WCG Mock Draft- Buffalo (#12)

12. Buffalo- Paul Posluszny, LB, Penn State

The Bills have three major needs with their first-round pick: LB (where Spikes and Fletcher no longer reside), CB (where the team has talent but is very young), and RB (to replace Willis McGahee).  As exemplified last year with the selection of SS Donte Whitner at pick #8, the Bills are not a team that is afraid to reach a little bit to select a player that fits their team.

Posluszny is the perfect fit in Buffalo.  He is versatile, having played both OLB and MLB in his time at Linebacker U.  He is vastly intelligent, has great instincts and intangibles and his work ethic is fantastic.  He is completely recovered from a 2005 knee injury, and his 4.65-second time in the 40 was better than most expected.  He plays very well in coverage (a huge necessity for Buffalo's Tampa-2 scheme) and attacks and fills well against the run.  His size is a concern for some, but size is not an issue in Buffalo's scheme (Keith Ellison only weighs 225).  Most importantly, however, he gives the Bills options at who they can play at MLB - the team may not be totally sold on playing Angelo Crowell inside, and "Puz" gives the team two viable options for that position.

As for the other needs, there are some good value RB's in Rounds 2 and 3 and the Bills will employ a 2- or even 3-back scheme, so using a first round pick on Marshawn Lynch is tempting but not necessary.  The team has 4 corners it plans on using at the moment (T. McGee, K. Thomas, A. Youboty, J. Greer), so a draft pick would not need to start right away.  Posluszny makes the most sense for this team.

Drafter- Brian G


On the clock- St. Louis Rams (Scruffy Lefty)