Dud: Dawson Knox
Tight end Dawson Knox is a work in progress. Buffalo understood this when they took him with their second pick in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The 96th overall selection, Knox had a world of talent but was hardly used by Ole Miss.
NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein said as much as he said he wasn’t game-ready entering the draft, but needed to be “molded.”
"“Outstanding combination of measurables and traits, but he’s much more moldable clay than game-ready prospect at this point. Knox lacks early speed and short-area quickness which could limit his ability to uncover underneath but he’s much more dangerous when allowed to roam the middle of the field as a more linear route-worker. His pass-catching production may never matchup with the testing numbers, but his aggressiveness and talent as a run-blocker could provide him work as a combo tight end for years to come.” — Zierlein, NFL.com"
With that being said, Knox has outperformed expectations so far in his rookie season. He entered Week 14 with 307 yards on 25 receptions and had two touchdowns. That gives the team great hope going forward that he can be a legitimate No. 1 tight end.
This weekend, however, was a reminder that he still needs to gain experience. Knox was targeted four times and had just one catch — although it was a good one that went for 37 yards (which sadly made him the leader in reception yardage in Week 14 for Buffalo).
He also had a couple of drops that really stalled drives for the Bills. Those drops haunted them in this one as he could have really helped his team steal a victory had he pulled them in.