BOB’S GRADE FOR BUFFALO BILLS DRAFT: A CONSERVATIVE B+
The only reason I can’t give the Buffalo Bills a grade of at least A-minus for the 2017 NFL college draft is that they did not land the instant impact immediate starter that the No. 10 overall pick often turns out to be.
Trading down to No. 27 for extra picks – including Kansas City’s first-round pick in the 2018 draft – might prove to be a master stroke. But it would be premature to project so much at this point.
Beat-case scenario for Buffalo’s six picks in this drafts:
Three instant starters at positions that needed help: cornerback Tre’Davious White, wide receiver Zay Jones and right tackle Dion Dawkins.
The Bills needed more speed at linebacker and help on special teams: Matt Milano and Tanner Vallejo figure to fill those bills.
Quarterback Nathan Peterman is a worthwhile gamble. Some scouts view him as a late bloomer with starter potential in two of three years. He could beat out Cardale Jones for a roster spot.
The bonus, of course, is the 2018 first-round pick from Kansas City. That player could be another instant starter.
HOPING ZAY JONES IS ANOTHER PIERRE GARCON
When it became obvious that the Bills were not using their first-round pick on a wide receiver (after the top three went early), I was hoping they had Zay Jones on their radar. Sure, he played at East Carolina against relatively soft competition, but he has decent speed and size (6-1, 201 and is willing to go over the middle to make a catch. He reminds me of another WR from a small school who is one of my favorite NFL players --Pierre Garson from Mt. Union. Both had awesome college statistics:
Freshman – 62 catches for 604 yards and 5 TDs
Sophomore – 81 catches for 830 yards and 5 TDs
Junior – 98 catches for 1,099 yards and 5 TDs
Senior – 158 catches for 1,746 yards and 8 TDs
Set NCAA records for receptions in a career (399) and in a season (158).
The major knock: he doesn’t have “top-end” speed.
I’d be surprised if he isn’t Buffalo’s No. 2 wide receiver and a productive compliment to Sammy Watkins.
MEL KIPER JR. LOVED BUFFALO’S DRAFT
I didn’t give the Bills a top grade for the 2017 college draft, but ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. gave Buffalo an A-minus and couldn’t have been more complimentary.
Kiper rated cornerback Tre’Davious White (selected No. 27 overall by Buffalo) above quarterback Patrick Mahomes (the player selected with the No. 10 overall pick by Kansas City obtained in the trade with the Bills). He thinks Zay Jones could outproduce departed free agent Robert Woods, Dion Dawkins was the second-best offensive guard on his board and Nathan Peterman “could be the pick of the day in a few years.”
Veteran Chicago-based NFL scouting guru Greg Gabriel tweeted, “Peterman will became a starting QB for Buffalo. He’s this year’s Kirk Cousins.”
It is refreshing to hear and read so many good things regarding a Buffalo Bills draft.
CHAD KELLY BATTLING HISTORY AS “MR. IRRELEVANT”
The Denver Broncos made former Mississippi quarterback Chad Kelly, Jim Kelly’s nephew, the 253rd – and last – pick in the 2017 NFL college draft.
Some critics thought Chad could use a dose of humility, and carrying the tag “Mr. Irrelevant” might do the trick.
Injuries and a few off-field incidents caused Kelly to plunge in the draft but many NFL talent evaluators believe he has the talent to overcome the “Mr. Irrelevant” jinx.
“Mr. Irrelevant” began in 1976 when a clever fan came up with the idea to “honor” the last player selected in the draft.
The few productive NFL players on the “Mr. Irrelevant” list include Chicago Bears DB Mike Green (2000 to 2008) and kicker Ryan Succop. The four quarterbacks on the list never threw a pass in the NFL – Randy Essington (1984), Larry Wanke (1991), Ronnie Mc Ada (1997) and Chandler Harnish (2012).
STEVE NELSON NOMINATES “BIG BABY” AS NEXT FOR ANTHONY JOSHUA
It was billed as the biggest heavyweight boxing title fight since Lennox Lewis KO’d Mike Tyson in 2002 and Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko did not disappoint Saturday night before a crowd of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium in London and a worldwide TV audience.
Klitschko, 41 and a slight underdog, knocked down the 27-yrar-old Joshua in the sixth round but couldn’t finish him off. Joshua rallied to win via TKO in the 11th round to boost his record to 19-0 (all knockouts). Klitschko is 64-5, with 54 knockouts.
So who is the next opponent for undisputed heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua? There was a rematch clause with Klitschko but the Ukranian “Dr. Steelhammer” might not want it. Tyson Fury (25-0 with 18 Kos) is an obvious candidate.
Rochester manager Steve Nelson, who helped to promote former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, and is part of the camp for Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, wasted no time in suggesting that Miller would be a worthy opponent for Joshua.
Miller is 18-0-1 and his last fight was a victory over Fred Kassel at Frontier Field August 19, 2016. Joshua would be a huge step up in class. “Big Baby” is 6-foot-4 and weighs between 270 and 300-plus, so he wouldn’t be intimidated by Joshua’s size (6-foot-6, 250-plus).
KNIGHTHAWKS LIKELY TO BOUNCE BACK NEXT SEASON
A rare rebuilding season for the National League Lacrosse Rochester Knighthawks ended on a high note with a 9-8 road win Saturday night over the East Division champion Georgia Swarm (ended the regular season with a NLL-best13-5 record).
The Swarm eliminated Rochester from playoff contention with a 13-10 victory Friday night before 6,221 fans at Blue Cross Arena at the Wat Memorial.
The Knighthawks finished the season with a 7-11 record (only the 6-12 Buffalo Bandits were worse), with a league-fewest 9.72 goals per game, a league-worst minus-34 goal differential (including outscored 63-32 in the second period) and the league’s worst power play (31-for-77; 40.26 percent). Team-leading scorer Joe Resetarits ranked 28th in the league in scoring.
The most encouraging notes: Rochester had the third-best defense (11.61 goals against per game), Knighthawks ranked second, fourth and eighth among NLL rookies), the team’s best player – Cody Jamieson – is expected to return healthy next season, Matt Vinc still is a top goalie and Rochester has three first-round picks in September’s 2017 NLL draft.
Five-time NLL champion Rochester has missed the playoffs only four times in its 23-year history, including the last two seasons. Another plus for Knighthawks fans is that owner/GM Curt Styres genuinely hates to lose.
TOP EFFORT BY THE RHINOS ...WHERE WERE THE FANS?
Except for Opening Day on a decent weather afternoon for the baseball Red Wings, all of Rochester’s outdoor pro teams struggle at the gate before the weather warms up and the school year ends.
That was apparent Saturday as the Rhinos played their best match of the season – a 4-0 romp over the Charlotte Independence – at Capelli Sport Stadium. Rochester improved to 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss through five games and even perfectionist coach Bob Lilley was satisfied with his team’s 90-minute effort.
The only downer was the reported attendance of 1,941.
The Rhinos play at Saint Louis Fc this Saturday evening. The roster for St. Louis includes former Rochester mainstays Tony Walls, Christian Volesky and Adam Gwinris.
SHORT-HANDED RATTLERS LOSE OPENER AT FLORIDA LAUNCH
The Rochester Rattlers opened their 2017 Major Lacrosse League season Saturday with a 12-10 loss at the Florida Launch in DeLand, Florida.
The Rattlers were minus star goalkeeper John Galloway (coaching his Jacksonville University Dolphins to a 17-11 victory over Bellarmime) and scoring star Dhane Smith (injured).
The best news for the Rattlers was the return of Jordan Wolf from last year’s season-ending injury. Wolf and Kyle Denhoff each had four goals. Kris Alleyne, in his pro debut, had 15 saves. Drew Simoneau won 20 of 26 faceoffs.
Florida (1-1 record) had the advantage of having played the week before. The Rattlers were the only idle team in the MLL’s opening Saturday.
The Rattlers play at the Ohio Machine (minus recently-retired all-time MLS scorer and former Rattlers/Knighthawks superstar John Grant Jr.) Saturday, 7 p.m.
Rochester’s home opener will be Thursday, May 11, 7:30 p.m., at Capelli Sport Stadium.
WNY FLASH GET THEIR RINGS, THEN HELP POST A WIN FOR 3-0 NC COURAGE
It was a scene that would’ve made loyal fans of the WNY Flash cry. Before Saturday afternoon’s North Carolina Courage home game against the Orlando Pride, the Courage players who were members of last season’s Flash received their 2016 National Women’s Soccer League championship rings. Lynn Williams received her league MVP and Golden Boot trophies.
Williams and fellow Flash mainstays Jessica McDonald and Samantha Mewis then scored goals as the NWSL top-ranked Courage boosted their record to 3-0 before a crowd of 4,586 at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. North Carolina has outscored opponents 5-1.
TOUGH WEEKEND FOR THE SYNDERGAARDS
Syndergaard the race horse was named in honor of New York Mets star pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
Syndergaard just a few months ago was touted as a probable Kentucky Derby starter and as a potential National League Cy Young Award contender.
Syndergaard the horse won’t be running in this Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, but he was the 1-to-5 favorite to win the $100,000 William Walker Stakes at opening night Saturday at Churchill Downs. He was victim of a foul on the backstretch, almost went down and was stopped badly. The horse that bothered him was disqualified from second but Syndergaard was moved up from fifth to fourth.
Sunday afternoon, Syndergaard the pitcher gave up five runs in the first inning against Washington and was removed from the game with an injury in the second inning of a 23-5 loss. He was due for an MRI Monday.
BASEBALL STATS AND FACTS
Washington third baseman entered Sunday with a .226 batting average (19-for-94), with 0 HRs and 5 RBI in 22 games. On Sunday, he was 6-for-6, with 3 HRs and 10 RBI in a 23-5 home romp over the New York Mets.
The Rochester Red Wings finished April with a 12-9 record. They had 21 HRs, the team’s most in April since hooking up with the Minnesota Twins in 2003. They’ve outscored opponents 99-73 and have a third-best 3.08 ERA in the 14-team International League.
Second baseman Chris Bostick (Aquinas Institute product) has a 13-game hitting streak for the International League Indianapolis Indians. He’s 21-for-54 (.389) over that span to raise his batting average to .333.
If you root for 2016 Red Wings slugger/whiffer Adam Brett Walker, here’s his 2017 update: with Triple-A Gwinnett (10 games) -- .128 batting average (5-for-39); 3 doubles; 1 HR; 4 RBI; 16 strikeouts...since his demotion to Double-A Mississippi (8 games) -- .138 batting average (4-for-29); 3 HRs; 8 RB I; 11 strikeouts.
SHORT SHOTS
NHL Stanley Cup playoffs update: Home teams 23-29...262 goals in 52 games (up to 5.04 per game)...19 overtime games... 7 shutouts...margins of victory: one goal 34 times; two goals 11 times; three goals 4 times; four goals 1 time; five goals one time; seven goals one time.
”This season’s National Lacrosse League average attendance: Buffalo 15,148 (including 18,417 for a 19-15 loss to Toronto in a meaningless game Saturday night)...Saskatchewan 14,921...Colorado 14,458...Calgary 11,622...Toronto 9,623...Rochester 6,755...New England 5,402...Georgia 3,950...Vancouver 3,206...League average: 9,454....Home teams had a 45-36 record in the regular season. The Knighthawks were 4-5 home and 3-6 on the road.
Buffalo Bandits veteran Mark Steenhuis on Saturday night became the ninth plater to join the NLL 1,000-Point Club. Six of the previous club members played at least a portion of their career with the Rochester Knighthawks: John Grant Jr. (2nd), Josh Sanderson (4th), Dan Dawson (5th), Gary Gait (6th), Shawn Williams (7th) and Shawn Evans (8th).
Syracuse U. star wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo, not picked in the 2017 NFL draft, reportedly will sign as a free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Head Doug Marrone and executive vice-president football operations Tom Coughlin have strong SU ties.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Monday, May 1 – William Nylander (21)...Marcus Stroman (26)...Scooter Gennett (27)...Patrick Eaves (33)...Wes Welker (36)...Tom Brady (40)...Curtis Martin (44)...Corey Fuller (46)...Alex Van Pelt (47)...Billy Owens (48)...Bryan Marchment (48)...Gary Clark (55)...Steve Cauthen (56)...Clint Malarchuki (56)...Rick Darling (60)...Jim Lorentz (70). Tim McGraw (50) can sing Happy Birthday.
Tuesday, May 2 – Jonathan Villar (26)...Paul George (27)...Kyle Bush (32)...Jarrod Saltalamacchia (32)...Thabo Sefolosha (33)...Brad Richards (37)..Troy Murphy (37)...David Beckham (42)...Dwayne “Rock” Johnson (45)...Dee Hardison (61)...Jamaal Wilkes (64). Engelbert Humpertdinck (81) can sing Happy Birthday.