Bowen Should Help Special Teams: Bills asst. linebacker coach DeMontie Cross coached the Bills 5th round pick Alvin Bowen when the two were at Iowa St. together before Cross joined the Bills coaching Staff. Cross said Bowen is a kind of guy they like to play at the position because of his athleticism. He has good range against the pass and can play the run. He can play either of the outside linebacker positions and they project him there as well as an immediate help on special teams. He will not be projected as a strong safety like some scouts think he should be at this level. They like the fit on defense where he'll be a backup and he'll help replenish the losses on special teams. He's a goal driven guy who is very responsible. Cross thinks Fine's best days are in front of him and he has a chance to grow and blossom. LB Coach Matt Sheldon says Bowen's got the mentality needed be a great special teams player.
Fine A Good Blocker And Receiver: TE coach Charlie Coiner says that 4th round pick Derek Fine is a guy who is a pass catcher and a tough blocker. They need him to be able to do both. Some say he'd be a good H-back option but he will be a traditional tight end with the Bills. Even though Fine isn't a down the field stretch the field tight end they love that he is a solid blocker. They think he can be the best overall tight end in the draft as far as blocking and receiving. He's a reflection of what they did in Kansas as they have tough, versatile, and smart guys that are just football players.
Linebacker Taken: The Bills took a linebacker with their fifth round pick. They selected outside backer Alvin Bowen from Iowa St. He becomes the fourth defensive player picked in the Bills first six picks which is a bit of a surprise since they addressed many of their defensive needs in free agency. He's a smaller linebacker at just 6'1" and 223 pounds. He was a tackling machine in college despite his size. Some teams see him as a strong safety at this level because he has solid range in pass coverage. Doesn't have a great burst and top end speed and power to fill gaps well. Considered good special teams player. Draft Capsules.
Few Negatives On Corner: Scout Tom Roth feels that Reggie Corner is a very interesting prospect for the Bills. He is small but they feel he plays larger with his leaping abilities, good coverage skills, and what Roth thinks is a very, very good run support player. Roth really doesn't see many negatives in Corner who many think the Bills reached for. He played big schools and held his own against the big receivers from Ohio State and went one on one with 2nd round pick James Hardy and gave up four catches for 65 yards and a score. He also plays faster than his speed. The Bills feel his cover skills are so good he would have been a first round pick if he was 2" taller.
Bills Add TE: The Bills finally took a tight end late in the fourth round by picking Derek Fine of Kansas. He's considered more of an H-back which is the position the Bills are going away from as he lacks ideal size with a 245 pound frame. He's a good possession like receiver and very solid on special teams. Draft Capsules.
Roth On Ellis: Bills scout Tom Roth told the media that he really likes third round pick Chris Ellis. He called him an instinctive player who can pass rush and play the run. He is a good kid that uses his hands well to disengage from blocks.
Bills Select Another DB: The Bills may have reached for their first of two fourth round selections. They selected Akron CB Reggie Corner who is a bit undersized at under 5' 10" tall. He does have outstanding leaping ability. He has some power issues that may hurt him in run stopping. The Bills have yet to address the ever elusive tight end need. Cleveland jumped ahead of the Bills and took TE Martin Rucker. Another need is center but two were picked in a row early in the fourth round.
Kollar Likes Ellis: Bills defensive line coach Bill Kollar likes his latest addition of Chris Ellis. He feels he plays hard and will add to depth at a position that was decimated by injuries last season. He's not that big but may figure in a rotation at end according to Kollar.
Ellis Happy To Be In 4-3: Chris Ellis was very happy to be picked by a team that runs the 4-3 defense. If he was taken by a 3-4 team he would have been moved to linebacker. He's happy he can stay at defensive end and feels he should be able to hit the ground running since he won't be learning a new position. Connections are already being made to the most successful end ever to come out of Virginia Tech, Bruce Smith. The Bills did not meet with Ellis prior to the draft so he was surprised but happy to be coming to Buffalo.
Bills Introduce McKelvin: Ralph Wilson introduced first round pick Leodis McKelvin to the media today. They held up McKelvin's #28 Bills jersey. The Bills owner said the decision to draft McKelvin was unanimous as it was a surprise to them that he was still there at #11 overall.
Bills Take Ellis In Third: The Bills filled a need in their defensive end rotation in round three by selecting Virginia Tech's Chris Ellis. He's a nearly 6'5" end who is quick and has a good motor. He was arrested in 2006 and was suspended for a game. He also had surgery on a torn labrum in his right shoulder in 2006. If he can stay healthy he has a chance to be a good pro and could contribute as the fourth end this year. He had 22 sacks at Virginia Tech including 8½ this year. More to come later including his reactions and the reactions from the Bills. Draft Page.
Day Two Is Here: The Bills were pleased with the two major holes they filled in day one of the draft. While day two won't provide as many headlines it will be much busier. The team has eight picks in the final five rounds today, stay with us all day long with updates after each pick including links to scouting reports of all the newest Bills and press conference excerpts! Draft Page.
Saturday April 26, 2008
Hardy Motivated: James Hardy was pleased the Bills selected him in the second round of the draft. He said he told Dick Jauron that he was the right man to fill the hole at wide receiver when the two talked at the combine. Hardy hopes to make Buffalo Nation proud. He feels blessed to be in Buffalo and will adjust to the speed of the pro game in training camp. He has an extra level in the red zone and feels it will translate to the pros. Hardy had a rough upbringing and just wants to make everyone proud. Calling football the most important thing to him besides his faith and family. He's a tall receiver who can run and has good hands.
Team Thrilled To Get Hardy: The team was thrilled that James Hardy fell to them in round two. The team was thrilled with day one as they were able to stay true to their board. They spent a lot of time with Hardy and aren't concerned with his character issues. Jauron said Hardy's size is something they have been looking for all offseason. Jauron is happy to get a big receiver but re-iterated that he really likes the receivers on the roster now.
McKelvin Makes Bills Better: Leodis McKelvin feels he will come in and compete for a starting job. He feels he will make the team much better. He feels relieved that the process is over and looks forward to next weekend's minicamp. McKelvin things of himself as a corner and a return man.
Bills Take Hardy: The Bills took 6' 6" James Hardy in round 2. He was the fourth receiver taken. He's considered a huge red zone threat with some off the field issues. Other receivers on the board when Hardy was taken were Limas Sweed and Malcolm Kelly. Hardy is considered a huge catch at the 41st spot. Has a nice frame but needs more bulk. His height is his greatest asset and is a Harold Carmichael type.
Bills Feel They Got Special Player: The Bills brass spoke to the media about their first round draft pick. They would not call Leodis McKelvin a reach. The board was narrowed by what they did in past years according to Tom Modrak. They had trade talks but they felt good about what they took at the 11 spot. The team will keep their options open about trading back into the first round. They feel they got a special ball player. The team goes with the saying that they can never have enough good corners. He's a top corners who competes in the run game as well. He strengthens the return game despite having two outstanding returners already. It's good to have more. He's not a ball hawk but they will work with him on that.
McKelvin Has Speed: Bills scout Joe Haering talked about Leodis McKelvin before the draft and said the first corner taken in the draft has tremendous speed and just jumps off the film. He has great catchup speed and is an excellent athlete. He played against some very good schools despite playing at troy. He is good in transition as well. He doesn't give up the home run ball and has some unbelievable straight out seed. What separated him from other corners was his return ability.
McKelvin Is First Pick: The Bills went the safe route with the 11th pick in the draft. Instead of trading down they went with the best available option by drafting CB Leodis McKelvin in the first round of the draft. They had their choice as no corners or no receivers were taken in the top 10. McKelvin is a solid 5'11" corner with good cover skills and is a solid punt and kick returner as well. He had three punt returns for a score last year. He compares to an R.W. McQuarters and will likely jump right into a starting role. The team will likely take a wide receiver in the 2nd round if they don't trade back up. Stay with us for much more on the pick and the rest of the draft! Draft Page.
Draft Day Is Here: The biggest weekend of the offseason has arrived and we will keep you updated all weekend long on all the Bills draft picks and any trades that they may make. Stay with our home page, this page, and our draft page for links to scouting reports for each player taken. We will also do our usual excerpts from all the press conferences from Bills brass and the newest players. After the draft we will grade it and give our usual draft capsules as the draft progresses. So stay with us all weekend long! Draft Page.
Friday April 25, 2008
First Round Mock: Bills Daily once again brings you a first round mock draft letting you know who we think will be picked by each team in the first round. Our mock has the Bills staying put at #11 and taking WR Devin Thomas. First Round Mock Draft.
Thursday April 24, 2008
Wall Of Fame: The committee that decides the next honoree will convene tomorrow to decide who will go Wall of Fame this year. In all likelihood it will be Bruce Smith who is eligible for the honor for the first time. He is considered a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame next year and the team would likely want him on the Wall before then.
Wednesday April 23, 2008
Draft Crucial For Bills: Every draft is crucial for each franchise but the first one under the direction of Russ Brandon may be a bit more critical than most for the Bills. One more good draft could put the Bills over the hump and into the post season in January. The Bills have holes at TE, WR, CB, and need to fill out the depth on special teams. Complete Analysis.
Tuesday April 22, 2008
A Draft Weekend Preview: Big time football fans get pumped up for the draft as the marquee offseason event. Many times over the years Bills fans and fans of other teams have been left shocked by picks. In his usual witty way Tony Bogyo takes a tongue in cheek look at what will happen on draft weekend. Complete Story.
Monday April 21, 2008
Bills May Move Down: There is a chance the Bills will look to trade down to get a tall wide receiver in a more reasonable spot late in the first round. Malcolm Kelly is our pick at the 22 spot in a trade with Dallas that would pick up their 2nd round pick and a third next year. Take a look at our mock draft that has some surprises in it but the Bills always do some stuff that we don't expect. Then take our poll on our homepage and let us know what you think the Bills will do! Bills Mock Draft.
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Bills Add Another CB: The Bills closed out the 2008 draft with their third corner of the weekend. They selected Pittsburgh's Kennard Cox who will likely try to make the team as a special teams player. He's not that fast and may project to a safety in the pros. Good in run support but not a good cover guy. His pick leaves the Bills with five offensive and five defensive players in the draft as they stayed put with all 10 picks and didn't make any trades this weekend. Now they are working hard to sign the undrafted free agents that they covet.