In under two months, the Buffalo Bills will get to work at St. John Fisher College for training camp and the 2016 season. And this year, with how the team ended things in 2015, is extremely important to not waste the talent that exists on the roster.
All offseason long, WKBW has introduced you to the Bills 'Top 20 Talents,' and today, that list has reached its end with the unveiling of the No. 1 talent.
It's a bit of a different 'most talented' list, because it also takes other factors into consideration. The countdown criteria:
- Overall skill level
- On-the-field performance
- Projection based on film study over the past several years
- Age, and improving/declining ability
With that written, on to the top talent on the Bills roster in 2016:
No. 1 - WR Sammy Watkins
Age: 23 (6/14/93)
Height: 6'1”
Weight: 211
Last year’s rank: 3
Why he’s here
- After spending his first two years in the top three, the final nine games of the 2015 season for Sammy Watkins helped shoot him to the top of the list of the Top 20 Bills Talents. Watkins is only 23 years old, and has every required skill you could want in a wide receiver. He has breakaway speed, he's an excellent route runner, he can win contested catches, he can go up and win a jump ball, he's a good blocker, he has field vision for running after the catch, and he rarely drops a pass. The only thing you could want more is a couple of extra inches in the height department, but that's about it. Once the connection between Watkins and Tyrod Taylor was established in the second half of the season, not even double teams could eliminate him from the game. At only 23, he has a lot of years left, and has the potential to get even better.
2016 outlook
- The Sammy Watkins watch will be on during the summer at St. John Fisher College. Watkins underwent offseason foot surgery and the Bills have yet to release a firm timetable as to when he's expected back in action. The Bills don't believe he's in any jeopardy of missing time in the regular season, but at the very least, it's a situation worth tracking. Once he's back on the field, Watkins hopes to combine with starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor to top the marks they had together over the final nine games in 2015. If they can recapture the magic, the sky is the limit for Watkins in 2016.
Top 20 Talents Countdown
1) WR Sammy Watkins
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