After getting off to a hot start the Bills were unable to sustain that early success over the course of the entire 2008 season, ultimately finishing in last place with a 7-9 record. Buffalo seems to be on the right track but things won’t get any easier next year as they will have to deal with three legitimate playoff contenders within their own division. The Bills have done a nice job of building through the draft in recent years but if they hope to contend with the New England Patriots of the world that would have to continue in '09.
The Bills owned two first round pick after trading away Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters but they passed on an opportunity to replace him with Michael Oher in favor of Penn St. DE Aaron Maybin. There is no question Buffalo needed to improve their pass rush and with both Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay failing to play up to their big contracts the team only managed to record 24 total sacks during the 2008 regular season, which ranked 28th in the league. The athletic Maybin burst onto the scene last year and emerged as one of the country’s premier pass rushers, racking up 20.0 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks in his lone season as a starter for the Nittany Lions. Just a redshirt sophomore, Maybin opted to strike while the iron was hot and go pro even though many, including Joe Paterno, felt he wasn’t ready for the pros. There is no denying Maybin’s sheer talent and enormous upside and he has drawn favorable comparisons to Ravens Pro Bowler Terrell Suggs. However, physically he is still a work in progress and will likely need a year or two in the weight room before he’s ready for the rigors of the NFL. Most felt Maybin, who reportedly played at just 230 pounds last year, would fit best as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme but in Buffalo he will play with his hand on the ground which will only accentuate his weaknesses. A bit of a one-trick pony who relies almost exclusively on his speed and quickness off the edge, Maybin is a total liability against the run at this point so he will likely be limited to a situational pass rush role as a rookie.
Later in round one the Bills used the pick they acquired in the Peters deal to select Louisville C / OG Eric Wood. Right off the bat one can question the wisdom of essentially trading a 27-year-old All Pro left tackle for an interior lineman who was a borderline first round talent… With that said Wood is an experienced, durable and versatile blocker with solid physical tools and first-rate intangibles. Even though he played center in college the Bills plan to use Wood at right guard and he will be plugged into the starting lineup immediately. Later in round two the Bills brought in some more reinforcements for their offensive line when they traded up for Andy Levitre out of Oregon St., who was arguably the top offensive guard prospect in the draft. A three-year starter who saw action at every position along the offensive line except center during his time with the Beavers, Levitre isn’t a great athlete but he holds his own as both a run and pass blocker while also earning high marks in the work ethic and leadership departments. The Bills are hoping Levitre will win the left guard job as a rookie and along with Wood solidify the position for the next decade or more.
Sandwiched in between those two big uglies was Oregon S Jairus Byrd, who the Bills chose in the middle of round two. The son of former San Diego Charger Gil Byrd, like his father Jairus is best known for his playmaking ability in the secondary and he accumulated 17 interceptions during his three seasons as a starter for the Ducks. A college cornerback, Byrd has the size you look for at 5-10 and 207 pounds but his disappointing 4.68 speed will necessitate a move to safety at the next level. Look for Byrd to compete with Ko Simpson and George Wilson for the starting free safety job alongside Donte Whitner as a rookie. Buffalo didn’t have a third round pick but they landed one of the steals of the draft in round four when they chose Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson. Considered by many to be a second round value, Nelson is a dynamic pass catching threat with terrific athleticism, great speed and reliable hands. Granted Nelson is a bit one-dimensional and in many ways a wideout in a tight end’s body but he is a better blocker than most give him credit for and he still has plenty of room to bulk up his 6-5, 240 pound frame. Buffalo has more questions than answers at the tight end position at this point so there is a great opportunity for Nelson to come in and make a major impact as a rookie.
In round five Buffalo took a flyer on Oklahoma’s Nic Harris, a college safety who will be making the transition to outside linebacker in the pros. A three-year starter for the Sooners, Harris was a decorated college player and possesses excellent intangibles but he is a classic ‘tweener due to his 4.78 speed. However, at 6 21/2 and 234 pounds he has the size to move up a level and perhaps more importantly he has embraced the shift. In fact, Harris played the position exclusively during the Senior Bowl week and showed a lot of promise. Buffalo actually prefers speedy, athletic linebackers and they are willing to sacrifice some size so Harris landed in a pretty good situation. Harris is still raw and will take some time to adjust to his new position so as a rookie he will likely have to be content to compete for a backup job and contribute on special teams. The Bills used their final two picks to bolster the depth in their secondary. First up was USC CB Cary Harris in round six. A three-year starter for the Trojans, Harris has good size but durability is a major concern and he battled a bunch of injuries during his college career. Harris probably would have gone at least a couple of rounds earlier had he run better than a high-4.5 in workouts but he was a good value in the late rounds and could surprise. Buffalo used their final selection on West Virginia CB Ellis Lankster, a one-year starter who put himself on the map with an impressive senior campaign. A great athlete, Lankster has an ideal blend of size and speed, is pretty physical and still has a lot of upside. Unfortunately the Bills may not have room for both Harris and Lankster so they could be battling each other for a roster spot in training camp.
The Bills wound up with four picks in the top two rounds so it should come as no surprise that they did very well on Draft Day. The only question is could they have done even better? Regardless of how you feel about the individual players the Bills chose they should get, at minimum, three rookie starters out of this effort and that doesn’t even include their top pick Maybin. The bottom line is Buffalo got quality, quantity and value while also addressing key needs and that is always a recipe for a successful class.
