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Buffalo Bills: Ranking the best first round picks since 2000

By Brandon Croce

(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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ORCHARD PARK, NY – NOVEMBER 29: Marshawn Lynch #23 of the Buffalo Bills runs past Sean Smith #24 of the Miami Dolphins at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 29, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo won 31-14. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – NOVEMBER 29: Marshawn Lynch #23 of the Buffalo Bills runs past Sean Smith #24 of the Miami Dolphins at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 29, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo won 31-14. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) /

5. Marshawn Lynch

This was a bit of a toss up between Marshawn Lynch and Willis McGahee, both running backs selected by the Bills in the first round. Both went on to have productive careers, both played less than four seasons in Buffalo but Lynch gets the slight edge due to his Pro Bowl selection as a Bill.

Marshawn Lynch was selected 12th overall by the Bills in 2007 out of the University of California. He made an immediate impact on this offense and ran for over 1,100 rushing yards as a rookie. He followed that up with another 1,000 rushing season in 2008, the season that he was selected to the Pro Bowl.

However, the 2009 season was the beginning of the end for Lynch’s time in Buffalo as he started the season suspended due to off-the-field issues during the offseason. He struggled to really get into a rhythm and was benched towards the end. He was then traded mid-way through the 2010 season to the Seattle Seahawks.

He went on to have a very productive career, including winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. There is no question that Lynch was one of the best players the Bills have drafted over the past two years.

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