How the Buffalo Bills can transform the receiving corps in 2019
Draft Hakeem Butler
Buffalo’s quest to find their top weapon on the outside should come via the draft. As I eluded to earlier, this class is insanely deep at wide receiver and can produce some real studs.
D.K. Metcalf has appeared to separate himself from the field by not being human and doing things that people of his size should not be able to do. The more the conversation around him continues, the more I see him going before Buffalo gets to pick. Even if he was at No. 9 for the Bills to select, I’m not so sure if I want the team to take him that high only because the class is so deep, you can find a difference maker later in the round or the second.
That brings us to my two favorite receivers in the 2019 draft. Hakeem Butler is a huge man as he measured in at 6-foot-5, 227 pounds, 35 ¼ inch arms, and 10 ¾ inch hands. While not as muscular or as cut as Metcalf, Butler is a freak athletically as well. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds, benched 225 pounds 18 times, had a 36-inch vertical jump, and a 128-inch broad jump. His athletic abilities make him extremely difficult to guard.
What makes Butler an ideal pairing for the offense is his catch radius. Allen is not the most accurate quarterback in the world, so providing him with a target that has a catch radius comparable to the likes of Calvin Johnson would be huge. Speaking of Johnson, Butler has been working out with the former Detroit Lion great in preparation for the NFL Draft.
Butler is rare with his size and speed and is so big, he can adjust in the air. Fast forward to the 5:10 mark in this video linked to here to see an incredible one-handed catch from Butler in the Alamo Bowl against Washington State.
With his impressive showing at the combine, Butler’s stock has no doubt risen. I wouldn’t select him at No. 9, but I would have no issue with Buffalo trading back in the first or trading back into the end of the first to select Butler.
In addition to his catch radius, Butler creates after the catch. Being so large, he is very difficult to bring down and his speed allows him to shake defenders regularly. His frame, athleticism, and catch radius give him all the tools to be a top receiver and all of those traits make him a perfect fit for the Bills offense.
If the team were able to add Humphries in the slot and Ross on the outside, a huge body like Butler on the outside can help complete a diverse receiving corp.