Color Rush Cody Ford Jersey , we glean a rare glimpse of a GM at work, and Brandon Beane’s focus on specific players shines through" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteBuffalo Rumblingsa Buffalo Bills communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsBillsOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsNotesOpinionAnalysisDiscussionPodcastNFL DraftSalary CapFiled under:NFL DraftNotesBuffalo Bills NFL Draft CoverageBrandon Beane’s draft strategy might be all about specific playersNew,178commentsIn a recent video released by the Buffalo Bills, we glean a rare glimpse of a GM at work, and Brandon Beane’s focus on specific players shines throughEDTShareTweetShareShareBrandon Beane’s draft strategy might be all about specific playersIn the world of the NFL draft, the two dominant philosophical approaches are drafting for need and drafting for the best player available or “BPA.” Drafting for need is typified by selecting players to fill current gaps. Drafting BPA is characterized by selecting the highest graded player available, even if the team is “set” at that position. Inherently, the two approaches aren’t entirely exclusive of each other. A team drafting a safety will still take the best one available. A team with similar grades on two prospects will take the player that best matches the team’s needs. With this brief primer out of the way, what does Buffalo Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane lean toward? A video released by the Bills shows Brandon Beane in action during the draft and provides us with insight into the team strategy when it comes to selecting players. If you haven’t seen it yet, this link is worth a click. It shows Beane flirting with both philosophies, as he sticks to team grades like a BPA approach. Beane also isn’t shy about moving around to target specific players attached to specific positions, similar to drafting for need. Though Buffalo ended up sticking with pick nine in the first round, Beane acknowledged talking with teams “well ahead of us” as well as teams behind them for a possible trade. As the first round unfolded the Bills continued to contemplate a trade. Per Beane, when they saw that the New York Giants selected Daniel Jones they knew they weren’t moving back. Selected three spots ahead of Buffalo, the suggestion from this assertion is that Beane had three or more specific players that were valued highly enough to pick at number nine. While that still fits a BPA mold, it also starts to tell a tale of a general manager looking for certain players. After the Detroit Lions selected T.J. Hockenson, Beane characterized the room as “excited” as this left Ed Oliver on the board. According to Beane, Oliver had the highest grade on their board. Following the selection of Ed Oliver, Brandon Beane discussed how he fielded calls to trade back into the back end of the first round. A potential deal was shot down with Beane and Joe Schoen the assistant general manager not offering enough compensation in the proposed deal. Immediately after, Beane reported “[He] didn’t sleep well going into Friday” because he was focused on determining where he “needed to get to, to secure Cody [Ford].” Beane indicated they tried trading for Ford with several teams, but were having trouble working out a deal. A despondent room was convinced that the Carolina Panthers would select Cody Ford. When that didn’t happen...well just look at Beane’s reaction when he learned Carolina went with Greg Little instead. In the next round, Beane reported that the Chicago Bears were trying to trade with Buffalo. Not loving the value of what Chicago was offering, Beane mentioned they would stay with the pick if one of “our guys” was available. Beane mentioned Devin Singletary by name, who the Bills did select rather than trading back. This was followed by what is described by Beane as a “run on tight ends.” Beane’s reaction was “Let’s see if we can get back up there and get Knox.” That’s exactly what Beane did. For Brandon Beane and the 2019 NFL Draft Youth Cody Ford Jersey , he knew who he wanted and was willing to make it happen. If the Bills draft [PLAYER NAME] you’ll be over the moon."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsNotesOpinionAnalysisDiscussionPodcastNFL DraftSalary CapNFL DraftDiscussionBuffalo Bills NFL Draft CoverageWho are your 2019 NFL Draft crushes?New,94commentsIf the Bills draft [PLAYER NAME] you’ll be over the moon.EDTShareTweetShareShareWho are your 2019 NFL Draft crushes?The 2019 NFL Draft is only a week away, and after three months of news about the incoming rookie class, everyone has an opinion about the players in the group. That includes the draft “crushes”, the players you think will be a star (or you don’t think the Buffalo Bills should pass up). The Buffalo Rumblings staff has shared their crushes below. Add yours in the comments!Dan LavoieHakeem Butler, WR, Iowa StateFor me, this is a no-brainer of a choice, including in the first round. Otherworldly size and catch radius. 4.48 speed and 10’8” broad jump that easily demonstrate rare athletic ability, production that completely dominated his team’s receiving this year, and no significant injury history. He was a supreme deep threat, capable of “Moss”-ing defensive backs on the regular, and impossible to tackle in space. Butler is my #1 receiver this year and a top-ten player on my board.Ed Oliver, DT, HoustonI’m a sucker for disruptive, athletic defensive tackles. Oliver is the newest model. Let’s review: at 6’2” and 281 lbs, he benched 225 lbs 32 times. He had a 36” vertical jump (same distance as Mr. Butler above). 4.73 40-yard dash with a blazing 1.63 ten-yard split. 7.15 three-cone drill (in the same neighborhood as Aaron Donald). And this guy was a three-time first-team All-American, and an Outland Trophy winner, who notched 53 TFLs in three seasons while playing out of position at nose tackle. Put him on the line and let him wreak havoc.Foster Moreau, TE, LSUAnytime a player has a “why are the coaches misusing him” article written, I sit up and take notice that we may have a diamond in the rough. This is a leader who wore the vaunted number 18 for the Tigers. Also to wear it: our own Tre’Davious White. At the Combine, he was the most athletic tight end not named Noah Fant or T.J. Hockenson. He has plenty of experience as a run blocker, but I think there’s untapped potential in the passing game due to his (lack of) usage at LSU. If you’re working with the second- and third-tier tight ends from this draft, Moreau might be a fifth-round steal.Anthony MarinoHakeem Butler Womens Cody Ford Jersey , WR, Iowa StateIt is a bit rare in this draft that a prospect at wide receiver has the college production, measurables, and testing results of Hakeem Butler. When you combine this with the comparisons to A.J. Green, and I can not figure out how so many project him as a second round pick. While I am not even close to being a draft expert - I put plenty of stock in the opinion of guys such as Greg Cosell of NFL Films and Josh Norris from Rotoworld. Both Cosell and Norris see Butler as the top wide receiver in the class, and I would love to see what he could do with Josh Allen as his quarterback.Sean MurphyHakeem Butler, WR, Iowa StateCount me in on Butler, who I think is just going to be an absolute star in the league for all of the reasons Dan and Anthony listed above. Butler’s size (6’5” and 227 lbs) combined with that otherworldly athleticism make him a must-have for me. While nine might be too high, waiting until 40 might be too long, and while I’m not much for trading up in most cases, if the Buffalo Bills can move up from 40 to secure Butler, I’d be all for it.David Montgomery, RB, Iowa StateWhile we’re talking about Cyclones, here’s my other crush from the great Midwest. While he may not be the athletic specimen that some of his counterparts are, he has the vision, toughness, and patience to excel as a runner at the NFL level. Some scouts worry about his workload, as he has carried the ball 515 times over the last two seasons, but at 21 years old, he has plenty of mileage left. In terms of someone who would fit the system and the “type” of a Brandon Beane-era Bills running back, you can’t find a much better fit than Montgomery, who prioritizes keeping the offense on time over making splash plays. Derrek Thomas, CB Authentic Cody Ford Jersey , BaylorI’m going to go way out on a limb here, because this is a guy with limited tape and experience at his position. However, he has a rare combination of size and speed for a corner, standing at 6’3” and 189 pounds with a 4.44-second forty-yard dash. Head coach Sean McDermott is a former defensive back, as is defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and neither coach will shy away from trying to help Thomas, a wide receiver-turned-corner after transferring to the Bears from Temple, reach his greatest potential. Thomas had 21 tackles, an interception, and seven pass breakups in his 12 games at corner during the 2018 season. As a flier in the sixth or seventh round, I’d be thrilled with Buffalo taking a chance on the big, athletic corner. Andrew GriffinGreg Dortch, WR, Wake ForestIt’s hard to get noticed on the football field when you’re 5’7” and 175 lbs, but despite that handicap, Dortch was one of the most productive receivers in the ACC. He’s deadly from the slot, his routing is superb and he has decent enough speed to be a weapon in the return game. Most of all, he’s physical. Dortch is destined to be a Day 3 pick, but my bet is for him to be a useful weapon, wherever he gets drafted.Matt WarrenEd Oliver, DT, HoustonI don’t watch a lot of college football, so I don’t have a long list of crushes. I’ll keep this short and sweet. Oliver can do so much for the Bills’ pass rush. I’m a big believer in generating pass rush from the defensive tackle spot and there is a hole there for the Bills. Oliver is so talented. I’d love to see him next to Star Lotulelei.I discuss this a bit more at the start of this week’s Rumblings Q&A Podcast, which I’ve embedded below.