The Buffalo Bills’ trades in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft will have a significant effect on the future of the franchise.
The Buffalo Bills entered the 2018 NFL Draft with the No. 12 and 22 picks. There were many rumors swirling around that they would trade up and draft their quarterback of the future, and they did just that. The Bills sent their 12th, 53rd and 56th picks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for picks No. 7 and 255. The Bills used the seventh overall pick in draft to take quarterback Josh Allen out of Wyoming.
The 21-year old is one of the most scrutinized players to come out of the draft in recent years. His 6-5 frame and rocket of an arm turned some heads at the combine, as many said he has the strongest arm to ever come out of the draft.
If you take away Allen’s strong arm and his height, there are some serious red flags. The biggest one is his accuracy. In Allen’s two years of starting at Wyoming, he completed just 56.1 percent of his passes. That is a staggering low number for any quarterback, especially one going No. 7 overall. Quarterbacks who complete fewer than 60 percent in college don’t just turn it around in the NFL.
Another red flag is his decline from last season. In 2016, he averaged 8.6 yards per attempt, which is very good. In 2017 that number fell to 6.7. For a quarterback who has accuracy issues, 6.7 yards per attempt is a major issue. A quarterback with his size and arm strength has to be able to push the ball down the field consistently.
Josh Rosen was still on the board the board when the Bills picked at No. 7. I would have preferred a more proven, NFL-ready quarterback like Rosen than a project with serious red flags. The Bills made a big mistake with taking Allen.
However, the Bills weren’t done in the first round after selecting Allen. They then traded the 22nd and 65th overall pick to move up to pick No. 16 to select linebacker Tremaine Edmunds out of Virginia Tech. The 6-5 linebacker has all the athletic tools and size you could ever ask for.
He can get from sideline to sideline in a flash, and is always all over the field as he finished with 108 tackles for the Hokies in 2017. He also can get after the quarterback, racking up 5.5 sacks in 2017.
The one knock on Edmunds is he’s a very raw prospect. At only 19 years old, it is going to take time to adjust to the NFL game. He only had second years of starting experience at Virginia Tech as well. His athleticism should help him transition to the speed of the NFL rather quickly.
The Bills are desperate for linebackers and adding Edmunds is exactly what the team needs. Trading the 65th pick was a heavy price, however if Edmunds pans out, he could be the anchor of this defense for many years to come.
Next: NFL Draft 2018: Grades for each first-round pick
Making two massive trades up in the first round put the Bills under the spotlight. Their moves up the board will either be those of brilliance or the kind of decisions that cost people their jobs. And there will likely be little room between.