| March 11, 2006 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 05:38 AM |
BillsZone.com takes a look at the players available in the 2006 NFL Draft and how they fill the needs of the Buffalo Bills. This week, we take a look at the Wide Receiver position..
QB- RB - FB - WR- TE - C - G -OT - DT - DE - OLB - ILB - CB - S
Holmes is the best WR in the country in a weak WR class. He is a vertical home run threat with the speed to gain separation from most defensive backs. Although it is not one of his strongest areas, Holmes is a willing blocker. He has proven to be a very durable player, having not missed a single game due to injury in his three years at Ohio State. He also posses excellent body control and concentration on the ball, who plays more physical than his size would indicate, and fearless across the middle and in traffic, and he also doubles up as the teams punt dual return man. Holmes lacks ideal size but he is explosive and consistent enough to eventually develop into a No. 1 starting WR in the NFL. He will be pushed around at times, however he is a tough player who isn't afraid to go over the middle and make a tough catch in traffic. Unfortunately for Holmes, he is not close to being complete. He is hurt by poor quarterbacking play but doesn't help by not running very crisp routes. Disappears at times, mostly in big games. He does a good job of using his body to put himself in position to make the catch. In the meantime, Holmes can compete for touches in the return game and should be able to contribute right away as a No. 2 or slot-No. 3 WR as a rookie Holmes should be the first wide receiver selected in the 2006 draft. Considering the Bills have invested high picks in WRs in the past few drafts, I doubt Buffalo has any interest.
One of nine Gators who petitioned the NFL to find out their draft ranking, Jackson had a breakthrough season as a junior posting 88 receptions for 900-yards. A physical specimen, reports have Jackson at 6-1\205 pounds and is expected to run under 4.4-seconds in pre-draft workouts. Jackson will compete to be the first receiver selected in the draft. Jackson has outstanding speed and is a great deep ball threat as shown his sophomore year when he averaged more than 22 yards a catch. In 2005 he became more of a possession receiver, but still had an 80-yard TD grab and managed to find the endzone 9 times through the air (he added another 2 TDs on 16 carries). Jackson declared early for the 2006 NFL Draft after requesting a grade from the NFL Advisory Committee. He said he'd go back to school unless he learned that he was expected to be a first or second round pick, and that, apparently, is what he heard. In a shaky WR class, Jackson will likely hear his name called in the middle to the end of the second round. Jackson also impressed this season with his power and strength. He's not an easy player to tackle and with so many corners proving to be inept at the art of tackling, Jackson can pick up extra yards breaking arm tackles. Jackson will need to improve his focus as he will frequently drop the easy balls if he hears footsteps or is looking to make a play before securing the ball. Should be a solid round 2 pick on draft day. However, his combine performance may have vaulted him into the top 25 of this draft.
Derek Hagan is a very talented player with good hands and unbelievable athleticism. He is perhaps the closest thing to a Braylon Edwards in this draft because of his natural ability, physical tools, and ability to take over a game. Tall, decent speed. Great hands. Good jump ball receiver. Strong, physical receiver goes over the middle and catches in traffic. Big, fast, agile and polished is the best way to describe him. Hagan has big strong hands and body, and a very good leaper who can pluck the ball at its highest point, he is very complete and is fast enough. Derek Hagan has good height for a receiver but he is a little slender. He would benefit at the next level by adding about 10 pounds of bulk. Hagans has decent speed, but won't burn many defenders at the next level. He is a creative runner, but sometimes strays away from his designed route in attempt to make plays. His 40 time in workouts for the NFL scouts will determine much of Hagan's draft value- if he can get his times down to the 4.48-4.46 range he will go in the first round, if he does not run a good time he could fall into the second of the 2006 NFL Draft.
Sinorice Moss may be one of the fastest players in college football and has a knack for making big plays. The younger brother of Santana Moss; they both share comparable size and speed. Sinorice Moss doesn't have a great deal of starting experience, having only been a full-time starter for one season, with four other starts his junior year. He has outstanding speed which allows him to gain separation from defenders and makes him a threat to score every time he touches the football. He has outstanding quickness and elusiveness, and the speed to outrun defenders. Even though he does not have a lot of experience on special teams, his talents could make him an excellent return man. He runs very good routes and is a sure handed receiver. The negatives are very evident with Sinorice, lack of size. His 5-8 frame just doesn't cut it in today's NFL. With corners growing in the league it will be hard for him to contribute as a wide receiver. He will get pushed around by stronger DB's that get physical with him and he does not make a lot of plays in traffic. He has great vertical speed but his lack of height will limit his vertical potential more in the NFL. In a weak wide receiver class, Moss's lack of size may be overlooked a bit because of a teams' needs at receiver. He carries a solid second round grade.
Great size, has very good physical ability and despite not having blazing speed, does a great job of making plays downfield because of his size and athletic ability. Has tremendous size and knows how to use his large frame...Has great body control and can make the acrobatic catch. Has speed to burn and can make positive gains after the catch. Can use elusiveness to get open and break free from secondary defenders. He uses size to catch the ball at its highest point and to win "jump ball" situations. He also is good at breaking press coverage and releasing into inside routes. He doesn't have vertical speed to race down the sideline, but he can make some big plays. Lacks elite speed / quickness and may have trouble separating from DB's at the next level. Didn't really emerge and play up to his potential until recently. Will make some spectacular catches but then will drop an occasional easy one. At his best working on the perimeter. Does not like to go over the middle. Not as tough or aggressive as he should be as a run blocker. Has had some durability issues in 2004. He will not "wow" anyone with his speed/agility/acceleration numbers at the combine, but his size and improved skill set could have him drafted as high as the third round.
He has the excellent size & speed combination you look for, who has quick feet, good leaping ability & body control in the air, and he has the burst in and out of cuts & routes. Ideal combination of size and speed, Martin Nance has a tall frame with good hands. He is a precise route runner and always a big play threat downfield. Nance is an amazing athlete with great ability to make the catch in traffic. He has a lot of potential that has yet to be utilized.He is a good leader and a hard worker who plays hard on every single down. He is a savvy route runner. Not explosive but smooth as a route runner. He will doe a great job of finding soft spots in zone. He isn't afraid to go over the middle. His hands are very reliable. He has big hands and good concentration. Nance will lose concentration at times and try to catch the ball with his body rather than his hands. This is something he will need to work on at the next level. Nance has yet to be truly effective without Ben Roethlisberger at the helm. He is coming off a torn ACL injury that kept him out all of 2004. Nance has decent speed, but doesn't have a good burst off the line and won't be able to fake out many NFL defenders. The biggest questions when it comes to Nance are the knee injury that ended his junior season early and the fact that he hasn't played against the highest level of competition in the MAC. The knee will be checked out but based on his 2005 performance; he seems to have made a full recovery.
A very sure handed if not especially speedy target, a long strider with very nice hands, height and above average speed. Demetrius Williams though not a sprinter, is sneaky fast, with very good hands. He may benefit from adding 10-15 pounds of bulk and increase his strength. Beats bump at line. Goes over the middle and makes catches in traffic. Great jump ball receiver. Good hands. Hard worker, and plays through injuries. He shows very good initial burst and will drive defenders off the ball. He shows burst when chasing down the deep ball in the air and he adjusts very well to it. He has good hands but he will lose concentration at times causing him to not catch the ball with his hands or to run before he has the ball secured. He is a willing blocker in the running game but he needs to do a better job of using his size to put him in better position to make the catch. Williams has some upside, but his lack of blazing speed and mediocre productivity in college make him a long shot to be a serious difference maker at the next level, though he does have the raw tools and willingness to work to exceed this expectation. He also needs to improve his crispness as a route runner and become more consistent with his concentration. However, Williams has the height, agility, body control and playmaking skills to emerge as a starting receiver in the NFL. He has too many red flags and limitations to consider in the first two rounds, but Williams warrants third round consideration in the 2006 draft.
Hank Baskett has the talent to be a great intermediate and red zone threat. For a team that needs size and a physical presence, he would be a great pick. The first thing that stands out is Baskett's size. Hank Baskett is a very solid prospect who gives you a big target all over the field. He is tall and strong. He has the perfect wide receiver body. Along with that size, he has excellent leaping ability, which makes him deadly in one on one situations. He is aggressive and strong in traffic. His hands are big and soft. Shows the ability to pluck on the run and make the tough catch in traffic. Will make the acrobatic catch and keep his feet in along the sideline. He runs hard after the catch and will break some tackles. Has great size, toughness, technique and strength as a run blocker. Doesn't get the attention he deserves as one of the premier senior wideouts in the nation...Has everything you look for except pure speed and is a bit of a big school sleeper. Could potentially be a #1 receiving target at the next level. Lacks quick-twitch athleticism and initial burst. Will take too long to get to top-speed. He is not overly elusive and won't make many defenders miss after the catch. As it stands right now, we grade Baskett out as a mid-to-late second round prospect in the 2006 class. If the Buffalo Bills drop Eric Moulds for cap considerations, and if he's still on the board in the third round- the Bills would be hard pressed to pass him up.
Jason Avant has decent height and a nice, solid build. He has a sturdy and muscular frame. Avant has the best pair of hands in college football. He is a hard worker who will always try to get better. He is tough going across the middle and can take a hit and get back up. Avant is a strong and willing blocker. He gets good position and leverage and blocks until the whistle, using his good size to engage smaller cornerbacks. After the catch, he has shown some nimbleness, but this isn't his strong suit. He runs excellent routes and makes sure gets past the sticks on third down. He lacks pure speed to threaten teams deep and he isn't the most elusive player after the catch. He is a very durable player who has only missed one game due to injury since earning the starting job as a sophomore. Avant will be downgraded by some due to his lack of speed, but he does everything else right. He goes over the middle, makes the big catch on 3rd down, he blocks well, runs good routes, is an excellent team leader and a hard worker who strives for continuous improvement. Is a poor man's Hines Ward. Avant may never emerge as an elite big-play No. 1 target in the NFL, but we think he will quickly become a consistent and productive No. 2 possession wide receiver, which is why he grades out as a mid-second to mid third round prospect in the 2006 class. 
He runs excellent routes all along the field, posses excellent body control, with a pair of hands quarterbacks find comfort throwing to, who has an innate ability to find the holes in the defenses, and knows how to work his way back to his quarterback when in need. He's not afraid to go over the middle and he will hold onto the ball after taking a big hit. He shows good quickness, vision and awareness after the catch. He rarely makes a mental mistake and he has an uncanny knack for stepping up in clutch situations. His route running skills, ability to adjust to the ball in the air and toughness over the middle are what make him so reliable. He lacks ideal NFL "measurables". He has just adequate size and below average speed. He does not show explosive burst or great elusiveness after the catch. He may struggle to get downfield as a vertical receiver in the NFL like he has in college. He appears to be the heir apparent to the Wayne Cherbet/Ricky Proehl mold of clutch 3rd WR. Will be a pleasant surprise to a team that drafts him in the late third or early 4th round. 
Todd Watkins is a tall, slender receiver with excellent speed. He has reportedly been clocked as fast as 4.28 in the 40 and is one of the most dangerous deep threats in college football. Could be the next coming of Don Beebe with an extra couple of inches of height. He will make the tough catch in traffic and is very skilled at getting yards after the catch once the ball is in his hands. He has the initial burst and top-end speed to simply run by defenders in man-coverage. Shows a second gear when tracking down the deep ball. Will win many jump balls and is a huge weapon in the red zone. A true vertical threat with good height, arm length and leaping ability. Has big hands and does a good job of catching over his head. Shows very good body control and awareness along the sideline. He lacks a great deal of experience at the division I level, having only played the past two seasons for BYU. Needs to improve his bulk and strength. Not overly physical and would just assume to avoid working the middle of the field. He rounds off a lot of his intermediate routes. Although he has some areas of his game he needs to work on, Todd Watkins' big play ability cannot be ignored. He should be selected in day 1 of the 2006 NFL draft. 
Wilson possesses good overall size. Big target who does a good job of getting open. Can get downfield and be a vertical threat. Great in the red zone. A hard worker with good intangibles. Has above average height and is well built. A strong, physical receiver with deceptive speed. He is tough and aggressive. Not afraid to go over the middle. Shows good recognition skills. Does a nice job of using his frame to shield defenders. Also has a good feel for finding holes in zone coverage. Wilson does not possess blazing speed and he won't be nearly the deep threat in the NFL that he flashed for the Sooners. However, he is a big, strong, confident, intelligent and reliable receiver with the knack for making plays in the red zone and on third downs. Wilson, however, is a good enough receiver that he played in front of 3rd round pick Brandon Jones in 2004 and was the go-to-guy for the Sooners. Suffered through a tough 2005 season hampered by a struggling freshman quarterback. As it stands right now, Wilson grades out as a late- third or fourth round prospect in the 2006 class. Best of the rest QB- RB - FB - WR- TE - C - G -OT - DT - DE - OLB - ILB - CB - S