As things sit at the 2019 NFL Draft which begins on Thursday, the Buffalo Bills currently have 10 total draft picks. Of those, in the first three rounds, the team only holds one pick in each round, respectively. All of Buffalo’s extra selections are Day 3 picks, between rounds four through seven. While the Bills have hit on picks in those later rounds in recent years, players selected in the top-three rounds always have a little more optimism and hope attached to them. Currently in the first round, the Bills are slated to have the No. 9 overall pick. With that, here are the last 10 players selected with the ninth pick in the NFL draft: 2009 – Green Bay Packers: DT B.J. Raji Raji became a fixture on the Packers’ defensive line for seven season. Playing nose tackle, a selfless position, he never racked up many numbers, but the importance was there. His peers ranked him the 81st best player in the NFL in 2011 in a vote, which certainly shows his talents. Raji did only played until he was 29, though. He retired following the 2015 season and said he could be back, but never came back. 2010 – Buffalo Bills: RB C.J. Spiller Well hello, Buffalo. As a Bills outlet, this one is awfully familiar and needs little explanation. Spiller was added to an already packed backfield and did have some successes with the Bills. He rushed for 3,321 yards in five seasons with Buffalo, averaging five yards per carry. Injuries oft-followed him throughout his career, though. 2011 – Dallas Cowboys: OT Tyron Smith, USC Thinking an offensive lineman for the Bills at nine? Smith is probably a good player to point to for reference. He’s a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro in 2014 and 2016. He’s also been extremely durable for playing in the trenches. In eight seasons, he’s started all 16 in four of them and never fewer than 13 in any season. Yeah, sign me up. 2012 – Carolina Panthers: LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College A player close to the heart of Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott. He became the soul and QB of McDermott’s defense in Carolina and helped the Panthers earn a bid to the Super Bowl. With him in mind, McDermott selected linebacker Tremaine Edmunds in the first round last year. Here’s what Edmunds has to do to catch up to Kuechly: make it to six Pro Bowls, earn the Defensive Player of the Year Award and be an All-Pro five times.<doc-sep>As things sit in the 2019 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday, the Buffalo Bills currently have 10 total draft picks. In the first three rounds, the team only holds one pick in each round. All of Buffalo’s extra selections are Day 3 picks, between Rounds 4 and 7. While the Bills have hit on picks in those later rounds in recent years, players selected in the top three rounds always have a little more optimism and hope attached to them. Currently, the Bills are slated to have the No. 40 overall pick in Round 2. With that, here are the last 10 players selected with the No. 40 pick in the draft: 2009 – New England Patriots: DT Ron Brace, Boston College Brace made his first NFL start against the Bills, but there were not many overall in his career. In 39 career games, Brace only made seven starts, recording 39 tackles at the nose tackle position. After his NFL career ended following four seasons with the Patriots, Brace tragically passed away in 2016 due to a heart condition at only 29 years old. 2010 – Miami Dolphins: LB Koa Misi, Utah Misi last played in the NFL in 2016 and could be familiar to Bills fans because of his connections to the Dolphins. Misi wasn’t a Pro Bowler, but had a steady NFL career, appearing in 84 games over seven seasons with Miami, making 72 starts. In total, he had 352 tackles as a strong run defender, along with 12 sacks and two forced fumbles. Due to a neck injury, he retired prior to the 2017 season. 2011 – Dallas Cowboys: LB Bruce Carter, North Carolina Carter was once projected as a top linebacker in his draft class until an ACL injury caused him to drop to the Cowboys in Round 2. There, he saw playing time at several different linebacker spots, making 32 of his 36 career starts in Dallas. Since 2015, Carter has hopped between the Bucs (2015), Jets (2016-17) and Falcons (2018-present), mainly contributing on special teams. 2012 – Carolina Panthers: OL Amini Silatolu, Midwestern State As a Division II prospect, Silatolu was Carolina’s starting left guard for three seasons, starting every game he was available for. That, however, became the key. In his first three seasons, he played in 15, three and seven games. In 2016, he signed a free agent deal with the Bears but was cut at the end of training camp and went right back to the Panthers and has played mostly in a reserve role there since. Silatolu, 30, is currently a free agent. 2013 – San Francisco 49ers: DE Tank Carradine, Florida State Knocked around a bit by injury, Carradine hasn’t found his footing on the NFL stat sheet just yet. In a reserve role as a rookie defensive end, he did land three sacks, but overall, he only has 5.5 in his career over five seasons. Carradine is certainly a team player, though. He’s switched from DE, to defensive tackle to linebacker throughout his career. After the 49ers didn’t re-sign him, he went to the Raiders in 2018 but requested a release due to a lack of playing time. This offseason he signed the Dolphins. 2014 – Detroit Lions: LB Kyle Van Noy, Brigham Young While a selection of the Lions, Van Noy is more well-known as a Patriots linebacker. New England landed him only for a seventh-round pick and in classic Patriots fashion, and he’s only shined since joining them. With the Lions, he made seven starts in 30 appearances. In New England, he’s made 30 starts in 36 appearances, including 28 of his last 29 games. For his career, Van Noy has 228 tackles and 11 sacks in 66 games. Hopefully he’ll never add to those against the Bills moving forward. 2015 – Tennessee Titans: WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri/Oklahoma Green-Beckham only had a brief NFL career and at one point, he looked like a promising player. In 31 career games, he had 68 catches for 941 yards and six touchdowns. But it wasn’t all gravy and there’s a reason he only spent two seasons in the NFL. In a surprise, he was traded from the Titans to the Eagles in 2016 after one season. Reports cited Tennessee questioned his “focus and dedication.” Green-Beckham has also had his off-field issues including legal troubles, most recently for a marijuana arrest and probation violation on March 9. He was cut by the Eagles before the 2017 season. 2016 – New York Giants: WR Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma Things have changed in a hurry for Shepard, but for the better. Shepard had his best season in a Giants uniform last year with 66 receptions for 872 yards and four touchdowns. With Odell Beckham Jr. traded to the Cleveland Browns, Shepard will enter this upcoming season as their No. 1 receiver. He doesn’t even really need to prove he’s top-wideout worthy, though. That’s because New York already inked him to a contract extension on April 10 – a four-year, $41 million deal with $21.3 million guaranteed. 2017 – Carolina Panthers: WR Curtis Samuel, Ohio State In 22 career games, Samuel’s made 12 starts. But after a lackluster rookie season, 2018 saw him become a bigger part in the Panthers’ offense and that could continue to increase, depending on what the Panthers do in the draft this week. Of his 54 career catches for 609 yards, 39 receptions and 494 yards came just last year. Without guys like Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess around, Samuel’s been given a decent opportunity and took it. 2018 – Denver Broncos: WR Courtland Sutton, SMU In his lone NFL season, Sutton impressed in Colorado. In 16 games, he made nine starts. When Demaryius Thomas was traded mid-season last year, his role increased. Thus far, Sutton has 42 catches for 704 yards (16.8 yards per catch) with four scores. He’s likely going to start all 16 games for the Broncos in 2019, pending health.<doc-sep>The 2019 NFL Draft is just two days away and the Buffalo Bills enter with 10 picks. After addressing multiple areas in free agency, general manager Brandon Beane can use the picks to select the best players available on the team’s board. Beane moved up twice in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Bills on the move again come Thursday night. Here’s how the draft could unfold for Buffalo. Round 1, Pick 9: *TRADE* Ed Oliver? Gone. T.J. Hockenson? Off the board. At pick nine, Buffalo could stay put and target a player like Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams, a player the team really likes, or slide down the draft board. Buffalo opts for the latter and cuts a deal with the Carolina Panthers. Buffalo receives No. 16 and No. 47 in exchange for No. 9. Mississippi wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (14) celebrates after his touchdown reception won an NCAA college football game in the final play of the second half against Kentucky, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/David Stephenson)AP Round 1, Pick 16: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss The Draft Network’s Joe Marino shared that he continues to hear of Buffalo’s interest in Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. NYUP has heard the same and the wide receiver comes off the board at pick 16. Metcalf seems to be a polarizing prospect among Bills fans. You either love Metcalf’s size, speed and potential or you look at his agility scores and injury history and hope Buffalo goes in a different direction. Beane showed he wasn’t afraid of taking a polarizing prospect last year when he moved up for quarterback Josh Allen. The GM may view Metcalf in a similar light. He’s a raw piece of clay that lives and breathes football and has all the intangibles to be a superstar, if molded correctly. Beane trusts that Buffalo’s coaches can bring out the best in Metcalf’s game and adds another weapon for Allen. FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2017, file photo, Kansas State teammates Dalton Risner (71) and Byron Pringle (9) celebrate following a touchdown in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State, in Stillwater, Okla. Risner was selected to the AP All-Conference Big 12 team announced Friday, Dec. 8, 2017.AP Round 2, Pick 40: Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas State The Bills miss out on the top three offensive linemen in Round 1, but add a first round talent at pick 40 in Dalton Risner. Buffalo met with the Kansas State prospect at the NFL Scouting Combine and Risner spoke glowingly about possibly playing for the team. “My buddy Glenn Gronkowski played down there in Buffalo for a little bit,” Risner said. “I have a really good friend, Harrison Phillips, who plays defensive tackle for ya’ll. Another small-town, corn-fed kid like myself. I really like that guy a lot. I’d love to be in Buffalo and help out their offensive line.” Risner is a versatile prospect that could likely start day one at guard for the Bills. From left-to-right, Buffalo’s line would be Dion Dawkins, Quinton Spain, Mitch Morse, Risner, Ty Nsekhe. That’s a major upgrade from last year’s unit. (Thomas Graning/AP)AP Round 2, Pick 47: Dawson Knox, TE, Ole Miss Buffalo is back on the clock quickly at pick 47. In a bit of a surprise, the Bills select their third consecutive offensive player. After seeing T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant and Irv Smith Jr. come off the board, Buffalo takes the next best option in Ole Miss TE Dawson Knox. Knox reunites with Metcalf in Buffalo. Knox averaged close to 19 yards per reception in 2018 at Ole Miss and was underutilized by most accounts. He’s also considered a solid blocker in pass protection. In Buffalo, Knox would have a chance to start immediately. OXFORD, OH - NOVEMBER 15: Maxx Crosby #92 of the Eastern Michigan Eagles sacks Gus Ragland #14 of the Miami Ohio Redhawks during the second half at Yager Stadium on November 15, 2017 in Oxford, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Getty Images Round 3, Pick 74: Maxx Crosby, DE, Eastern Michigan Maxx Crosby, one of Buffalo’s first known pre-draft visitors, has flown up draft boards. In Round 3, Buffalo goes to the defensive side of the ball to add the Eastern Michigan prospect. Crosby is viewed as an excellent athlete. Over the last two seasons, he had a 90.0 pass-rush grade at Pro Football Focus and forced eight fumbles over this time. Crosby won’t be forced onto the field thanks to the team having Jerry Hughes, Shaq Lawson and Trent Murphy, but he can immediately join the unit’s rotation. Oklahoma's Bobby Evans (71) before an NCAA college football game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)AP Round 4, Pick 112: Bobby Evans, OT, Oklahoma Buffalo met with Bobby Evans during the pre-draft process. In Round 4, value meets potential need and the Bills select the Oklahoma offensive tackle. As a rookie, Evans won’t be thrown into action immediately, but he could compete for playing time later in the season if Dion Dawkins or Ty Nsekhe struggle on the field. Round 4, Pick 131 (from KC): Blake Cashman, LB, Minnesota One look at Blake Cashman’s scouting report on NFL.com and it’s easy to see why Buffalo hosted him on a pre-draft visit. Cashman was a former walk-on that became team captain at Minnesota and his bio says he is a “tough guy who lives for football.” Throw in an elite Relative Athletic Score (RAS) and high-marks at Pro Football Focus (No. 4 LB in 2018) and the Bills could be adding a future starter in 2020. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy might be on the move. Round 5, Pick 147: *TRADE* Gerald McCoy, DT, Buccaneers Buffalo passes on adding a defensive tackle early and it’s due to the team acquiring Gerald McCoy from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The cost for adding a solid veteran and locker room leader? Two day three picks. Bills receive Gerald McCoy in exchange of No. 147 and No. 228. Round 5, Pick 158 (from PIT/OAK): Bryce Love, RB, Stanford With LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon already on the roster, Buffalo doesn’t need to address the running back position early. However, they need to think long-term and Bryce Love makes plenty of sense. Love would have come off the board early in the 2018 draft if he had declared, but he’s expected to be a day three pick after suffering a torn ACL in his final collegiate game. There are reports that Love’s knee is still raising red flags among teams, but Buffalo could give the former Stanford star a redshirt season in 2019 while giving him the opportunity to win the starting job in 2020. Round 6, Pick 181: Hamp Cheevers, CB, Boston College It wouldn’t be a Sean McDermott draft without the Bills selecting a cornerback. Hamp Cheevers, a pre-draft visitor, is projected to be available late in the draft. With Tre’Davious White, Levi Wallace, Taron Johnson, E.J. Gaines and Kevin Johnson making up the team’s top-five cornerbacks, Buffalo can add a developmental player late. Round 7, Pick 225: Cole Holcomb, LB, UNC Buffalo gave Cole Holcomb plenty of attention at the East-West Shrine Game and add the former UNC tackling machine with their final pick. Holcomb can compete for a spot on the final roster as a special teams contributor.<doc-sep>
As things sit at the 2019 NFL Draft which begins on Thursday, the Buffalo Bills currently have 10 total draft picks. Of those, in the first three rounds, the team only holds one pick in each round, respectively. All of Buffalo’s extra selections are Day 3 picks, between rounds four through seven. While the Bills have hit on picks in those later rounds in recent years, players selected in the top-three rounds always have a little more optimism and hope attached to them. Currently in the third round, the Bills are slated to have the No. 74 overall pick. With that, here are the last 10 players selected with the No. 74 pick in the NFL draft: 2009 – San Francisco 49ers: RB Glen Coffee, Alabama As a backup running back for then-49ers running back Frank Gore, Coffee had 226 rushing yards and average 2.7 yards per carry as a rookie. Just before his second season, Coffee ended up retiring and never played in the NFL again. At the time, he did not cite injury concerns, rather, reports say that Coffee “chose faith over football” and didn’t have his heart in it. 2010 – Jacksonville Jaguars: DT D’Anthony Smith, Louisiana Tech Smith’s career didn’t start out very well. He spent the first two years of his NFL career on injured reserve. Then in 2012, he finally recorded his first tackle on opening day before being placed on injured reserve once again in November 2012. Smith was eventually traded before 2013 to the Seakhawks and bounced around to the Lions and Bears, mostly playing on practice squads. In 12 career games, Smith only had nine tackles. 2011 – New England Patriots: QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas As a third-round pick, Mallett was one of the first quarterbacks taken in the draft by the Patriots with the though of, “hey, can Tom Brady really play forever?” After all, 2011 was Brady’s 11th season in the league. Well, we’re still there. With that, Mallett never was more than a career backup, anyways. After only completing one pass in three seasons with the Pats, he was traded to the Texans. There, he never caught on as the starter and had a bunch of excuses for mess ups and was cut. He served as a Ravens backup from 2015 to 2017. Mallett was 3-5 overall in his career. 2012 – Kansas City Chiefs: OT Donald Stephenson, Oklahoma Stephenson never caught on as a starter in the NFL with the Chiefs. In four seasons, he only started 21 of 60 games. Then he was given a chance to find his footing with the Denver Broncos, and that never happened. He signed a three-year deal and by second of those three, he lost his starting job. In 2018 he retired while in offseason workouts with the Cleveland Browns. Stephenson just didn’t showed up and days later he was suspended for violating the substance abuse policy.