Your Attention, Ladies and Gentlemen...

Your Attention, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Last week, I wrote that I had a big announcement concerning the future of this blog. Today's the day to make that announcement.

I have accepted a position as the Bills blogger for SportsBlogs Nation, whom I have been working with recently on the popular mock draft I've mentioned in previous posts. I will no longer be posting here as a result; all my Bills musings will appear on my new blog. Where's that, you ask?

Buffalo Rumblings!

Click that giant link to head over to my new blog - I ask you, dear readers, to follow me to the new site, where your voices can be heard louder than ever before! For information on the site itself, please refer to my "Welcome" post (appears second on the page as of 4/7/07).

Again - head on over to Buffalo Rumblings, create an account and start interacting! Thanks, folks!

Prospect Profile: Patrick Willis

In light of my selection of MLB Patrick Willis (left) in the SB Nation Mock Draft today, I thought I'd give you all a profile on our "new" linebacker. Below are the scouting report provided by ESPN's Draft Magazine, and an interview with the young man from Ole Miss that appears in The Sporting News' Draft Guide.

Height: 6'1" Weight: 242 40-Time: 4.37 seconds Senior

ESPN Profile

STRENGTHS: Power
- Strong enough to take on blocks in the phone booth. Explodes through tackles and is reliable in space. Good height, adequate bulk and room to beef up frame. Quick, fluid and agile for size. Great initial burst. Takes solid angles in pursuit and sifts through traffic. Has the lateral quickness to make plays sideline to sideline. Good range. Matches up vs. most TEs and RBs one-on-one. Natural leader.

WEAKNESSES: Instincts
- Below-average ball skills in coverage. Has the range but can be slow to diagnose at times. Can play a bit high and let defenders get into his body. Needs to add some weight (especially in the lower body) to hold up better on the inside. Injury-prone.

NFL COMPARISON: Jonathan Vilma, NY Jets

GRADE: 90 (Elite player - "Shows rare abilities and creates mismatches that have an obvious impact on the game.)

To me, the fact that Willis was as productive as he was in college on a bad team - combined with his work ethic, character and potential for growth - mean that he can grow into a dominant Cover-2 middle linebacker. There are concerns, sure, but his ceiling was too high to pass on.

The Sporting News - Player Snapshot

My favorite moment as a college player was: Probably the hit that started it all off for me came when I was a freshman against Alabama. I mostly just played special teams then, but I tried to make the most of it. Against Alabama, I had a hit on the kickoff team that had people thinking: Who is this guy?

My opponents would say the best thing I do is: Run to the ball. They never catch me standing around or not being around the ball.

The part of my game that will need the most work in the NFL is: Probably my pass coverage. I need to learn how to jump routes. I'm used to just dropping into zones and not really playing a receiver.

My friends would describe my personality as: Laid-back but funny. They always ask me why I'm laid-back. But that's just me. When we are all chilling, I'm more of a clown.

The NFL player I am most like: Derrick Brooks or Brian Urlacher. No one really gave Urlacher a chance coming out of New Mexico. I admire the way Brooks carries himself and what he stands for and the way he plays football.

The NFL player I can't wait to face: Jerious Norwood of the Falcons. He got the best of me the last time we played them, when he still was at Mississippi State. We shut him down pretty well my sophomore year. But my junior year, they kind of went crazy on us.

The first thing I'll buy after I sign my contract: Probably a car, like most guys. I drive a 1996 Yukon right now. I'll probably go for the Escalade truck.

When I score my first NFL touchdown: I'll probably get on one knee and do the Lord's Prayer.

There you have it, folks - two very reputable sources with pretty high endorsements of our "new" linebacker. What do you think of Patrick Willis? Good fit in Buffalo? Or a reach? Let me know by commenting below!

With the 10th overall pick...

... in the 2007 SB Nation Mock Draft, the fake Buffalo Bills select:

Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss

Here is the write-up that I provided for the Draft's main site, Field Gulls:

Trading up to pick 10 wasn't an easy decision - the Bills have a lot of needs, and four first-day picks would really help to build depth on a young team. But dealing the #12 and #92 picks wasn't too big of a deal - we still have selections in the first three rounds, and our second- and third-round picks are relatively high in their respective rounds. So we can still get future starters there.
It's obvious to most Bills fans that linebacker is Buffalo's biggest need - the team lost Fletcher-Baker and Spikes this off-season, and while they still have two players who can start, depth is sketchy at best.

Now they don't have to worry about that - Willis played inside in college and would assume that role in Buffalo's Cover-2 scheme. Buffalo's porous run defense is immediately upgraded by Willis' presence - he is a fast, attacking linebacker who is always around the ball. In addition, Willis has promise dropping back into coverage, although admittedly he must refine his technique there. With Angelo Crowell and second-year man Keith Ellison on the roster, however, Willis would not be counted on immediately in a nickel role, allowing him to develop those skills.

Leon Hall, Darrelle Revis, Marshawn Lynch and Robert Meachem were also serious considerations at this spot. In the end, Willis was the best prospect out of that group and has the biggest impact on Buffalo in 2007 and in future years. The trade was necessitated by San Francisco's presence at pick 11 - sacrificing pick 92 for the best defensive playmaker in the draft was an easy one to make.

Comments? Opinions? I'd love to hear what everyone has to say about my first moves as faux-GM of the Bills!

Trade! Bills deal in SBN Mock

The fake Buffalo Bills, led by fake GM Brian Galliford (yours truly), have swung a deal in the first round of the 2007 SB Nation Mock Draft. The Bills have acquired the #10 overall pick from the fake Houston Texans, run by fake GM Tim McHale. We have surrendered the #12 pick and our second third-rounder (#92, which we acquired from the Ravens in the Willis McGahee deal) in order to move up.

With that 10th selection, I have already made my pick! However, it is my decision to let the formal announcement be made on the host site of the Mock Draft, Field Gulls. Hopefully soon, you will read about the trade AND the pick at that wonderful blog.

In the meantime... care to speculate about who I picked? If I were a betting man, I'd bet that your guess is correct...

Mock Draft Rolls Along

The SportsBlogs Nation Mock Draft has really picked up steam this morning/early afternoon, with 4 picks taking place already. Here is a quick recap:

6. Washington Redskins: Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
7. Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
8. Atlanta Falcons: LaRon Landry, S, LSU
9. Miami Dolphins: Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame

The Houston Texans are on the clock, and the latest speculation amongst the bloggers involved has the team attempting to trade down.

If the Bills choose today (a.k.a. I choose today), I'll post it here. You will also be able to read it on Field Gulls, the host site of the mock draft.

Stay tuned - if all goes well, you might be surprised... Who should I take? Comment below if anyone gets the chance to read this on time!

SBN Mock Draft Update

We got off to a slow start, but the SBN Mock Draft is starting to pick up the pace. With the Bills holding the #12 pick, I hope to make my first-round pick within the next 2 days (although the current pace may have me picking on Monday or Tuesday). Here is a recap of the first five picks:

1. Oakland Raiders - JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
- No surprise here. The Raiders take arguably the best talent available at a huge position of need. Saint did a good job picking the right man for the Raiders.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers* (f/DET) - Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
- Our first trade! Tampa gets the #2 pick in exchange for the #4 and the #64. Tampa definitely got the better end of the deal - JScott gave up far less than he should have for the right to move up, and still snagged the #1 player on my Big Board. Detroit didn't make out bad, though - see pick 4.

3. Cleveland Browns - Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
- After spending $49 million to bring in Eric Steinbach, Chris Pokorny still felt it prudent to address the O-Line in Cleveland. Leaving Adrian Peterson and Brady Quinn on the board, the Browns take Thomas and have a very legitimate left side of their O-Line.

4. Detroit Lions* (f/TB) - Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
- Detroit came off nicely in their trade, despite giving up a little value in terms of draft picks. Sean Yuille moved down, got an extra pick and still came away with his top target in Adams. The Lions have the makings of one of the most feared defensive lines in the league with this pick.

5. Arizona Cardinals - Levi Brown, OT, Penn State
- This is, in my humble opinion, the first reach of the draft. To Jeff G's credit, he tried to trade down a few slots, but the trade market was slow at that point. Brown was the one player left who would help Arizona out the most - does this remind you of the Bills' pick of Whitner last season?

The draft rolls on with (hopefully) Washington and Minnesota choosing this evening. Tune in to Field Gulls to track all the action!

Roster Updates

With members of the Bills team weighing in this past week for the first round of OTAs, it was interesting to see how each individual player has spent their off-season. Many players have packed on additional weight, while a few have trimmed down. Here are some of the highlights:

- CB Jabari Greer, as promised, has packed on six additional pounds and now checks in at 175.

- Fellow CB Ashton Youboty has put on a bit as well, weighing in at 189 pounds. The guy is still a beanpole though.

- The team's defensive ends are slimming down. Aaron Schobel now weighs a mere 243 pounds, although it's likely he'll put back on about 10 before the regular season. Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney have dropped as well, with Kelsay weighing 261 and Denney 264. Both players were listed at or near 270 last season. Schobel was listed in the 260s.

- With their switch to the NT position, John McCargo and Kyle Williams have both added some weight, and now check in at above 300 pounds. McCargo weighs 307; Williams weighs 306. As it stands now, those two will battle for playing time at the NT position, with Larry Tripplett and Darwin Walker splitting time at UT.

- Reserve LB Mario Haggan has added a lot of weight; he's up to 263. With the departure of London Fletcher and the team looking for size in its LB corps, Haggan may be positioning himself to make a run at the starting MLB spot.

- Another LB, Keith Ellison (above, right) is working to add weight as well. With the inside track at the starting WLB job, Ellison is now listed at 229 and would like to hit 230 by the start of training camp.

- Our offensive linemen are adding weight. Jason Peters added 12 pounds of muscle to jump to 340. Brad Butler, who was listed at 292 last year, now weighs in at 315. Terrance Pennington is up to 321, a slight increase as well. Heck, even the giant Langston Walker has ballooned, checking in at 366 (he might be asked to shed some of that if he's going to play RT). The Bills' lightest lineman is free agent addition Jason Whittle, who checked in at just 279 pounds.

- Buffalo's young safeties are looking physically fit. Donte Whitner checked in at 208 and, according to Chris Brown, has added a lot of muscle to his upper body. More impressive is the work done by Ko Simpson, who checks in at 202 and has also added muscle to his shoulders and back.

You know it's the off-season in Buffalo when you hear reports on weight fluctuations from their players. I can't wait for the draft. But it is nice to see that our players are working hard and preparing their bodies for the upcoming season.

Hats Off to Mr. Wilson

Tonight, I just wanted to touch on a recent article that appeared in The Buffalo News a couple days ago. The article, written by Allen Wilson, discusses Bills owner Ralph Wilson, Jr. (right) and his efforts for the league to reform its revenue-sharing plan. Below is an excerpt from the article:

"I'm certainly sympathetic to Ralph's situation in Buffalo," said Denver Broncos owner Patrick D. Bowlen. "From what I saw, he was pretty persuasive in, No. 1, keeping the team in Buffalo, and No. 2, having some better revenue-sharing agreements than we do. Ralph's been around since Day One. So I think what he had to say and his input was very important."

Nice to see our owner getting a little respect after the debacle of a year ago. If you recall, Wilson was one of just two owners (the other being Cincinnati's Mike Brown) that voted against the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Wilson's "no-vote" was met with strict criticism from a lot of members of the media, with some questioning the sanity of our 87-year-old owner.

"Ralph is one of our most respected owners, so you listen when he has something to say," Pittsburgh Steelers owner Daniel M. Rooney said. "He and his people were very much involved. He did a good job presenting his case."

Where was the respect a year ago? I guess that doesn't matter now, because Ralph is getting respect after getting the league's owners to agree to a new revenue-sharing plan (details provided in the article). By accomplishing that goal, Wilson has secured the long-term viability of his Bills franchise staying in Buffalo. Not bad for our "Golden Boy", eh?

Personally, I'm glad that Ralph took back some responsibility as President when Tom Donahoe was let go. Ralph cares about the city of Buffalo and its fans, and as long as he and Marv are around - as well as, as Allen Wilson says, Ralph's "people" - this franchise isn't going anywhere. I love my owner!

What's your opinion on Ralph as an owner? Do you love the old guy for keeping the team around, or can't you stand his so-called "cheapness"? Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear what everyone has to say.

SB Nation Mock Has Started
As I mentioned yesterday, I will be participating in a mock draft run by the vastly intelligent, very with-it NFL bloggers from SportsBlogs Nation. And, as promised, here is where that mock draft will be posted: head on over to Field Gulls, a fantastic Seattle Seahawks blog written by the ever-popular Shrug. This blog was chosen to host the draft because the Seahawks do not currently have a first-round pick.

My suggestion? Keep your eye on Field Gulls over the next two to three weeks - nowhere else will you find a mock draft where the "pickers" are as in-tune with their teams. The goal is to have this be the most accurate mock draft available on the Internet!

Prospect Profile: Paul Posluszny

My apologies for the "day off"; I assure you, I wasn't vacationing. Schoolwork caught up to me, but I have conquered it. I was also prepping for two mock drafts that I have been asked to take part in.

Speaking of those mock drafts...

Today I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to post on the Internet's best Chicago Bears blog, Windy City Gridiron. The head of that blog, WCG, asked me to participate in his site's second annual WCG Mock Draft. Today I posted who I thought the Bills would take after other members of his site made the first 11 picks.

For today's prospect profile, I will post what I wrote on Windy City Gridiron. According to that mock draft, with the 12th pick in the NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select...

12. Buffalo Bills (7-9): Paul Posluszny, LB, Penn State

The Bills have three major needs with their first-round pick: LB (where Spikes and Fletcher no longer reside), CB (where the team has talent but is very young), and RB (to replace Willis McGahee). As exemplified last year with the selection of SS Donte Whitner at pick #8, the Bills are not a team that is afraid to reach a little bit to select a player that fits their team.

Posluszny is the perfect fit in Buffalo. He is versatile, having played both OLB and MLB in his time at Linebacker U. He is vastly intelligent, has great instincts and intangibles and his work ethic is fantastic. He is completely recovered from a 2005 knee injury, and his 4.65-second time in the 40 was better than most expected. He plays very well in coverage (a huge necessity for Buffalo's Tampa-2 scheme) and attacks and fills well against the run. His size is a concern for some, but size is not an issue in Buffalo's scheme (Keith Ellison only weighs 225). Most importantly, however, he gives the Bills options at who they can play at MLB - the team may not be totally sold on playing Angelo Crowell inside, and "Puz" gives the team two viable options for that position.

As for the other needs, there are some good value RB's in Rounds 2 and 3 and the Bills will employ a 2- or even 3-back scheme, so using a first round pick on Marshawn Lynch is tempting but not necessary. The team has 4 corners it plans on using at the moment (T. McGee, K. Thomas, A. Youboty, J. Greer), so a draft pick would not need to start right away. Posluszny makes the most sense for this team.

(as written on Windy City Gridiron) -- Check it out! It's a great blog that's very well-written!

Big Board Coming Pre-Draft
In preparation for my second mock draft with SportsBlogs Nation, where I will also be picking for the Bills (this time for 3 rounds), I am preparing a "Big Board" which lists my Top 100 prospects available in the draft. I literally just started working on it today, and I do not have plans to post it here or anywhere else while the Mock Draft is going on - don't want anyone finding my secret blueprints that, of course, are 100% accurate. Yes, that's a joke.

As far as pre-draft activities, I will continue my Prospect Profiles mixed with Bills news, Mock Drafts and the like until Draft Weekend. Stay tuned!

Announcement
Hopefully within the next few days, I will be making a big (at least for me) announcement about the future of this blog. Stay tuned for that announcement as well - you won't want to miss it!