Buffalo Bills: Draft Prospect Joel Bitonio

Feb 20, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Nevada Wolfpack offensive lineman Joel Bitonio speaks during a press conference during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills have a couple of needs coming up in this years draft, which is a month away at this point. Their first and fore most needs come in the form of an offensive lineman, a wide receiver, and a tight end. We have been looking at mainly the ones that will be there in the first round and debating who the first pick for the Bills will be. Mike Evans, Eric Ebron, Taylor Lewan, Jake Matthews or some other prospect that we haven’t really looked at yet.

If Buffalo looks elsewhere and doesn’t draft an offensive lineman, it has been stated that the draft is filled with offensive lineman and is one of the deepest drafts at the position of tackle. If Buffalo looks at either Mike Evans in the first, do they go TE or OT with the second round and who is available. We looked at TE with Austin Sefarian-Jenkins being available in the second and quite possibly the third.

Joel Bitonio is a prospect that could fit into the scheme of the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo is always looking for those offensive lineman that can play a number of position on the offensive line and Bitonio is no different. He is listed as a tackle but has more of a physical layout to play guard. His arm length is stated as being “border line” for a tackle and his squarish frame is more the style of a guard. At the senior bowl, he lined up at tackle, guard and center and impressed at all three, even though he had not lined up at any of the interior spots prior to that day.

"“I played one season at right tackle and one season at left tackle and my sophomore year we switched sides during games so I played right and left tackle, so pretty much tackle my whole career,” he said. “But I think I’ve shown teams I can play both. There might be a bit of learning curve, but it shouldn’t be too much trouble.”"

Mike Mayock states that whether Bitonio is taken in the second or third round, he will come into the league immediately and start.  A lot of the second and third round prospects on the offensive line are having similar statements made about them.

Bitonio is falling into a perfect spot for the Bills to take in the second round and look at and address either a WR or TE in the first round.  With his versatility it would add some depth to what seems to be an offensive line that is always injury prone.

CBS Sports compares Bitonio to…

"“I played one season at right tackle and one season at left tackle and my sophomore year we switched sides during games so I played right and left tackle, so pretty much tackle my whole career,” he said. “But I think I’ve shown teams I can play both. There might be a bit of learning curve, but it shouldn’t be too much trouble.”"