Back in April of 2018, the Buffalo Bills were drafting the start of their rebuild. They selected a cornerstone piece on both sides of the ball and added much-needed depth to weaker position groups. As the NFL passes its midway point, the Bills sit second-to-last in the AFC with a record of 2-9.
However, not all of the Bills are struggling. Let’s check in on the eight Buffalo draft picks from the 2018 Draft.
Josh Allen, QB, Round 1, Pick 7: B
Going into the season, Josh Allen was to be benched for the god-awful Nathan Peterman. And, as a fan of the Bills, I fully believe Allen wouldn’t have started more than a game or two if Peterman were a competent QB. Instead, Peterman is the only player in NFL history to have thrown 11 interceptions in 100 or fewer pass attempts (he now has a career 130 attempts and 12 picks).
Following an atrocious Peterman-led first half in the Bills’ Week 1 matchup against the Ravens, Allen became the starter.
In his five starts, Allen showed signs of what many scouts feared he would be: an athletic freak with lots of rough edges. As of the conclusion of Week 9, he has the worst sack-to-attempt ratio among all QBs with more than 100 attempts (.151), as well as the lowest completion percentage among that same field of players (54.0%).
These shortcomings are evident when looking at Allen’s tape. When pressured in the pocket, he does one of two things:
a) Holds the ball too long, waiting for an opening. Allen takes the longest time of any QB to throw the ball.
b) Throws the ball up when he’s realized that no targets are available.
On top of this, Allen’s accuracy has been far from stellar. Too often he’s seen overthrowing his receivers. If the Bills still had Olympic track-star Marquis Goodwin, this wouldn’t be an issue. Instead, however, their WR group is led by Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones. With lackluster receivers like them, accuracy is mandatory.
This isn’t to say Allen is a bust. Actually, he shows flashes of excellence. His absolutely monstrous arm rivals that of Ben Roethlisberger or Matt Stafford, and he’s incredibly mobile for his size. Both of these qualities make Allen an exciting player to watch. He has four 30+ yard passes on the year, as well as multiple electrifying runs of his own.
Despite his shortcomings in terms of pocket presence and accuracy, these are things that come with time. If Allen can iron these out, he could be far better than the already serviceable QB he is.
Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Round 1, Pick 16: A-
Up until two weeks ago, I believed Edmunds could take home Rookie of the Year honors. Since then, Colts’ LB Darius Leonard has proven that he’s not just going to win that award, but is in contention for an All-Pro spot (you can read more about ‘The Maniac’ in this insightful article by Mateo Caliz).
Despite Leonard stealing that spotlight from the man that’s quickly become my favorite Bills’ player, Edmunds is still the second-best linebacker from this year’s draft class.
I could go on and on about the endless potential Edmunds has. In short: metrics-wise, Edmunds is eerily similar to Hall of Fame LB Brian Urlacher… but better. The Bills’ rookie measured an inch shorter than Urlacher (6″4′, 6″5′, respectively) at the combine, but weighed just as much (258lbs) and benched nearly double the number of reps (27, 19).
His only struggle is play-recognition. Edmunds is often found biting too hard on play-fakes or missing his zone altogether. However, he possesses incredible speed and Mo Bamba-esque arms, so he can make up ground quite easily.
As the youngest player in the league, Edmunds has shown he’ll be an integral part of the Buffalo defense for years to come. The 20-year-old leads the Bills not only in tackles (62) and pass deflections (7) but as a leader on the field as well. He was given the responsibility of being the defensive play-caller. While this isn’t uncommon for middle linebackers (often called the quarterback of the defense), it is his excellence at job that sets him apart from other rookies.
To quote teammate Tre’Davious White:
“Since the first day he got here, man, he’s commanded the huddle on the defensive side of the ball.”
Harrison Phillips, DT, Round 3, Pick 32: C
Through nine games, Phillips has played on 39.76% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps, third among Bills DTs. On those snaps, he’s made a modest 19 tackles but has only hit the QB once.
His mediocre stat-line is proof of what was his main criticism during the draft: he doesn’t have the skills to be a pass-rusher. He weighs 307 lbs and can bench 42 reps of 225lbs. Phillips was able to rely on his size when playing a relatively easy PAC-12 schedule. Now, he’s facing off against offensive linemen much closer to his size, and he’s having trouble getting past them.
Luckily, he’s playing alongside fellow heavyweight Kyle Williams, who’s had a very fruitful 13-year career in Buffalo. Williams can hopefully guide him in the right direction
Taron Johnson, CB, Round 4, Pick 21: C+
Unlike Phillips, Taron Johnson is an integral piece of the Buffalo D. He plays as a nickel cornerback and is used in more than half of the Bills’ defensive snaps. He’s made 33 tackles (third among rookie corners) and has even added a sack. On top of that, he has the lowest completion percentage allowed (26.67%), YPA against (1.53), and QBR against (11.8) of corners with at least 100 snaps and 15 targets.
What holds Johnson back is his size. He stands at only 5’11”, 194lbs. This will prevent him from locking down larger opponents like the 6’5″ Mike Evans or 6’4″ AJ Green. The Bills cut CB2 Phillip Gaines recently, and Johnson is expected to fill that role. It’ll be interesting to see how he fairs against non-slot receivers.
Siran Neal, SS, Round 5, Pick 17: D
Neal has played a total of 11 defensive snaps this season … less than Vontae Davis, who retired during halftime of Week 2’s game against the Chargers. This is mainly due to the Bills playing Micah Hyde, who’s eighth on the team in tackles. He has, however, seen 125 special teams snaps (or kickoffs, I suppose). He’s no more than a blocker on these plays, so it’s hard to measure his impact on the team. However, he’s played less on defense than a guy who retired mid-game, so that tells us something.
Wyatt Teller, OG, Round 5, Pick 29: F
Teller is a depth lineman for the worst offensive line in football. Need I say more?
Ray-Ray McCloud, WR, Round 6, Pick 13: D
Like Siran Neal, Ray-Ray McCloud has seen limited snaps on his side of the ball (only 89). Unlike Neal, he isn’t a designated special-teamer. Instead, McCloud is the fifth receiver in an atrocious group of pass-catchers. His one shining moment this year came in the form of an 18-yard kick return … which he coughed up for a fumble.
Austin Proehl, WR, Round 7, Pick 37: F-
Proehl was cut by the Bills just a week prior to the regular season. So, it’s natural that a pick that was essentially wasted earns an F- rating, right?
Agree or disagree with my grades? Let me know on Twitter @zekepersources