The Buffalo Bills added a lot of help for their defense in last April’s NFL Draft
The Buffalo Bills took seven defensive players and only two offensive players in last April’s NFL Draft. The early returns are good on this bunch overall. Here is a look at how they did as rookies in 2011:
The Bills took 22-year old DE Marcell Dareus in the 1st round of the NFL Draft last April. He played in 16 games for the Bills last year and he had 43 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 4 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 2 passes defensed. Dareus really started to excel after the Bills switched him back to DT after he started the season at DE.
21-year old CB Aaron Williams came to the Bills in the 2nd round. He played in 9 games for the Bills last year and he had 32 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception and 5 passes defensed. Williams will likely earn his way into the starting lineup in the near future.
24-year old LB Kevin Sheppard was the Bills’ 3rd round pick last April. He played in 16 games for the Bills last year and he had 70 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass defensed. Sheppard will likely have his P.T. increase in 2012 as he looked pretty solid for the Bills last year.
23-year old safety Da’Norris Searcy was solid as a rookie for the Bills last year. He was picked in the 4th round. Searcy played in all 16 games for the Bills last year and he had 34 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception. He was a very solid #3 safety for the Bills last year, and he could develop into a starter in the very near future.
22-year old OT Chris Hairston was also pitched in the 4th round by the Bills last year. Hairston played in 13 games (7 starts) for the Bills last year and he could be a full time starter in the very near future.
23-year old RB Johnny White was selected in the 5th round by the Bills last April. He played in 12 games for the Bills last year and he carried the ball 12 times for 38 yards (3.2 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for -3 yards. White also had five tackles last year for the Bills. White is pretty far down the Bills’ depth chart at RB.
22-year old LB Chris White came to the Bills in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played in 7 games and he had 8 tackles and 2 forced fumbles. He will likely be back on special teams for the Bills in 2012.
23-year old CB Justin Rogers was a pretty good pickup for the Bills in the 7th round last April. Rogers played in 13 games for the Bills last year and he had 16 tackles, 4 passes defensed and 1 interception. He also returned 13 kickoffs for 373 yards (28.7 avg) last year for the Bills. He has a nice upside.
25-year old DT Michael Jasper came to the Bills in the 7th round. The 6’4″, 394 pound Jasper didn’t get into any games as a rookie last year for the Bills.
GRADE FOR 2011: B+
GRADE FOR THE FUTURE: A
