The Spaz
04-23-2004, 02:50 PM
Tom Donahoe likes to keep everyone guessing about the Buffalo Bills' plans heading into this weekend's NFL Draft.
Anything, the team's president said, is possible when it comes time for Buffalo to make its scheduled 13th overall pick on Saturday.
"A lot of times you don't know until it starts," Donahoe said of his draft strategy. "People like to play their cards close to the vest. And if it's to our advantage to trade up, we'll look at that. If it's to our advantage to trade back, we'll look at that as well. So I don't know if we ever go into draft and say, 'This is the plan.'"
One thing's for sure, Donahoe said, and that's not to trust what anyone says until an actual pick is made.
"The one thing we found out years ago at the draft is that nobody tells the truth," he said.
Whether that's Donahoe's version of pre-draft gamesmanship or not, what's clear is his record of swinging deals or making surprise picks during his past three drafts in Buffalo.
In 2001, Donahoe swapped first-round picks with Tampa Bay, dropping from No. 14 to No. 21, to select cornerback Nate Clements. As part of the deal, the Bills also got the 51st pick, which they dealt to Denver for the Broncos' second- (58th pick) and fourth-round (110th) selections.
Donahoe selected running back Travis Henry with the 58th pick and linebacker Brandon Spoon at 110.
In 2002, Donahoe not only chose offensive tackle Mike Williams fourth overall, but capped the draft weekend by landing Drew Bledsoe in a trade with New England.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040423/APS/404230843
Anything, the team's president said, is possible when it comes time for Buffalo to make its scheduled 13th overall pick on Saturday.
"A lot of times you don't know until it starts," Donahoe said of his draft strategy. "People like to play their cards close to the vest. And if it's to our advantage to trade up, we'll look at that. If it's to our advantage to trade back, we'll look at that as well. So I don't know if we ever go into draft and say, 'This is the plan.'"
One thing's for sure, Donahoe said, and that's not to trust what anyone says until an actual pick is made.
"The one thing we found out years ago at the draft is that nobody tells the truth," he said.
Whether that's Donahoe's version of pre-draft gamesmanship or not, what's clear is his record of swinging deals or making surprise picks during his past three drafts in Buffalo.
In 2001, Donahoe swapped first-round picks with Tampa Bay, dropping from No. 14 to No. 21, to select cornerback Nate Clements. As part of the deal, the Bills also got the 51st pick, which they dealt to Denver for the Broncos' second- (58th pick) and fourth-round (110th) selections.
Donahoe selected running back Travis Henry with the 58th pick and linebacker Brandon Spoon at 110.
In 2002, Donahoe not only chose offensive tackle Mike Williams fourth overall, but capped the draft weekend by landing Drew Bledsoe in a trade with New England.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040423/APS/404230843