V-Ry the Sports Guy gives his draft report
USC receiver Jordan Addison, projected as one of the top draft picks in the NFL draft tonight, signs at an event for kids. Rayanna Anderson photo.
The Wellsville Sun has you covered for NFL off-season moves, as the draft is tonight from Kansas City. Rayanna Anderson attended the NFL Play 60 event on Wednesday and will be with the players and teams tonight for the draft.
Meanwhile, V-Ry the Sports Guy has put together an outstanding look at who will go No. 1 and who the Bills may grab at No. 27.
Offseason Recap and Draft Preview by V-Ry the Sports Guy
NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is set to get underway tonight in primetime from Union Station in Kansas City. I fully expect the Carolina Panthers to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick, after acquiring it from the Chicago Bears early in the offseason.
Bryce Young on Wednesday in Kansas City. Rayanna Anderson photo.
The Buffalo Bills hold the 27th pick in the first round and have the luxury of picking the best player available.
Trading Up?
Rumors have been swirling in recent days that Bills general manager Brandon Beane may be looking to trade up in order to select a blue chip offensive prospect to help quarterback Josh Allen.
There’s been a lot of talk about the Bills selecting Texas running back Bijan Robinson.
Robinson is extremely talented and will likely be gone before the Bills selection, and a trade up for a running back doesn’t provide very good value in round one.
A name on my radar that would be worth a trade up is Georgia tight end Darnell Washington.
Washington performed well in pre draft workouts and is big, strong, physical, and freakishly athletic at 6’6 264 pounds.
If the team chooses to stay at 27 a name to watch is the lanky, long striding, quick twitch wide receiver Jaylin Hyatt from Tennessee.
Returning to Form
The Bills quietly had a very successful free agency, inking all-pro safety Jordan Poyer and all-pro linebacker Matt Milano to two-year contract extensions. The team did lose former first round pick and defensive signal caller Tremaine Edmunds to the Bears.
Defensively, the Bills were able to add starting caliber safety Taylor Rapp on a team friendly one-year deal, and at just 25, I believe he will be re-signed as Micah Hyde’s successor next offseason.
Run the Rock
On offense, the Bills improved its ground game by adding physical running back Damien Harris. The team also released fan favorite, but underperforming slot receiver Isaiah Mckenzie, instead choosing to roll with its promising draft pick Khalil Shakir.
I expect the Bills to lean heavily towards offensive in the draft, and don’t be surprised if Big Baller Beane swings a first round trade for star wideout Deandre Hopkins.
Play 60 event as the players arrive, by Rayanna Anderson
One-by-one they arrived to the delight of middle school students in Kansas City.
The projected top picks in the 2023 NFL Draft got off a bus at Central Middle School in Kansas City to take part in a Play Football Clinic and an NFL Play 60 event.
Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Will Anderson, Jalen Carter, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and many others played different games with the kids and did some drills.
However, the players traded their football gloves for gardening gloves as they worked on community projects with the kids.
Will Anderson is all smiles at the vegetable garden planting.
The players and kids built three vegetable garden beds and they also talked to the children to create a vision boards.
During the Play Football clinic, the kids impressed the NFL prospects and after a while, you could not tell the difference between the top draft picks and the middle school kids, as the laughs and running around continued.
Also on Wednesday, there was a Special Olympics and Strong Girls Group event with the draft picks.
The kids had fun on the field, but then bonded off the field, packing resource bags that will benefit two local Kansas City-based organizations, Operation Breakthrough and Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault.
Bryce Young, who is expected to go No. 1 tonight, works with the kids.
