Buffalo Bills It's the Off-Season. Go.

[Jim Bob]

2024 NFL Draft: Oregon's Troy Franklin is more than just a deep threat

Troy Franklin will get labeled as a one-dimensional deep threat, but there is more route-running nuance to his game than that.

www.pff.com

He averaged 3.32 yards per route run last season, which trailed only Marvin Harrison Jr., and Malik Nabers in this draft. His 36 explosive plays also tied for third in the class, this time behind only Nabers and Rome Odunze. In both instances, the only players with better numbers than Franklin are the consensus “big three” receivers in this draft, each of whom is expected to be selected in the top 10 and would be the draft's top receiver in most years.

Franklin also changed the way his quarterback played the game. Bo Nix had an average depth of target just 6.9 yards downfield last season, but when he targeted Franklin, that number almost doubled to 13.0 yards. The average depth of target was 8.0 yards for all other receivers, and none of the others cleared 10.0. This was not a product of position, but a dynamic specific to Franklin.

I wonder if Franklin is a WR that people aren't talking enough about to the Bills given all the talk about explosive plays...

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Husko]

2024 HF Bills Big Board 36

Vote for who you would want the Bills to select.

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Had some more movement on the board as three more names are voted in: Jenkins followed by Worthy and Polk. Wiggins is our final add - it'll be a top 40 list in the end.

New poll: 2024 HF Bills Big Board 36 (Note: only 5 remain: Paul, Pearsall, Kneeland, Wiggins, and Tampa. My plan is for today and tomorrow to be the last two polls to place these last five).

1. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State (88%)
2. Malik Nabers, WR, LSU (83%)
3. Rome Odunze, WR, Washington (100%)
4. Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame (38%)
4. Dallas Turner, DE, Alabama (38%)
6. Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State (40%)
6. Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA (40%)
8. Brian Thomas Junior, WR, LSU (40%)
9. Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon (40%)
9. Jared Verse, DE, Florida State (40%)
11. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia (50%)
12. Cooper Dejean, DB, Iowa (50%)
13. Byron Murphy, DT, Texas (40%)
14. Taliese Fuaga, OL, Oregon (25%)
14. JC Latham, OT, Alabama (25%)
14. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama (25%)
14. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo (25%)
18. Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas (75%)
19. Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois (40%)
20. Ladd McConkey, WR Georgia (50%)
21. Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington (60%)
22. Graham Barton, OL, Duke (100%)
23. Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina (50%)
23. Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State (50%)
25. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia (50%)
26. Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia (50%)
26. Jordan Morgan, OL, Arizona (50%)
26. Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma (50%)
29. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama (67%)
30. Darius Robinson, DE, Missouri (50%)
31. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State (33%)
31. Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon (33%)

33. Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan (75%)
34. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas (50%)
34. Jalynn Polk, WR, Washington (50%)

2024 HF Bills Big Board 36

Vote for who you would want the Bills to select.

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[ValJamesDuex]

If Beane goes for a 2nd round receiver I think it should be Legette.

how do you like McConkey (slightly higher) ?

 

[Rowley Birkin]

2024 HF Bills Big Board 36

Vote for who you would want the Bills to select.

forms.gle

Had some more movement on the board as three more names are voted in: Jenkins followed by Worthy and Polk. Wiggins is our final add - it'll be a top 40 list in the end.

New poll: 2024 HF Bills Big Board 36 (Note: only 5 remain: Paul, Pearsall, Kneeland, Wiggins, and Tampa. My plan is for today and tomorrow to be the last two polls to place these last five).

1. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State (88%)
2. Malik Nabers, WR, LSU (83%)
3. Rome Odunze, WR, Washington (100%)
4. Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame (38%)
4. Dallas Turner, DE, Alabama (38%)
6. Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State (40%)
6. Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA (40%)
8. Brian Thomas Junior, WR, LSU (40%)
9. Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon (40%)
9. Jared Verse, DE, Florida State (40%)
11. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia (50%)
12. Cooper Dejean, DB, Iowa (50%)
13. Byron Murphy, DT, Texas (40%)
14. Taliese Fuaga, OL, Oregon (25%)
14. JC Latham, OT, Alabama (25%)
14. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama (25%)
14. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo (25%)
18. Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas (75%)
19. Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois (40%)
20. Ladd McConkey, WR Georgia (50%)
21. Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington (60%)
22. Graham Barton, OL, Duke (100%)
23. Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina (50%)
23. Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State (50%)
25. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia (50%)
26. Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia (50%)
26. Jordan Morgan, OL, Arizona (50%)
26. Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma (50%)
29. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama (67%)
30. Darius Robinson, DE, Missouri (50%)
31. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State (33%)
31. Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon (33%)

33. Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan (75%)
34. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas (50%)
34. Jalynn Polk, WR, Washington (50%)

2024 HF Bills Big Board 36

Vote for who you would want the Bills to select.

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Appreciate your effort with this, as always. It's a shame we didn't get it a bit further to the point where people are voting guys out of left field but it is what it is.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[buffa dud]

The Texans heard all the fans clamoring for the Oilers' name, brand and threads, and moved in the complete opposite direction. They literally went from passable to the worst in the league.

 

[Husko]

2024 HF Bills Big Board 36

Vote for who you would want the Bills to select.

forms.gle

Reminder to vote for as many as you want! Penultimate poll!

I voted for Wiggins and Pearsall. The value on Paul and Tampa seems really far off, and Kneeland I'm just very out on as a prospect. Wiggins isn't a position of need, but if good value here. Pearsall doesn't wow me as a player, but combines need with decent enough value.

2024 NFL Draft: Oregon's Troy Franklin is more than just a deep threat

Troy Franklin will get labeled as a one-dimensional deep threat, but there is more route-running nuance to his game than that.

www.pff.com

I wonder if Franklin is a WR that people aren't talking enough about to the Bills given all the talk about explosive plays...

Franklin is probably my favorite of the tier 3 WRs. But once you get to that tier (Coleman, Wilson, Pearsall, Worthy, Corley, Leggette, Polk, etc.) they're all guys that have one or more major flaw, it's just about what kind of flaws you're most willing to live with. In all their cases you're probably looking at a #2 moreso than a #1.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

49ers really like McConkey at 31 apparently, would they move up to jump another team (aka Bill's) to take him sooner ?

 

[Selanne00008]

49ers really like McConkey at 31 apparently, would they move up to jump another team (aka Bill's) to take him sooner ?

They like him cause they are trading Aiyuk to the Bills?

jk JK JK

 

[ValJamesDuex]

They like him cause they are trading Aiyuk to the Bills?

jk JK JK

I don't think so, Lynch said they are working on the situation

 

[Ace]

Joe Buscaglia has two guests on his podcast talking trading down and not investing big in WR (as I call them…terrorists). He had a nice little rant about it.

Samuel and Shakir are AT BEST a number 2. Curtis Samuel has proven to be nothing more than a #3 or #4…had more than 700 yards one time…Shakir burst onto the scene last year what is his ceiling? Mack Hollins is turning 31 and has had over 30 TARGETS in a season ONCE. What are we doing here? Kincaid is center of the field centric…they have nothing on the boundaries and their biggest problem was a lack of explosive plays which isn’t Kincaid.

GET EM JOE.

GET EM ALL.


Update: he talked them into trading the farm for Odunze by the end. A hero and a legend.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

So MacAfee asks Beane if there looking at playmakers, and Beane says yah. Ruse or a "Worthy" Easter egg ?

 

[Old Navy Goat]

So MacAfee asks Beane if there looking at playmakers, and Beane says yah. Ruse or a "Worthy" Easter egg ?

That's the equivalent of asking if the grass is green. He's always looking at playmakers, he just didn't delineate at what positions

 

[Fezzy126]

Yeah - re Franklin - his slight build / lack of strength is really what puts you off of him initially. It is a red flag.

But then you watch the plays he makes in conjunction with looking at the stats...

Exactly as you said - he's a guy I'd either trade back from #28 for or trade up from #60 for. It's a similar scenario for all the guys i like in that group.

I do disagree with the bolded - and have even gone further to say that i have exactly the same criticism of many guys in that second tier :

Second tier guys i don't think are different enough from Shakir/Samuel / who i don't see as being effective boundary players :

- McConkey
- Coleman (see him as a big guy who will only ever be effective across the middle)
- Pearsall (maybe)
- Corley
- R Wilson

R3 & below guys who have potential to be better than anyone in the second tier:

- Walker
- McMillan
- Burton (off field issues are keeping him from being ranked higher)
-Baker
-Rice
-J Wilson (ultimate boom / bust type)

Franklin's build/strength actually never bothered me.

My issue was that I didn't think he was a natural hands catcher, he really lets the ball get into his body A LOT on tape. And when you have a QB like Allen that really whips the ball in tight spaces and over the middle, body catchers are going to struggle big time trying to grab some of those passes.

Regarding type of receiver, I try not to delineate too much between boundary vs slot. With jet motions, cheat motions, tight formations, trips alignments, etc, I think the receiver position is more positionless now more than ever before. I'm in the same boat as Matt Harmon, give me a dude that can separate and has good hands and I think a coordinator can put together a good offense. For that reason I'm higher on guys like Wilson, Pearsall, and McConkey.

 

[Jim Bob]

Franklin's build/strength actually never bothered me.

My issue was that I didn't think he was a natural hands catcher, he really lets the ball get into his body A LOT on tape. And when you have a QB like Allen that really whips the ball in tight spaces and over the middle, body catchers are going to struggle big time trying to grab some of those passes.

Regarding type of receiver, I try not to delineate too much between boundary vs slot. With jet motions, cheat motions, tight formations, trips alignments, etc, I think the receiver position is more positionless now more than ever before. I'm in the same boat as Matt Harmon, give me a dude that can separate and has good hands and I think a coordinator can put together a good offense. For that reason I'm higher on guys like Wilson, Pearsall, and McConkey.

Hands and the natural ability to catch a football given that Allen has a howitzer for a right arm and is not the greatest at taking some mustard off of his throws is critical. I think Gabe Davis's issues catching the ball from Allen should have influenced how they are evaluating WRs now.

 

[Jim Bob]

Franklin is probably my favorite of the tier 3 WRs. But once you get to that tier (Coleman, Wilson, Pearsall, Worthy, Corley, Leggette, Polk, etc.) they're all guys that have one or more major flaw, it's just about what kind of flaws you're most willing to live with. In all their cases you're probably looking at a #2 moreso than a #1.

Legette is intriguing to me because of the wide range of opinions. Joe Marino has him as WR4 ahead of BTJ.

And I am really interested in the late in the process smoke about the Bills liking Worthy. As soon as he blistered the 40 at the combine, I wondered what the offense could look like if he turns into a DJax-esque burner on the outside.

 

[truthbluth]

Franklin's build/strength actually never bothered me.

My issue was that I didn't think he was a natural hands catcher, he really lets the ball get into his body A LOT on tape. And when you have a QB like Allen that really whips the ball in tight spaces and over the middle, body catchers are going to struggle big time trying to grab some of those passes.

Regarding type of receiver, I try not to delineate too much between boundary vs slot. With jet motions, cheat motions, tight formations, trips alignments, etc, I think the receiver position is more positionless now more than ever before. I'm in the same boat as Matt Harmon, give me a dude that can separate and has good hands and I think a coordinator can put together a good offense. For that reason I'm higher on guys like Wilson, Pearsall, and McConkey.

Wilson's separation at the senior bowl was noteworthy, but I'm pretty sure the RP profile says he didn't do it that much in games.
Pearsall and McConkey firmly in the conversation for me at 28. I'd add Legette. Those three. If it's not going to happen at 28, I'm skeptical any of those three are around with even a modest trade back.
At 60, I' looking at Javon Baker, Jermaine Burton, Ja'Lynn Polk, Troy Franklin, and yes, Keon Coleman who I believe is worth the risk in the back of the 2nd.

There's a scenario where the Bills pass on WR at 28, and then there's a run, and nobody of valuenis there at 60. That's why, IMO, if the Bills stand pat at 28, they HAVE to draft a WR. Or, they have to plan a trade up in the 2nd.

 

[Jim Bob]

NFL beat writer mock draft 3.0: Three teams shake things up with trades into top 10

Which order will the top quarterbacks go? Who will be the first defensive player taken? Our NFL reporters provide one final mock draft.

theathletic.com

This is the definition of love the player and hate the trade for me.

Getting one guy out of days 1 and 2 of a draft with a huge drop off in talent on day 3 is just brutal to me with the Bills dealing with $50M in dead cap this season and needing as many good young players on cheap rookie deals as possible...

 

[truthbluth]

NFL beat writer mock draft 3.0: Three teams shake things up with trades into top 10

Which order will the top quarterbacks go? Who will be the first defensive player taken? Our NFL reporters provide one final mock draft.

theathletic.com

View attachment 858764

This is the definition of love the player and hate the trade for me.

Getting one guy out of days 1 and 2 of a draft with a huge drop off in talent on day 3 is just brutal to me with the Bills dealing with $50M in dead cap this season and needing as many good young players on cheap rookie deals as possible...

Hard agree. 60 is off the table. That pick is a day one starter. Next year's first is fine, but 60 is a non-starter.

 

[Jim Bob]

Hard agree. 60 is off the table. That pick is a day one starter. Next year's first is fine, but 60 is a non-starter.

3 1st and 2nd round picks and 5 picks total for one WR is no bueno for me despite all the attempts at arguing with me on Twitter that some proponents of this approach have done.

 

[truthbluth]

3 1st and 2nd round picks and 5 picks total for one WR is no bueno for me despite all the attempts at arguing with me on Twitter that some proponents of this approach have done.

That an incredible investment for 5-8 plays per game. (I know that's not exactly fair, drawing coverage etc., but still).

 

[Jim Bob]

NFL Draft prospects I'm higher or lower on than most: Why Drake Maye makes me nervous

Maye and two Georgia prospects are among those who have me scratching my head, while I love a UCLA pass rusher and Clemson cornerback.

theathletic.com

Sione Vaki, S/RB/ST, Utah​

Consensus Big Board rank: None (outside the top 100)

Vaki was a jack of all trades at Utah, and his story has become well known. A safety for most of the season, he was forced — due to injuries elsewhere — to finish the season at running back, but still led the team in defensive snaps.

I’m not sure he is either a safety or a running back, but what I am sure of is this: He is the best special teams player I’ve seen in this draft class. He can run and tackle, he has instincts for finding the ball and he might just have the perfect frame and skill set to be a kick returner under the new rules the NFL took from the XFL. He is fearless, has better football speed than his 40 time (4.62 at the combine, 4.51 at his pro day) and has the lower-body strength to break an arm tackle and hit a crease as a returner.

I don’t know where or how teams will value his skill set, but my guess is not highly enough. As a team builder more than an evaluator, I want this kid on my team, and it’s easy for me to see a pathway for him to be active and contributing on game day.

Vaki is one of those guys that should be no surprise if the Bills take him on day 3 of the draft.

 

[Fezzy126]

That an incredible investment for 5-8 plays per game. (I know that's not exactly fair, drawing coverage etc., but still).

Nope, I think that's a completely fair statement. I would never give up that kind of haul for a non-QB

 

[TehDoak]

Me now seeing the Bills rumored to trade up: