2023 NFL draft: CBS Sports calls Justin Shorter ‘questionable’ pick by Bills
CBS Sports named a “questionable” selection for every NFL team at the 2023 draft. For the Buffalo Bills, the answer is a two-fold one.
The Bills’ fifth-round pick of Justin Shorter was named. A wideout who was once the top player at his position during his high school recruiting year, Shorter had mix production in college which led to his transfer to Florida.
On Shorter, here’s how CBS Sports came to their conclusion:
Shorter is an athletically gifted tall wide receiver but that never translated to production on the field. When watching eventual No. 4 overall selection Anthony Richardson, his wide receivers were often dropping passes, breaking routes off too soon or getting squeezed by defenders. Shorter did not have a drop all season, according to TruMedia, but Buffalo is going to need more consistency out of him.
Shorter being selected is surprising for multiple reasons. Using a Day 3 pick on someone like Shorter, who was once touted, isn’t the worst idea in the world. Buffalo could be confident in their coaching staff to get that potential out of him.
And if they don’t? Well, he was a Day 3 pick… Not all of those work out.
But highlighting Shorter brings another Bills draft pick to mind: Dorian Williams. Others believe Buffalo’s third-round rookie is not a fit to replace Tremaine Edmunds, who signed with the Chicago Bears during free agency.
In selecting Shorter, CBS Sports does acknowledge a level of confidence in Williams–Now it remains to be seen if the Bills share that idea in 2023.
