NFL Mock Draft Week 14: The Buffalo Bills Select…
By Jack Goods
Another week has gone by and we are once again taking a look at how the draft is looking today. The Bills currently have the ninth overall pick if the season ended today, giving them the ability to draft a player that should be able to step right into a role with the team. Last week they took linebacker Manti T‘eo out of Notre Dame, however this week the Detroit Lions snagged him with the sixth overall pick. Fansided went a familiar direction, one in which I am still in disagreement about.
This week’s mock draft has the Bills taking defensive end Barkevious Mingo out of LSU like it had them doing two weeks ago. I already have discussed my opinions on Mingo before. He is an incredibly talented player, he just doesn’t fit any of the Bills needs. The issues on defense for the Bills are not coming from the defensive line anymore, it is due to poor linebackers and only having one solid cornerback. The crew says that Mark Anderson has been a main issue for the Bills this year, but he hasn’t even played a majority of the season due to injury.
"Mark Anderson is a pillow on the Bills line, and every time he sets foot on the field with the defense the team gets dramatically worse. Buffalo wants a franchise quarterback, but as we discussed with the Chiefs pick, there are guys other than Smith/Wilson/Barkley in this draft that you can get later. Mario Williams needs someone to compliment him on the other end of the defensive line and Mingo is a rare breed. He’s quick, has an elite first step and is NFL ready according to experts."
Sure, Mingo will probably be a very successful player. Many believe he is one of the most talented players in the draft. This just isn’t the time and place for it, and I certainly can not see the front office, in the position they are in currently with the struggling team, making such a bold and controversial move as this.
A move that could make more sense to the Bills would be the player that is going one pick later in this week’s draft, Jarvis Jones out of Georgia. An outside linebacker, Jones is currently number one on Kiper’s big board. He very likely will be gone by the time the Bills pick, but if he isn’t I can’t see the Bills passing him up.
The draft went differently than most previous drafts, especially at the top. The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Luke Joeckel, offensive linemen out of Texas A&M, with the first overall pick. Bjoren Werner, defensive end out of Florida, went second overall to the Jaguars. Geno Smith was the only quarterback taken in the first round, going 4th overall to the Arizona Cardinals.