| March 24, 2003 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 12:29 AM |
Jerome McDougle (DE/SLB, Miami): Height 6ft 2 inches, Weight 264lbs, 40 time 4.61.
McDouglel is perhaps the most natural pass rushing end in this draft outside of Suggs. In fact he ran a much faster 40 time than Suggs, and did an outstanding cone run, and high jump which indicates amazing explosiveness. The only negative with him is he is not particularly big, and has short arms which can be a big negative for an NFL DE. That is why he has been worked out as an OLB by several teams, as teams are looking to make him into a Roosevelt Colvin or Jeff Posey. Personally, I'm not that intimidated by his physical deficiencies, and could see him being a very good pass rushing end in the NFL.
Player he most reminds me of- Hugh Douglas
Ty Warren (DT, Texas A&M): Height 6ft 4 5/8 inches, Weight 307lbs, 40 time 5.07.
I like this pick on many different levels. For one, he is big and athletic. He is also one of the more explosive DTs in this draft, with a fierce first step, and a powerful base, collapsing both the pocket and bursting into the backfield with equal ease. He also is from the same alma-mater that Pat Williams, Ron Edwards, and Sam Adams come from. Warren has at times been "under-whelming", yet I can tell you that at the senior bowl he was perhaps the most dominating interior lineman on the field. He is everything you look for in a DT, and should make the conversion to the pros well. While the depth at DT might cause him to fall to the second round, he is definitely 1st round material, yet he might slide to us in the second, seeing as many teams might be frightened off by his lazy work ethic and the plethora of solid DT prospects this year.
Player he most reminds me of -Keith Traylor
Rashean Mathis (FS, Bethune-Cookman): Height 6ft 0-¾ inches, Weight 202lbs, 40 time 4.43.
Mathis broke the D1 record for interceptions in a season last year, when he racked up 14 interceptions (the previous record was 12). When coupled to his previous year production (11ints) you see that Mathis has an uncanny nose for the football. Furthermore he is good people, and will enter the NFL with a college degree. While he was a CB for most of his college career, most scouts (including myself) have him projected to be a FS in the NFL, as while he is very fast, he isn't particularly quick. He is the best non D1-A football player in the draft, and a sure 1st round selection. He has also returned both Kickoffs and Punts for TDs, and played WR briefly. I like this pick because he would bring a much needed playmaker to our secondary, as outside of Clements, no one currently in our secondary has had much success with creating turnovers. He is talented enough to play either CB or FS, and would fit our team well, taking up duty as either our nickel back or FS right out of the draft. He could also see duty as a return man. The only serious down side I could see is that he is not that good in run support. Donahoe likes smarts and versatility, Mathis brings both.
Player he most reminds me of- Ed Reed
Kenny Peterson (DT/DE, Ohio St.): Height 6ft 3 1/8 inches, Weight 298lbs, 40 time 4.82.
After puzzling over which DE I thought the Bills could take here, I ended up settling on Peterson. Because its probably about a 50/50 chance he wouldn't be available, I'll also highlight another DE. I like the possibility of taking Peterson. He's good enough to play either LE or UT for our defense, and his legs are strong enough to play the 2-gap system our team runs. He's got decent pass rushing abilities, and could contribute 8 sacks a year from either position in the NFL. He's got good quickness and a good "rip" move. In all honesty, I'm not a huge fan of Peterson because he's sort of a stretch to take in the first round, as before last year he was a situational pass rusher, and his size is a little bit deceptive as he actually plays closer to 270 (he added 20 pounds for the weight in at the combine).
Player he most reminds me of -Gregg Ellis
Dallas Clark (TE, Iowa): Height 6ft 3 3/8, Weight 257lbs, 40 time 4.49.
One of the most natural reciving TE I've seen in a while. He's fluid with the ball, catching with ease in traffic, never breaking stride, and always keeping it away from his body. He isn't as large as you'd like your TE to be, but is a good blocker and excellent receiver. Easily the fastest TE I've ever seen, and what's more important is he plays like it. He seems to have little problem getting off of blocks, and makes LBs pay for jamming him by blowing past them making some very good LBers look silly. Athletic after the catch, he has some impressive YAC numbers, including an amazing 95yard last minute TD reception in Iowa's come from behind win over Perdue. He would be an excellent weapon for Drew Bledsoe, and would take up the slack for the loss of Riemersma and Centers. To further rave about him, he is a very aggressive blocker, and seems to revel in punishing the defenders opposite him. The trick is he might have moved his way into the first round, and it would be a steal if he fell to us in the 2nd round. I could easily see the Bills trade down into the late 1st to pick him up.
Player he most reminds me of -Todd Heap
Cory Redding (DE, Texas): Height 6ft 3 5/8 inches, Weight 274, 40 time 4.88.
Redding didn't compete at the NFL combine, making us scouts wait for the Texas pro day. It was highly anticipated as he had improved his stock from a late 2nd rounder to a late first rounder with his good Bowl game. Unfortunately, Redding turned out a mediocre 40 time. Redding was already fighting the perception that he was a little small, but with the poor 40 time his first round prospects certainly were nixed. He is the most natural pass rusher who could be available when we come up to pick in the second round, and would provide good support for Schobel on the RE.
Player he most reminds me of- Aaron Schobel
Tyrone Calico (WR, Middle Tennessee St.): Height 6ft 3 3/4 inches, Weight 223lbs, 40 time 4.27.
Calico could be available to the Bills in the 3rd round, but I think that might be too low. Personally I wouldn't draft him in the 2nd round, as he is a very raw player who needs a lot of work to become a contributor, as he is a sloppy rout runner and a poor receiver, who drops too many balls, he also looks very uncomfortable catching on the run. His size and physical numbers are outstanding, and he could be a weapon with his kick/punt returns. He also has shown some good attention to detail as he has developed into a good run blocker, and has worked on his ball handling. He would be a decent value pickup in the third.
Player he most reminds me of -Jerry Porter
Bradie James (OLB, LSU): Height 6ft 1 3/8 inches, Weight 242lbs, 40 time 4.86.
This is a definite value pick, as I currently expect him to be an early 3rd very late 2nd round pick. He would work well as depth at any position in our LB corps as he could play all three positions with ease. He is a huge and violent hitter, with decent coverage instincts, and good smarts. He has some good pass rush instincts, and fights off blockers very well. He could challenge Posey for our SLB position, but mostly I like him for depth and special teams play. The biggest reason for his slippage into the late 2nd and early 3rd is that he is a very slow player in straight-line speed, and has little to no quickness.
Player he most reminds me of -Chris Claiborne
Nnamdi Asomugha (FS, California): Height 6ft 2 3/8 inches, Weight 213lbs, 40 time 4.38.
Asomugha, played very good "center field" for Cal, and then acquitted himself well at CB his senior season. He is good in coverage, both zone and man, and much better in run support than the vast majority of FS in this draft. He is a sure tackler, and has impressed most of us with his outstanding workouts. Furthermore he graduated with a 4.0gpa, and is considered one of the finer DBs in the draft. He has blazing speed, good agility, and great instincts pulling down a respectable number of balls. He would be a good pickup for depth at FS and CB as his greatest assets is his versatility. In essence he is a poor man's Rashean Mathis.
Player he most reminds me of- Dexter Jackson
Kassim Osgood (WR, San Diego St): Height 6ft 4 7/8 inches, Weight 208, 40 time 4.69.Osgood posted some eye popping numbers in his first year playing D1 football, with more than 100 receptions and better than a 14y/catch average. He's very quick, and has a great vertical jump. The only serious problem with him is he posted a very poor 4.69 40 time at Indy. Now this is a guy who has (in the past) run a 4.47 40 time, and when watching film you do see he has breakaway speed. He runs very good routs, and is a natural receiver, with very good hands. I have yet to see any other number for his 40 time, and haven't heard any explanations for the poor numbers. Personally, I think his intangibles are with a 4th round selection in spite of the 40 time.
Player he most reminds me of -Terrell Owens
Shurron Pierson (SLB/DE, South Florida): Height 6ft 1 7/8 inches, Weight 243, 40 time 4.58.
Pierson is much to light to play end in the NFL, and would have to add at least 20lbs before this is a serious option. On the bright side he worked out very well as a SLB, and could be added for depth. Personally I think he could provide a great pass rush from the outside, as he is much faster than any other SLB option available, and could be worth drafting just as a project. He is a natural pass rusher, and with time could be a much better option at SLB than Jeff Posey (two or three years down the road).
Player he most reminds me of- Jeff Posey
James Lee (DT, Oregon St): Height 6ft 4 1/2 inches, Weight 327, 40 time 4.91.
A very productive DT in the Oregon rotation. The strange thing is he never really stood out in a way to get much attention, although he always seemed to be making a good play. He's a natural NT in the Bills scheme, and is definitely strong enough to play that position in the NFL. He's a quick guy for such a big man, and has a good up field burst. This could easily be the steal of the draft, but fans will have to be patient as it could take several years for him to turn into an every down player.
Player he most reminds me of -Cletus Hunt
Victor Taifane (OG, Fresno St.): Height 6ft 4inches, Weight 337lbs, 40 time 5.23.
This is sort of a wild guess on my part, but from what I've seen this guy should get drafted. He might be the best O you've never heard of, as he has pro feet, good leverage, and is very strong. He wasn't invited to the combine, but that shouldn't be all that big a deal when you get into the 5th round. He is a good run blocker, blocking very well on the move, and getting to the 2nd level very well. He's a project for sure, as his pass blocking leaves much to be desired, and I wouldn't be surprised if he fell out of the draft completely.
Player he most reminds me of -Marques Sullivan
Austin King (C, Northwestern): Height 6ft 3 7/8inches, Weight 299lbs, 40 time 5.2.
King is a very cerebral center, who makes excellent line calls and is well respected within the NW locker room. He is an athletic center, with good agility and the ability to pull and get into the 2nd level of defenders, getting good contact with the MLB. He blocks very well on the move, and is a very good snapper to a QB in shotgun. The problem is he is tends to have difficulty with big DTs, and is not a great straight forward run blocker as he lacks the leg strength. He would provide good depth for our line, and if he's a good learner could push Teague for the starting job.
Player he most reminds me of -Kent Hull
Cecil Sapp (RB, Colorado St.): Height 5ft 11inches, Weight 229lbs, 40 time 4.57.
Sapp is kind of an enigma. I've seen guys want this guy as high as the third round, and other guys claim he isn't worth wasting a pick on. From the little I've seen I think he would make a good second day selection, and could easily see the Bills jump on him for good depth in this round. He runs hard between the tackles, and is sure handed (no fumbling problems). A pure power runner, he could provide decent depth for the Bills, as he does have ok hands for pass catching. He'd make a good 3rd down short yardage back, and may even be good enough to take over the starting role if required (in spot duty).
Player he most reminds me of -Stacey Mack
Jesse Sowells (FS/CB/SS, Houston): Height 5ft 11inches, Weight 203lbs, 40 time 4.49.
Sowells, while having many technique issues, is a very good athlete who finds his way to making one big play after another. He is a good ball hawk, and while I'm doubtful on his ability to break into the starting lineup, I would say that he is definitely worthier the pick just for his special teams play (which has been spectacular). He is a natural special teams ace, both as a gunner, and a kick blocker. He could possible fall out of the draft, but I don't see the problem with picking him in the 7th round.
Player he most reminds me of- actually, he really doesn't remind me of anyone in particular, sometime his special teams play rings a bit of Steve Tasker… but even I wouldn't want to make that comparison.
Mobolaji Afariogun (TE, Central Michigan): Height 6ft 3inches, Weight 230lbs, 40 time 4.83.
"Mo" has been a very prolific TE for Central Michigan for 3 years now. He is not a very good blocker, but most TEs aren't all that good at blocking anyway. He has a very soft pair of hands and would make a good weapon for Drew, probable in his rookie year, as he has good fundamentals, and runs good routs.
Player he most reminds me of -Randy McMichael
*A few points for you all to be aware of. All the numbers I used a public record, and if this guide isn't as in-depth as you'd like, well I'm sorry, but there are some things I can't divulge. In addition, the only players I listed were players that I seriously doubt my team would draft, which is OK, since our needs are near polar opposites of the Bills.
