I have my pet cats in this draft, and I’ll follow the careers of these players whether they become members of the Bills (like previous cats Khalil Shakir, Harrison Phillips, and Dawson Knox) or if they don’t (Breiden Fehoko). These are players whose charismatic personality and mature, yet fun-loving persona drew me to them. I’ll let you listen to each of them speak about improvement, or what drives them, or about life in general, and you can like them, too. This is the essence of sport.
FS Alijah “Cinco” Clark — “Cinco” Clark joined Syracuse in January 2022 after transferring from Rutgers and quickly established himself as starting SS for the Orange. Over his collegiate career, Cinco has appeared in 32 games, amassing 126 tackles, 7.0 TFL, one INT, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and five PBUs across both schools. In a scouted game against Stanford, which was attended by 3 Bills representatives, Clark made a strong impact with 6 tackles, including 5 solo efforts and 1 tackle for loss. In front of 2 Bills scouts, Alijah put up 5 tackles and a PBU in an upset of #23 Georgia Tech. Cinco’s defensive acumen and adaptability make him a prominent figure in Syracuse’s secondary. I expect the Bills to take one Safety early and one Safety late. You’ll get full-on effort, and maybe some rap, along with more wrap-up tackles per game than anyone in our DB room.
[Listen To Cinco]
SS Malaki Starks — Starks is the fastest Safety with >2.5 solo tackles per game over his career. Look at Starks’ career stats: 6 interceptions, 17 passes defended, 128 solo tackles. In 2024, he’s had 5 solos and a TFL vs Texas, 4 solos against Kentucky, and 2 solos and an INT vs Clemson –and all were Bills-scouted games. It seems improbable to get Starks anywhere but RD1#30, as some draftniks place Starks in the top ten. But the first Safety, Cooper DeJean, was drafted #40 last year, and was played as a CB, while Tyler Nubin was #47, drafted by the Giants. Emmanwori will also lure teams into drafting him first. If Starks is not there, Nick Emmanwori’s 5.65 solo tackles per game is the highest of all safeties in the draft class, and he’s top 6 in zone (with Starks, Wohler, Nwankpa, Castro, Sabb, and Winston Jr.).
[Listen To Malaki]
DT1T Tyleik Williams — Tyleik had been playing behind Michael Hall (Browns RD2#54) at DT3T, so he’s been lost in the shadows a bit, but 13 pressures, four TFLs and two sacks over the past five games entering The Game vs Michigan…. When COVID hit, Tyleik ballooned out to 360 pounds –so much for the shadows, except the gigantic one he was casting on the coaching staff. A nutrition plan seemed to help a little, but he was tiring, especially late in games. Nevertheless, Tyleik persisted, and it has yielded noticeable results. Williams’ get-off is now even more lightning quick (he’s the draft’s fastest big IDL), and his productivity has broken out like acne on a 14-year-old. Often wins against double-teams. Watch his arm use and leverage.
[Listen to Tyleik]
DT3T Vernon Broughton — Vernon Broughton, known for his rapid ability to generate pressure, was second only to Collins as the highest-graded defensive tackle in the CBP semifinals. In the Longhorns’ SEC Championship game against Georgia, a highlight for scouts, he recorded a season-high 6 tackles. As a fifth-year defensive lineman, Broughton has played in 55 games with 16 starts, accumulating 69 career tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and four fumble recoveries. Broughton made his collegiate debut against UTEP in 2020 and has since been a consistent presence for four years at Texas. He is as smart as he is athletic, with high school accolades include being an All-American and a finalist for the Watkins Award, recognizing top African American male high school scholar-athletes.
[Listen to Vernon, but dig the hat]
CB Benjamin Morrison — Benjamin Morrison’s October 2024 hip injury had the junior out for the season, and missed the Natty. He is a beast in man coverage (7 PBU’s in 2023) with 4.39 speed to shadow your #1 receiver. His run defense isn’t his strong suit with his size (needs wings), but a clever Defensive Coordinator will know how to maximize his talents. Last season, Morrison allowed a 46% comp. rate, and had a 55 QB rating against him.
[Listen to Benjamin]
WR Tez Johnson — “Tez” Johnson, the lightest draftable receiver this year, is this year’s Tutu Atwell. He’s an electrifying player who transferred to the Ducks from Troy (3 seasons) –Javon Solomon’s school. Tez’s twitch and agility make him a nightmare in the slot, while his ability to track the ball and adjust mid-air adds value as a deep threat. The redshirt senior forced 22 missed tackles last season. He boasts a higher career-adjusted yards per route run than notable receiver Emeka Egbuka. Tez can start as understudy to Codrington/Hardy on punt return, as he’s amassed a career total of 519 punt return yards. Tez had a 6-102-(17.0) -1 TD stat line in the scouted game vs #20 Illinois, and an insane 10-84-1 TD day in the scouted win vs Michigan State. For more on his journey, check out this fun story.
Thunder RB Kalel Mullings — Redshirt senior Kalel Mullings has showcased his talent with 5.0 yards per carry on three touches against AP-ranked teams in 2023, while also fulfilling kick return duties in both 2023 and 2024. In the 2024 season, Mullings has already amassed 184 yards on 23 carries (8.0 YPC) with two touchdowns, including a long run of 63 yards against AP-ranked opponents. His excellent vision, physicality, and temperament make him a compelling NFL prospect. The Buffalo Bills, in need of a power back, would benefit from his skill set; Mullings, who delivered a standout performance with 17 carries for 159 yards and 2 TDs in a scouted 27-24 win over USC and 24-211-4.6-2 TD vs Minnesota, fits the mold of a mid-round gem with body type reminiscent of former Bills snowplow, Leonard Fournette.(6-0,240,4.51). He’s not a starter, with 4 starts in 55 games played. I checked to see if Jor-El was his father. IYKYK.
[Listen to Kalel]
Lightning RB LeQuint Allen Jr. — LeQuint could be coming to Buffalo from Syracuse. He vaulted up from the Shrine Bowl to a Senior Bowl invite. He doesn’t lack for confidence, and reminds me of the Bills backs in elusiveness and receiving ability. However, in December 9, 2022, Allen got into a fight on the school’s campus after coming to the aid of teammate Duce Chestnut; after the fight, Allen was charged with third degree assault. As a result, Allen was suspended by Syracuse for the entirety of the 2023 season. On June 28, 2023, Allen decided to sue the University to try and overturn his suspension. A few weeks later, on July 12, Allen and the Syracuse University reached an agreement that allowed Allen to rejoin the football team August 15 and return to classes for the fall semester. During the 2023 season, Allen rushed for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns on 245 carries, adding 38 receptions for 210 yards and a TD through the air. For his performance on the 2023 season, Allen was named Second Team All-ACC. In 2024, Allen was the starting RB and rushed for 901 rushing yards in regular season and led the ACC for total of 17 TDs. He was the nation’s leading pass catcher among running backs, receiving 476 yards on 61 passes from quarterback Kyle McCord. LeQuint’s dad was shot on February 14, 2023 while walking away from an argument. He has lots to play for, and plays special teams, and occasionally lines up in the slot. Another toy for Joe Brady. [Listen to LeQuint]
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