Analysis, AstroNotes

Astro’s A++ Interview Team

After watching hundreds of “Heart-of-the-Process” interviews for the type of player that Brandon Beane would see as a fit for the McProcess culture (okay, I didn’t bother to watch QBs), I have compiled a list of all players in the 2021 NFL Draft who received an “A++” grade from me. Teams in bold received a scout visit this year. With some compensatories still outstanding, the Bills draft at the bold-numbered picks. That wouldn’t be a bad draft. Click on a letter-grade to hear the player speaking the words that McBeane loves to hear.

A++7DeVonta SmithWR/WRSAlabama6’1″1754.42
A++14Gregory RousseauDRAFTEDEDGE DT3TMiami6’5″2604.57
A++16Kwity PayeEDGE DT3TMichigan6’4”2774.76
A++23Wyatt DavisRGOhio State6’3”3135.1
A++24Jeremiah Owusu-KoramoahSS/OLBNotre Dame6’1″2164.67
A++25Carlos Basham Jr.DRAFTEDEDGE DT3TWake Forest6’5″2754.74
A++26Landon DickersonC OGAlabama6’6″3255.34
A++30Teven JenkinsRT RGOklahoma State6’6″3205.16
A++31Zaven CollinsOLBTulsa6’4″2604.76
A++32Trey SmithLGTennessee6’6″3255.24
A++33Daviyon NixonDT3TIowa6’3″3055.16
A++34Azeez OjulariOLB EDGEGeorgia6’3″2404.76
A++36Rashod BatemanWRMinnesota6’1″2104.38
A++37Rashad WeaverEDGEPittsburgh6’5″2604.74
A++38Patrick Jones II *EDGEPittsburgh6’5″2604.73
A++39Kadarius ToneyWRS/PR/KRFlorida5’11”1904.28
A++59Marvin WilsonDT1T DT3T EDGEFlorida State6’4”3114.95
A++60Paulson AdeboCBStanford6’1″1904.34
A++61Anthony SchwartzWR/WRSAuburn6’0″1974.22
A++62Elijah MooreWRS/PR/KROle Miss5’9″1844.37
A++63Jaelan PhillipsEDGEMiami6’5″2554.52
A++65William Bradley-KingOLB EDGEBaylor6’4”2484.75
A++66Cameron McGroneOLBMichigan6’1″2324.67
A++81Caden SternsSSTexas6’0″2104.38
A++93Jabril CoxOLBLSU6’2″2334.47
A++94Dyami BrownWRNorth Carolina6’1″1854.36
A++95Levi OnwuzurikeDT3T EDGEWashington6’3″2934.86
A++100Kelvin JosephCBKentucky6’1″1924.42
A++109Rayshard AshbyILBVirginia Tech5’10”2374.65
A++110Payton TurnerEDGEHouston6’6″2704.82
A++111Darius StillsDT3T EDGEWest Virginia6’1″2924.85
A++115Tre NorwoodCB FSOklahoma6’0″1924.44
A++121Monty RiceILB OLBGeorgia6’1″2354.59
A++125Jamar WatsonEDGEKentucky6’3″2504.64
A++135Osa OdighizuwaEDGEUCLA6’2”2804.74
A++137Chauncey GolstonEDGEIowa6’5″2554.8
A++139Paddy FisherILBNorthwestern6’4″2464.54
A++139Patrick JohnsonOLB EDGETulane6’2″2554.75
A++140JaQuan BaileyEDGEIowa State6’2″2514.83
A++141Brennan EaglesWRTexas6’2″2254.51
A++158Shaka ToneyOLB EDGEPenn State6’3″2404.62
A++159Grant StuardSSHouston6’1″2104.43
A++161Marlon WilliamsWR/KRUCF6’0″2154.42
A++165Thomas Graham Jr.CBOregon5’11”1974.35
A++171Naquan JonesDT1TMichigan State6’4”3385.16
A++172Max RichardsonILBBoston College6’0″2304.62
A++173Aubrey SolomonDT3T EDGETennessee6’5”2994.85
A++174K.J. Britt *OLB ILBAuburn6’0″2364.5
A++175Amen OgbongbemigaILBOklahoma State6’0″2254.65
A++196Daelin HayesEDGENotre Dame6’4”2664.77
A++198Brett HeggieC OGFlorida6’4”3305.2
A++199Darrick ForrestSSCincinnati6’0”1984.42
A++206Coy CronkLTIowa6’5″3255.14
A++207Ihmir Smith-MarsetteWR/KRIowa6’2″1754.37
A++208Robert RochellCBCentral Arkansas6’1″1954.38
A++209Tyrone TruesdellDT1TAuburn6’2″3265.14
A++210Tommy Tremble *TENotre Dame6’32334.82
A++211Jordyn PetersCBAuburn6’0″1954.43
A++219Dayo OdeyingboEDGE DT3TVanderbilt6’6″2804.74
A++220Larnel ColemanLTUMass6’7″3155.14
A++230Antjuan SimmonsOLBMichigan State6’0″2164.76
A++231Theo HowardWRSOklahoma6’0”1824.38
A++232Janarius RobinsonEDGEFlorida St6’5″2604.78
A++240Raymond JohnsonWSDEGeorgia Southern6’3″2404.76
A++250Ade OgundejiEDGENotre Dame6’4”2684.74
A++257James WigginsFS/KRCincinnati6’0″2024.48
A++PFADan Moore Jr.RTTexas A&M6’5″3255.22
A++PFACole SchneiderRGUCF6’4”3125.25
A++PFACade JohnsonWRS/KRSDSU5’10”1754.43
A++PFAGarret WallowS (OLB)TCU6’2”2124.74
A++PFAEli HowardEDGETexas Tech6’4″2754.88
A++PFAKekaula KanihoFS/PRBoise St5’10”1824.46
A++PFATaysir MackWRPittsburgh6’2″2054.47
A++PFAMyles JonesCBTexas A&M6’3″1854.44
A++PFAC.J. MorganFSMississippi St6’0″2004.5
A++PFAMike HamptonCBSouth Florida6’1″1904.45
A++PFAMyles WolfolkFSNorth Carolina6’0”1954.53
Chart by Dean Kindig, BuffaloFAMBase.com, @TCBILLS_Astro

* Even the Senior Bowl interaction shows respect for The Process. Here are the Bills’ interactions so far:

Senior Bowl Talks:
K.J. Britt LB—A++
Patrick Jones DE–A++
Tommy Tremble TE–A++

Joshuah Bledsoe S–A+
D’Ante Smith OT–A+
Jacoby Stevens S–A+
Javian Hawkins RB–A+
Jaret Patterson RB–A+

Iffy Melifonwu CB–A

Shane Simpson RB–A-
Jack Anderson OG–A- – DRAFTED

A++ Interviews By Position
DL—6 players, and 2 are that team’s best player: Marvin Wilson and Naquan Jones.
LB—5 players, and 2 are that team’s best player (Micah Parsons #14 – gone; Zaven Collins)
WR—5 players, and 3 are that team’s best player (Waddle-gone, Schwartz, Bateman, E Moore)
WRS–3 players, and 2 are that team’s best player (Anthony Schwartz #91, E. Moore)
RB—3 players, and all 3 are that team’s best player (Jaret Patterson #106, Kylin Hill, Gainwell). Etienne got a A+, Najee an A-
OT—6 players, and 1 is that team’s best: OT OG Teven Jenkins #61. I like Tommy Doyle as a RD5#175; there are 4 other Day-3 OTs, too.
OG—2 players, and both are that team’s best player (Wyatt Davis #16 – gone, Trey Smith #39)
QB—1 player other than Mac Jones, and that was Zach Smith of Tulsa. Bills likely looking closer at Zaven Collins, though. A trio of A+ players: Feleipe Franks, K.J. Costello, and Peyton Ramsey.
P—1 players, and he is that team’s best player (Pressley Harvin III #190)
OC—–0 A++ players but both had A+ (Creed Humphrey #41, Josh Myers #76)
KR—-1 player —Elijah Moore— is that team’s best player. Additionally, Smith-Marsette had Zoom interview.
CB—4 players, and 2 are that team’s best player (Melifonwu #73, Robert Rochell #201)
S—-0 scouted in 2020, unless you see Tre Norwood playing a FS CB hybrid. FS C.J. Morgan in RD7 or UDFA is a great guess. A+ interview went to a Sr. Bowl interviewee, Joshuah Bledsoe FS NCB.
EDGE— 1–Kwity Paye is that team’s best player. Also A++ were Shaka Toney, Chauncey Golston (AJ’s bookend). Janarius Robinson of Florida State, a RD6-7 EDGE, also was an A++ interview.

Editor’s babble: Many thanks to Dean Kindig for his comprehensive review of players entering the 2021 NFL Draft and who fits ‘The Process’. You can find Dean on Twitter @TCBILLS_Astro. Have a great weekend!

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