What a difference success makes.
For most of the last quarter century, the Bills have entered the National Football League Draft with well-defined needs … usually many of them.
But after last season, when Buffalo went 15-4 and made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game, the draft philosophy changed.
Coming off the NFL’s second-best record and one win from a berth in the Super Bowl, the Bills needed to upgrade some positions but there wasn’t the desperation that marked most of the last 20-plus years.
Hence, from the drafting of eight players, Thursday through Saturday, to the signing of five college free agents, general manager Brandon Beane and the personnel and coaching staffs have earned the benefit of their success in assessing a draft that didn’t have much of a “Wow” factor.
Thus, the 13 players acquired over a span of about 48 hours, brings Buffalo’s roster to 83 with seven remaining spots heading into Organized Team Activities (OTAs).
The Bills opened the draft by picking defensive ends/edge rushers in the first two rounds – Miami’s Greg Rousseau (6-foot-6, 265 pounds) and Wake Forest’s Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr. (6-5, 270). Then came a pair of offensive tackles, Northern Iowa’s Spencer Brown (6-9, 320) and Miami (O.)’s Tommy Doyle (6-8, 320) in the third and fifth rounds respectively.
Buffalo had no fourth-rounder and traded its second fifth-round pick to Houston for two sixths, giving it three for the round. In it, the Bills took Houston wide receiver Marquez Stevenson (6-0, 190), Pitt safety Damar Hamlin (6-0, 200) and Wisconsin cornerback Rachad Wildgoose (5-10, 190).
Texas Tech guard Jack Anderson (6-4, 315) ended Buffalo’s draft in the seventh round.
Once the selection process was complete, the Bills signed those five undrafted free agents: Fresno State offensive lineman Syrus Tuitele (6-6, 310), San Diego State safety Tariq Thompson (6-0, 200), San Jose wide receiver Tre Walker (5-11, 180), Notre Dame cornerback Nick McCloud (6-0, 190) and Bowling Green tight end Quintin Morris (6-4, 250).
Below are Buffalo’s later draft picks, including Brown, whose profile arrived too late to appear in Saturday’s Times Herald, and the free agent signings. The Athlon Sports Draft Preview’s assessments appear where a player was profiled.
THIRD ROUND
Spencer Brown
No. Iowa offensive tackle
(6-9, 320)
Athlon Sports
Positives: Decent athlete with excellent length. Moves well for his size and effectively pushes pass rushers past the pocket. Has strong hands and can put pass rushers on the ground. A nimble mover overall with a nastiness.
Weak points: Has some issues dealing with speed vs. power as he plays high as a pass protector and gives up leverage. Struggles when he has to move horizontally on outside runs.
Summary: Brown has the size to hold his own on the outside and the power to be an asset in the run game. He has some limitations, but could end up a solid starting right tackle.
FIFTH ROUND
Tommy Doyle
Miami (Oh.) offensive tackle
(6-8, 320)
Grew out of his first love, hockey, having grown up in Minnesota. Started as a defensive end in high school but was switched to offensive tackle when told he was too slow off the ball. Only played three games in 2020 as Covid-19 shut down the Redhawks’ season. His first start at Miami (O.) was against Iowa when he faced Bills’ defensive end A.J. Epenesa, whom Buffalo took in last year’s second round.
SIXTH ROUND
Marquez Stevenson
Houston wide receiver
(6-0, 190)
Athlon Sports
Positives: One of the fastest receivers in the draft. Has the speed to take the top off a defense as well as the ability to find a crease and in catch-and-run situations he has the vision of a return specialist. Gets the occasional easy catch due to the cushion he gets from defensive backs.
Weak points: Hands are a question. He consistently makes body catches rather than attacking the ball. He’s going to have issues at the catch-point against NFL defensive backs and is unproven against press coverage.
Summary: Stevenson enters the league as a pure speed guy with the feel of a playmaker (three kickoff returns for touchdowns in college) and the ability to develop into a more well-rounded receiver.
Damar Hamlin
Pitt safety
(6-0, 200)
Led the Panthers in tackles in 2018 and ‘20 and was second in ‘19. Played cornerback early in his college career, topping the team in stops as a sophomore. Teammate of cornerback Dane Jackson, Buffalo’s seventh-round pick last year. Had a 4.6 time in the 40-yard dash and did a 35-inch vertical jump.
Rachad Wildgoose
Wisconsin cornerback
(5-10, 190)
Miami native who opted to play college football up north. Played only two games in 2020 before opting out due to Covid-19, a decision hastened by a broken collarbone. Showed impressive 4.4 speed in the 40 at Wisconsin’s pro day.
SEVENTH ROUND
Jack Anderson
Texas Tech offensive guard
6-4, 315 pounds
Athlon Sports
Positives: Combines good size, power and tremendous effort as an interior blocker. Holds his own at the point of attack, plays with a mean streak and consistently finishes blocks.
Weak points: A middling athlete and while his size, strength and effort make up for his limitations to a certain extent, he’s going to have some issues in pass protection against NFL-caliber quickness.
Summary: There are limitations in his game, but Anderson also brings the kind of effort and instincts that could allow him to get on the field in a pinch early on and perhaps overachieve and become a long-term starter.
UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
Athlon Sports Assessments
Tariq Thompson
San Diego St. safety
6-0, 200
Positives: Has the fluid athleticism and foot speed to match up with slot receivers and shows good anticipation. His tracking ability and ball skills make him a threat to grab interceptions.
Weak points: Measurables are lacking with average size and lacks the speed to cover the necessary range as a single-high safety.
Summary: Has the coverage skills and instincts to line up as a nickel back or deep in split-safety looks. He should have a chance to carve out a role as a valuable sub-package defensive back.
Tre Walker
San Jose wide receiver
5-11, 180
Positives: Offers great versatility to an offense with good speed and production in college. Has good pound-for-pound toughness and is tough enough to come away with the contested catch.
Weak points: Largely feasted on the (weaker) competition of the Mountain West Conference. Had some dropped passes. Competitive but undersized. Small catch radius is an issue.
Summary: Has a chance to be a solid No. 3 receiver and could be more than that if he refines his route-running and proves he can handle the more physical nature of NFL defenders.
Quintin Morris
Bowling Green tight end
6-4, 250
Positives: Converted wide receiver who bulked up and moved to tight end but retained his movement skills. Thrives high-pointing the ball in contested-catch scenarios. Shows good ball-tracking ability and is a coordinated athlete with good body control. Can line up as a big slot or mismatch piece.
Weak points: Non-factor as a blocker and lacks elite athleticism. Red-zone production disappeared in a truncated senior season (five games).
Summary: A one-dimensional tight end whose lack of ability as a run blocker will limit him at a time when teams are looking for more well-rounded players at the position. He enters the league as a potential No. 2 tight end.
