If AJ Hawk Plopped Into Our Laps At #8 Would You Take Him?

[35Pete]

This is a quick question. The poll basically says:

Draft for need no matter what. or....

Draft the best available player.


Remember. LB is not a big need position for the Bills.

[twosheds]

Would I take top-3 talent at #8? Certainly!

[35Pete]

Sounds like a dumb question twosheds but you would be surprised.

[twosheds]

Sounds like a dumb question twosheds but you would be surprised.

It's not a dumb question, and I know there are people who take need over everything. But if there's a superstar waiting to happen in the draft, I'll take him. I would probably even take him, if the Brick was still there.

[35Pete]

Need is how mediocre teams are built. If you are really dead set on need, then trade down and get value. Never reach for a need. That is what the Cards, old Bengals, and Texans do.

[sukie]

best player available. Need filler in later rounds.

[jaymitch84]

NEVER pass up a player like this.

Filling a need now may immediately help the team get another win or two (MAYBE), but getting a special player despite him not being a need means helping the team much more for years down the road.

[Merk]

Yea I would take him

[TRIPLE P]

Pete...I thought you weren't on Morphine til Thursday ;)

OF COURSE you take Hawk..... simply because we AREN'T solid at LB....

we should be taking a MLB or OLB in the 2nd-4th rounds anyway....but a chance at the best LB in the draft...no question.

[TRIPLE P]

I would probably even take him, if the Brick was still there.


Wow....I don't know about that.

And this is coming from someone who owns an AJ Hawk Jersey.


AJ is a beast, but Brick is a beast too.... I think the could both be projected at top 5 in there position in the coming years....but a monster line is key....

since it could NEVER happen I'm not gonna stress it...but if it came down to BRick or Hawk.....I'd probably just flip a coin.

[emk30]

Need is how mediocre teams are built. If you are really dead set on need, then trade down and get value. Never reach for a need. That is what the Cards, old Bengals, and Texans do.


Then how do you explain how the Pats did it? They don't grab superstar FA's and have only had late 1st rounders the past 5 years. They fill with workhorse, utility guys that fits their needs.

[35Pete]

Then how do you explain how the Pats did it? They don't grab superstar FA's and have only had late 1st rounders the past 5 years. They fill with workhorse, utility guys that fits their needs.
You'd have to be half baked to pass up Hawk. But I know that there are more that think this way because I have seen the "draft for need" posts all over.

So far 13-2 agaist your need based drafting strategy.

[emk30]

You'd have to be half baked to pass up Hawk. But I know that there are more that think this way because I have seen the "draft for need" posts all over.

So far 13-2 agaist your need based drafting strategy.


There's no gaurantee he'll be a superstar, he could be a bust, you never know when it comes to unproven's in the NFL. You'd look like an idiot if you drafted a bust that you didn't even need.

[blazedgame]

Then how do you explain how the Pats did it? They don't grab superstar FA's and have only had late 1st rounders the past 5 years. They fill with workhorse, utility guys that fits their needs.

wait didn't they sign Dillon, Harrison, and Colvin...and also didn't they have like 5 picks in the first 2 rounds 2 years ago..... they've had a mix of high caliber free agents and deep drafting

[The Chosen]

Why dosen't anyone consider LB a need pick? Have I missed seeing Takeo back on the field at 100%? How can anyone say we are set at LB when we have yet to see Takeo play yet? Fletcher is getting older, or do we wait until he is too old to find a replacement? Crowell played well last year, but I think we could improve on that play. If Hawk is available, I would consider it a need pick over a luxury pick.

[emk30]

wait didn't they sign Dillon, Harrison, and Colvin...and also didn't they have like 5 picks in the first 2 rounds 2 years ago..... they've had a mix of high caliber free agents and deep drafting

They never overpaid for FA's and they were proven players, not a guy who's never played a down in the NFL. 3 guys don't make a Superbowl team. You ever heard the term, "You're only as strong as you weakest link", "Sum of the parts..., Etc......

WOW, 1 year out of five.

Read this article on drafting philosophy!

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/steelers/2006-04-25-draft-philosophy-cover_x.htm

[1968_bills_fan]

If Hawk is available, we could trade down a few slots and pick up one of the DT's. I rather have 2 potentially good players than one. What happens if a piano falls off a building and hits Hawk?

[JLB]

Why dosen't anyone consider LB a need pick? Have I missed seeing Takeo back on the field at 100%? How can anyone say we are set at LB when we have yet to see Takeo play yet? Fletcher is getting older, or do we wait until he is too old to find a replacement? Crowell played well last year, but I think we could improve on that play. If Hawk is available, I would consider it a need pick over a luxury pick.
Absolutely correct Hawk could very likely be more fitting if he fell than any other choice.

[skoorah720]

Besides the fact that Spikes is coming off an achilles injury...what about Posey? this guy is terrible AND this is the last year on his contract...how is LB not a need? He is probably the best LB coming out of college since Brian Urlacher.

[BillsCAfan]

Um, can I get a hell yeah!?!?

[bcw]

Speaking of Posey, on ESPN they were running clips of Ricky Williams today because of his suspension and a few were of Ricky running against the Bills. On one play thye show the angle from the end zone and Posey is just man handled by Miami's lineman and thrown on his back as Ricky runs in for a a TD. He is definitely a weakness of our defense.

[Mouldsie]

LB is certainly a need

[voicekiller]

id take Hawk in a Heartbeat...but i doubt he falls to us

[Phil3782]

You can not draft by just filling needs when you are in the top 15 picks in the draft. You have to be prepared to take a player that may not be a need but is a player that is an major upgrade over existing players. Hawk would fit that category. He is being considered for the 2nd pick in draft by NO. If you have a chance at a guy whom is a projected top 5 talent, it is a no brainer.

[emk30]

LB is certainly a need

Is it more of a need than the OL or DL?

I still think we have enough depth at LB to get us through 2 more seasons. We can always pick up LB FA next year if neccesary.

[emk30]

You can not draft by just filling needs when you are in the top 15 picks in the draft. You have to be prepared to take a player that may not be a need but is a player that is an major upgrade over existing players. Hawk would fit that category. He is being considered for the 2nd pick in draft by NO. If you have a chance at a guy whom is a projected top 5 talent, it is a no brainer.

As far as taking a luxury pick, I'd rather take Mario Williams or Vernon Davis over Hawk if they fell into our laps.

[Mainejays]

It's not a dumb question, and I know there are people who take need over everything. But if there's a superstar waiting to happen in the draft, I'll take him. I would probably even take him, if the Brick was still there.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if D'brick was on the board and the Bills took Hawk, I'd have a big fire in the front yard burning all my Bills stuff (and knowing how much my wife hates football, she'd be handing me the gas). That being said, if D'brick and Mario and Huff were gone and we couldn't trade down for Justice, then I'd be okay with Hawk, but LB is not a high priority, and part of the reason we're in the spot we're in (where a pass rush made of high school girls could sack JP five times a game behind our line and an eighty year old woman could rush for 100 yards against our DL) is TD ignoring needs for the BPA (Parrish, Everett, McGahee to name a few). We need two first day OL picks (a LT and LG), two DT's (at least one first day), and two safeties (this has to be Vincents last year) before we think LB.

[35Pete]

LB is certainly a need
Virtually everything is a need Moulds. Everything. Just what part of the team is hurting the most?

I'd say OL, DL, TE, and S would be greater needs, followed by QB, LB, and a decent backup RB. Shaud ain't all that.

Leon Washington in the 5th would do nicely.

[Merk]

As far as taking a luxury pick, I'd rather take Mario Williams or Vernon Davis over Hawk if they fell into our laps.



I dont think you will to many who will disagree w/ that



But Mario has no shot of falling to us unlike Hawk

[Merk]

Wow


33-6 in favor of drafting Hawk

[aaronthebaron]

Reggie Bush, AJ Hawk, Micheal Huff, and Vernon Davis are the safest picks in the draft. If one of them is available at #8, I say you take him.

[Dustybottoms]

I think chad Greenway might be better.JMO,he is more fluid.Hawk hits hard but i think he is a little stiff.Ill pass.

[coastal]

no brainer.

The Bills couldn't get their card up to the podium quick enough.

[BillsCAfan]

I think chad Greenway might be better.JMO,he is more fluid.Hawk hits hard but i think he is a little stiff.Ill pass.

Greenway better than Hawk? No chance.

Greenway might not even be the 2nd best OLB in the draft.

[Mouldsie]

I think Greenway is underrated right now but not a better prospect than Hawk

[Merk]

I think Greenway is underrated right now but not a better prospect than Hawk



I agree



Any team that takes Sims over him is going to regret it

[B-loCrew]

I am not a big fan of not drafting an lineman with the first pick but Hawk would be hard to pass up. Our LB's are good right now but are aging and TKO coming off an injury. AJ could step in and our LB corps would not miss a beat when Fletch retires.
He is a safe pick and a great LB is an integral part of a defense, so if he is there I think we got to take him.

[Zan186]

I wouldnt draft Hawk for the simple reason I dont think he is that great at his position. Mario Williams I think is the best player in this draft. Next would be Ngata for the Bills. Our need for a run stuffing DT is paramount. Bunkley I would take if we trade down 4 or 5 picks. But at 8 I want Ngata

[1968_bills_fan]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if D'brick was on the board and the Bills took Hawk, I'd have a big fire in the front yard burning all my Bills stuff (and knowing how much my wife hates football, she'd be handing me the gas). That being said, if D'brick and Mario and Huff were gone and we couldn't trade down for Justice, then I'd be okay with Hawk, but LB is not a high priority, and part of the reason we're in the spot we're in (where a pass rush made of high school girls could sack JP five times a game behind our line and an eighty year old woman could rush for 100 yards against our DL) is TD ignoring needs for the BPA (Parrish, Everett, McGahee to name a few). We need two first day OL picks (a LT and LG), two DT's (at least one first day), and two safeties (this has to be Vincents last year) before we think LB.

Go to the head of the class! My cements exactly.:thebird:

[emk30]

I think Greenway is underrated right now but not a better prospect than Hawk

He was rated very high a while ago, but there's no way he'd be there in the 2nd for us, Besides, we'd take a OLineman in the 2nd for sure.

[nyredneck]

Reggie Bush, AJ Hawk, Micheal Huff, and Vernon Davis are the safest picks in the draft. If one of them is available at #8, I say you take him.


I wouldn't put Bush into that category. I have BIG feeling that Bush and BUST will be synomous in a year or two.

[FknGvna]

Hey fellas LOOK:http://nfl.com/draft/story/9399002Haha Bunkley ain't even first round.

Uh Oh.http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/9392296
5. Green Bay: A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State
This week, I heard from too many 4-3 teams that they have downgraded Haloti Ngata. It is hard to pass on rare size, but the Packers break the eight-year NFL mold of only taking one outside linebacker with a top-five pick and grab Hawk because of his 368 career tackles, 37 tackles for a loss and 14½ sacks.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060427/SPORTS03/604270419/1021

[SC FAN]

How great would our LB core be if we picked up Hawk?? TKO, Fletch, and Hawk!!! Grab a DL 2nd round and OL 3rd round.....Whatever happens I cannot wait until saturday... We can only get better

[Mouldsie]

Crowell > Fletcher IMO

[SHINEdown30]

Is it more of a need than the OL or DL?

I still think we have enough depth at LB to get us through 2 more seasons. We can always pick up LB FA next year if neccesary.


Yeah but if hawk which is a top 5 talent falls to us.....you gotta take him!