It is coming to the 2nd half of February and the 2015 NFL league year begins March 10th. Combine Season is also here which means another mock draft!
2nd) Devin Funchess WR/TE/? from Michigan
Big Wins. With the NFL shifting into bigger guys at corner and defense, the Bills need a guy with size. They currently have the do-it-all guy in Watkins and a reliable slot guy in Woods but they lack that big guy who can go up and get it. Funchess is sort of an enigma; for every contested catch or jump ball play he makes, he also drops an easy pass or gets out muscled by a smaller corner. The inconsistency issues are what drop him down out of the 1st round. What he gives the Bills is that big guy they been looking for. He is a legit size threat outside at 6’4 232 and can also be flexed inside where he is a matchup nightmare for whoever tries to cover him. With a QB (or QBs) whose accuracy isn’t their greatest attribute, they need a guy who can catch the bad balls and develop into a Alshon Jeffrey/Kelvin Benjamin kind of WR.
3rd) TJ Yeldon RB from Rawl Tyde
CJ Spiller is a goner and the Bills have no idea what to do with Bryce Brown which means RB is a need. TJ Yeldon is a good fit for the power run game Greg Roman asks for. He has good size and is able to break occasional tackles as well as have the breakaway speed to make big runs. However he has an upright running style which causes fumbles and he has been hit with the injury bug in his career. He is a work in progress in pass protection but that is something FredEx can help him with. Bills need a #1 back and Yeldon is a good choice as he has the talent and ability to be a dominant back.
5th) Ellis McCarthy DT/DE from UCLA
With the Bills tweaking their defense to be more of a 4-3 Under, they will need more players on the defensive line as they are very thin at that position. McCarthy is a big boy at 6’4 330 and when healthy and in shape has shown himself to be a dominant NT, especially in run defense. He made the off decision to declare early despite being a backup at UCLA which raises concerns about his overall motivation. He is worth a 5th round gamble as he is highly talented and with proper motivation which Rex Ryan will give him, he will be able to be a contributor on run downs early on and hopefully develop one day into a complete player.
5th) Brandon Bridge QB from South Alabama
Bills will probably look for a developmental QB on day 3 to replace Jeff Tuel. Bridge has all the physical talent in the world with his 6’4 229 size, his strong arm and his athletic ability. However he is very raw as a passer due to lack of playing time in college and really not asked to make many NFL throws. His physical tools make him an intriguing guy to stash as the #3 QB and hope he develops into something for 2016/2017. At the very least he is better than Tuel.
6th) Miles Dieffenbach OG from Penn State
The Richie Incognito signing and hopefully another OL signing in Free Agency means guard will not be a pressing need. However they could use some developmental guys who can play in 2016 and beyond. Miles missed most of 2014 due to injury and when he came back he took a huge step back which will cause him to fall in the draft. He is a good fit for the zone blocking scheme the Bills will run and he can probably start at RG right away if needed.
7th) Ali Marpet OL from Hobart
Bills end the draft doubling up on offensive line projects with the small school guy. Marpet played tackle at Hobart but at the Senior Bowl kicked in to guard/center where he more than likely will play in the NFL. He is raw as a prospect but hopefully he can develop into a versatile backup interior lineman so Kraig Urbik won’t be needed.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS