Below is the final edition of Mock Draft Watch – a rundown of the latest mock drafts compiled by Buffalobills.com via local and national NFL reporters.
April 23 – Gil Brandt, NFL.comNo. 8 – G Jonathan Cooper, UNCAnalysis: Like the Browns, the Bills would love to move down to get a quarterback, but if they can't, they'll go with the best offensive lineman -- and player -- available in Cooper. They could then try to move back into the first round by making a deal with a team picking toward the end; the perfect partner would be the San Francisco 49ers, who have the 31st and 34th overall selections.
April 23 – Evan Silva, Rotoworld
No. 8 – QB Ryan Nassib, SyracuseAnalysis: This seemingly inevitable pick will be widely criticized as a reach, but so was Miami's selection of Ryan Tannehill in the No. 8 spot last year. And that worked out pretty well. Bills personnel chiefs Buddy Nix and Doug Whaley might more strongly consider a trade back into the 20s for Nassib if they were working with more than six picks. Their best bet is to take Nassib at eight and go best-player-available the rest of the way. If Buffalo found a trade-down partner, that'd be even better.
No. 41 – DE Bjoern Werner, Florida StateAnalysis: Werner lacks special pass-rush tools, but he's a great value pick in the 40s.
April 24 – Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl, Scouts Inc. (ESPN.com insider)No. 8 – QB Ryan Nassib, SyracuseNo. 41 – WR Keenan Allen, CaliforniaNo. 71 – G Dallas Thomas, TennesseeNo. 105 – DE Mike Buchanon, IllinoisNo. 143 – TE Levine Toiolo, StanfordNo. 177 – CB Leon McFadden, San Diego State
April 24 – Bucky Brooks, NFL.comNo. 8 – G Jonathan Cooper, UNCAnalysis: Quarterback Ryan Nassib could be in play, but ultimately the Bills take a Pro Bowl-caliber guard who will ensure plenty of running room for C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson up the middle.
April 24 – Pete Prisco, CBS SportsNo. 8 – G Jonathan Cooper, UNCAnalysis: Have you taken a look at their guards? They need help inside in the worst way to get that running game going
April 24 – Nate Davis, USA TodayNo. 8 – G Chance Warmack, AlabamaAnalysis: There seems little doubt the Bills will take a quarterback, but it just doesn't seem to make sense at this spot unless they've fallen in love with Geno Smith. Better to hitch your wagon to a guy who will protect Buffalo's passer of the future — not to mention RB C.J. Spiller — while replacing departed G Andy Levitre.
April 24 – Jason LaCanfora, CBS SportsNo. 8 – QB Ryan Nassib, SyracuseAnalysis: Buddy Nix is dying to take a quarterback, he's been talking about it seemingly for years. He has never hid it and still badly needs one. And Nassib played for his coach, Doug Marrone, in college and is very much in play here. Geno Smith makes a ton of sense as well, but I believe there is fire to the Nassib smoke, and we all know quarterbacks get pushed up more than any other position, for better or for worse.
April 24 – Clark Judge, CBS Sports**No. 8 – G Jonathan Cooper, UNC
**Analysis: I refuse to believe that Ryan Nassib is the choice here. In fact, there's more buzz now about Matt Barkley. So I go with the safe pick.
April 24 – Mike Mayock, NFL NetworkNo. 8 – WR Tavon Austin, West VirginiaAnalysis: The more I thought of Austin and the hole the Bills have at receiver -- with nobody but Stevie Johnson -- the more I said, 'They've got to generate some touches for an explosive playmaker,' and that's who Austin is. Forget 173 pounds. It doesn't matter.
April 25 – Mike Florio, Pro Football TalkNo. 8 – QB Ryan Nassib, Syracuse
April 25 – Mel Kiper, ESPN.comNo. 8 – G Jonathan Cooper, UNCAnalysis: The Bills are really close to having an offensive line they think is good at every position, but the departure of Andy Levitre means that can't happen unless they plug the hole at left guard. In Cooper you get the best guard I've graded in years, a player who can play a Pro Bowl level as a rookie. I know the Ryan Nassib talk persists, but it's simply too early to make that move.
