Buffalo Bills: The ideal haul in the 2018 NFL Draft

Round 3

65. Frank Ragnow/Center/Arkansas

The offensive line is finally addressed as the team continues to fill holes in the draft. Ragnow is one of if not the best center in the draft. He is 6-foot-5 and 309 pounds, showing he has great size and can be an anchor on the interior of the line. A senior, he also has experience playing against the best defensive talents in college football year in and year out in the SEC.

With Eric Wood and Richie Incognito both retiring this offseason, the Bills need to upgrade the interior of the line desperately. At Arkansas, Ragnow played both center and guard which can offer great flexibility to a line that needs it. The team also has Ryan Groy who can play center and guard. They also added Russell Bodine for competition at center, so having players that can also play guard offers a great deal of flexibility.

Drafting a franchise quarterback in the first round means the team needs to protect him, and Ragnow can certainly do that. Pairing the two together in their first season together allows the two to grow together and be the foundation of a young offense. At this point in the draft, Ragnow would be an outstanding addition to the Bills.

70. Anthony Miller/Wide Receiver/Memphis

I haven’t done much research into Anthony Miller until recently, and he is impressive. At 5-foot-11 and about 200 pounds, Miller isn’t big. However, what he lacks in size, he makes up in playmaking ability.

During his four years at Memphis, Miller set new reception, receiving yard, and touchdown totals for the Tigers. He capped off his career with 2017 First Team All-AAC and 2017 First Team All-American selections.

I really like Miller because he makes plays and is explosive. Watching his highlights you see a player that runs very crisp routes and he can play on the inside and outside. He has strong hands and despite being 5-foot-11, he can certainly hold his own.

He would fill a much needed void in the slot and can develop to an outside threat for the Bills. He has speed and quickness and can create yards after the catch. I can imagine him sliding into the slot immediately and making plays for the team, especially with a quarterback like Rosen who can find him on quick routes that lead to big plays.

One player that stands out to me in his player comparisons is Steve Smith. Smith was small but was a fierce competitor. His size didn’t stop him from going over the top of players to fight for balls or go underneath and take a hit. Coming from the Panthers organization, adding a player that is similar to Smith in Miller could be extremely appealing to the Bills.

96. Kerryon Johnson/Running Back/Auburn

More offense! The transformation of the offense continues as the Bills take a running back in a loaded running back class. Listen – I know that running back may be an extremely unpopular pick, but this pick can do so many things for the team.

This may be a little late for Johnson to go, but the team can move up a little bit further in the draft by packaging a later pick or a future pick to get up and get Johnson. With the class being so deep, I have him sliding a bit to the Bills at No. 96.

Johnson plays a similar game to David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell. I’m not saying that he will put up the same numbers as those two, but he can catch, is a patient runner, can block, be a three-down back and prolong LeSean McCoy’s career.

McCoy is 30, and it is well documented that running backs don’t age like wine. Also, the Bills signed Chris Ivory to a two-year deal to backup McCoy. However, with a new quarterback, new receiver, new center – and as of last year another new receiver and a new left tackle – the team needs to continue to get younger and build a nucleus.

Johnson can spell McCoy in certain situations and in a year or two, take over as the team’s lead back. Having a bulk of the offense coming in together and cost controlled gives the team a bevy of options.

In terms of production, Johnson had plenty of that. He collected nearly 2,500 yards on the ground in three years at Auburn with 32 touchdowns. In 2017 he was named a First Team All-SEC selection and was a 2017 Second Team All-American. He constantly went up against some of the best defenses and defensive players in the country in the SEC on a weekly basis and put up big numbers.