Open Rants by vaughanmoore

It's already midseason, and the playoff race is beginning to unfold. The Bills, my favorite team, are squarely in playoff contention and currently own one of the wild card spots in the AFC at 4-2. I knew before the season that we weren't tanking, because we already have a ton of draft picks and Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane are very smart and know what they're doing. I hated the Sammy Watkins move at first, but in hindsight, it was a great decision. However, it left a hole open at receiver, which we must fill. Here's my opinion on where we should go with our first round picks:

Round 1: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville - Hear me out. I'm a fan of Tyrod Taylor. I think he's a starting-caliber talent in this league. However, he has reached his ceiling, as he is in the prime of his career, and he's still just an average starter. Lamar Jackson is the modern Michael Vick, except he's a more polished passer and has even bigger of an arm. He is also 3 inches taller. He also has great intangibles as a hard worker and loves football. I would never be able to pass up on a guy like that.

Round 1 (KC pick): Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State - We need another corner, as EJ Gaines is a solid player but can't stay healthy. Plus, we could use a taller guy to cover bigger receivers across from Defensive Rookie of the Year (so far) Tre'Davious White. McFadden is 6'2 and is fast enough to keep up with bigger receivers. This is to prevent A.J. Green and Mike Evans from torching us all game like they did this year. 

Round 2 (LA Rams pick): Simmie Cobbs Jr., WR, Indiana - Obviously, we need to upgrade our receiving corps. Zay Jones has had a nightmare of a rookie season, Jordan Matthews is just a solid #2 guy, and Deonte Thompson (who just broke out for us) is an unproven slot receiver. We can grab a speedy WR in free agency to play in the slot while drafting our #1 receiver in Simmie Cobbs from Indiana. This guy is a freak and a future All-Pro. He dominated Denzel Ward and the Ohio State secondary to the tune of 11 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown, which is ridiculous considering his QB play has been average at best. 

Round 2: Tavon Bryan, DT/DE, Florida - Kyle Williams is aging and on the decline, and Marcell Dareus got fat and happy with his big contract and is a bum who should be traded/cut. After that, it's just depth options on the interior DL, so we need to get a DT for the future. Tavon Bryan has been a monster this year for Florida against some of the best offensive lines in all of college football. McDermott can move him around on the D-line and have Williams mentor him to help him become a dominant force in the NFL. 

Round 3: Ronald Jones, RB, USC - I've been keying in on Ronald Jones for a long time, as he jumped out to me as soon as I put on the USC-Cal game last year. He had 223 yards in that game, and I was extremely impressed by his combination of speed, size, and power. He looks like Derrick Henry with much less wear-and-tear. Running backs who show explosive ability in college that don't get too many touches are usually the ones who pan out at the next level, and we need a talented backup to LeSean McCoy who can provide a change of pace. Jones qualifies. 

Round 3 (PHI pick): Isaiah Wynn, G/T, Georgia - Wynn may only be 6'2, but he's strong and his lack of height actually helps him gain leverage on taller defensive linemen. Another advantage of his height is ball-carrier vision; whoever he blocks for can see defenders ahead easier. That being said he is definitely more of a guard than a tackle at the next level because he's too short to play outside. Regardless of his height, he has played great this year against the best pass rushers in college football.

Round 4: Kendall Joseph, LB, Clemson - Underrated, solid linebacker who has tons of experience against NFL-caliber players and playing in big games. That's an underrated quality of a draft prospect. He has enough athleticism and experience to be an above-average starter.

Round 5: Antonio Calloway, WR, Florida - Legitimate character concerns lead to his fall, despite having early round talent. We could always use more receivers to help out Lamar Jackson.

Round 7: Javon Hagan, FS, Ohio - Most people don't know Hagan, but he's a baller who could go way earlier than this when the draft rolls around. For right now, he's unknown, so I'll leave him here.