Buffalo Bills are one of those teams in dire need of improving their receiving core. They have addressed their quarterback situation by shipping Tyrod Taylor to Cleveland. Then inking Cincinnati’s back-up quarterback, AJ McCarron, to a two year deal. Then they moved up in the draft, Wyoming Rough Rider gunslinger, Josh Allen. You have the meats, like Arby’s slogan, now where are your taters? Bills’ only true threat is Kelvin Benjamin, a guy they got in trade last year from Carolina. In round six, they drafted a guy out of Clemson, Ray McCloud. In round seven, they drafted a guy that is very intriguing to me. Could be under the radar. Could be a sleeper. Has football in his blood. Austin Proehl out of North Carolina, son of former NFL wide receiver Ricky Proehl.
Ricky Proehl was one of those guys you needed on the team to move the chains. To get that catch over the middle, to get licked and hold on to the ball to get the first down. He was drafted in 1990 by the Phoenix Cardinals, who now are known as the Arizona Cardinals. He played for a numerous amount of teams which included watching him play for the Bears later in his career. Other teams he caught balls for were the Seahawks, Panthers, Colts, and he was part of the greatest show on turf with the Rams. He was a part of two Superbowl championship teams. In his career he gobbled up 669 catches for 8878 yards with 54 touch downs.

I think the Bills are hoping the son is better than the father. Even if they are the same statically wise, this pick could be huge. I know not many 7th round draft picks make a huge impact. Most of them never even make it. I think the Bills have the leg up when it comes to Austin Proehl as he has ties with head Coach Sean McDermott. Ricky Proehl was a receivers coach in Carolina and was on the same staff with Sean McDermott. The coach of the Bills has known Austin since he was 8 years old. Austin also went to North Carolina for college. Sure you can say both Sean and Ricky are friends and he drafted Austin because of that. However Sean McDermott had the inside track on this kid his whole life in football. Plus I think McDermott is a great coach. He guided the Bills to the playoffs last year. He broke a long sickening drought of the city not getting to playoffs, one of the worst in sports at the time.
With a gunslinger like a Josh Allen and McCarron who can chuck the rock down the field, you still need a safety net guy like an Austin Proehl. I think the Bills had that guy in Chris Hogan a few years ago. Then like vultures, the Evil Empire Patriots swooped in and raised the ante for Hogan, which at the time the Bills could not match. Now you see Hogan as one of Brady’s weapons of mass destruction around the NFL. I liked how Ricky Proehl played the game. He reminded me of another Bears receiver they had In Thomas Waddle. Just a guy that got open, took a wallop and the ball stuck to his fingers. If Austin can come close to playing like his old man, this pick could be a steal. Jim Kelly had Don Beebe for years. This could be one of Josh Allen’s weapons for a very long time, especially with both of them drafted in the same year.


























