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 …
Tuesday, April 26 - Peter Schrager, FOX Sports
Special notes: Seven rounds
#3 DL Marcell Dareus - Alabama
Schrager's take: The Buffalo defense gave up 169 rushing yards per game last season, worst in the league by a large margin. Dareus fits Buffalo's scheme perfectly. He can play as one of the two-gap defensive tackles, or as either the defensive end or nose tackle in the 3-4. As for quarterback, look for coach Chan Gailey and GM Buddy Nix to go that route in the second round.
No. 34 - QB Colin Kaepernick; No. 68 - LB Dontay Moch; No. 100 - OL Marcus Gilbert; No. 122 - S Deunta Williams; No. 133 - LB Brian Rolle; No. 169 - LB Mario Harvey; No. 206 - TE Rob Housler; No. 247 - S Dom DiCecco
Wednesday, April 27 - USA Today writers)
Jarrett Bell: Von Miller - Texas A&M
Jim Corbett: Blaine Gabbert - Missouri
Nate Davis: Von Miller - Texas A&M
Sean Leahy: Blaine Gabbert - Missouri
Wednesday, April 27 - NFL Network/NFL.com Media
Special notes: Rich Eisen made the No. 3 pick for Buffalo
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Eisen's take: I like Ryan Fitzpatrick. Clearly I'm not built for a Super Bowl with him right now, but I'm going to stick with him. I'm going to go defense and with Von Miller.
Wednesday, April 27 - Michael Lombardi, NFL Network
Special notes: Second round only
#34 OL Danny Watkins - Baylor
Lombardi's take: They must improve their offensive line. Danny Watkins gives them versatility and toughness - something you have to have in Buffalo. I know he's 27, but he's similar to Matt Light he can play tackle or you can slide him in(side).
Wednesday, April 27 - Wes Bunting, National Football Post
Special notes: Three-round mock draft
#3 LB Von Miller, # 34 QB Colin Kaepernick, #68 OL Marcus Gilbert
Wednesday, April 27 - Evan Silva, Pro Football Talk
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Wednesday, April 27 - Don Banks, SI.com
#3 QB Blaine Gabbert - Missouri
Banks' take: Miller seems to be the consensus choice for the Bills, but I've read quarterback for Buffalo all along, and I'm sticking with my gut. With Ryan Fitzpatrick as their 2011 starter, the Bills have the perfect veteran QB on hand to groom a young quarterback who would benefit from a year's worth of learning how to play the position in the NFL. For all the same reasons the Panthers believe they have to go quarterback, Gabbert is the pick in Buffalo
Wednesday, April 27 - Dan Bilicki, Toronto Sun
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Bilicki's take: Signs are pointing to the Bills grabbing whoever is left out of this top three (Newton and Dareus were first two picks in this mock draft).
Wednesday, April 27 - Mike Mayock, NFL Network
#3 DL Marcell Dareus - Alabama
Mayock's take: With everyone thinking Miller would go to Buffalo, what are the Bills going to do? They go Dareus, a scheme-diverse guy who can play all three spots in the 3-4 front. My favorite player in the draft.
Thursday, April 28 - Mark Gaughan, Buffalo News
#3 DL Marcell Dareus - Alabama
Gaughan's take: The belief is the top two on the Bills' board are Newton and Marcell Dareus. If Carolina does not take Newton, General Manager Buddy Nix would be hard-pressed to pass him up. Dareus instantly would make everyone on the Bills' defense better. Is there anyone unaware the Bills ranked 32nd in run defense? If Newton and Dareus go 1-2, the decision gets cloudier. Is it Texas A&M's Miller or Missouri's Blaine Gabbert? Close call. Our sources say Gabbert is very much in the mix. The fact Florida State QB Christian Ponder might not last to No. 34 plays into the decision as well.
Thursday, April 28 - Chris Brown, Buffalobills.com
#3 DL Marcell Dareus - Alabama
Brown's take: The Bills can address their 32nd ranked run defense with the most complete defensive lineman in the class.
Thursday, April 28 - Rick Gosselin, Dallas Morning News
#3 DL Marcell Dareus - Alabama
Gosselin's take: The Bills finished last in the NFL in run defense in 2010. They need some bigger, nastier players to line up against the AFC East. He's the best run defender in the draft. He also brings an attitude.
Thursday, April 28 - Mel Kiper, ESPN.com
#3 DL Marcell Dareus - Alabama
Kiper's take: There are several guys Buffalo could take here to bolster its defense, but Dareus makes a lot of sense. A scheme-versatile player who can be a disruptive, penetrating force as an interior lineman, or a fantastic pass-rusher as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, he's a safe pick. He doesn't have remarkable quickness, but his agility and versatility at a full 319 pounds is the stuff of an elite lineman. Saying that a guy is the top defensive lineman drafted in this class is to say a lot.
Thursday, April 28 - Doug Farrar, Shutdown Corner (Yahoo Sports)
#3 DL Marcell Dareus - Alabama
Farrar's take: Newton probably gets some very serious consideration, as he would be an amazing (possibly franchise-transforming) fit with Chan Gailey's offensive concepts. But Ryan Fitzpatrick(notes) is a good enough spackle quarterback in the short term, and Buffalo's defensive front is a hot mess. Dareus, with his ability to play well just about anywhere along a defensive front, will be a team cornerstone for years to come.
Thursday, April 28 - Jim Lang, Sportsnet.ca
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Lang's take: Bills GM Buddy Nix calls Miller the kind of impact defensive player that only comes around every 10 to 15 years. The Bills are desperate for a player that can get after the quarterback. Miller is a very safe pick for the Bills.
Thursday, April 28 - Brad Gagnon, Goal-line Stand (Score)&utm_content=FeedBurner)
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Gagnon's take: This pick is obvious unless Miller is off the board. They'll be tempted to take Newton or Blaine Gabbert, but they'd be better off selecting a quarterback at the start of Round 2. (Based on what I have going down in this mock, it'd Colin Kaepernick or Ricky Stanzi).
Thursday, April 28 - Sean Tomlinson, Goal-line Stand (Score))
#3 LB Von Miller - Texas A&M
Tomlinson's take: Sticking with my early theme of replication-because that's exciting-Miller stays in Buffalo. The pass rush is far too weak, and Miller is far too strong.
RESEARCH ROUND-UP
The Buffalo Bills media relations department has charted 160 mock drafts dating back to April 27, 2010. Below is a list of the players most selected for the Bills …
47 - Von Miller
30 - Marcell Dareus
26 - Cam Newton
26 - Blaine Gabbert
8 - Da'Quan Bowers
7 - Patrick Peterson
4 - Nick Fairley
5 - Other
2 - Cameron Jordan
2 - Ryan Mallett
2 - Robert Quinn
1 - A.J. Green
Von Miller led the week by being selected in nine of 19 mock drafts.
Marcell Dareus was picked in seven. Blaine Gabbert in three.
