Breaking down the Buffalo Bills' 2018 draft class.
Round 1, No. 7 overall: Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
My take: The Bills are taking a swing for the fences, and it could end badly for coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane. The draft seemed to be unfolding in their favor when Allen and Josh Rosen fell out of the top five picks, but the Bills are taking a gamble by picking an unpolished prospect in Allen over a more finished product in Rosen. Allen is a polarizing quarterback whose accuracy issues have drawn comparisons to some of the biggest first-round busts of the past decade. If he pans out, Beane will be lionized in Buffalo. If Allen does not pan out, then Beane could be run out of town. Jobs could be on the line with this decision, which is one of the most important in Bills history.
“No matter if we selected any quarterback, they all had something, a knock, on them,” Beane said. “You have to pick what you’re willing to deal with and work with. We just think his makeup is going to help him work on his flaws. We like a lot of his strengths. That will be part of our job here, is to accentuate his strengths and work on his fundamentals and what his so-called weaknesses are, and I have no doubt he can do that.”
Allen is Bills' highest-selected quarterback: In going at No. 7, Allen becomes the highest picked quarterback in franchise history. He joins Jim Kelly (No. 14 in 1983), J.P. Losman (No. 22 in 2004) and EJ Manuel (No. 16 in 2013) as the only quarterbacks taken by the Bills in the first round during the common-draft era. That underscores the gravity of this pick for the Bills, who have been searching for a franchise quarterback since Kelly retired after the 1996 season. Beane has maneuvered since last year to acquire draft capital to help make this trade happen, dealing away talented players in the process, which means he needs to get this right.
Tweets not an issue: Allen made headlines hours before the first round when racially insensitive tweets he sent in high school were made public. Clearly the Bills were comfortable with what they learned about Allen in the pre-draft process, which included personal attention from owners Terry and Kim Pegula. Asked by ESPN after being selected whether he felt he must address the tweets with his new teammates, Allen said, “I don't have to, but I probably will. I want them to know that I am going to work on being the best teammate possible. I've never had a problem in my past with any teammates.”
“We did our due diligence on him,” Beane said. “We talked to him today. We spoke to him. We spoke to his coach again. We spoke to at least one of his teammates. We spoke to a lot of other people again to make sure everything we had done through our whole process through the fall [matched up].”
Asked by ESPN after being selected whether he felt he must address the tweets with his new teammates, Allen said, “I don't have to, but I probably will. I want them to know that I am going to work on being the best teammate possible. I've never had a problem in my past with any teammates.”
Round 1, No. 16 overall: Tremaine Edmunds, OLB, Virginia Tech
My take: The Bills were widely expected to be aggressive in moving up in the first round for a quarterback, which they did in trading to No. 7 for Josh Allen. But their move up from No. 22 to No. 16 was more surprising because general manager Brandon Beane had spoken in the pre-draft process about how he valued the volume of Buffalo’s picks and the team's ability to address several positions.
"We did not expect that, but he was there and we felt like we couldn't let it fall anymore," Beane said. "We needed that and felt like that was a good fit for us."
In moving up for Edmunds, the Bills get one of the most athletic defenders in the draft who could develop into one of the NFL's best linebackers in the coming years.
Where does he play? The biggest question for Edmunds is where he will be play in Buffalo’s 4-3 defense. At 6-foot-5 and 253 pounds, Edmunds had 5.5 sacks in college and was projected to play on the edge in the NFL. He could contribute in that area for the Bills, especially once outside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander transitions into retirement, but he is more likely to immediately contribute as a middle linebacker in the defense.
"He's a versatile athlete," McDermott said. "He's got size, length. He's played inside. He's played outside. He's played on the line of scrimmage, he's played off the line of scrimmage. ... That is what attracted us to him."
Edmunds ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 seconds, and most scouting reports tout his range in making tackles, which could make him an ideal replacement for Preston Brown, who left for the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency. The question will be whether Edmunds, as a 20-year-old, will be ready to run the Bills' defense and wear the radio helmet as a rookie, as Brown did in 2014.
Round 3, No. 96 overall: Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford
My take: Phillips was one of the highest-rated players left on the board according to Scouts Inc., ranked 43rd overall. This pick seemed almost too obvious because of Phillips' shared background as a high school wrestler with coach Sean McDermott. Phillips was the 2013 Junior National heavyweight champion at Millard West High School in Nebraska, while McDermott was a two-time national prep champion wrestler. McDermott has preached the lessons that come along with his wrestling background and it is clear he views Phillips as a player who can carry over the same experiences to his football career.
“He’s the type of guy we look for,” McDermott said. “The wrestling background certainly is an added benefit. It’s an important part of playing football, too, in terms of leverage and everything, and the mental toughness that goes along with the sport.”
How he fits: Phillips drew pre-draft comparisons to longtime Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams, whom Phillips could replace in the starting lineup if Williams -- who turns 35 in June -- retires after this season. McDermott did not want to directly compare the two players in speaking after the pick, but said he projects Phillips as a one-technique defensive tackle. Williams mostly played three-technique defensive tackle last season in McDermott’s 4-3 scheme. Not only is there the question of whether Phillips has the penetrating skill set to fill the three-technique role in 2019 and beyond, but there is also the potential issue of overlap between Phillips and run-stuffing one-technique defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, whom the Bills signed to a five-year, $50 million contract this offseason.
“We’re trying to be very strong up front,” general manager Brandon Beane said. “This is another piece that will be in there and compete. I think it will shake itself out. We’re trying to have versatile pieces. I think [Phillips]’ best-suited spot is probably the one [technique], but I think he could move out there to the three [technique]. I think he wants that opportunity to go out and rush a little bit, but we’ll see what he offers when he gets here.”
Round 4, No. 121 overall: Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State
My take: The first of the Bills’ five Day 3 picks, Johnson fills a need as a potential starting slot cornerback and special-teams contributor. The question is whether the Bills could have picked up Johnson later. He was rated the No. 163 player in the draft by Scouts, Inc. and was projected as a late-round pick by some publications.
How he fits: Johnson fills a short- and long-term need for the Bills, who had only two cornerbacks under contract past 2018: Tre’Davious White and Breon Borders. He projects to compete with free-agent acquisition Phillip Gaines for the starting nickel cornerback spot, and with a strong performance could be in the mix to start if Vontae Davis departs in free agency next offseason. He also could contribute on special teams as a rookie.
Round 5, No. 154 overall: Siran Neal, DB, Jacksonville State
My take: The Bills continued to address depth in their defensive backfield, which was an issue last season. Like fourth-round pick Taron Johnson, Neal could contribute in sub packages as soon as his rookie season while also aiding on special teams.
How he fits: Neal switched positions from safety to linebacker to cornerback over his final three seasons in college at Jacksonville State in Alabama. At 6-feet and 206 pounds, he provides some size in the secondary and is known for his tackling ability close to the line of scrimmage. The question is whether he would be able to develop into a reliable starter at safety or cornerback at the NFL level, or if he remains a sub package and special teams player.
Round 5, No. 166 overall: Wyatt Teller, G, Virginia Tech
Former Virginia Tech O-lineman Wyatt Teller is a physical specimen and has great pass-blocking skills.
My take: Offensive line was perhaps the Bills' top remaining need in the draft, alongside wide receiver. Teller addresses the need for depth at guard, although there are still questions about the quality of Buffalo's starters along the interior offensive line after the offseason retirements of center Eric Wood and guard Richie Incognito.
How he fits: At 6-foot-5 and 301 pounds, Teller has the size of a tackle but played guard in college and projects to a backup role as a rookie in 2017. Much is uncertain about who starts along the interior offensive line for the Bills, where Ryan Groy, Russell Bodine, Vladimir Ducasse and John Miller are all in the mix for starting jobs. Perhaps Teller could contribute in 2019, when the contracts of Groy and Miller are up.
Round 6, No. 187 overall: Ray-Ray McCloud, WR, Clemson
My take: Fans were clamoring for the Bills to draft a wide receiver and it finally happened in the sixth round. McCloud was the No. 291 overall prospect in the draft, as rated by Scouts Inc., and will compete for a 53-man roster spot in training camp at a thin position.
How he fits: At 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, McCloud is on the smaller size and projects as a slot receiver at the NFL level. He lacks blazing speed, which remains a need for the Bills at wide receiver and is something they could address after the draft. His best chance for a role in 2017 will be as a returner.
Round 7, No. 255 overall: Austin Proehl, WR, North Carolina
My take: In the second-to-last pick of the draft, the Bills essentially used their final selection to get a jump on a player who would have been an undrafted free agent in Proehl. He is the son of former Panthers wide receiver and wide receivers coach Ricky Proehl, who coached alongside Bills coach Sean McDermott in Carolina. That level of familiarity likely played a large role in this pick.
How he fits: Proehl was limited to six games last season because of a broken clavicle, catching 21 passes and one touchdown. At 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, he projects to be a slot receiver at the NFL. There could be some overlap there with the Bills' sixth-round pick, Clemson wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, so it could be tough to both to make the 53-man roster. The practice squad could be Proehl’s best bet.