Brandon Beane has a done an amazing job so far with rebuilding the Bills. It seems that year after year he knows the value of every player in the draft. It’s too often that a solid player drops to the Bills' selection or he is pro-active and moves up to grab a guy. He did exactly that this year. Beane was very patient and let talented players fall to him.
With that being said, here our opinions on the selections of this year's draft. Not only will we grade the pick, but we will provide our analysis on how the player will be used. If you disagree with a grade, please read the analysis and maybe we can change your mind.
Pick No. 54: Iowa Defensive End, AJ Epenesa
Our Grade: A
Fan Twitter Pole Grade: A
Before Beane traded the Bills' first round selection for Stefon Diggs, many fans thought Epenesa could be a late first round option for the Bills. After a poor combine, Epenesa managed to slide down the board and land in the Bills' lap at 54. I think I speak for many fans when I say this is an amazing pick. But I do know that I don't speak for some fans when I say that. There's a small portion of fans that believe Epenesa was not the right selection. There's also a good portion of general managers who would agree with them. The belief is that Epenesa does not have enough speed to set the edge and be an effective pass rusher in the NFL. I disagree with that. Epenesa may not be the ideal size for a 4-3 defensive end, but his large frame, great technique and great hand strength allow him to effectively rush the passer. Epenesa also has a solid ball get off. When he is able to get off the ball quickly he puts any offensive tackle on their heels. With his size and strength that is deadly. When Iowa played USC, he did that many times to Dolphins' first round selection, Austin Jackson. I believe we will see that happen often.
I think he is going to get a lot of snaps this season and maybe more than any other defensive end on the Bills. He is a great run stopper, so he will certainly be on the field for obvious run situations. He will also be on the field for many pass rushing downs whether it be lining up on the inside or the outside of the defensive line. Between his versatility, size, length and solid technique, I believe this was an amazing selection.
Pick No. 86: Utah Running Back, Zack Moss
Our Grade: A
Fan Twitter Pole Grade: A
All offseason Bills fans new that the team needed a physical running back to compliment the style of Devin Singletary. Zack Moss is exactly that. Moss is a physical runner who can be used in short yardage situations, but he is also versatile. Moss can be used in almost any situation. He has all the tools to be a great pass protector. He can also be used in the receiving game. I believe his worst flaw is that he doesn't have great secondary level speed, but he showed many times at Utah he is fast enough to break off long runs. He is the type of runner where if he can get past the front seven and up into the second level of defense he is dangerous. This was a great selection that fell into the Bills' lap at 86.
Pick No. 128: UCF Wide Receiver, Gabriel Davis
Our Grade: A
Fan Twitter Pole Grade: A
Before the draft every fan expected the Bills to take a big bodied wide receiver who can go up and win a 50-50 jump ball. At 6'3 212lbs, Davis is that and much more. Davis has good speed for his size and was used primarily for vertical routes at UCF. He was able to stretch the field and made the short to intermediate throws much easier for his quarterback. Sounds like something Allen could really use. He is also a decent route runner and can really break a corner's ankles with a quick curl route. I believe Davis will be getting most of his targets down field and in short yardage situations when Allen needs someone with good hands.
Pick No. 167: Georgia Quarterback, Jake Fromm
Our Grade: A
Fan Twitter Pole Grade: A
I don't think many fans thought we would be taking a quarterback this draft and I was just as surprised as everyone else. My immediate thought was: Yes! We stopped Fromm from going to the Patriots. Then my next thought was: Wait a minute, Fromm could actually be a great selection here. Fromm was certainly the one quarterback everyone thought would end up on the Patriots. Like Brady, Fromm doesn't have the strongest arm, but his ability to make quick smart decisions and place the ball well made him an ideal fit for New England. However, it also makes him a great fit for the Bills. As many fans know, Bills' Offensive Coordinator, Brian Daboll, spent many seasons with the Patriots. He knows their offense well and he has translated some of that to the Bills' offense. For that reason, Fromm is a great pick.
I believe Fromm will win the backup spot over Barkley and if Allen gets injured, Daboll will have no issues converting the offense to fit Fromm's attributes. He will run the offense just like they would for Brady in New England: Short to intermediate passes, rub and go routes, pick routes, etc. Because of that, I believe this was a great selection.
Fromm gives the Bills a solid backup when they need it. Sound familiar? In 1983 the Bills drafted gunslinger quarterback Jim Kelly. Two years later they selected a more reserved quarterback, Frank Reich in the third round. In 2018 the Bills drafted gunslinger quarterback Josh Allen. Again, just two years later they draft a more reserved quarterback in Jake Fromm in the mid rounds of the draft.
Fromm was projected to be a second or third round selection. Beane seeing that value in Fromm makes this a great 5th round selection.
Pick No. 188: Georgia Souther Kicker, Tyler Bass
Our Grade: B
Fan Twitter Pole Grade: B
I think there was a lot of uncertainty with this selection. Like me, many people immediately searched for Bass' stats. If you did, you found that he was roaming around 70% accuracy his senior year at Georgia Southern. That is not good. I think many did not like the pick after seeing that. I was the same until I saw his leg power. Bass has elite length strength. See for yourself:
Bass not only nails a 40-yard kick to win the bowl game, he made it look like it was a 20-yard kick. This would have been good from 55+ yards. There's also a video of him kicking a 60-yard field goal after only taking one step into it. Bass will certainly have to work on his accuracy and if he does just that he may be the Bills' kicker in 2020. I will not be making a prediction for Bass because I do not know enough about kicking to do so. I'd imagine they will not put him on the practice squad though because there will be another team that tries to grab him for their 55-man roster.
Pick No. 207: Oregon State Wide Receiver, Isaiah Hodgins
Our Grade: A
Fan Twitter Pole Grade: A
These next two selections could be the late round gems of the 2020 NFL Draft. Isaiah Hodgins is yet another big bodied wide receiver measuring at 6'4 209lbs. Just like Gabriel Davis, he is much more than that. Hodgins has some elite route running ability. At the combine he ran a 4.12 20-yard shuttle. That was good enough for the fastest wide receiver time. The 20-yard shuttle is a great test of route running ability because it measures a player’s ability to slow down and accelerate again. One of the best route runners in the game, Amari Cooper, ran a 3.98. Another great route runner, Odell Beckham Jr. ran a 3.94. It is safe to say Hodgins is in elite territory when it comes to route running. He also has some great hands and contested catch ability. But don't just take our word for it. Here's Mel Kiper:
As Mel said. Hodgins does have some concerns about speed as he only ran a 4.61 40-yard dash, but I think he makes the team come September. Hodgins has elite route running ability and good hands. Those are the two most important traits a wide receiver can have.
Pick No. 239: Pittsburgh Defensive Back, Dane Jackson
Our Grade: A
Fan Twitter Pole Grade: B
I think this selection could be the most underrated selection of the Bills' draft. I think many people write off 7th round selections to be future practice squad players or future free agents, but Dane Jackson has some serious potential. When you turn on his tape you see a corner who does his best work in zone schemes. He is very intelligent and is a great tackler. He can read the QBs eyes well and force pass breakups. These skills will translate well to the Bills zone heavy scheme. He struggles in man to man and can get a bit sloppy with his hands. He can definitely work on that with the coaches and the talent around him like All-Pro Tre White and former All-Pro Josh Norman.
I think Dane Jackson makes the team in September and won't see many defensive snaps, but he will make plenty of contributions on special teams because of his ability to tackle. He should make an excellent gunner in punt coverage. Here are some highlights so you can get to know his play better:
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