Buffalo Bills: How important is NFL Combine to Brandon Beane?

Poor Combine Performers

Tommy Sweeney (29th Percentile)

Tommy Sweeney was marked in the 29th percentile, though only participating in two drills Sweeney profiles as a poor athlete at the Tight End position. A 4.83 40-yard dash put Sweeney in that position, as well as his 17 bench press reps, but that isn’t of great importance at the combine.

Sweeney was an important player for Boston College in his last three years there and showed reliable hands. This is another example of a player with a proven track record in college and fit the character that the Buffalo Bills like to select.

Cody Ford (28th Percentile)

Cody Ford was a player the Buffalo Bills loved during the 2019 draft process. He profiled as a mauler and added that physical component the Buffalo Bills crave for their offensive line. The NFL Combine isn’t always a great indicator for offensive linemen, and the Bills didn’t worry too much about his performance here as they selected Ford 38th overall.

Ford ranked average in the 40-yard dash and the vertical jump, so Ford showed enough explosiveness in those drills to maybe impact the decision a bit, but the testing at the NFL Combine was likely not an integral part in the selection.

Dane Jackson (24th Percentile)

Dane Jackson came in at the 24th percentile and was the Buffalo Bills seventh-round selection from the 2020 NFL Draft. Jackson graded in the bottom third in all of the drills and just doesn’t have great physical talent. He was likely drafted for his competitiveness he showed at Pitt and the fact he was a three-year starter there. Those are players Beane likes bringing into the Buffalo Bills locker room.

Devin Singletary and Zack Moss  (22nd Percentile)

Beane has drafted two running backs over his three drafts and both hold spots as the worst NFL Combine performers to be drafted by the Buffalo Bills. Both Zack Moss and Devin Singletary averaged out in the 22nd percentile, not showing too much on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Beane despite a small sample size of only two running backs, has shown a tendency to ignore home run ability and go for what he says are “good football players”. Both runners each had three seasons with over 1,000 yards rushing in college and Beane took notice.

With Singletary running a 4.66 40 yard-dash while Moss running a 4.65 neither are going to run by defenders, but Beane likes the agility of Singletary and the power of Moss to compliment each other.

Jake Fromm (22nd Percentile)

Jake Fromm also shares the lowest score alongside the two running backs in the 22nd percentile, with a poor performance at the NFL Combine. He had the smallest hands of the draft at 8 7/8 inches and had one of the weakest arms too. Hand size is often cited by scouts as being important, and with the cold weather in Buffalo this is something that should be taken into consideration, but Beane yet again just wants to get good football players who add to the “culture” they preach in Buffalo.

Fromm had 36 wins over his three year college career which is worth noting and the Buffalo Bills likely wanted to add another winner to the locker room.