Mock Draft: Picks 9-12

It's Day 3 of Bills Nation's eight-day mock draft, and we've got the Bills pick today! To recap quickly the first eight picks, click here for picks 1-4 and here for picks 5-8.

The Miami Dolphins are on the clock...

9. Miami Dolphins (6-10): Alan Branch, DT, Michigan
- Miami is coming off a season in which it fell miserably short of high expectations. Nick Saban abandoned ship, leading the team to hire Cam Cameron as its new head coach. Miami has always prided itself on its stout defense, but the group it fields now is veteran-laden and aging quickly. With the team playing a 3-4, Keith Traylor was re-signed to play nose tackle but is very near the end of his career. Vonnie Holliday is aging as well, and Jeff Zgonina left for Houston. Alan Branch (right) can play any line position and should start right away, but his future would be at the nose tackle position as a Dolphin. Branch is exactly the type of disrupting force that is necessary for a dominant lineman, as long as Cameron and the rest of the Dolphins' coaching staff can keep Branch motivated.

10. Atlanta Falcons (7-9): Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
- The Falcons made a splash this off-season by hiring Bobby Petrino as its new head coach straight out of college. Petrino was the architect of some dominant teams at Louisville and is expected to finally turn Michael Vick into a franchise signal-caller. The team’s biggest problems lie at safety and along the defensive line. Reggie Nelson and Michael Griffin would be big reaches here, so the team could target Amobi Okoye (left), who played under Petrino at Louisville. Okoye would eventually replace Rod Coleman and Grady Jackson on the interior, where the two veterans are aging quickly and the depth behind them is limited at best. Okoye is the most intriguing prospect in this draft - he will be a 20-year-old rookie after four years in college. His stock has been on the rise ever since a fantastic Senior Bowl showing.

11. San Francisco 49ers (7-9): Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss
- Under the watch of third-year coach Mike Nolan, the 49ers will be switching full-time to the 3-4 defense for the upcoming season. The team has been stockpiling talent for the switch, bringing in players such as Marques Douglas, Manny Lawson and Aubrayo Franklin this off-season. The one spot that still needs attention is at inside linebacker, where Derek Smith and Jeff Ulbrich leave a lot to be desired. Nolan coached Patrick Willis (right) at the Senior Bowl and fell in love with his athleticism. He’ll start immediately on the inside of an up-and-coming defense. Paired with Lawson, the Niners would have a potent inside-outside linebacking duo that would be the core of Nolan's unit for a long time. Alan Branch may also be a consideration if he were to fall this fall; Okoye and Adam Carriker would be considerations as well. All three fit the 3-4 scheme nicely up front.

12. Buffalo Bills (7-9): Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
- It has been a season of huge turnover in Buffalo. Gone are prominent team members such as Nate Clements, London Fletcher and Willis McGahee. The team has spent millions revamping a shaky offensive line, and has put its faith in young stars such as J.P. Losman, Lee Evans and Angelo Crowell. The team’s biggest needs lie at running back, linebacker and cornerback. Leon Hall (left) is the perfect fit for Buffalo’s Tampa-2 scheme: he is big, physical and a fantastic tackler. He also has the speed (4.39) to excel in coverage. This is an ideal situation for the Bills. It is also too early for the team to reach for players such as Paul Posluszny and Marshawn Lynch, which makes the Hall pick even more sensible.

Picks 13-16 are on the docket for tomorrow. If you agree/disagree with any of the picks, please feel free to let me know! Comment away, Bills fans!