By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
Heading into the 2019 offseason, the Buffalo Bills will have plenty of needs to address. Among them are several on offense and among that group the biggest might be the need for playmakers.
The Bills (4-7) can either hit the free agent market or attempt to fill these needs via the 2019 NFL Draft. If the organization, who’s currently slated to pick ninth-overall takes the latter, they just got some good news.
Draft stock for players will fluctuate over and over again until April’s draft, but for now, the wide receiver class isn’t blowing anyone away. Despite that, two top-flight targets have improved the group’s status as they’ve declared for the 2019 NFL Draft this past week.
Mississippi’s D.K. Metclaf and Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry have both forgone their remaining eligibility in college football to enter the 2019 draft.
Could the Bills target them? It’s not out of question.
Here’s scouting reports on both professional-bound players:
WR D.K. Metcalf, Mississippi
Ole Miss actually has had another wide receiver making noise this season who could also be a top-targeted wideout selected at the upcoming draft, A.J. Brown. Metcalf hasn’t made as much noise recently because he’s missed time due to a neck injury. Metcalf appeared in seven games this season with Ole Miss and in that time he notched five touchdowns. In total, Metcalf made 26 grabs and 549 yards this season. For his college career, Metcalf has played 21 games, making 67 catches, 1,228 yards and 14 touchdowns in that span. Metcalf actually had two years of eligibility remaining at the college level after he took a medical redshirt year in 2016 due to a foot injury, but he’s declaring anyway.
His father is Terrence Metcalf was an offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears for seven seasons. His uncle, Eric Metcalf, was a dynamic returner and played running back for 13 years in the NFL.
At 6-foot-3, 225-pounds, Metcalf certainly has the size to become an elite NFL receiver, but of course, it takes more than just a big frame to excel at the next level. However, Metcalf is known as a player who uses that size to make catches and he combines that with a quick burst of speed to help after the catch to add yardage and to simply help him get open.
WR N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
While Harry also had another year of eligibility to go, most aren’t surprised to see him declare. Even AZCentral.com admitted in a recent piece that it’s time for him to go, he’s too good not to. Harry is a big, athletic pass-catcher who can beat opposing defenders in every conceivable way. The most recognizable way he does so is with his ridiculous size of 6-foot-4, 213-pounds. Harry can had a few pounds to his frame, but he already has an ability to create mismatches against smaller defensive backs helped him rack up 213 receptions for 2,889 yards and 22 touchdowns over his three seasons at ASU. In 12 games this season, Harry has 73 catches for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns.
Despite his size, like Metcalf, Harry is considered a player that can still move with his frame. He’s also known for a guy that has a strong set of hands which… seems useful for a wide receiver.