With the 11th pick ...
Where the Buffalo Bills might go in the NFL draft

By Chris Winkler and Jim Krencik
The Stylus

With draft day looming, the Buffalo Bills’ 11th selection is still largely unknown. Although it is known the Bills could use help at cornerback and wide receiver, just whom they take is not.

Buffalo is searching for a receiver to complement Lee Evans. Attempts to sign free agents Bryant Johnson and Reggie Williams failed and now many believe drafting a possession receiver with their first pick is certain.

Then there is cornerback. Last offseason, the Bills signed Jason Webster in hopes to offset the loss of Nate Clements to San Francisco. Webster got hurt in the opener and didn’t see the field again.

That led to a bigger role for Jabari Greer and Ashton Youboty, but there are some who believe neither is capable of playing every down. Then, there are questions if Terrence McGee is a legitimate No. 1 corner. The Bills added William James from Philadelphia to bolster the depth.

The other way the Bills could go is defensive end. They ranked 29th in the league with just 26 sacks on the season last year.

So, who will the Bills pick? Let’s look at the candidates.

Wide Receiver
Malcolm Kelly — Oklahoma Sooners
Kelly hurt his position with a poor showing in his individual workouts, running a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash. In three years at Oklahoma he caught 144 passes and 21 touchdowns.

Limas Sweed — Texas Longhorns
Sweed spent four years in Austin, but his senior year was cut short due to season-ending surgery on his left wrist. Healthy Sweed is a tall receiver who has big-play ability, as his average touchdown catch was more than 33 yards.

Devin Thomas — Michigan State Spartans
Thomas’ stock has risen fast after a 79-catch sophomore year. Thomas made a big impact in his final regular season game as a Spartan, catching three touchdowns in a 35-31 win over Penn State.
Cornerbacks
Leodis McKelvin — Troy State Trojans
ESPN.com lists McKelvin as the top CB prospect in the draft. Virtually all analysts are calling for McKelvin to be a top 15 pick. Perhaps what makes McKelvin the most valued corner is his ability as a return man. He had seven punt returns for touchdowns in his career at Troy.

Aqib Talib — Kansas Jayhawks
Not too long ago, Talib was regarded as the top CB prospect in the draft and a definite top 10 pick. His stock has fallen due to an open admission to using marijuana, leading some to question his character. Don’t be fooled though, Talib has had a clean career outside of that.

Dominique Rogers-Cromartie — Tennessee State Tigers
The cousin of San Diego Chargers’ star Antonio Cromartie will certainly be a first-round pick. Like McKelvin, he is an outstanding playmaker. He had six touchdowns on special teams and also returned both of his interceptions for TDs last year.
Also like McKelvin, playing at such a small school has turned some away from both prospects.

Mike Jenkins — South Florida Bulls
To add more confusion to this year’s cornerback class, Rivals.com lists Jenkins as the top CB. Jenkins shined as the proverbial “shut-down” corner for the Bulls’ defense the past two seasons, and is probably the most NFL-ready player.
The downside for Jenkins is his character issues, especially in the new NFL. He was arrested for a fight outside a bar in 2007.

Defensive Linemen
Derrick Harvey — Florida Gators
Harvey, who played DE in college, would be a good fit for Buffalo’s 4-3 scheme. He is stronger than he is fast.

Kentwan Balmer — UNC Tar Heels
If the Bills decide to trade down and make a pick that will help their defensive line depth, then Balmer would be a solid choice. Balmer has speed in his legs and hands, and with Marcus Stroud taking up blockers, Balmer could make a living in the opposition’s backfield.

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