Woof… it’s hard to get behind this 2023 NFL draft mock.
Pro Football Focus released their latest projection for the upcoming rookie event. The football analytics outlet might have gotten too fancy this time.
At the No. 27 selection, the Buffalo Bills do land a playmaker, but not the type you’d expect at all.
PFF sends the Bills South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.
Yes, a corner.
For several reasons, it’s a head-scratching choice.
Before diving into that, we’ll let PFF make their case first:
Cam Smith has first-round talent at cornerback and trails only his teammate Darius Rush in forced incompletion rate over the past two seasons in this draft class (26.5%). He allowed just a 55.4 passer rating into his coverage over that span, a fraction above Devon Witherspoon (55.1).
Now to pick this apart.
One year after Buffalo took Kaiir Elam with their first-round selection, there’s little chance the same position is going to be addressed again. Certainly not with another first rounder.
That’s no disrespect to Smith, that’s just how the NFL goes. Teams need to spread out talent.
Not only is Elam in the fold as well, Tre’Davious White will hopefully be even healthier following his return from knee surgery. Plus, there’s Christian Benford and Dane Jackson, who re-signed this offseason, still in the fold.
Then there’s the rest of the way this one-round mock plays out.
After Buffalo’s selection at No. 27 is made, the likes of tight end Michael Mayer (Bengals), pass rusher Myles Murphy (Saints) and even linebacker Jack Campbell (Eagles), are all taken.
Considering the loss of Tremaine Edmunds to the Chicago Bears this offseason, it would be stunning to see the Bills go cornerback over the draft’s potential top linebacker.
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