Round 3 | Pick No. 86
Nick’s Pick: LB Akeem Davis-Gaither | Appalachian State
Akeem Davis-Gaither could be another steal pick for whoever drafts him. Plenty of his makeup looks like someone Buffalo’s front office would covet, too. The fifth-year redshirt prospect has tons of experience under his belt and Sean McDermott covets that maturity in his rookies. Davis-Gaither is also an athletic linebacker who also has a Bills’ trigger word attached to all his draft profiles: he’s versatile.
He told Draft Wire he hopes to play inside linebacker in the NFL, but with Tremaine Edmunds, that won’t be happening in Buffalo. But the 6-foot-2, 219 pound linebacker is a few pounds off from bulking up to looking more like a Lorenzo Alexander type of defender. Davis-Gaither flashed potential as both a pass rusher and defender. Sound familiar?
But with Zo in mind, his unique skill set was cultivated over a long career which saw him play positions all over the field. In Buffalo, Davis-Gaither, the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year would be another player that could be given time to develop his talents and not need to produce right away.
Justin’s Pick: DE Bradlee Anae | Utah
The Bills brought in Mario Addison to help out at the edge rush. Anae is a pass-rush specialist who recorded 28 sacks over the past three seasons in Utah. He’s a high-motor player with a very good burst off the snap. It’s not elite, but he has the speed to get around the edge. He gets upfield very well, causing problems for opposing tackles.
Anae falls to the third round because there are several elements of his game that need refinement. While he gets after the quarterback, he still needs to develop additional pass rush moves to his arsenal. He could learn a great deal under the tutelage of Jerry Hughes.
Kyle’s Pick: DE Darrell Taylor | Tennessee
Buffalo adds a developmental pass-rusher in the third-round, selecting Darrell Taylor out of Tennessee. The 6-foot-4 defensive end is relatively raw, lacking discipline and a “go-to rush move,” according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. Given his frame and collegiate production, however, he’d be a worthwhile developmental pick at No. 86.
Taylor tallied 19.5 sacks throughout his four years at Tennessee, notching a career-high 8.5 in his senior season. He’d be a rotational pass-rusher in his rookie year, spelling the likes of Hughes and Addison immediately before ultimately taking on a bigger role in the defense.
McKenna’s Pick: DE Alton Robinson | Syracuse
Now that the Bills have addressed their offense, they can shift their focus over to the defense. The most glaring need on the defensive side of the ball is their pass rush. Alton Robinson is an intimidating prospect, standing at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds. While intimidating, he’s still raw (like Taylor), who uses his speed to evade offensive linemen.
The Bills have shown under Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott to take chances on raw, athletic prospects (Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds, Dawson Knox), and Robinson fits that bill. Even though he’s raw he still had a productive three seasons at ‘Cuse, tallying 19.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. The fit in Buffalo would be great for Robinson’s development, he could develop his trade under Addison and Hughes.
Matt’s Pick: DE Khalid Kareem | Notre Dame
As mentioned with my previous pick, D-line are in high demand in the 2020 Draft Class. The Bills would do well to seek one here with their third-round pick, and second of this draft. As we always see in the draft, who knows which talents will fall, and Buffalo could wind up with a steal here.
With Khalid Kareem, you’re getting a solid prospect.He sets the edge very well and has an above-average football IQ. While Kareem probably won’t be a lock-in starter, he’s a good depth pick here, who could find himself a starter in the coming years. Kareem had 108 tackles, 13 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries over the course of his three years at Notre Dame.
Akeem Davis-Gaither is 6’2” modern day prototypical NFL linebacker.
Great speed, can tackle in the open field, can rush the passer, and can cover WRs. He does it all.
He jumps off my projector screen.
Reminds me so much of 49ers’ Kwon Alexander. #GoApp
pic.twitter.com/OGE63TQel4— Steve Franklin (@MyGuySteve) January 22, 2020