Some interesting thoughts on the draft from Bills reporter Chirs Brown

[Ed]

Chris Brown's latest Fan Friday blog came out today. I usually find these kind of dull, but he had a couple answers related to the draft that I found interesting:

1 – @ChrisBrownBills Will O.J. Howard make it to the bills at pick ten?
Jordan Branch
@BuffaloBranch83
CB: I think every Bills fan should hope so. Buffalo would be running the card up to the table if he was still on the clock. Howard in my estimation is one of the six truly elite prospects in this class along with Garrett, Thomas, Fournette, Adams and Lattimore. You could make a strong argument for Hooker, Allen and McCaffrey too, but those are the top six as I see it.
In order for Howard to get to 10, I think at least one of the quarterback prospects has to come off the board in front of them. Ideally two of the perceived top QBs go in the top 10. That would push more of the truly elite talent down the board so the Bills have a chance to get one.
Cross your fingers.

....

5 – @ChrisBrownBills
Chris, I know it wouldn’t b a pick that would go over with most Bills fans? But can u c the Bills drafting McCaffrey?
Mikey
@Mikeybeit
CB: You’re right it wouldn’t be popular, but it wouldn’t be a reach or outlandish pick at all. I’m pretty confident McCaffrey goes in the top 10 somewhere. Personally I don’t think he gets past Carolina at eight. The reason why he’s so valuable is because in addition to his elite physical skill set is he can legitimately be lined up at receiver in addition to running back. He can also help on returns.
So a player with his multi-faceted production and athletic measurables to match signals top 10 talent. Not to mention his dad had a successful career in the league with Denver.
If the Bills pick him the narrative will be, ‘here they go again replacing running backs like they did with McGahee and Marshawn and Spiller.’ If the Bills don’t match the Gillislee offer sheet that line of criticism will be even louder.
What will be lost in such a scenario is the veritable matchup nightmare McCaffrey would be no matter where he lines up on the field. I believe he’s an elite talent, so he fits the value at 10.

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It sounds like the Bills would not hesitate to draft OJ Howard, which I would be a big fan of. He's really grown on me and is easily in my top 3 favorites for our pick at #10 right now. I also find the talk of McCaffrey going in the top 10 interesting. He's a player I've also really liked just because he seems to be really versatile and could like up at both RB and in the slot as a receiver. I've never really considered him as a possibility at #10, but if the value is there and he can be used in different ways, I could get excited about that pick. I know others would hate it.

[Cali512]

I would totally pick McCaffrey. No hesitation

[Thurmal]

If they pick a TE or RB at #10, I am going to have a meltdown.

DB or LB or trade down. Or pick the best OL, whatever. JUST DON'T MAKE LUXURY PICKS WHEN YOU HAVE A ROSTER WITH A TON OF HOLES!!!

[streetkings01]

Cook is a better running back then McCaffrey. He chewed up some elite college defenses(Clemson/Michigan) with a below average oline. If we take a RB and it's McCaffrey with Cook still on the board then I'm officially on the fire Whaley wagon!

[justasportsfan]

drafting either means we're looking for cap and will let either Shady or Clay go. If not this season, nest year for sure.

[Joe Fo Sho]

drafting either means we're looking for cap and will let either Shady or Clay go. If not this season, nest year for sure.

Cutting Charles Clay doesn't save us money until 2019. Cutting Shady saves $3.7MM next year and $6.425MM in 2019.

[SpikedLemonade]

If they pick a TE or RB at #10, I am going to have a meltdown.

DB or LB or trade down. Or pick the best OL, whatever. JUST DON'T MAKE LUXURY PICKS WHEN YOU HAVE A ROSTER WITH A TON OF HOLES!!!

Me too!

[Bill Cody]

Howard would be a great weapon to open up the middle of the field....oh wait...

[Goobylal]

What is the fascination with OJ Howard? He was minimally productive in college. This has to (better be) a smokescreen.

[Cali512]

If they pick a TE or RB at #10, I am going to have a meltdown.

DB or LB or trade down. Or pick the best OL, whatever. JUST DON'T MAKE LUXURY PICKS WHEN YOU HAVE A ROSTER WITH A TON OF HOLES!!!

Clay barely plays with his injuries and our biggest holes right now are WR and CB. McCafferey and Howard essentially are the same thing as a WR, and CB can easily be a depth pick. But id rather Hooker still

[Cali512]

What is the fascination with OJ Howard? He was minimally productive in college. This has to (better be) a smokescreen.

He has elite size and strength, amazing hands, and Alabama rarely uses a TE yet he still was productive. They haven't had a good QB in forever, and they run more than anything

[Goobylal]

He has elite size and strength, amazing hands, and Alabama rarely uses a TE yet he still was productive. They haven't had a good QB in forever, and they run more than anything

You'd think that with all that, he'd have caught more than 3 TD's in a season.

[Jry44]

If they pick a TE or RB at #10, I am going to have a meltdown.

DB or LB or trade down. Or pick the best OL, whatever. JUST DON'T MAKE LUXURY PICKS WHEN YOU HAVE A ROSTER WITH A TON OF HOLES!!!

Oj Howard isn't just a TE. He would be a #2 WR on a lot of teams int he league right now, in addition to their best TE. He might be the biggest TE match up nightmare to come our since Gronk, and I think he is much tougher to match up with than McCaffery. With that said, CB can also be blowing smoke here.

Many scouts consider Reuben Foster to be a top 3 to 4 player in this draft, and Brown didn't eve mention him. Found that interesting given what McDermott had in Carolina.....

[Goobylal]

Oj Howard isn't just a TE. He would be a #2 WR on a lot of teams int he league right now, in addition to their best TE. He might be the biggest TE match up nightmare to come our since Gronk, and I think he is much tougher to match up with than McCaffery. With that said, CB can also be blowing smoke here.

Many scouts consider Reuben Foster to be a top 3 to 4 player in this draft, and Brown didn't eve mention him. Found that interesting given what McDermott had in Carolina.....

That's because Foster failed a drug test at the Combine. As for Howard, he's pure projection at this point.

[Jry44]

What is the fascination with OJ Howard? He was minimally productive in college. This has to (better be) a smokescreen.

He was used a LOT as a blocker, and was pretty elite in that role. He's part of the reason for Bama having such a devastating run game.

Imagine a guy that can block that effectively in the run game and has the ability of a #2 receiver, and you see the fascination.

[Jry44]

That's because Foster failed a drug test at the Combine. As for Howard, he's pure projection at this point.

Yes, that's all over the news. So what. That does not take away from his athletic ability. If he's there at 10 I pull the trigger.

The guy has had absolutely no issues outside of this and the recombine flare up, which some say he was set up.

[TigerJ]

This might be the most uncertain draft for the Bills in years, at least from the perspective of observers. The other day on the John Murphy show, Steve Tasker suggested he would shy away from drafting Howard, only because TE's are mostly used in the short and intermediate passing game and Tyrod's strength is the deep passing game. I didn't see that last season as much. In 2015 Tyrod was pretty impressive on his deep throws. I don't necessarily agree. When a tight end runs the same speed as a lot of the WRs in the draft, why can't he get deep? I did hear an opinion today that unless Marshon Lattimore drops into Buffalo's lap, their strategy ought to be to pick up a CB or two later in the draft because McDermott's use of a zone scheme in his secondary doesn't demand nearly the skill set of a corner that a man coverage scheme does. The same person suggested salary was not the only reason Buffalo let Gilmore get away. Just as important is Gilmore's tendency to shy away from solid tackling technique. McDermott places a premium on that in his DBs.

[Skooby]

We are taking a WR first, it's in stone.

[Mace]

I don't know, adding more passing weapons when Taylor has issues passing and using the ones he has doesn't make sense to me, especially when the limited number of picks mean you have to skip a defensive upgrade.

They added tank fullback types, means they intend to run. If you want to make best use of a running game you need a way better defense than we have, not passing game weapons. Some seem to think Taylor just needs more weapons to throw to, and he'll be better. I'm not one of them though. Give him a defense and let him play his game, efficient small ball and mobility, with the occasional long ball.

Occasional necessarily means the added offensive passing weapons are not going to get a lot of plays for value at pick number 10.

[Goobylal]

He was used a LOT as a blocker, and was pretty elite in that role. He's part of the reason for Bama having such a devastating run game.

Imagine a guy that can block that effectively in the run game and has the ability of a #2 receiver, and you see the fascination.

He has proven himself as a run blocker. To say he's a number two wide receiver though is, again, speculation.

Yes, that's all over the news. So what. That does not take away from his athletic ability. If he's there at 10 I pull the trigger.

The guy has had absolutely no issues outside of this and the recombine flare up, which some say he was set up.

It makes a difference to teams. That's what.

We are a WR first, it's in stone.

Yup.