BLD ‘Mocks’ The NFL Draft with CBSSports.com
By Kyle Giunta
As you probably already know, BuffaLowDown was recently featured – along with the other 31 NFL blogs of the Fansided Network – on CBSSports.com.
We participated in a “live” mock draft, giving and defending our picks for this year’s NFL Draft. The real NFL Draft, which starts tomorrow, is sure to be drama filled as fans brace hoping for the final piece of their team’s puzzle to slip down the board. But along with those cheers are sure to be more than a few groans.
For complete coverage of the Bills’ actual picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, be sure to stay tuned to BLD starting tomorrow. In the meantime, here his how my shot at GM shook out for the Bills on Fansided’s Mock Draft with CBSSports. Everyone will be quick to judge General Manager Buddy Nix tomorrow — myself included. Until then, I’m on the hot seat. Let me know what you think.
“With the number one pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma.” Okay, well there goes ‘Plan A.’ I didn’t really expect him to slip to number nine in this draft, but hey … a young GM can hope. Next off the board are Suh, McCoy, Okung, and Berry. Interesting. Three of the top five players gone are from the defensive side, and so is the top offensive tackle. We’re not going to be making any changes in the game plan though. No jumpy moves. We know our top positional need and we are simply going to take the best player on the board to fill the role. (Nix … take notes.)
With the number nine overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select:
Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
Bills fans know that the main factor behind their decade-long playoff drought is poor offensive line play. Well, that and 10 different starting quarterbacks in as many years. As every truly talented quarterback will tell you, however, it all starts and ends with the quality of the offensive line. Bryan “The White Buffalo” Bulaga would make an immediate impact for the Bills. Bulaga will likely start at left tackle and hopefully protect Bills quarterbacks for years to come. At 6-foot-5, 318 pounds Bulaga has quick feet, even faster hands, and a long wingspan, all of which allows him to push the rush to the outside with ease. His passionate play might just inject some much-needed life into an otherwise forgettable Bills O-line.
This is where the fun really begins. The first round is like prom – we all know who’s going home with who. The second round is where things get really interesting – and it can make all the difference. This is the round where the kid who always wears the Yoda T-Shirt to Chem class has a chance to go home with the hot girl. No, not the prom queen – but at least her slightly less cute friend that the queen keeps around to make herself look prettier than she actually is. That’s the girl you want anyway. Welcome to round two. Ding ding.
We’ve got a couple needs in mind; maybe another offensive lineman, a tight end could be a good choice, and there are lots of first-round caliber guys still hanging around at other high-impact positions. I root for players to slide down the board, and some do. I groan as others high on my wish list slip just out of grasp just before the Buffalo Bills second round pick. “With the 40th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select Jahvid Best, RB, California.” I can’t lie, I was rooting for two Cal backs in Buffalo. Now there may be none. No time to dwell though, the announcement comes through – the Buffalo Bills are on the clock.
Calm sets in. At any other time or place the prospect of this pick would have seemed crazy, even to me. But right now it seems to make all the sense in the world.
With the 42nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft the Buffalo Bills select … (forgive the drama – but it’s worth it).