With just a couple weeks to go before the 2016 NFL Draft, it feels like the millions of mock drafts out there are changing daily on who the Bills are going to take with their first couple picks. We have already taken a look at some of the defensive line and wide receivers out there which the Bills could take. Now we’ll take a look at some of the top linebackers who will likely be available, which is a position the Bills desperately need to upgrade.
When it comes to the linebackers in this year’s draft class, the one certainly is Myles Jack will likely be off the board long before the Bills are on the clock. Another linebacker the Bills likely won’t have a shot to take is Leonard Floyd of Georgia, who should be the second linebacker taken in the draft. Because it’s extremely unlikely the Bills won’t have a shot at these two players, we’ll skip taking a look at Jack and Floyd.
Darron Lee: 6-1, 232 lbs – Ohio State
After playing quarterback in high school, there weren’t a lot of people out there who thought Darron Lee would have as much success as he has had in such a short time with Ohio State. As a redshirt freshman in 2014, Lee started all 15 games at linebacker as the Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff.
What stands out most about Lee is even though he has only been playing linebacker for a few years, he is quick to diagnose plays. Lee has loose hips, quick feet, and the agility teams in the NFL are looking for. Where Lee excelled was with his ability to blitz the gap, as he has a knack to get skinny through the holes.
For a linebacker, Lee is a little undersized, so whoever drafts him will likely want to see him add some more muscle to his frame. What his smaller frame, he’ll have to learn how to slip blocks better since he will be at a size disadvantage. Lee will also have to clean up his tackling, as he missed 21 tackles over the past two seasons.
Even though he is a bit smaller than teams would like, Lee is still a tremendous talent. The former quarterback is obviously a quick study, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him correct some of his weaknesses. If the Bills have the chance, they’d be wise to take Lee, who could make some noise as a playmaker in Rex Ryan’s defense.
Reggie Ragland: 6-1, 247 lbs – Alabama
While Lee is more of an outside linebacker/edge rusher, Ragland is your prototypical old school middle linebacker. In college, Ragland didn’t shy away from contact, and was often seen welcoming contact from lead blockers. What helped Ragland become one of the best linebackers in the country were the instincts he has.
It’ll be interesting to see if Ragland can continue to have success in the NFL, especially since the last few years he has the talented Alabama defensive line in front of him. While Ragland loved to take on contact while at Alabama, he might not be able to take on so many blocks against the bigger, faster opposition in the NFL.
If Ragland was a little bit faster it wouldn’t be a surprise to have seen him taken in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft, but he’ll still make the team who takes him very happy since he can quarterback the defense. The instincts and awareness Ragland has make up for some of his limitations and he could be a very solid piece in any team’s defense.
Su’a Cravens: 6-1, 226 lbs – USC
Cravens came to USC as a safety, but eventually the Trojans put Cravens in more of a hybrid linebacker/safety role. Because he played safety more in the past, Cravens has great hands, as evidenced by his nine interceptions over three seasons. While some of the prospects in this list are a little on the passive side, the same isn’t true for Cravens, who loves to make the big play.
In a way Cravens can be looked at a little bit like Darron Lee. Both are a bit undersized for the position, and both are still learning after changing positions. Cravens also doesn’t have the desired length of a prototypical linebacker, which could make it harder for him to get separation at the next level.
Even though Cravens might have some physical limitations, it’s hard to pass on him just because of his instincts and toughness. While it definitely would be a stretch for the Bills to take him in the first round, he could be an option in the second round if Buffalo decides to go in another direction with their first pick.
Kyler Fackrell: 6-5, 245 lbs – Utah State
Fackrell might not have gone to a prestigious program like the three prospects in front of him, but he still was very productive during his time at Utah State. After tearing his ACL in the 2014 season opener, Fackrell rebounded with 82 tackles and 15 tackles for loss in 2015.
What stands out the most about Fackrell is his size. Not only does Fackrell have great length, but his arm extension allows him to control the point of attack. Fackrell might not have had great sack totals in college, but it was more a product of being dropped into coverage more.
With Fackrell’s long frame, when he gets going it can often take a little longer to change directions when it is needed. Also, with most players who have a taller frame, Fackrell tends to play with a high center of gravity, which at times can make it harder for him to play through redirect blocks.
Even though he isn’t quite as well known as some of the other players, Fackrell could be a strong second day pick in the draft because he has versatility on the field, along with great potential as a pass rusher. It would be interesting to see how Ryan and the rest of the defensive coaches could utilize Fackrell’s talents if they ended up taking him.
Scooby Wright: 6-0, 239 lbs – Arizona
If you watched college football in 2014, it felt like Scooby Wright was everywhere. The 163 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and six forced fumbles helped Wright take home the Nagurski, Lombardi, and Bednarik awards. A lot was expected out of Wright in 2015, but knee and wrist injuries limited him to three games. At least Wright closed out his career with a 15 tackle, two sack performance in the New Mexico Bowl.
The comparison heard most for Wright is to former Miami linebacker Zach Thomas. Wright has elite instincts and always seems to flow quickly to the action. In college it was incredible to watch just how Wright was able to time snaps and shoot gaps, which made him dangerous as a blitzer.
Sometimes Wright can get a little too hyped up on the field, which leads him to losing some of his body control. Wright could also benefit by using more bend in his knees and waist to improve his leverage since he tends to play too upright at times.
After seeing what Thomas was able to do against the Bills for years, it certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing for Buffalo to grab a linebacker who compares to the former pro. If the Bills took a flier on Wright in the second day and the linebacker from Arizona can channel his 2014 performance, Buffalo could get a steal.
Jaylon Smith: 6-2, 223 lbs – Notre Dame
As the college football season was winding down, Jaylon Smith was up there with Myles Jack as possibly being the first linebacker taken in the 2016 NFL Draft. Those projections were scrapped when Smith tore his ACL and MCL in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. Because of those injuries, Smith will sit out the 2016 season.
Even with having to wait a year to see him on the field, Smith has everything teams want to see in a linebacker. Smith has the length and quickness to allow him to extend his playmaking radius. Before the knee injury, Smith also had elite speed for the position, which allowed him match the speed of most running backs.
Smith wasn’t without his flaws though, as the main knock on him was he was a bit too passive in his play, preferring to wait a bit for plays to come to him instead of forcing the action. Smith also did rely a bit too much on arm tackles, which led to 11 missed tackles last year.
Obviously any team who drafts Smith will have to wait a year to see results, but if he can return to the form he showed at Notre Dame, Smith will be worth the wait. With how desperate they are for help at linebacker, Buffalo might not be able to afford using one of their second day picks on a guy who won’t play in 2016 at least right now. But, if Buffalo trades down and accumulates some more picks, taking a shot on Smith might definitely become a possibility.
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