The 2022 NFL draft is now in the books and I begin my breakdown of each team's IDP draft class. In the last installment of this series I wrote up the Buffalo Bills and now I move to the Buffalo Bills where I look at who they drafted and the potential impact these rookies can have. The Bills look to get ahead of some weak spots before they become a bigger problem. I will cover every IDP drafted from the top overall pick to Mr irrelevant.
Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State (4th Round 120th Pick)
Outside of veteran Shaq Thompson, the Panthers have just a couple of jags in Jermaine Carter Jr and Frankie Luvu. Carolina needed to add a youngster to this group and they did that by selecting rookie Brandon Smith in the 4th round of this past draft. Smith has the height, weight, and speed that you want in a LB but has some weaknesses that cause him to slip in the draft. He’s indecisive and his instincts are the best but he has the size to cover tight ends and speed to cover running backs. He upgrades the Panthers' linebacker unit and they could look to get him on the field quite a bit this season. With any rookie, it’s as always it’s about how quickly he can learn and apply it to the field. I can see him easily replacing either Carter or Luvu as a starter at some point this season.
Amare Barno, Edge. Virginia Tech (6th Round, 189th Pick)
The Panther's top two pass rushers from a year ago were OLB Haason Reddick (11) and DE Brian Burns (9). They accounted for just over half (52.6%) of the team's total (38). Carolina could use that young pass rusher to be the bookend opposite of Burns. They drafted Amare Barno in the 6th round of this draft and he’s similar in size to that of Burns when he came out. Barno 6’6”/245 lbs is a long and lean defender, who can bend and flatten around the edge. If he can develop into the same type of player that Burns is, the Panthers are going to cause opposing QBs a ton of problems. Barno still has some developing to do but he has some potential upside of becoming a starting-caliber player.
Kalon Barnes, CB, Baylor (7th Round 242nd Pick)
Carolina already has two youngsters as their starters, Jaycee Horn and Donte Jackson. Overall the group doesn’t have a ton of depth, so taking a flier on Kalon Barnes in the 7th round made sense. What stands out about Barnes is his blazing speed (4.23), which every team seeks out in the draft. While his numbers at Baylor weren't anything special, he did miss parts of the last two seasons with injury, which can be taken into account. Speed kills in the NFL, so anytime you can add it to your roster it’s a good thing. Barnes will mainly be a special teams guy with that speed, until or if he can develop into something more. He’s extremely fast and athletic, but he relies on that too much and his technique is something to be desired. He’ll get a look in camo, but he’s going to have to show a lot if he wants to stick on the main roster.
Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to hit me up with any questions, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy.
