Joe B: 2019 NFL Mock Draft No. 3
(WKBW) — Only three weeks to go before NFL teams can add substantial, or so they hope, players that will play a big role in the future of their organizations. And the angling for the first round of the 2019 version has only just begun.
Last time, in my second iteration of mock, the Buffalo Bills made a move down the board to capitalize on value. And this time around, I have them capitalizing on value in a different way.
Without further ado, mock draft number three:
6) **TRADE (from NYG) - DT Quinnen Williams, Alabama
- Sitting at ninth overall, the Bills have a desperate need to add a three-technique defensive tackle that can generate pressure from the interior. The Bills do have the option of staying at ninth overall, but should Quinnen Williams -- the prototypical player the Bills covet at the glaring need and at such an important position to Sean McDermott's defense -- fall outside of the top four, I would not be surprised if GM Brandon Beane got on the phone to make a move up the board. After all, we've seen plenty of proof that Beane is willing to move up the board in the draft. To the Bills, I believe the hierarchy of positions, in terms of importance to having a core player in roster building, goes something like this: quarterback, middle linebacker, three-technique defensive tackle, defensive end, center. I believe offensive tackle is important to the Bills as well, but not quite like the five core spots I listed. The Bills have addressed quarterback, middle linebacker, and center. They have three starting caliber defensive ends on their roster for the 2019 season. And at three-technique defensive tackle, all they have left is Jordan Phillips and Robert Thomas -- a spot crying out for a starter. Head coach Sean McDermott agreed with the notion that stopping interior pressure is more difficult than stopping an edge rusher, and called getting heat on the quarterback from the interior "critical." So, if the cost for adding a player that can be an impact starter at a core position to their philosophy is a third and fifth-round pick, so be it. Talent, and the potential for dominance in one player trumps spending a third-round pick on a role player and a fifth-round selection on a lottery ticket. In Williams, the Bills would add a nuisance along the interior who has the size, explosiveness, length, pass rushing moves, and run-stuffing ability that could turn him into a home run of a selection. He is a Day One starter, and could become the best player on the defensive line by the end of the season -- and a core building block for the Bills moving forward, no less. I think a third and fifth-round pick is worth the potential of all that.
Trade Details: New York Giants receive 9th overall, 74th overall, 147th overall. Buffalo receives 6th overall, 232nd overall.
40) - EDGE Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech
- Over the last two drafts, the Bills haven't invested a single selection into players that rush the passer. With the first-round pick of Quinnen Williams, and now the second-round selection of Jaylon Ferguson, the Bills have now invested heavily in a vital component to their attack past just the 2019 season. While tight end and wide receiver were both considered with this selection, there were significant factors as to why Ferguson was the pick over them. With wide receiver, the Bills have four players on the roster already that need playing time. At tight end, the value of the pick didn't line up with the players available at the position with TJ Hockenson, Noah Fant, and Irv Smith already off the board. The value, at least with how this board shakes out, is with Ferguson even if finding a defensive end isn't a need for the upcoming season. Jerry Hughes and Shaq Lawson are both due to become unrestricted free agents, which means the Bills have nothing substantial besides Trent murphy on the books for the 2020 season. Ferguson has the desired build that the Bills look for in a defensive end at 6-foot-5, 271-pounds, and with a 34 and 1/2-inch arm length. He is a highly productive player, and while he doesn't get you the bend around the edge that some of the other available edge defenders does, he does provide enough technical ability to get to the quarterback and to also work in unison with the rest of the defensive line to bring down the quarterback. He's dependable as a run defender, and at worst, should be a core rotational player for years to come. He also has the potential to be a starting player in this defense for 2020 and beyond, depending on how he adapts against better competition. It's not the flashiest of selections, but the Bills know exactly what they'd be getting in Ferguson, and that's a contributor right out of the gate.
