Each week leading up to the draft the Buffalobills.com will share mock drafts from local and national NFL reporters in this feature - Mock Draft Watch.
However, media are not the only ones who can predict the Bills pick in this year's draft. We encourage you, the fans, to participate in the M&T Bank Draft Day Challenge where you can predict who the Bills will pick with their first selection in the 2011 NFL Draft. Fans who correctly guess which player the Bills select first will win an exclusive game day experience for two at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Click here to participate in the challenge.
Here's a rundown of this week's mock drafts …
Friday, April 22 - Cris Collinsworth, Football Pros
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Collinsworth's take: Best player in the draft. Bills are extremely fortunate to get him with the 3rd pick.
Friday, April 22 - Pro Football Weekly
Special notes: Bills selection made by Chuck Pollack from Olean Times Herald
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Pollack's take: The Bills still have a desperate need for a pass rusher. Miller can play either an OLB or DE spot and some think he's the best player in the draft.
Sunday, April 24 - Danny Hobrock, XLog
Special notes: Bills selection made by Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan
#3 DL Marcell Dareus - Alabama
Sullivan's take: When made aware of the remaining prospects, Sullivan promptly just stated one word, "Dareus!"
Sunday, April 24 - Pat Kirwan, NFL.com
Special notes: Three-round mock draft
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Kirwan's take: The Bills can afford to skip a quarterback here because of Ryan Fitzpatrick and take the best player. Miller is a hybrid DE/OLB who can be very productive in any scheme.
#34 - QB Christian Ponder - Florida State
#68 - OL Joseph Barksdale - LSU
Monday, April 25 - Chad Reuter, CBS Sports
#3 QB Blaine Gabbert - Missouri
Reuter's take: Gabbert has the athleticism, arm strength and football intelligence to succeed at the next level. The Bills hope he can be the face of the franchise as Matt Ryan became when the Falcons selected him with the third overall selection in 2008.
Monday, April 25 - Rob Rang, CBS Sports
#3 QB Blaine Gabbert - Missouri
Rang's take: Just as the Panthers will ultimately decide to select Newton No. 1 because they need a franchise quarterback to compete in the NFC South, expect Buffalo to arrive at the same conclusion as a member of the highly competitive AFC East. The Bills received solid play from veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick last year, but are in perfect position to draft another intelligent passer with great physical tools in Gabbert. With his arm and athleticism, Gabbert is an ideal fit in Chan Gailey's offense.
Monday, April 25 - Tim Graham, ESPN.com
Special notes: Tim Graham selected for the Bills and the other AFC East teams
#3 QB Blaine Gabbert - Missouri
Graham's take: The Bills have a great opportunity to land a potential franchise quarterback and don't plan on drafting in this territory again. GM Buddy Nix repeatedly has said the presence of Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starter means it's the perfect time to draft a quarterback and let him grow.
Monday, April 25 - Sporting News Correspondents
Special notes: Buffalo News reporter Allen Wilson made selection for Buffalo
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Wilson's take: Blaine Gabbert will get strong consideration, but defense is the biggest problem on this team. Only three clubs had fewer sacks than the Bills last season. Because they can't assume Shawne Merriman will bounce back from three injury-plagued seasons, taking the draft's best natural pass rusher makes sense.
Monday, April 25 - Doug Farrar, Yahoo Sports
#3 QB Cam Newton - Auburn
Farrar's take: Bills head coach Chan Gailey has a history of success with option quarterbacks that dates back to his work with Kordell Stewart in the mid-1990s. In 2008, as the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs, he took backup Tyler Thigpen(notes) and started running the pistol offense with surprising success. Newton has just one full season as a starter in any major college offense, and hooking up with Gailey would be his best bet for short- and long-term success.
Monday, April 25 - Adam Warwas, NFL Gridiron Gab)
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Warwas' take: I would hate to be Buffalo right now. There they are having to choose between Von Miller, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, and Blaine Gabbert. That is certainly not an easy choice. Miller is a splashy pick, however, and should be versatile enough to excel in whatever type of defense Buffalo chooses moving forward.
RESEARCH ROUND-UP
The Buffalo Bills media relations department has charted 140 mock drafts dating back to April 27, 2010. Below is a list of the players most selected for the Bills …
37 - Von Miller
26 - Cam Newton
24 - Marcell Dareus
23 - Blaine Gabbert
8 - Da'Quan Bowers
7 - Patrick Peterson
4 - Nick Fairley
4 - Other
2 - Cameron Jordan
2 - Ryan Mallett
2 - Robert Quinn
1 - A.J. Green
LB Von Miller led the week by being selected in five of 10 mock drafts.
