2017 NFL Mock Draft: Buffalo Bills select Tre’Davious White

With the tenth pick in the 2017 CSC Community NFL Mock Draft, the Buffalo Bills select...

Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU (5-foot-11, 192-pounds)

In 2016, their last season under Rex Ryan, the Buffalo Bills were ranked a disappointing 26th overall in the NFL in defensive efficiency (Football Outsiders). Enter new head coach Sean McDermott, who comes to Buffalo after being the mastermind behind the excellent Carolina Panthers’ defense for the past six seasons.

In his first draft as a head coach, McDermott is likely to want to shore up the side of the ball he specializes in and that’s obviously the defense. Considering that Buffalo just lost prized free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore to division rival New England Patriots, the Bills need a replacement for Gilmore and LSU’s Tre’Davious White is the perfect fit. At 5’11’’ 192 lbs., White is quite close to Gilmore physically (6’1’’ 190 lbs.) and should the Bills select the former Bayou Bengal with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, another eerie similarity would be that Gilmore was picked 10th overall by the Bills in the 2012 NFL draft.

But apart from the anecdotal resemblances between the two players, here’s why Tre’Davious White is a great pick here for the Bills: White played four years at LSU, and is a certified representative of the “DBU” tradition that has been built at the Louisiana’s flagship university for the past decade. During his tenure at LSU, White showed consistent progress. After a stellar freshman season in which he totaled 55 tackles (39 solo) and two interceptions, White added the return game to his arsenal in his sophomore year in 2014, recording 273 punt return yards and a touchdown. In that season, he added another two interceptions and 23 solo tackles.

While teams started to consistently throw away from him during his junior and senior seasons at LSU (2015-2016), Tre’Davious White still managed to contribute and help his team by having a combined 415 punt return yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions (including a pick six) and 49 solo tackles.

Despite a slight frame, which will make it a bit of a challenge when playing against taller, physical “number one” wide receivers in the NFL, White’s speed (4.47 seconds 40-yard dash), his instincts and outstanding ability in man-coverage will make him a great asset for any team that drafts him. By selecting Tre’Davious White with the 10th overall pick later this month, the Buffalo Bills would be getting exactly what they need to be able to compete with the likes of the Patriots’ Brandin Cooks or the Dolphins’ Kenny Stills in the AFC East.

Community Mock Draft Results

1. Cleveland Browns - Myles Garrett, DE, TAMU
2. San Francisco 49ers - Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
3. Chicago Bears - Jamal Adams, S, LSU
4. Jacksonville Jaguars - O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
5. Tennessee Titans - Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
6. New York Jets - Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
7. Los Angeles Chargers - Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
8. Carolina Panthers - Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
9. Cincinnati Bengals - Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama
10. Buffalo Bills - Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU

The New Orleans Saints are on the clock!