BY DAN BEGNOCHE
After weeks of back-and-forth over whether the Bills’ No. 1 pick would be better spent on an offensive lineman or wide receiver, there’s a chance the team may not go in either direction, after all.
WGR 550 Buffalo’s Joe Buscaglia reported Tuesday that the Bills are “extremely interested” in Alabama safety Mark Barron, as well as South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore, for potential top draft choices, according to a league source.
The source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Buffalo sees Barron as a “playmaker” and a “day-one starter” in its current scheme. Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly also has the Bills' attention, according to the source, but most of the focus has fallen on Barron.
The 6-foot-2, 218-pound Barron has drawn interest from a number of teams, namely the Chargers, Cowboys, Patriots and Jets. Nearly every mock draft and scouting report out there currently has Barron as a top 15 pick. Gilmore is not far behind, even going as high as No. 7 to the Jags in some projections. And Kuechly as the top-rated linebacker could easily go top 10.
At this point, Buscaglia said the No. 1 pick will “likely be one of the two players from the SEC, unless a major name at a position of need were to fall to the tenth overall selection.”
This all may be smoke and mirrors, however, as the Bills may be trying to shake things up as draft day nears. Obviously, all three players could help Buffalo, given the team's obvious weakness in the defensive backfield last year, namely in the tackling department. This still does not downplay the needs the Bills have on the offensive side of the ball, and it may come down to simply the best-rated player at their position on the board when pick No. 10 comes around.
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