A player oozing with potential comes to the Bills in this mock
NFL media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his latest first-round NFL mock draft this week, sending the Buffalo Bills a massive player for the offense at pick 27. General manager Brandon Beane has made a concerted effort to add multidisciplinary talent to the team’s wide receiver room. The signings of Deonte Harty and Trent Sherfield usher in a commitment to speed on offense and special teams, but One Bills Drive would do well to continue adding receivers to the mix, especially via the NFL Draft.
To that end, Jeremiah sees the Bills drawn to the TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston with their first-round pick.
“Opinions vary quite a bit from team to team when it comes to the wide receivers in this year’s class. Johnston could be the first one taken or slide down to the bottom of the first round. He would give Josh Allen a big, explosive weapon to complement Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.”
Johnston is, indeed, a big receiver, listed at 6’3” and 208 pounds — and his overall size profile makes him an ideal outside receiver in the NFL. The key will be how quickly and fully he can improve on his inconsistencies catching the football in contested situations. For a player his size, a deficiency in that realm could cause some teams to look elsewhere. But for Buffalo, at least in Jeremiah’s latest mock, those tantalizing traits are enough to overlook some of the more pronounced weaknesses.
Next Gen Stats (NGS) lists Johnston’s “Athleticism Score” at “89,” which ranks second among receivers in his class. Overall, NGS gives him a score of “83,” placing Johnston sixth among his peers.
(Read NFL analyst Lance Zierlein’s player profile for Quentin Johnston here.)
The decision to send wide receiver Quentin Johnston to the Buffalo Bills is sound in idea. He would immediately become the Bills’ most physically imposing wide receiver. But there are concerns about how well he utilizes his physical advantages. Buffalo would be wise to add youth to the receiver room via the draft, but the organization must choose wisely to best leverage the six picks they can make in April. Is a player with well-documented issues catching the football the best move in Round 1?