25 replies to this topic

[Joe_the_6_pack]

I'd rank them ...

#1 1985: Bruce Smith (all time leading sack leader), Derrick Burroughs (excellent corner up until career ending injury), Frank Reich (terrific backup QB who was instrumental to their success and who would have started for other teams) and Andre Reed (4th round steal)
#2 1983: mostly because of Jim Kelly, but also picked up Talley
#3 2001: Hit on all first 5 picks with good to excellent starters Clements, Schobel, Henry, Ron Edwards and Jennings.

Here's the history: http://www.nfl.com/d...=0610&type=team

Be curious what others think.

Edited by Joe_the_6_pack, 30 January 2013 - 04:43 AM.

[ganesh]

That 2001 was a really good draft and also was a "need" based draft.  We needed a RB, needed a DE, needed a DT and an LT and we got good ones for all of them.

[nucci]

'87 was regarded as a good draft.

[CSBill]

Hard for me to put the 2001 draft up there, what did they produce? one, winning season, and certainly no play-offs. Drafts, like teams, are ultimately measure by results, and "results" in the NFL is winning; specifically, winning play-off games.

Thus, I will go with the 1985 gang, they may have won more than any Bills group ever--and all those mentioned where big contributors.

[Dibs]

2013

[JPS]

nucci, on 30 January 2013 - 04:58 AM, said:

'87 was regarded as a good draft.

The 87 draft put us in 4 Superbowls. Conlon, Odomes, Ballard, Mckellar, Seals, Mueller.

Then the Bills traded for Biscuit out of the same draft class. No other draft even with out Bennett is even close.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

2009 would actually be a great candidate if only we had done the obvious thing in taking Orakpo instead of Maybin.  The next 3 picks were Wood, Byrd and Levitre.

[peterpan]

SageAgainstTheMachine, on 30 January 2013 - 08:51 AM, said:

2009 would actually be a great candidate if only we had done the obvious thing in taking Orakpo instead of Maybin.  The next 3 picks were Wood, Byrd and Levitre.

D ont remind me of that stooopid Maybin pick !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! gRAhhhhhhh!!!

[T master]

I would say seeing as there is 1 HOF player, 1 HOF candidate, & 1 history making back up QB that the 85 draft was by far the best !

Sure you had Jimbo in the other but he jerked our chain for a couple of years & he was the only HOF player in that draft although Talley was a core player for years he's not HOF yet
, time will tell ...

[Bills Fan since '64]

OJ and James Harris in 1969.  But in typical Bills fashion, after taking OJ in the first round, in the second round they took... a RB

[Preston Ridlehuber]

PrestonRidlehuber, on 30 January 2013 - 10:12 AM, said:

OJ and James Harris in 1969.  But in typical Bills fashion, after taking OJ in the first round, in the second round they took... a RB

Nice name.

But how is not the 1979 draft up for discussion?

Tom Cousineau whi ends up as Jim Kelly
Jerry Butler
Fred Smerlas
Jim Haslett
Jeff Nixon
Ken "baby" Johnson
even
Rod Kush and Jon Borchardt were more then serviceable

[JR in Pittsburgh]

ganesh, on 30 January 2013 - 04:39 AM, said:

That 2001 was a really good draft and also was a "need" based draft.  We needed a RB, needed a DE, needed a DT and an LT and we got good ones for all of them.

Notably, that was the year we traded down in the 1st round.

Unless you are drafting a QB, I have no idea why you wouldn't look to trade down. At the mid-low part of the 1st, you can usually just about every year get a top-3 CB, the best interior o-lineman, the best TE, and some great value at LB.

[Triple Threat]

Dibs, on 30 January 2013 - 07:21 AM, said:

2013

I don't think it's really fair to say that because we haven't drafted yet.

[MOVALLEYRANDY]

JPS, on 30 January 2013 - 07:46 AM, said:

The 87 draft put us in 4 Superbowls. Conlon, Odomes, Ballard, Mckellar, Seals, Mueller.

Then the Bills traded for Biscuit out of the same draft class. No other draft even with out Bennett is even close.

87' followed by 79'

[San Jose Bills Fan]

JPS, on 30 January 2013 - 07:46 AM, said:

The 87 draft put us in 4 Superbowls. Conlon, Odomes, Ballard, Mckellar, Seals, Mueller.

Then the Bills traded for Biscuit out of the same draft class. No other draft even with out Bennett is even close.

It's important to note however that '87 was a 12 round draft as were all the drafts until 1992.

Preston Ridlehuber, on 30 January 2013 - 01:53 PM, said:

Nice name.

But how is not the 1979 draft up for discussion?

Tom Cousineau whi ends up as Jim Kelly
Jerry Butler
Fred Smerlas
Jim Haslett
Jeff Nixon
Ken "baby" Johnson
even
Rod Kush and Jon Borchardt were more then serviceable

Definitely an excellent draft.

[JPS]

San Jose Bills Fan, on 30 January 2013 - 04:05 PM, said:

It's important to note however that '87 was a 12 round draft as were all the drafts until 1992.



Definitely an excellent draft.

A 12 round draft was a huge advantage for a GM who knew what he was doing. Yeah, 79' was very good as well.  And even though Cousineau flamed out, we did trade him for some picks.  Only Cleveland (I think) go screwed by Cousineau.

[Pete]

1979 Buffalo Bills Draft
Round Overall Player Position Birthdate College 1 1 Tom Cousineau LB 05/06/1957 Ohio State 1 5 Jerry Butler WR 10/12/1957 Clemson 2 32 Fred Smerlas DT 04/08/1957 Boston College 2 51 Jim Haslett LB 12/09/1955 Indiana (PA) 3 62 Jon Borchardt OG 08/13/1957 Montana State 4 83 Ken Johnson DE 03/25/1955 Knoxville 4 87 Jeff Nixon DB 10/13/1956 Richmond 5 114 Rod Kush DB 12/29/1956 Nebraska-Omaha 5 116 Dan Manucci QB 09/03/1957 Kansas State
Not bad. Especially when we parlayed Cousineau into Jim Kelly

[LittleJoeCartwright]

Joe_the_6_pack, on 30 January 2013 - 04:37 AM, said:

I'd rank them ...

#1 1985: Bruce Smith (all time leading sack leader), Derrick Burroughs (excellent corner up until career ending injury), Frank Reich (terrific backup QB who was instrumental to their success and who would have started for other teams) and Andre Reed (4th round steal)
#2 1983: mostly because of Jim Kelly, but also picked up Talley
#3 2001: Hit on all first 5 picks with good to excellent starters Clements, Schobel, Henry, Ron Edwards and Jennings.

Here's the history: http://www.nfl.com/d...=0610&type=team

Be curious what others think.

You forgot about TE Tony Hunter in '83.  Oh, wait.

[auburnbillsbacker]

I must be missing something.  Isn't the 1983 draft the best in bill's history?  That draft gave the bills the franchise QB who led them to 4 consecutive super bowls.

Edited by auburnbillsbacker, 01 February 2013 - 09:20 AM.

[Pete]

over 6000 views for worst bills draft thread, but best Bills draft gets buried.  Very telling