2012 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 2, Pick 41

Brian Gallford explains: After selecting Ohio State tackle Mike Adams in the first round to provide some competition for Chris Hairston at left tackle, there aren’t too many more glaring holes to fill on a Buffalo Bills roster that suddenly looks fairly competent.

Wide receiver would be the most obvious remaining issue, but a run on receivers took the likes of Stephen Hill, Rueben Randle, Brian Quick and even Alshon Jeffery off the board before the Bills’ second-round selection. There are some interesting prospects available - Mohamed Sanu and Ryan Broyles chief among them - but Sanu isn’t great value here, and Broyles isn’t what the team is looking for in a No. 2 receiver. Coby Fleener would have been a consideration - he’d add a second receiving threat to the mix, after all - but he, too, was gone.

The guy I really wanted to take here was Lavonte David. The Bills have very weak linebackers, in my opinion; beyond the barely-reliable (from a health and age standpoint) Nick Barnett, there is very little youth or speed, and particularly none to be found when looking for both in one package. I liked David as a down-the-line replacement to Barnett - a weak-side linebacker with the coverage ability, athleticism and instincts to man the middle on passing downs, and with the sideline-to-sideline range that the team desperately needs. Alas, Carolina snagged David at No. 40.

That left me three choices: reach for a receiver I don’t like (I’ve done enough reaching this year), reach for a linebacker I don’t like (see previous), or just take the top guy on my board. Hence the selection of Chandler Jones, who only narrowly beat out Marshall defensive end Vinny Curry and Central Florida cornerback Josh Robinson for the honors.

Yes, the Bills spent a combined $115.5 million on free agent defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, but that doesn’t mean that they should be done re-tooling the position. For one, the team’s two primary backups at the moment (assuming Williams and Anderson are destined to start) are Chris Kelsay, who will turn 33 on Halloween, and Shawne Merriman, who hasn’t been Shawne Merriman for five years now. There is no youth. There is still not enough depth to create waves of players that can cause havoc; in a division that features Tom Brady, the Bills need to replicate what the New York Giants have done defensively in trying to beat him consistently.

Dan Kadar responds: Much like the first-round pick, this would be a tough spot for the Bills. The run on wide receivers is particularly damning for the Bills. Though, personally, I don't consider Sanu a reach here. He's a sure-handed, physical receiver but not necessarily a game breaker. That's what Stevie Johnson is for, though. Clemson tight end Dwayne Allen would also be a good choice. Most have fallen in love with athletic receiving tight ends like Fleener, but Allen is the better player. Unlike Fleener, he's an all-around tight end and a proficient blocker. Jones is a solid choice, however. The Bills have shown interest in the local-ish product and his potential is immense. He may not be a superstar now, but getting pointers from Williams could turn him into one.

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