FAN ZONE

Draft Grades – 2010

Courtesy: buffalobills.com

Grade: A
Analyst: Corey Chavous
Outlet: NFL Network

Grade: B+
Analyst: Nolan Nawrocki
Outlet: Pro Football Weekly

Comments: In Buddy Nix’s first year as general manager, the Bills could be criticized from outsiders for reaching. But C.J. Spiller was not expected to last another pick and NT Torrell Troup had increased value with a run on strong pluggers in the second round. Both can be expected to make immediate impacts at critical positions on each side of the ball, not to mention the impact Spiller could have on special teams. Like Troup, Alex Carrington also could provide a key piece to the Bills’ new “30″ front. In the last three rounds, the Bills added solid depth with the selection five developmental-type prospects. Marcus Easley has upside. Ed Wang is a functional backup. Arthur Moats and Danny Batten are developmental, small-school hybrid rushers. Levi Brown may turn out to be a steal in the seventh. And Kyle Calloway could turn out to be a solid pickup. All nine picks stand a chance to make the roster, and the first three picks should start readily. Landing a difference maker and Pro Bowl-caliber talent like Spiller was a plus.

Grade: B
Analyst: Rick Gosselin
Outlet: Dallas Morning News

Comments: The Bills claimed the draft’s most dynamic offensive weapon in Spiller, then went to work retooling the defensive front. Troup (314 pounds) and Carrington (285) give the Bills size, and sixth-rounders Moats and Batten give them speed.
Grade: B –
Analyst: Chris Burke
Outlet: AOL Fanhouse

Comments: The C.J. Spiller pick at No. 9 was a head-scratcher and Torrell Troup at 41 wasn’t exactly gold, but Buffalo’s work improved markedly after that. OTs Ed Wang (No. 140) and Kyle Calloway (No. 216) were value picks that add needed depth, while the Levi Brown selection at No. 209 will hopefully give Buffalo some hope at quarterback.

Grade: B –
Analyst: Randy Covitz
Outlet: Kansas City Star

Comments: Spiller has the capablilty of being the NFL’s Rookie of the Year if he can get some blocking. Instead of filling offensive line needs at the top of the draft, the Bills addressed their new 3-4 front with the selections of Troup, Carrington, who played at the non-BCS level, and Moats. Wang will get a chance to play right away.

Grade: 12th of all 32 teams
Outlet: ESPN.com
Analyst: Todd McShay

Comments: We’re fans of the C.J. Spiller pick (No. 9). In our opinion there were better players available when they selected DT Torell Troup (No. 41) and DE Alex Carrington (No. 72), but they still addressed key spots in their new 3-4 scheme. The Bills also got one of the potential steals of the entire draft in sixth-round OLB Arthur Moats.

Grade: C+
Analyst: Charles Davis
Outlet: NFL Network

Grade: C+
Analyst: Mel Kiper
Outlet: ESPN

Comments: The Buffalo Bills received a C-plus. Kiper is a big fan of ninth overall pick C.J. Spiller but was down on Central Florida nose tackle Torell Troup early in the second round and Arkansas State defensive end Alex Carrington in the third. “Outside of Spiller,” Kiper writes, “it’s hard to see where Buffalo got much better.”

Grade: C+
Analyst: Rob Rang
Outlet: CBS Sportsline

Comments: The Bills might be lacking at the other offensive skill positions, but with the addition of running back C.J. Spiller, they boast one of the more talented and explosive backfields in all of the NFL. Spiller’s great speed and elusiveness make him a big-play threat, but there were other, bigger needs for this club. With their need for a playmaker filled, the Bills focused on adjusting their defensive line personnel. The Bills are moving to a 3-4 scheme and added two prototype players for the scheme in nose guard Torrell Troup and defensive end Alex Carrington. Both could become starters this season. The Bills might be too optimistic in thinking they can get immediate help from fifth- and seventh-round picks Ed Wang and Kyle Calloway at offensive tackle.

Grade: C
Analyst: Pete Prisco
Outlet: CBS Sportsline

Comments: Getting Spiller was a nice move, but at some point they need to find their quarterback of the future. Why not Jimmy Clausen in the second round? Hoping Brown is it is a long shot.

Grade: C
Analyst: Mark Maske
Outlet: The Washington Post

Comments: The Bills say they weren’t going to draft a QB just to draft a QB. But you have to try to get a franchise QB if you don’t have one, and the Bills passed on repeated opportunities to get Jimmy Clausen or Colt McCoy.

Grade: C
Analyst: John Czarnecki
Outlet: FOX Sports

Comments: The Bills passed on their quarterback needs (maybe Trent Edwards is better than we think?), but they took the draft’s best running back, Clemson’s C.J. Spiller, who is a home-run hitter. To shore up their porous run defense, they grabbed 318-pound nose tackle Torrell Troup of Central Florida about 20 spots too high. Troup was a three-year starter and a team captain and ran a spectacular 5.1 40-yard dash. Arkansas State DE Alex Carrington should fit ideally into the 3-4 scheme. Surprisingly, the trade rumors were false on Marshawn Lynch, meaning that he and Spiller could be in the same backfield, which should pose problems for opposing defenses. Troy QB Levi Brown was an interesting pick late, but Coach Chan Gailey apparently likes ex-Packer Brian Brohm, too.

Grade: C
Analyst: Wes Bunting
Outlet: National Football Post

Comments: I love Alex Carrington in the third, Marcus Easley in the fourth and Danny Batten in the sixth, but who’s going to play quarterback and left tackle for this team? QB Levi Brown lacks the arm to spin the football through the winds of Buffalo, and OT Ed Wang is nowhere near NFL- ready.

Grade: C –
Analyst: Jarrett Bell
Outlet: USA Today

Comments: The draft’s most explosive player, running back C.J. Spiller, now jockeys for touches with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. His big-play ability was undoubtedly too good to pass up. But Buffalo, with a 3-4 scheme, reached for nose tackle Torell Troupe rather than addressing its quarterback need. And the Bills didn’t tap a tackle until the fifth round.

Grade: C –
Analyst: Clifton Brown
Outlet: Sporting News

Comments: This draft will not help them gain ground in the tough AFC East. C.J. Spiller is an explosive running back, but they still have quarterback and offensive line issues. They have a trio of unproven QBs — Brian Brohm, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick — yet passed on Jimmy Clausen in the second round and Colt McCoy in the third before drafting Levi Brown in Round 7. That’s tough to understand.

Grade: Losers
Analysts: Bob Glauber
Outlet: Newsday

Comments: No quibbling about Spiller in the first round. Terrific player. But with a glaring need at quarterback, the Bills bypassed Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clausen . Not only that, but they essentially ignored the other glaring weakness, the offensive line, until the fifth round, settling for Ed Wang of Virginia Tech .