My Draft review and grade (for posterity)

[Canadian'eh!]

I'm willing to stand by what I think of this draft, so i'm gonna do a little review. Lets just say I HOPE i'm proven wrong.

Round 1 - Traded out. For the record, I would have been working the phones like a mad man when Brian Thomas Jr reached the late teens. But, even if not possible, I would NOT have given the Chiefs what they wanted at WR just on principle. Getting a 3rd though was good mind you, but then they compounded it by moving to 33 and passing on Leggette.

Day Grade: Grade D

Round 2: Good god.
33 - Keon Coleman WR- For months I've been in the "anyone but Keon" camp. He has bust written all over him. Pick grade: F-
60 - Cole Bishop S - I just didn't get it really. AS far as scheme fits he didn't make the most sense to me. The Bills have always been about coverage at S and playing deep middle and Bishop's best bet is in the box. I'm not convinced he can be great in coverage at the NFL level. Pick Grade: C+

For the record, I would have taken Mitchell at WR or Leggette, if I coudn't move up of BTJ.
At S I was hoping for a move up for Nubin or Bullard to last. Otherwise I liked Tykee Smith, though he went before 95 in the end. I'd be happy to gamble on Kinchens at 95 too.

Round 3:
95 - DeWayne Carter DT: Not the worst pick, but to me he's VERY limited in the pass rush. McKinley Jackson and Jordan Jefferson who went not long after both have far more upside IMO and are better run stoppers already. Pick Grade: C-

Day Grade: F. Keon makes the whole draft a bust.

Day 3:

Round 4:
128- Ray Davis RB- I came into the draft hoping they would draft a pile moving back and while Davis has some of that. The dude is 25 and has a LOT of carries for 25. So, 4 years and done? Many comparisons to Zack Moss.To make it worse, Brealon Allen, Isaac Guerendo, and Audric Estime were still available. Also... TJ Tampa and Nahiem Pritchett were still there, and I liked them both at CB. Grade: D

Round 5:
141- Sedrick Van Pran-Granger C: Finally a pick i really like. I had him as the second best C behind Powers-Johnson. Good Value in round 5. Pick Grade A-
144- Traded for a 4th next year. Again Josh Newton was still there at CB.
160- Edefuan Ulofoshio LB - A project at LB with a lonf injury history rarely on the field. Doens't love contact. Feels very Special teams like. Grade D+
168- Jevon Solomon EDGE - Another pick i liked. 16 sacks but played in the sun belt. Still... there was a couple descent pass rushers have come out of troy before. Grade: B+

Round 6:
204- Tylan Grable OT - Doesn't have the arm length to play OT in the NFL. Will be a project that kcks inside to G. Very possibly PS material. Grade: C
219 - Daequon Hardy CB - very good athlete but unfortunately small. Best suited to play in the slot. I can't see him starting ever. Grade: C-

Round 7:
221- Travis Clayton - Huge rugby player who's never played football in his life. Grade: D-

Day grade: C




Aside from Van Pran-Granger and Solomon I don't love much at all. It feels like there were a LOT of missed opportunites and some very strange choices. They had a huge numer of over aged 5th year seniors.

Keon Coleman alone should push the grade to an F....


But I'll be generous and give them a D.

Beane and McD should be on notice. Wasting Josh Allen's prime has gone on long enough. Von Miller signing. Diggs extension and need to bail out. Kaiir Elam busting.

I'm already over McD and if Keon is as bad as I expect, he can take his buddy with him. Maybe Carolina will be looking.

[POTLAND PSILBYLO]

You Have COpIv-19

[kgun12]

So as far as the aColeman pick read this, this is the guy Josh wanted!

https://na01.safelinks.protection.ou...%3D&reserved=0

The question to be asked should players be deciding who to draft? Maybe, maybe not but in this case that’s what happened.

[Canadian'eh!]

So as far as the aColeman pick read this, this is the guy Josh wanted!

https://na01.safelinks.protection.ou...%3D&reserved=0

The question to be asked should players be deciding who to draft? Maybe, maybe not but in this case that’s what happened.

Josh is very PC and says the right things. He talked very generally and mentioned a couple names. I don’t feel like there was any kind of “I need this particular guy” and after the fact he will be extra supportive.

He also wanted Dorsey and didn’t want him fired. He also wanted Brady. He’s loyal. You won’t find him throwing guys under the bus.

[Novacane]

You're welcome to your opinion and temper tantrum. Feel free to bump this thread in a couple years if you turn out to be right. I'm not going to get either upset or excited about something I have to wait and see on.

[Historian]

Overall, I give them a C.

[DetoxTent]

Would agree with the C and the D. This is the most underwhelming Bills draft I can remember since I started watching 50-some years ago. I agree with the positions they tried to fill, but these players all have questions. And, yes, I also agree the center seems to provide the most upside of any of them. He was drafted in the 5th round. This doesn't say too much for those picked above him. Maybe the safety finds a home. Coach Sal claims Bean was drafting for leadership qualities. I say they were drafting to fill out their special teams squad. That's what it seems like to me. I also agree we have to wait and see. Just nothing to be excited about a day after the draft this year.

[jamze132]

I give this rant a D.

[DetoxTent]

FWIW, Mel "I couldn't be wrong more often" Kiper says this of the Bills draft:

Buffalo Bills: B

Top needs entering the draft: Wide receiver, safety, offensive line

My ears perked up when I heard Buffalo was trading with Kansas City in Round 1, and now the Bills will forever be linked with the Chiefs' move for wideout Xavier Worthy, just as they are with Patrick Mahomes. Yes, all the way back in the 2017 draft, it was the Bills who dropped 18 spots to allow the Chiefs to get a player who already is one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history. Sure, hindsight is 20-20, and sure, Buffalo has to do what's best for its organization. That's a mighty weight it has carried around, however, and now Mahomes was handed the fastest receiver in NFL combine history.

GM Brandon Beane ended up trading down one more time, this time out of Round 1 completely. He finally filled his team's biggest need, taking Keon Coleman (33) at the top of Round 2. Coleman ran a 4.61 40-yard dash at the combine, which dropped his stock a little bit, but at 6-3, he can go up and snag contested catches with the best of them. The next step is to be more consistent on every route. He's going to get a lot of targets in an offense that needs quality pass-catchers on the outside.

I liked several of Beane's other selections. Cole Bishop (60) is a versatile playmaker in the secondary, while running back Ray Davis (128) had seven receiving scores last season, which makes him an interesting player at the next level. DeWayne Carter (95) can get after quarterbacks from his defensive tackle spot, while Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (141) was a three-year starter at Georgia. I could see him challenging veteran Connor McGovern for snaps as a rookie. Off-ball linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (160) had a great workout at the combine and was one of my risers.

This is a good haul, not a great one, and I'm rooting for Coleman to turn into a WR1 in Buffalo so my guy Josh Allen wins an MVP.

LINK

[ghz in pittsburgh]

So as far as the aColeman pick read this, this is the guy Josh wanted!

https://na01.safelinks.protection.ou...%3D&reserved=0

The question to be asked should players be deciding who to draft? Maybe, maybe not but in this case that’s what happened.

"Keon Coleman was the top WR left that Josh Allen wanted last night."
Don't lose sight of the key word above. I am 100% positive Coleman is NOT their first choice outside of the big 3. Beane himself said he tried some trade talks but he's NOT giving up pick 60. Well, who he's talk about then? To go from pick 28 to where they jump over the Jags for Brian Thomas Jr is about where pick 60 has to be thrown in if they are not trading next year's #1 - Who in the right mind will trade 2 #1 picks for BTJ? I even think they are fine with both Legette and Coleman when they decided to trade with the Panthers, though there is a high probability that they know (not so uncommon in 1 spot trades that you ask for who they are drafting) who the Panthers are going to pick.

[gr8slayer]

Felt like the draft of a team that's retooling, no real surprises.

[Historian]

Granted, picking 28th isn't easy, especially in the odd position the Bills find themselves.

Here is a team that actually has holes that made it to the final eight.

They did a pretty fair job filling the most glaring ones, but if that receiver becomes a stud for Kansas City, this draft may haunt him the rest of his Buffalo career.

The thing that everybody needs to keep in mind, is that the teams that make all the flashy, splash moves, are the ones who suck the most.

I want my hype to be in January....not April.

[YardRat]

I don't disagree much, here's a cliif-notes version of mine...


F trading back with KC. Dumbass move that glaringly exhibits why they win and we don't. Beane got screwed on return again, and strengthened their biggest rival at the same time.

A--S Cole Bishop, should start with Rapp.

B--WR Keon Coleman and C Sedrick van Pran-Granger. Both could start...or not be good enough to, out of the gate. Coleman is a classic boom or bust risk, IMO.

C--DT Carter. and Edge Soloman. LB Uliofosho. Carter should be a minor part of the defensive line rotation, Soloman, maybe. Uliofosho might contribute on special teams. Or he could get cut.

D--OT Grable, CB Hardy, OT Clayton. Camp fodder, practice squad if we're lucky.

F--RB Davis. Just another smallish, "slippery" scat back that allegedly can add to the passing game. Beane is never going to learn how to populate a running back room.

Overall, a C. We hit positions of need, but might have gotten better potential talent going with different guys at different times. Doubling down on OT's instead of receivers is a mistake.

Hopefully we can get some better-than-expected contributions from these guys and the overall looks better in hindsight.

[YardRat]

And just a final off-the-wall thought...this entire off-season has been more puzzling than normal, right up to the current signing of the suspended gambler from Detroit. I'm starting to consider Beane may be legit tanking, looking to get fired, and we're getting Major Leagued.

[Woodman]

2024 NFL Draft grades- Buffalo Bills play it safe but also nab potential impact receiver - Yahoo Sports

Favorite pick: Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky (128th overall)

Davis is an older prospect, but man, he is the perfect player to pair with James Cook in the backfield. Davis is a punishing runner who doesn’t fear contact and has some wiggle to get away from defenders. He won’t be out-touching Cook as a rookie, but he should prove to be a valuable member of this offense.

[Woodman]

Overall Buffalo Bills grade: C+

The Bills played this draft safe and took home 10 players, although only one wide receiver in Keon Coleman. Even though Coleman didn’t have the cleanest end to his season and a slow 40-yard dash time at the scouting combine, he still has shown serious talent in college football. Coleman will start right away for the Bills and will immediately have a chance to prove whether he can separate from NFL cornerbacks. The Bills had another solid pickup in Ray Davis, but other than that this draft class was just fine. Probably not too many movers and shakers, but some quality players at positions of need. It will be interesting to see what happens with Travis Clayton, a developmental offensive line prospect from England.

[sahlensguy]

I don't disagree much, here's a cliif-notes version of mine...


F trading back with KC. Dumbass move that glaringly exhibits why they win and we don't. Beane got screwed on return again, and strengthened their biggest rival at the same time.

A--S Cole Bishop, should start with Rapp.

B--WR Keon Coleman and C Sedrick van Pran-Granger. Both could start...or not be good enough to, out of the gate. Coleman is a classic boom or bust risk, IMO.

C--DT Carter. and Edge Soloman. LB Uliofosho. Carter should be a minor part of the defensive line rotation, Soloman, maybe. Uliofosho might contribute on special teams. Or he could get cut.

D--OT Grable, CB Hardy, OT Clayton. Camp fodder, practice squad if we're lucky.

F--RB Davis. Just another smallish, "slippery" scat back that allegedly can add to the passing game. Beane is never going to learn how to populate a running back room.

Overall, a C. We hit positions of need, but might have gotten better potential talent going with different guys at different times. Doubling down on OT's instead of receivers is a mistake.

Hopefully we can get some better-than-expected contributions from these guys and the overall looks better in hindsight.

I'll give it a B- just because the 1st two picks will make it to their 2nd contracts. Love Coleman but hate how Beane got there considering what he did with the trade compensation, while giving up the 5th year option on Coleman. 3rd and 4th rounds were a disaster. The OL picks were fine. Gran Turismo guy is a joke.

[cas22]

I'm gonna hold my judgment on Coleman until I see him on the field with Allen,, he either is gonna be a steal or a bust, no in-betweens i'm thinking, I love his Size and hands and am hoping he doesn't turn out to be a Kelvin Benjamin clone..


The 2024 NFL Draft receiver class is going to be one for the ages. It may seem like a yearly statement at this point, and that’s true, but it reflects a true explosion of receiving talent entering the NFL rather than simply an acceleration of a hyperbolic draft narrative.
This class, headlined by Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., features several elite receiver prospects who will be taken in the first round and many more who will make contributions.
One of the most fascinating and polarizing of them is Florida State’s Keon Coleman.


Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Coleman has prototypical NFL size and a highlight reel of the most spectacular catches in this draft class. But the consistency has never been there, and there are several red flags in his evaluation that are going to leave draft analysts, and NFL teams, all over the map on him.
The first red flag is that the opening line in his scouting report is likely to mention contested catches. Contested-catch skills are certainly not a bad thing, but it is an inherently volatile skill set and not something that can be relied upon every year. DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best contested catch receivers the NFL has seen over the past decade, and he caught only 22.7% of his contested targets in 2023.
If making contested catches is a part of your skill set, that’s great. If it’s the best thing you bring to the table? We might have a problem.
Coleman himself is evidence of that concern. He made some of the best contested catches you’ll ever see last season, but he caught only 33.3% of those opportunities, down almost half from his previous campaign at Michigan State.
The second red flag is that his production across the board has been middling at best, especially when compared to other top receiver prospects even just in this draft. Coleman recorded 1,467 yards and 19 touchdowns in his college career, most of which came over the past two seasons. LSU’s Malik Nabers had 1,545 yards and 14 touchdowns just this season.
His Florida State statistics are particularly rough relative to the other top prospects, but even including the year before doesn’t get him into the same ballpark. Coleman averaged 1.90 yards per route run for his college career. Nabers averaged 2.80, peaking a full yard higher than that in 2023. Marvin Harrison Jr. averaged 3.03 for his college career and Rome Odunze finished at 2.57 with a 3.09 peak this past season.
There is no real statistical case to be made that Coleman is an elite receiver prospect, and though college production carries a lot of weight, it doesn’t mean he can’t be a top receiver at the next level; it just means that he will be an outlier if he does pan out.
Chasing outliers can get teams into trouble at draft time, so if you are going to construct a case that Coleman’s lack of production should be overlooked, it had better have merit.
Luckily, I think there is a case to be made. Firstly, he is one of the youngest players in the draft. That doesn’t mean he will automatically be a better player going forward, but it’s logical to believe there is more potential development than if he had the same profile and production as a 22-year-old.
When I turned on his tape, I was immediately impressed and surprised by how suddenly he moved for a big receiver whose calling card was spectacular contested catches. He has route-running chops, and he has already shown significant growth in that area from the previous season at Michigan State. Though his stats and production were better for the Spartans, he was a vastly more nuanced player at Florida State. The difference between the two is largely a few more high-leverage plays went his way the year before.
That visible development in his route running and understanding of defenses and space from the year before is an encouraging sign, particularly paired with his age, in projecting his potential at the next level.
It’s also worth noting that Florida State’s offense was not a high-volume passing attack.
Seminoles quarterbacks combined for 3,300 yards on the season, lower than 16 individual passers in the FBS. Jordan Travis’ accuracy didn’t help the situation. He had a particularly high rate of catchable but inaccurate passes last season (26.2%), per PFF's charting, which helps explain the high drop rate of Florida State receivers (those not named Coleman). This was not an offense set up for receivers to look good, and while Coleman isn’t alone among prospects in that regard, it’s certainly something that was working against him.
Ultimately, Coleman is going to be a risky prospect — it’s not a flawless, clean profile — but the positives are obvious from his tape. He has spectacular ability, excellent size and quickness and more nuance in his route running than he is given credit for. His age is another plus factor. If he can run well in the 40, or his tracking data shows he has high-end game speed in place of that, he will do a lot to make a team take a chance that they can get a high-end player out of him.
It’s always an uncomfortable place to start with a player if you have to overlook their inability to produce on a lesser stage, but in Coleman’s case, it might be a valid part of the evaluation.

[Gibby 2.0]

Right now, the grade is incomplete:

That said, I give the thing a B/B-

The worst thing about this draft was not Coleman, it was the trade with Kansas City. Sorry, given the playoff problems with them and how they turned the last pick we gave them into the problem that is Mahomes I really don't like us giving them another chance to harm us. However, if this kid turns into a Roscoe Parrish type guy who is fast but not particularly useful then I can forgive it. In fact, that is why I can't give this draft an A.

However, on paper -key words, on paper - this was a solid draft. We got a big physical receiver, we got a defensive back who could start in September, we got a bruiser at running back which means that we are headed to making Josh more of a qb who uses his legs to extend plays to find a receiver instead of a guy who risks injury on designed runs, we got arguably the best center in the draft, and we got depth on the DL and linebacker. So on paper its a B/B-

Tell ya what, lets revisit this in December. We'll know a hell of a lot more how good or bad this class is.

[DraftBoy]

I don’t think many of you saw Davis play at Kentucky. I would expect him to become a significant part of the rotation by the end of the season.