Round 3 – Pick 96 overall
Original Selection: Dawson Knox
Re-Draft Selection: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
As alluded to before, the Bills need for a new tight end going into the 2019 NFL Draft was very real. Yes, the Bills had acquired Tyler Kroft, but it was obvious he was more of a band-aid fix to the position group rather than a long term solution. This is why I decided to take Irv Smith Jr. with the Bills’ second round pick in this hypothetical re-draft.
In reality, the Bills were so needy to find their tight end of the future they decided to trade up to 96th overall using two 4th round picks. The Bills and their fans are obviously upset with the lack of consistent production from Knox during his first two years with the team. Although he was the starter heading into this past season, he found himself yanked in favor of Kroft or Lee Smith on multiple occasions throughout the year.
This lack of consistency is the main reason I decided to take Irv Smith in the second round, and by taking Smith in the second round it frees up this 96th overall pick to select the best player available in this hypothetical re-draft.
When looking at the players that are still available there are two that jump right off of the page, these players are Maxx Crosby and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Crosby would fit team needs more specifically, but Gardner-Johnson’s versatility in the secondary would be an incredible value in the 3rd round.
Crosby had an excellent rookie season, but had a significant drop off in production this past year. On the other hand, Gardner-Johnson is developing steadily into a great secondary contributor. His ability to play either safety position in addition to his ability to man up and play cornerback provides a defensive coordinator the flexibility to play defense in various ways.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson’s consistency and versatility make him the best pick for the Bills at 96th overall in this 2019 NFL re-draft. Not only would he have the potential to man the cornerback position opposite of Tre’Davious White, but he could also prove to be the hypothetical heir apparent to Micah Hyde should the Bills elect not to resign him after the 2021 season.