glorify a second rate QB in the first round.

I think the Senior Bowl helped his chances but have to disagree if your point is that its the single reason the Bills drafted him.

The biggest reason he was drafted by the Bills, IMO, is that the Bills will be running the same offense FSU ran the past few years. Now Manuel may have not mastered it by any means, but he definitely is the best choice in th class to run it. Nassib being possibly the 2nd best candidate. Understand though that Manuel is twice the athlete that Nassib is and has played against a higher rated caliber of collegiate teams.

Geno was the best over all rated QB. There is no doubt he can sling the ball. However, the Bills have a plan and a scheme and it makes more sense in my opinion to inject a guy that has more familiarity with this scheme. Perhaps the Bills weren't enamored with his aptitude?

[Albany,n.y.]

Imagine this: It's 2011 and we're sitting at pick 3. Cam Newton has been selected #1 by Carolina & we trade down. In between the time we traded the pick & the time we pick, Jacksonville gets Gabbert-Mel Kiper, who rated Gabbert #1 over Newton, is heaping glowing praise on Jacksonville. Soon after, we decide to draft a guy Kiper has as his 8th rated QB-Colin Kaepernick-and Kiper criticizes us for taking him & gives us a bad draft grade. Well, obviously that didn't happen, but Kiper's ratings on the QBs of 2011 are as I've stated.
Now fast forward to this past week. Kiper has his QBs ranked in this order: Smith, Barkley, Nassib, Glennon, Jones, Manuel, Bray. The Bills trade down out of 8 to 16. They dare to take Kiper's 6th rated QB, a guy who Kiper rates as a 3rd rounder over his top 3 and has mock drafted to KC at the top of round 3. Kiper has mock drafted Geno Smith #4 to Philadelphia, Barkley #33 to Jacksonville and Ryan Nassib to the Bills at 41. So now Kiper is criticizing us & giving us a bad grade. Kiper is just one example of a member of the media who thinks the world revolves around him and any team that picks a guy higher than he rated him will get his on-air criticism. The guy he rated 1 spot behind Manuel didn't even get drafted!

[Gilly]

Barkley was always over-rated... but Smith was the best QB in the class and should have been the bills pick. (that said he was only a marginal first rounder)


guy can't even talk, you see Smith's interview after he was drafted???

[RedEyE]

Imagine this: It's 2011 and we're sitting at pick 3. Cam Newton has been selected #1 by Carolina & we trade down. In between the time we traded the pick & the time we pick, Jacksonville gets Gabbert-Mel Kiper, who rated Gabbert #1 over Newton, is heaping glowing praise on Jacksonville. Soon after, we decide to draft a guy Kiper has as his 8th rated QB-Colin Kaepernick-and Kiper criticizes us for taking him & gives us a bad draft grade. Well, obviously that didn't happen, but Kiper's ratings on the QBs of 2011 are as I've stated.
Now fast forward to this past week. Kiper has his QBs ranked in this order: Smith, Barkley, Nassib, Glennon, Jones, Manuel, Bray. The Bills trade down out of 8 to 16. They dare to take Kiper's 6th rated QB, a guy who Kiper rates as a 3rd rounder over his top 3 and has mock drafted to KC at the top of round 3. Kiper has mock drafted Geno Smith #4 to Philadelphia, Barkley #33 to Jacksonville and Ryan Nassib to the Bills at 41. So now Kiper is criticizing us & giving us a bad grade. Kiper is just one example of a member of the media who thinks the world revolves around him and any team that picks a guy higher than he rated him will get his on-air criticism. The guy he rated 1 spot behind Manuel didn't even get drafted!

Yeah man. Most "draft experts" are just guessing like the rest of us but Kiper is a tool. That guy does what the other 9 months of the year? You don't hear anything about him. At least guys like Mayock are at the games talking with the players and coaches on the field.

Its depressing that this guy is making money off of what all of us are doing on this message board.

[Extremebillsfan247]

To tell the truth, I actually feel bad for Geno Smith, He couldn't have gotten drafted into a worse situation than the one he was drafted into with the Jets this year. JMO

[BleedinGreenNC]

To tell the truth, I actually feel bad for Geno Smith, He couldn't have gotten drafted into a worse situation than the one he was drafted into with the Jets this year. JMO

What a dumb statement, Tebow is now released, Sanchez will be cut soon. We go into next season with $40 mill in cap space and we lose all of the dead weight, new GM in town means no more of the crap.

[Extremebillsfan247]

What a dumb statement, Tebow is now released, Sanchez will be cut soon. We go into next season with $40 mill in cap space and we lose all of the dead weight, new GM in town means no more of the crap.

How long you think Rex Ryan will last? I give him till mid season.

[Bert102176]

Geno Smith is just another Akili Smith and well suck in the NFL

[BleedinGreenNC]

How long you think Rex Ryan will last? I give him till mid season.

Hopefully he will be fired sooner than later.

[BleedinGreenNC]

Geno Smith is just another Akili Smith and well suck in the NFL

Smith's stats in college crush what EJ has, if Smith turns out like Akili, then who is EJ going to turn out like? Losman?

[Ingtar33]

Geno Smith is just another Akili Smith and well suck in the NFL
except for the fact you're wrong. they're nothing like eachother...


Akili Smith was a 1 year wonder who got lucky enough to impress mel kiper back when the bengals drafted his draft guide religiously.

Geno Smith was a 3 year starter who put up numbers that crush anything Akili Smith wish he produced, and who got progressively better every year he played. Actually his numbers over the last two years killed almost everyone in college football's numbers over that same stretch of time...

his passing numbers crush EJ Manuel's over the same stretch.

Geno Smith
2011 346–526 4385 65.8% 31 7
2012 369–518 4205 71.8% 42 6

EJ Manuel
2011 203-311 2,666 65.3% 18 8
2012 263-387 3,392 68.0% 23 10

[BillsU]

Smith's stats in college crush what EJ has, if Smith turns out like Akili, then who is EJ going to turn out like? Losman? How many Bowl games did Smith win? If stats were what mattered the most all of those University of Houston QB's, Texas Tech would be in the HOF.

[BillsU]

except for the fact you're wrong. they're nothing like eachother... Akili Smith was a 1 year wonder who got lucky enough to impress mel kiper back when the bengals drafted his draft guide religiously. Geno Smith was a multi-year starter who put up numbers that crush anything Akili Smith wish he produced. Actually his numbers over the last two years killed almost everyone in college football's numbers over that same stretch of time. Geno Smith couldn't beat Syracuse 3 years in a row with Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey at WR.

[BleedinGreenNC]

How many Bowl games did Smith win? If stats were what mattered the most all of those University of Houston QB's, Texas Tech would be in the HOF.

Time will tell, i like the position he is in, $40 million in cap space after this season, new GM in place, good draft picks. Next season we give him some weapons. FWIW, i have watched many of EJ's games, and he also buckles under pressure.

[BertSquirtgum]

Barkley was always over-rated... but Smith was the best QB in the class and should have been the bills pick. (that said he was only a marginal first rounder)

Smith will be crying on the bench by himself after he throws an interception or 4. He is not a leader. No way should the Bills have drafted him. QB's are leaders of teams and Smith just isn't that guy. I believe Jets are going to be kicking themselves in the ass for drafting him too. I believe Barkley will be very good in this league and I think the Bills should have drafted him as well as Manuel. Why the hell not? They could have had him in the 3rd.

[BertSquirtgum]

We're all hoping he pans out, but we'd be idiots to assume everyone else in the media will glorify a second rate QB in the first round.

Why? They're glorifying a QB that was taken in the 4th in Barkley.

[BertSquirtgum]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/-nfl-draft/news/20130429/nfl-draft-peter-king-monday-morning-quarterback/#ixzz2RtDEapJE

Doug Marrone did what he had to do.

Doug Marrone knows he got his head-coaching job in Buffalo in large part due to the success he had in turning around the Syracuse program. And the player who contributed the most to that success was Marrone's quarterback Ryan Nassib. We all know what happened now: Buffalo general manager Buddy Nix and Marrone (and the 33-year-old offensive coordinator he brought from Syracuse, Nathaniel Hackett, to a lesser extent) studied the quarterbacks in this spring's flawed quarterback market, knowing the Bills would likely pick one high in the draft ... and they chose Florida State's E.J. Manuel over Nassib.
Nix has the final personnel say in the traditional general manager/coach relationship in Buffalo. But I'm also told it wouldn't have mattered who had the last call in picking the quarterback in Buffalo: Nix and Marrone both judged Manuel the best quarterback in the crop. Buffalo traded from No. 8 t in the first round to No. 16, picked Manuel at 16, and stashed an extra second-round pick in the process.
When I talked to Marrone on Sunday, it was apparent that even though the pick was three days old, the impact of it -- all of it -- was still fresh. And it still bothered him.
"I don't know if words can explain it,'' Marrone said from his office.
"In one sense, you study all the quarterbacks and you get the one you believe is the best one, and you're happy. You're ecstatic,'' Marrone said. "In another sense, you're hurting about Ryan. And it did hurt. You're hurting in a different way for the other quarterbacks too, because you spent a lot of time with them too, and there was a lot to like about all of them. But with Ryan, it was very difficult after what we did together. It hurts. It definitely hurts. He's a special kid. Unbelievable worker. So smart. Very, very good quarterback with all the intangibles. He will win games in this league.
"The responsibility I had was to get the best player we could get. There are a lot of people relying on me to get the best players we can get here -- all the people in the organization and all the fans who buy tickets to see us play.''
Add this to the difficulty: The Bills told no one outside the organization what their plans were; they didn't want to give away any strategic advantage, and certainly didn't want another team figuring who they liked to jump them and pick Manuel. So Marrone couldn't pick up the phone a few days before and tell Nassib he wasn't the guy.
I don't see it as disloyal. I see it as a coach who got a job and whose new job is to look at a pool of players and pick the best one. Why would he automatically pick the one he'd been with, just because he'd been with him and had success? Should he put on blinders because he'd won with one player and pick a player he felt deep down was inferior to another one? No. His loyalty is with the Buffalo Bills now, not to the players had at Syracuse.
In the fifth round, the Bills went looking for a safety. On many strong safety boards in the league -- and on Mike Mayock's -- Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas was rated above Nevada's Duke Williams. Keep in mind the final say is Nix's on Buffalo players. But the Bills, with Williams and Thomas both on the board, picked Williams 105th overall. The next safety to go, to Pittsburgh with the 111th choice, was Thomas.
It's a tough business. "I thought the situation in Buffalo was going to go a little bit different ... I was a little disappointed,'' Nassib told the media covering the Giants in a conference call after being their fourth-round pick Saturday. I've heard Nassib was more than "a little disappointed." I've heard he was wounded by it. That's no surprise. He's a talented player. With Nassib under center, Syracuse won bowl games in his last two seasons, and beat West Virginia three straight years. Of course it's going to hurt if your coach chooses to draft someone else.
Now about the Manuel pick. Marrone didn't want to get into comparison shopping here, because saying what one guy does better than the other is going to leave the second guy looking like a loser. But Manuel, though a questionable decision-maker, was more accurate last season. He's two inches taller and a better athlete. Now, there are things Nassib did better. He's more instinctive in the pocket and appears to be better at picking the right target downfield.
Marrone has been cryptic about exactly what his offense is going to be -- he said Sunday he won't know exactly what it is until he begins practicing with his team and knows better the strengths and weaknesses of the players. "We'll have tempo -- everyone knows that,'' Marrone said. Clearly, the fast-paced and spread style appealed to Marrone after Syracuse went to that style and won with it last fall.
Manuel told me, "I think they felt I fit their offensive system the best when I met with them. I caught on quickly to the protections, and that's one thing that will help show all my talents in this system. Mostly, I feel I fit well with this team. The coaches are all about business, not about perceptions or the media or anything other than what will help us win. I like that. I think it's the kind of player and person I am.''
"He's very multiple,'' said Marrone, "and that always helps any quarterback. But having said that, [veterans] Kevin Kolb and Tarvaris Jackson are multiple in their skills too. So I think we'll be able to do the variety of things in the offense, however we decide to run it.''
Marrone said he kept a book with all the stats and information and scouting reports on each quarterback. He also kept hand-written notes on all the quarterbacks after each encounter with them. Asked if he'd share some notes about Manuel, Marrone got the book out and read from it over the phone.
"Met at Senior Bowl,'' he began. "Wow. That was impressive. Didn't seem schooled-up. Genuine. Bright-eyed. Willing. If he was in a room, he'd be the kind of guy you'd want to go up and talk to. Yes-sir, no-sir guy. Seemed to be raised correctly. Will follow up to make sure he wasn't schooled-up ...'' and so on.
"Very impressive person,'' said Marrone.
It's been 16 years since Jim Kelly retired, and the Bills have never adequately replaced him. Manuel, barring a huge comeback season from Kolb, will get the next shot. Nassib, for the first four years of his career, barring an injury to Eli Manning, will be an understudy. No one expected Manuel to be the first quarterback picked this year, and that bit of drama just added to the mayhem of the 2013 draft.

[CoolBreeze]

Barkley was always over-rated... but Smith was the best QB in the class and should have been the bills pick. (that said he was only a marginal first rounder)

I thought the same thing about Geno he should have been our pick, however after hearing about his hissy fit and how he said he wasn't returning for day 2 after getting passed up on day 1. Then he shows up and the fool gets drafted by the Jets who without a doubt will most likey start Sanchez, but then guarantees playoffs lol. He's just reeking of bust, or mediocracy. I give it four weeks into the season until he blows up at an interviewer