By Nick Wojton / Billswwire.usatoday.com
The Senior Bowl is upon us, which means the beginning of the draft season. Plenty of first and second day draft picks end up taking part in the festivities.
Josh Allen, anyone?
In 2019, 10 first-round picks took part in the game and since his tenure as Buffalo’s head coach, Sean McDermott has taken a liking to seniors due to their extra year of maturity and experience. There’s a good chance the Bills dip back into the Senior Bowl pool in 2020 with nine total draft picks currently slated to them at the upcoming draft.
With that, here are 13 Senior Bowl prospects to monitor for the Bills at the event as practices begin on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s game:
OL John Simpson, Clemson
The Bills might have an opening for starting spot on their offensive line via Quinton Spain. He’s a free agent and where he struggled according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics were as a run blocker. Clemson’s John Simpson is described as a powerful blocker who could improve a bit as a pass blocker at the next level.
Simpson is currently projected as a mid-round pick that could use a big week at the Senior Bowl. Playing at a powerhouse school and using football to pull himself out of a tough upbringing. That could attract the Bills to him. Simpson can play both guard position, but only lined up at left guard in 2019.
WR Van Jefferson, Florida
The Bills could go with a first-round receiver at the upcoming draft, or early one, at least. Van Jefferson likely wouldn’t be that, but he’s a project. He transferred from Ole Miss to Florida during his college career but didn’t really take that next step when doing so. This past season he had 49 catches for 657 yards with six scores, not great numbers considering they were his career-high marks.
Jefferson comes with NFL pedigree as well with his father Shaun Jefferson, who played 13 seasons in the league. While not really a big-bodied type player at 6-foot-2 and around only 200 pounds, the 23-year-old is a highly-touted route runner that can stretch the field.
OL Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon
Aside from liking senior leadership in their players, along of the offensive line specifically, Buffalo likes their players to have versatility.
Oregon’s Calvin Throckmorton played primarily at right tackle for the Ducks, but he can play all five positions on the offensive line. Throckmorton proved his versatility at the East-West Shrine Bowl, where coaches played him at different positions across the offensive line and he impressed.
WR Michael Pittman Jr., USC
If you are looking for that top-caliber wideout, Michael Pittman will be a Day 1 or Day 2 pick and should be on the Bills’ radar. At 6-foot-4, he provides the size Buffalo’s lacks in the otherwise solid receivers that John Brown and Cole Beasley are.
Pittman had a decently consistent career at USC, but really broke out last season, highlighted by 11 touchdowns in 13 games played. Of his 133 targets, he hauled in 101 of them last season for 1,269 yards. Per PFF, Pittman dropped only four of 176 catchable passes in his college career.
With his size, you’re thinking deep passes. Pittman has to win those to grow himself into a No. 1 receiver at the next level, but PFF says he has strong play in underneath and intermediate routes too, which is Josh Allen’s bread and butter.
WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty
He’s not exactly coming from one of the powerhouses, but even Pro Football Focus is intrigued by Gandy-Golden, calling him their highest-graded wideout on the North team’s roster.
The reason the Bills could be interested in him as a mid-to-late pick is because of his 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame, naturally. Over the past two seasons in college football, Gandy-Golden had 27 deep-ball catches over 20 yards, second-most in the nation. Showcasing well against better talent than he consistently faced at Liberty would certainly help him this week.
WR Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
Recruited out of JUCO, Brandon Aiyuk had plenty of big-time offers from schools but chose the Sun Devils because they wanted him to play receiver instead of switching to defensive back.
His first year at Arizona State wasn’t spectacular, but 2019 was. On 99 targets, he caught 65 passes for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns.
The 6-foot-1, 206-pound target isn’t the biggest wideout in the draft, but he has skills down the first and in the short passing game. The Bills can stand to use all kinds of playmaker additions this offseason.
WR Denzel Mims, Baylor
Another big boy at 6-foot-4, Denzel Mims reads as a player the Bills could use. He has some explosiveness along with his ability to win contested catches.
But Mims doesn’t have the most consistent hands in the draft, having dropped 18 of 139 catchable passes over the past two seasons, according to PFF. His route running isn’t the best, either. But you can argue those are the things a player can improve upon with more practice reps as a pro.
DE Terrell Lewis, Alabama
Like playmakers and help in the trenches on offense, the Bills could use both on defense, too. Of note, Shaq Lawson is currently a free agent at defense end and Buffalo could stand to improve from his 6.5 sacks last season.
Alabama’s Terrell Lewis excelled as a pass defender in the Crimson Tide’s defense which is difficult in itself to crack. His QB pressure rate of 19.8 percent via PFF this past season was third-best in college football and he recorded six sacks and 13 run stops in 10 games in 2019.
However, his stock slipped him into Day 2 or Day 3 range at the upcoming draft because he’s had an injury bug. He missed the entire 2018 season due to a knee injury.
DE Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
Along with Lawson potentially leaving the Bills this offseason, overall, the Bills are aging at the defensive end position. Jerry Hughes only has one-year left on his deal at 31 and Trent Murphy is a potential cap causality this offseason.
Perhaps a mid-round pick, the Bills like a guy with drive and Willekes has it. He only had an offer from Wayne State out of high school in 2015, but bet on himself and walked-on at Michigan State.
NFL teams wants an all-around player at every position, of course. From the edge defender spots, they really want sacks, though. Willekes is viewed more as a promising run defense with pass rush potential.
RB Antonio Gibson, Memphis
The Bills struck gold in mid-round pick Devin Singletary (third round) in 2019. Could Buffalo do it again?
Singletary will play his role with the Bills moving forward, but at his end of season presser, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott himself said he believes the NFL is a two-back league. Is Antonio Gibson his No. 2?
The Bills love their versatile players and Pro Football Focus compared Gibson to Swiss-army knife Ty Montgomery. Gibson needs a big Senior Bowl week though because he only played in 307 snaps in his college career, but he does have an ability to pass catch and averaged 11.2 yards per carry on 33 attempts last year.
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
Ke’Shawn Vaughn, a potential Day 3 pick, is shorter than the 6-foot-2 Gibson at 5-foot-10, but he’s got a bit of a Frank Gore ability to drag some defenders with him, but he has a much better burst, too. Speaking of Gore, we’re still not sure what he’s going to do or if the Bills will want him back after he struggled down the stretch.
Vaughn’s vision is praised and according to PFF, he averaged 5.3 yards per carry after contact last season. He’s hard to bring down, and can catch the ball as well, hauling in 41 of 53 targets in 2019.
EDGE Joshua Uche, Michigan
The Bills could use help at defensive end as mentioned, but Lorenzo Alexander retired, too. The Bills won’t fill his leadership void via the draft, but his play they can. 2019 rookie Vosean Joseph is viewed as a guy who could do that for the Bills, but he was injured for most of last year and Buffalo will want compeition there.
Joshua Uche reads as an interesting prospect with Alexander in mind. He played both outside the tackle and off the ball for Michigan last season and excels as a pass rusher. Per PFF, he won 23.3 percent of his pass rushes, second-best in the FBS.
But Uche is a big question mark because the Bills asked Alexander to do some pass coverage and Uche is undersized for the NFL game at 6-foot-2. He could be a mid-round project.
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, App State
Having played at App. State, Akeem Davis-Gaither will benefit from a good week against stronger competition at the Senior Bowl. And speaking of Alexander, he’s got more of that relatable experience as a strong pass rusher and player in coverage. PFF praised his one-on-one abilities against offensive lineman, as well as his 75.9 overall coverage grade.
Having said that, despite his school, he could be Day 2 pick. It depends on how high up the board do the Bills want to go to replace Alexander’s role.
Roberts added to Pro Bowl roster
Buffalo Bills kick returner Andre Roberts was added to the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday. Roberts replaces Kansas City Chiefs return man Mecole Hardman, who will be playing for Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers.
Roberts ranked second in the AFC this season with 664 kickoff return yards.