BY: MEREKAT
Nothing’s hotter in the streets than mock drafts right now with the NFL draft just days away, so I decided to wrangle up some of the folks at Trainwreck Sports to see what they thought Brandon Beane & Co. would draw up with the 30th overall pick in Buffalo’s possession this year.
Let’s dive right into the selections and see if any of us can try and see if we can crack the code that is Draft-mode Brandon Beane.
MereKat’s Pick:
#30. Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia
God damn, Mel Kiper is going to have everyone thinking I copied his pick here. I haven’t been too vocal on what I want the Bills to do this draft other than not draft a RB at No. 30 (s/o Matt Breida). So what makes sense for them? A trade back would be cool if there’s someone they like and can get later, but with the talent in this draft and BB liking the “best player available” strategy, I think they stay put. So that has me thinking CB (thiccc nickel @Greg????), EDGE or LB. Out of those needs, the best player available here would be Ojulari if he slips through the cracks. This guys can go anywhere in this draft but his upside in our defense piques the shit out of my interest. He’ll probably be a bit of a developmental guy that they’ll need to ease in (similar to Epenesa) which works with the defensive line rotation the Bills love. I see Ojulari thriving more as a pursuit/rushing OLB but can function with his knuckles in the dirt. Ojulari would ideally absorb every bit of knowledge he can from Jerry Hughes to ramp up his set of moves and learn to set the edge since I think they’re pretty comparable players. What makes him worthy enough to be selected by Big Baller Beane? The man is a freak. He’s built like a brick shit house and uses it like a battering ram against blockers. He’s gifted with all the tools of a great pass rusher; a natural quick twitch, balance, power and aggressiveness. Process you say? The guy is praised as a great teammate and onfield leader throughout his playing career and should fit right into our team’s culture. Production you say? Oh buddy, over 10 games last season Ojulari accumulated 8.5 sacks, 13 TFL and 4 FFs. He’ll need to grow as a tackler, not just a pass rusher and truly grow into someone who can set the edge consistently. I honestly think if he stayed another year in school to continue developing his game in an easier setting, we’d be talking about him as a top 5 pick next year. He can be an exciting weapon for a Buffalo defense in need of a spark.
NFL Comparison: I talked about Jerry Hughes above, a tweener that needed experience and the right environment to be successful on the line, and now I’ve talked myself into that comp. Similarly sized with a bit lower RAS. I think Hughes is the perfect mentor to help Ojulari reach his ceiling.
I have no idea what the selection will actually be at No. 30 with the volatility of these prospects and all the uncertainties that may lead some “top guys” right into our lap we can’t pass or a “reach” on something like a CB who doesn’t have a traditional first round grade (Asante Samuel Jr., Tyson Campbell come to mind). I just don’t see it not being an EDGE or CB – but if a top LB or OL slip, then those come into play.
Maniac’s Pick:
TRADE BACK
Since he took office in 2017, Beane has been playing from behind in a variety of ways. Whether it was seeking out a franchise QB, playmakers to complement, or young defensive stars to build around, Beane has always had to make the decision that immediately helped the Bills.
Coming off an AFC Championship appearance, the goal is definitely to progress and lift the Lombardi, but the desperation no longer fills the air. Beane will find a middling team desperate enough to give up their 2nd and a 1st next year to take No. 30.
P.S. this gives Beane two potential studs with five years of player control at negotiable deals when White, Allen, Edmunds, Milano, Diggs money all kicks in. Something tells me that Gabriel Davis’ price in two years is gonna look amazing.
Robyn’s Pick:
#30. Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
As Bills fans, we’re not used to waiting until pick #30 in the first round. Add to that a COVID pandemic which caused the Combine to be canceled and many teams/players opting out of the college football season and we end up with a very difficult draft to predict. Another big loss of information came when the 30 visits each team gets to meet physically with individual players was also canceled due to COVID-19. So this draft is going to be done on a wing and a prayer for general managers and fans who love to do/read mock drafts.
Under normal circumstances, I generally prefer the first round pick to be one with little doubt about skills being able to transfer to the NFL level. Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott have stated in the past they prefer players with four years of college experience, but because of COVID-19 cancellations and restrictions this past year, they may have to be more flexible in this regard. Arguably the team’s greatest needs at this point are CB, DL1T, EDGE.
With the draft being lean for talented DTs, I don’t see one being drafted in the first round by the Bills. It’s possible LB Zaven Collins could be a guy the Bills are eye-balling, but the guy who intrigues me the most who could fall to the Bills is Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley. He’s the right size and possesses the right skill set to be a permanent bookend opposite Tre’Davious White. He probably would go in the top half of the first round if not for a microsurgery on a disc in his lower back at the end of March.
Farley’s skill set is ideal for the type of press coverage the Bills often employ. I don’t see the Bills trading up to get him, but it’s possible Farley falls to them based on the limited amount of medical information available about his lower back issues. If the Bills medical staff believe they have enough information to generate a positive medical report about his prognosis and Farley is available at pick 30, I think the Bills would be wise to make him their first round pick. It would be a value move at pick 30 and fill a position of need.
Kevin Massare’s Pick:
#30. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
The Bills could use a final offensive weapon to the roster. To me it would come with the 4.4 speed of Travis Etienne.
He would fill a huge need for a game changing pass catcher and runner of the football in the Bills offense. Brandon Beane has alluded to running the ball better all offseason, but kept the entire OL together, signaling it could be the RB position he wants to upgrade.
It would also mean you would could trade Moss or Singletary during the draft. Maybe for Zach Ertz?
Monster’s Pick:
#30. Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
My pick for #30 for our Buffalo Bills is Najee Harris RB Alabama , 6-foot-2, 230-pound can of open field whoop ass, after averaging an astounding 5.9 YPC he is just what this offense needs, a Derrick Henry type back to complement our passing game and plant defenders asses in the Dirt !!
If I have my way, He joins #Billsmafia draft day !!!
Konze’s Pick:
TRADE – Trade up to No. 25 with Jacksonville and select Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State
I think the Bills will trade up to the 25th spot with the Jacksonville Jaguars to select Jayson Oweh of Penn State.
I know what you’re thinking… “didn’t we draft another Penn State edge rusher that didn’t pan out in Aaron Maybin?” I don’t see this being similar at all, and here is why. The 6-foot-5, 257-pound edge rusher is one of the most explosive edge rushers in this draft. He has tangibles and traits that cannot be taught and will only blossom under the right coaching.
“He didn’t even have a single sack in seven games last season.” Okay… did you watching his pro day? His pro day numbers were off the charts:
4.36- 40-yard dash
39.5- vertical
To name a few.
I don’t see him being an every down edge rusher. I see him being a young, situational edge rusher. This staff can scout and can coach. I think that in this defensive scheme, Oweh can reach Pro Bowl-caliber play because of his ability to explode off the edge and stick his hand in the dirt if you need him to.
Jake Majka’s Pick:
#30. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Listen, you guys know this is what we all want. Deep down, we football sickos all would secretly LOVE the fact that the Bills are swinging for the fences on a potential star running back. I know they could build depth for the future at other spots (LB, OL,) or try to bring an impact starter to key defensive positions (CB, EDGE), but BIG BALLER BEANE has proven that he can find talent later in the draft to fill those positions. For the first offseason in 25-30 years, the Bills are set.
We are nitpicking every little thing about this roster because we are so accustomed as fans to be looking to solve problems with the roster. It’s in our DNA. For most of my life, we wouldn’t even have to watch the Draft past pick 20 if we didn’t want to (if we were lucky). So I get it. I understand the nitpicking. I understand that we should still “Trust The Process” on the two running backs we’ve invested high draft picks in.
But what move would indicate the Bills pushing all their chips to the table for THIS YEAR? A potential 2nd cornerback behind Tre? A project edge rusher in the same vein as AJ Epenesa? OR would it be the potentially dynamic running back who could EASILY be in the top 5 in scrimmage yards in the NFL in his rookie year if he finds himself in the right situation.
And I don’t say that lightly. Watching more Clemson tape recently, you see a lot of plays where Etienne has bailed them out the last 3 years with his explosiveness and impeccable route running from the backfield. It’s not the smartest or more prudent selection.
But you cannot tell me that with this Bills roster they have in place, that picking Travis Etienne is not the biggest potential reward for the 2021 Buffalo Bills.
Push the chips in. We’re not planning for 2 years from now. We’re playing to win a Super Bowl NOW. Josh is still on a rookie deal. Let’s give him every weapon we can to maximize this.
Do it BIG BALLER. I trust you.
Some Guy Named Steve’s Pick:
#30. Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State
I think the best selection for the Bills at pick is Jayson Oweh defensive end/edge rusher from Penn State. Oweh is an extremely athletic defensive player who I think has one of the highest ceilings in the entire draft class. At 6’5″ and 257lbs combined with elite speed Oweh has potential to dominate for years in the NFL.
Although he didn’t record a sack in his sophomore year at Penn State, Oweh had 38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and was still voted first team all-conference in the Big Ten. His skills may be raw but Jayson Oweh is someone who can help the Bills pass rush for many years to come.
Also, shoutout Jaret Patterson, the superstar RB from Buffalo who the Bills should definitely consider in a later round 🙂
Who made your favorite move? Only a couple of us agree with what the Bills will do with their first round pick this year – but we can all agree it’s quite the luxury not worrying about selecting a signal-caller or the stress of a top-10 pick.
All I can say for certain heading into draft night is thank God we have Brandon Beane!
*big thank you to everyone at TWS who submitted picks for this!*
For live updates and breaking news, follow Trainwreck Sports, Crossing Swords, 2 Goalies 1 Mic, Happy Hour Hoops, and The Crowd Assist Podcast on Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel
The Sports Desk can be reached at editorialtrainwrecksports@gmail.com