Buffalo Bills 2018 NFL Draft: Targets for Rounds 4-7
By DJ Eberle
A look at seven players the Buffalo Bills could be targeting on Day 3 of the 2018 NFL Draft.
With the addition of Stanford defensive lineman Harrison Phillips in the third round Friday night, the Buffalo Bills have positioned themselves well heading into Saturday.
With five picks between Rounds 4-7, the Bills have plenty of draft capital to fill some holes and move around the board.
After adding Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds and Phillips through the first three rounds, Buffalo has erased its need of a quarterback, inside linebacker and interior defensive lineman. Wide receiver, slot cornerback and offensive line are really the only positions with major needs that remain. The Bills could use a young, fresh running back too.
Should be a lot of fun.
Here are seven players the Bills could be targeting Saturday afternoon.
No. 7 Braxton Berrios
If the Bills want to wait to draft their wide receiver, Braxton Berrios could be their guy.
Think of the Miami alum in the same breath as a Julian Edelman or Danny Amendola.
He has a small 5-foot-9 frame with some injury concerns. However, Berrios is an explosive and physical player that has the ability to get open over the middle.
Buffalo doesn’t have a true slot wide receiver and Berrios could be there in Round 6 or 7.
No. 6 Scott Quessenberry
With the retirements of Eric Wood and Richie Incognito, interior offensive line help is a must.
UCLA alum Scott Quessenberry has the ability to play both center and guard, which could come in handy.
Quessenberry has started for much of the last four seasons with the Bruins and has seen time at both guard and center, which will be appealing to teams.
While it’s unknown what exactly the Bills will run with a new offensive coordinator, chances are it will be zone. Quessenberry is a great fit for a zone scheme.
It could be a very enticing match for the Bills, especially if Quessenberry falls to the fifth round.
No. 5 Equanimeous St. Brown
Equanimeous St. Brown has the size and speed to be a star in the NFL, but he never lived up to his potential at Notre Dame.
But that doesn’t mean the Bills shouldn’t take a shot.
As he enters the draft, St. Brown’s biggest threat is his speed, and he uses it well. However, he’ll need to work on his route running and progress as a wide receiver if he’s going to be any more than a deep threat in this league.
However, Day 3 is for fliers, and with two picks in the fifth round, St. Brown is worth one.
No. 4 Kalen Ballage
Arizona State running back Kalen Ballage brings a lot of potential to the NFL.
He’s shown potential as runner, is a tremendous pass catcher and can be an asset in the return game. Ballage is a poor-man’s Christian McCaffrey.
You would have liked to see more production at Arizona State, but Ballage has the traits to be effective at the next level, even if it’s just as a third-down back and in the return game.
"“Mark this down. Nobody will be talking about him until he gets to the Combine where he will lift well, run well and jump out of the stadium. Then, he’ll be the hot name,” an NFC team director of college scouting told NFL.com."
The Bills are looking for a running back to take over the reigns once LeSean McCoy moves on. In a year or two, Ballage could be that back.
No. 3 Deon Cain
After taking Harrison Phillips in the third round, Josh Allen could still use a couple of toys when he gets to Buffalo.
Clemson speedster Deon Cain could be an option in the fourth round.
Cain would provide Buffalo will a deep threat it currently doesn’t have. While Cain under-performed at Clemson, he could turn into a No. 2 wideout one day.
Cain’s combination of size and speed could make him a real threat at the next level. He’d fit in nicely in Buffalo.
No. 2 Anthony Averett
It’s a pretty big surprise the Alabama cornerback Anthony Averett is still on the board heading into Day 3.
Bleacher Report lead NFL draft analyst Matt Miller had Averett as a second-round prospect. Oh, and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s projection for the Bama defensive back is Tre’Davious White.
"“He can run but he won’t blow you away by his speed,” an NFC team director of college scouting told NFL.com. “He can cover but he won’t make a lot of plays. He can tackle but he’s not a tough Alabama cornerback. He’s a solid starter but not great to me.”"
He can step in and start in the slot right away.
If Averett is still there when the Bills pick at No. 121 overall, it should be a quick pick.
No. 1 Tyrell Crosby
Oregon offensive tackle Tyrell Crosby still on the board heading into Day 3 is more than surprising. He was the fifth offensive tackle on most peoples’ boards.
With both starters back for the season, offensive tackle isn’t a huge need. But if Crosby is there when the Bills are on the clock, they can’t miss out on their opportunity to upgrade their right tackle.
"“I think he will be a pretty good pro if he gets with the right team,” a retired NFL offensive lineman told NFL.com. “If you are strong you can play in the NFL. He can improve his feet and learn tricks and shortcuts to help in that area. Coaches can slide protections to him. But you can’t coach that size and power.”"
Next: Bills: Grades after day two of the 2018 NFL Draft
While he’s still improving as a pass blocker, Crosby absolutely dominates in the run game. Considering the Bills are a run-first team, this could be a very nice match.