Draft Grades

Round 1: Marcel Dareus DE/DT Alabama

When drafting in the top 5 a team needs to find a player that changes the team as soon as they are drafted. Dareus fits that bill, he is a perfect fit for our 3-4/4-3 hybrid defense and can fulfill just about every position along the defensive line. Grade A+

My pick: Dareus

Round 2: Aaron Williams DB Texas

There are a lot of questions in our secondary: Do we resign Drayton Floerence and/or Donte Witner? Will Terrence McGee and Leodie McKelvin be healthy in 2011? The questions go on and on, the pick of Williams makes these questions easier to digest. Williams can play either CB or SS and will challenge for playing time on Day 1. Grade: B+

My pick- Williams

Round 3: Kelvin Sheppard ILB LSU

We knew we needed to upgrade our inside linebacking unit which is equal parts too small and too old. Shepper is not going to wow anyone athletically, but he was highly productive playing in the best conference in college football. He has good size and has good intangibles. The Bills think tank liked him enough to pass on Martez Wilson, whom I would have selected here. Grade: B

My pick - Martez Wilson ILB, Illinois

Round 4: Da'Norris Searcy S UNC

When I first heard this pick my thought was who? Even upon further research I am still a bit dumbfounded by the pick. There were definitely better safeties still available and better value picks still to be found. But the last time I had this same feeling was when we drafted Jairus Byrd. Grade: C-

My pick - Clint Boling OG/OT Georgia

Round 4: Chris Hairston OT Clemson

Hariston is a solid pick here. He has good size and strength numbers and played against tough competition in college. We had to address the offensive line at some point and Hairston is a solid pick up here. Grade: B

My pick - Hairston

Round 5: Johnny White RB UNC

I will also think what if about this pick, as in, what if we had taken Ricky Stanzi with this pick. Initially, this pick really upset me. White is not going to see a lot of playing time behind Jackson and Spiller, but after some research the pick makes sense. He is a versatile player who is easily as comfortable on special teams as he is in the backfield. He is also a good receiver out of the backfield and is considered a high character guy. Still he could have got Stanzi here. Grade: B-

My pick - Ricky Stanzi, QB Iowa

Round 6: Chris White ILB Miss State

White was seen by many as a late round prospect mainly because of his poor instinct. To me he is destined to be at the very most a special teamer. We would have gotten much more value going for Quan Sturdivant here, whom I think has much more potential. Grade: D

My pick- Quan Sturduvant ILB UNC

Round 7: Justin Rodgers CB Richmond

If Rodgers makes the team it will be as a special teamer, but not as a returner (where he has the most skill). He is not particularly big, not is he particularly sound in coverage. The Bills brain trust must have seen something here that I am missing. Maybe I am just knit picking a 7th round pick. Grade C-

My pick - Clint Mattews DE/OLB South Carolina

Round 7: Michael Jasper DT Bethal

A big, and I do mean big, project. A great feel good story as he has lost a ton of weight to get into playing shape, but other than that I cannot tell you what Jasper brings to the team. Here's to hoping. Grade C -

My pick: Cedric Thorntan DT South Arkansas

Overall, I really liked our draft for the most part. Dareus will be very, very good. I questions some of our late round picks. If this is truly where you build your team we have some more work to do if we ever to get to free agency. But, I do think he made a pick enough impact in the early rounds to overcome these questions in the later rounds.

Overall Grade: B