Bills general manager Doug Whaley had an excellent first round. He acquired more picks from No. 10 and was still able to find a starting cornerback while dropping all the way back to No. 27. Tre'Davious White isn't a super athlete, but that's his only knock. He can play anywhere and can fit in any style. And he'll come up against the run.
Grade: A
27. Buffalo Bills (from Kansas City Chiefs): CB Tre'Davious White, LSU
After losing Stephon Gilmore to the Patriots in free agency, the Bills came into this draft with a major need at cornerback. They addressed that by grabbing White, who should be a day-one starter, and they picked up an extra 2017 third-rounder and a 2018 first-rounder in the process by trading back in a deal with Kansas City. White is a versatile and talented cover corner who can play both on the outside and in the slot.
Fit: A
Value: A
A long wait for the Bills after trading away pick No. 10, but it would have been hard to screw this up too badly at No. 27, with Buffalo now holding Kansas City's picks at 91 and in the first round next year. And this definitely is not a miss. White may not wholly replace the departed Stephon Gilmore, but without question he should help the Bills navigate past that difficult free-agent loss. White's a rangy corner who can match up with receivers both outside and in the slot—a nice piece for new coach Sean McDermott.
Grade: A
Day 1 grade: A
The skinny: Instead of taking Patrick Mahomes as the quarterback of the future, they moved down 17 spots, allowing Kansas City to make the pick. They received a third-round pick this year and a future first-rounder for the move down. Buffalo selected a good corner in White with the 27th pick to take over for Stephon Gilmore, meeting a dire need. Well done.
Bills select: Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
They had to get a corner and they got one of the best ones in the draft. I like getting him after the trade down.
Grade: B
Round 1, pick No. 27: Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
Desperately needing a cornerback, the Bills banked on the depth of the class by bypassing the chance at the draft's best in Lattimore at pick No. 10 and trading back 17 spots with the Chiefs. The strategy worked to perfection, as they were able to accumulate an extra third-round pick for tomorrow and Kansas City's 2018 first-round pick, and still lock in one of our favorite corners in the class. After giving up six touchdowns and a QB rating-against of 114.4 in 2015, White was outstanding in 2016. He cut his touchdowns-against total in half, and tallied 14 pass breakups while lowering his QB rating-against to 61.0. He is capable of playing outside or in the slot, and should be a solid replacement for Stephon Gilmore, who signed with the Patriots in free agency.
Buffalo Bills: B
No. 27 Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
Buffalo picked up a third-round selection in this draft and a first-rounder next year from the Chiefs to move down, and still ended up with a solid cornerback prospect in White.
More moves I liked:
Buffalo got a third-round pick this year and a 2018 first-rounder in a trade with Kansas City. The Bills had the fewest picks in the draft (six, tied with Atlanta), so they desperately needed some draft capital. At No. 27, they picked up Tre'Davious White, a veteran corner who could replace Stephon Gilmore.
27: Tre'Davious White Will Help Bills' Defense and Return Teams
Tre'Davious White,Cornerback, Louisiana State
His athleticism and instincts make him seem like an elite prospect at cornerback, but his small frame, below-average tackling, and reputation for playing soft count against him. Even if he does not appear to be an every-down corner, because his run support is lacking, he can be an asset in man coverage and is fast enough to be a strong special-teams performer.
How he fits:The Bills moved into this spot after trading the No. 10 pick to the Chiefs for a package of draft picks. Looking for a new identity after firing Rex Ryan, the Bills have needs at cornerback, wide receiver and linebacker, They got a solid cornerback prospect at the end of the first round, with some caveats about his size and toughness.
